I have run across these directions in several different versions and the one thing I think they always sort of skim over is directions for building the end walls. I think that part of the project confuses (or intimidates) a lot of people.

The one thing I can not find on the net is the plans for building a similar house but with the gothic arch roofline. And once long time ago in here a guy explained all the math for calculating the hoop house height depending upon the length of rafters and how wide you make it. Wish I had saved that info. I want one taller than 6 or 7 feet in the center. I even keep wondering what would happen if two rafers were connected together at the peak with a 45-degree elbow. hmmmm.... (don't mind me...just thinking out loud). I really like the wooden bentwood gothic arch greenhouses I have seen but the plans you get from the county co-op sites don't give any directions for building them. I just know each rib is built with strips of 1/2" x 2" wide wood (plywood?) and two pieces are spaced apart with 2" wide blocks of wood.

I did find the link below for a 10'x10'x32' arch type greenhouse yesterday which I may try a variation of although I would like 12' or 14' width (which I guess I could get without losing height if I built up a short kneewall). What bugged me about these plans was that it says 10' tall, but then the drawing shows the roof peak right at the top of the door opening and there are absolutely no measurements in the directions. Oh, well....

Anyways I think a lot of people will be happy you posted the link to the hoophouse plans. I need to just stop thinking and just build me a simple hoop like this to start with. :)

Here is a link that might be useful: 10' x 10' x 32' Greenhouse Plans

Hmm .. I don't find the instructions for the ends confusing at all .. did you click on the Fig 3 details link and then the Bill of Materials? It's all right there, quite simple to my eye.

I have a greenthumb greenhouse already. I just thought some people might be interested when I rediscovered the link buried in my bookmarks.

X

Yes I did miss the detail page on this one. This plan does at least show you the end construction and the size of each piece. I guess about all it leaves out is the angles to cut on the diagonal boards, but I guess you could just mark them in place once you get it up. I guess there are no angles to cut in the top of the door frame where it meets the plastic pipe. This is one of the more complete plans. I know... I have about 50 of them on my drive! :)

I was wondering if anyone can answer this for me.... I have plans for another hoophouse 12' wide but it has a height of almost 8 feet. This plan was from 1973 and calls for the each rib to be 1 1/2" plastic pipe 21' 10" long. Now my question is this... does it mean the black irrigation pipe? PVC wasn't even around in 1973 was it? (oh maybe it was...I remember using it around 1975). Even if it was... you can't get it that long and you would never bend 1 1/2" PVC into a half circle...right?

Just use 23' of pvc pipe and that gives you 12' wide and almost 8' high.

The plan I saw called for plastic pipe 21'10" long, but it didn't say to connect pieces together to get that length.... it said to "cut" it to that length. So I was wondering what kind of plastic pipe comes in 1 1/2" diameter and long enough to cut that length (and flexible enough to bend in an arch)?

I used 1 1/4" pvc (gray) and it bends just fine. I used two ten footers with a three footer in the center. The pvc I used has a male and female end. Place the female ends facing each other and stick the three footer (both male ends) into the the two female ends of each ten footer. You don't even need the glue.

Hi.. My son is building me a really nice greenhouse using a metal tubing bender he found on ebay it came with instructions.I watched him bend the steel tubing, it's easy using the bender. I believe they sell benders for different sizes also, I'll have to ask my son about that. I looked at the cost of pvc as opposed to steel fence tubing and the strenght each offered, and I'am glad he chose the steel tubing. I'll miss my old wood greenhouse, But this new one is wonderful.