mudhouse - there was probably 10 inches of snow on the roof. I recognize that I should have gone out earlier and knocked it off but I'm a bit overwhelmed with life and business at the moment, and I simply didn't think about the risk of the weight on the roof. Actually, most of the snow we had received in the storm was very light and fluffy. The problem developed, I believe, after the storm broke and the snow began to accumulate moisture & weight as it started to melt. busy1 - I employed the same reinforcement of 3 lengths of EMD across the interior. That's nice for stiffening the walls but didn't make a difference in terms of this issue. ole_dawg - thanks for telling me about a guy on ebay. I'll have a look. If you happen to have the seller's name, I'd appreciate it. rosepedal - the 1x? material you have running from front to rear is sort of what I have in mind, but my thinking is that it needs to be centered between the ridge and the wall. Additionally, I would really want a minimum of one sturdy post, such as a 2x4, running vertically between those and the ground. This way there is some strength that prevents those boards themselves from bowing under the weight. As mudhouse mentions, the unsupported centers of the roof studs are the weak point. No question about it. Thanks for an occasional kick on this thread. It would be great if someone who has their remaining parts around might see this. I can be contacted directly at greg at greybearddesign dot com.

I just finished mine and suggest you take hints suggested on this site (and others if you Google HF Greenhouse.) Mandatory if you want it to go well: 1. level and square up the foundation many times as you go along. The long sides tend to buckle and twist as you assemble it so also check straightness (with a taunt string.) Buy or borrow an 8' ladder-you need it for the high work. 2. Order those extra clips early-they ship quickly and you absolutely need them. We ordered extra clips from Harbor Freight, 130 for $10.95, item no. 29457. TheyÂre not available online, and so far are not carried in our local store, so you have to call 1-800-444-3353.(shipping cost $7 and took one week for mine) 3. Plan on reinforcing the frame with EMT conduit-its cheap and adds a lot of stability. There are many suggested ways but belly-band the sides and the roof trusses. 4. Plan on reinforcing the header over the door-it sags and binds the door. I used 1" square alum tubing-got a 11' length for $18 at a local steel mill. 5. Do screw the plexiglas to the frames- I used galvanized screws with rubber reinforced washers. Most suggest stainless steel but I couldn't find them locally and couldn't find technical data (other then amature opinions) demanding stainless. 6. Do tape the edges of plexiglass with perforated tape from greenhouse vendors. I got mine installed before I realized that need, and will be removing and redoing panels all summer. Its quick and easy to do before installing-kick me. It keeps out bugs and slows the green mold along the edges. Do keep us informed as you proceed-I found the advise from others absolutely necessary to get mine up. By the way I did it 100% by myself and I am a healthy 70 year old-

I think that some would say it is easy and some will say it is difficult. It depends on your ability to build things. While we have a lot of posts about the HFGH very little info about other brands. I would guess that some of the others are not much easier to assemble. In my opinion the modifications to the 10x12 HFGH are not optional it is mandatory but after they are done it is and outstanding good buy. Only you can decide if it is for you or not. Would I buy another one ???? Given the choice of paying $500 for the HFGH and do some extra work on it or spend $3000.00 for something the same size I would buy the HFGH in a New York minute.

That is a nice link you posted there. I am sory but I do belive the webpage title greenhouse.gov actually means "green"-house as in energy efficent not Greenhouse for storing/growing plants. The only place I read where they say not to insulate the floor was if I was trying to cool the house. As I said earlier I am using this greenhouse for winter protection. The R values that they use in Austraila are measured differently then here. I can only imagin that R 1.5 would be close to the same as our R 13 for exterior walls and R 30 is normal for cielings here but they call it R 2. Below is from the Department of Energy link..... Insulation Priorities It is most important to: Insulate your attic to the recommended level, including the attic door, or hatch cover. Provide the recommended level of insulation under floors above unheated spaces, around walls in a heated basement or unventilated crawl space, and on the edges of slabs-on-grade. Use the recommended levels of insulation for exterior walls for new house construction. When remodeling or re-siding your house, consider using the levels recommended for new construction in your existing walls. Next Section - How Does Insulation Work for You? Here is a link that might be useful: Department of Energy