Need Advice obout greenhouse frame price
gps5865
8 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (7)
jrslick (North Central Kansas, Zone 5B)
8 years agoI depends on you location.
I bought this 30 by 48 for $500. I had to tear it down and move it. All the ground posts were in concrete so I had to cut them off and then come up with new ground posts. I was able to find 1/4 inch wall pipe and drive those in the ground and then slide the remaining ground post over them and bolt it all together. It has been up for 5 years at my place and going great.
I bought this one for $1,200 and I had to tear it down too. I also had to pull out the ground posts. I used a 10 foot piece of heavy wall pipe, a chain and a heavy block of wood to pull them out. Basically I used it as a lever. The ground posts weren't in concrete. I wrapped a heavy chain around the ground post and the pipe, set the end on the block and picked up on the end and was able to pop them out of the ground. I am a pretty big and strong, so that method may not be for everyone.I already dropped the endwall in this picture. I was also able to get the plastic for this one, but it was torn in several places. I was unable to use it on this building, but I was able to cover two of my smaller movable tunnels with it.
If you do buy it, get yourself a cordless impact driver. It will save you tons of time. With a helper, not a great one at that, I was able to drop this building and have it all on the ground in 2 hours. Putting it back up, took much longer. If it is a Farm Tek, like this one, don't take all the bows apart, just take them apart in the middle and mark them all. It is much faster.
Good Luck,
JayRelated Discussions
Greenhouse advice needed
Comments (9)I live in Cincinnati and 2009-2010 winter was about average. I built a ghetto greenhouse, using windows for the front and most of the west side, reinforced plastic for the roof, wood for the north wall and wood/plastic/glass on the east side. It is 12'x16' with the ceiling going from 6-8'. I insulated areas where the walls that were not needed for light transmission, including the bottom two feet of the south facing wall. Also added a layer of plastic inside, creating close to a 4" airspace. It was heated with a total of 1650 watts of electric heaters, except for a few nights (when the temps were predicted to drop below 15 degrees) when I used a kerosene heater, set as low as it would go. During the day, the heaters would usually cut off (thermostat controlled, set to 52 degrees) though for a couple of weeks, they pretty much ran 24/7. At most, the cost was $4 per day for the electricity plus 75� for the kerosene. From the middle of February on, the cost was less than half that, many days the heater hardly kicked on or waited until 9 pm to do so. I was trying to raise mature plants, not seedlings. Toms and peppers will be fine at 45 degrees of a night. Lots of nurseries have then in close to unheated green houses. Mike...See MoreHarbor Frieght Aluminum Greenhouse, Need some advice for Michigan
Comments (16)Thanks for the info Sheri. I am going to have a metallurgist at the company look at the bolts. The base bolts appear to be stainless. I have the FED X number for the replacement parts. HF has been very good about making the shipping damage right, but they would save themselves a lot of money by packaging the houses better. I guess that they are used to shipping tools. As you know the instructions leave a LOT to be desired, so I might be asking for more help. Thanks again!...See MoreI need a reasonably priced greenhouse
Comments (15)Mike, Don't be discouraged. Since this is your first greenhouse, I would start out cheap and small. Once you use the first one a bit, you'll understand what you really want. Then you can start dreaming of things larger and more expensive. Try building a PVC hoophouse as a start. You don't need a lot of skills to build one of these or a lot of money, which makes it so much less imposing. I've learned this from experience. My current greenhouse is a hoophouse, and I want more, but it will do. Basically, you bend PVC pipe in a hoop fashion to make the arch of the greenhouse. You will also run a "spine" down the center to hold the hoops together. At the base, you secure the hoops to a square frame of treated lumber. There are many plans on the internet which can give you details about this. Over this hoop frame, I stretched a piece of 6 mil polyethelene. It's not treated for UV conditions, but so far it has lasted over 1 full year, and it is still in good condition. All of these materials can be had at Lowe's or Home Depot. For about $300 I built a 12'x14' hoop house with a door. That being said, it overheated some during the winter, and I had to shade some plants inside. I had a cheap 1500W electric space heater to keep things above freezing at night. It wasn't powerful enough to do more than that. It cost me about $20 a month to keep this greenhouse warm like this. The important thing to remember is to keep the structure as air-tight as possible. Any cracks left in any greenhouse you build will be dollars escaping from your pocket. Here is a link to the exact plans that I followed to build my greenhouse: http://theurbanrancher.tamu.edu/retiredsite/cottage/smallgreenhouse.pdf Always remember that the plans need not be followed exactly. Adjust them to suit your needs!...See MoreWanting to build greenhouse, advice needed
Comments (7)Given the choice, I would go with all vinyl framed thermopane, especially as very few of them in a GH need to be operating and non-operable windows are not all that pricey. But as long as nobody lobs a fast ball into them, unlike polycarb, that will have to be replaced sooner than later and in the sunny south, sooner- glass will last as long as your home. To keep the costs down, check out what is available in your local home centers and determine which sized windows are stock and what sizes are the least costly, then frame the GH to accomdate them. Another benefit of glass is the ease of cleaning it and the ability to use the cheapest yet most effective means of totally removing the mildew, mold and algae inherient to all GH's; bleach, which is deadly to polycarb. Then, there is the shadecloth you won't need. Just go back to what was used on glass GH's before polycarb: water based whitewash. Spray it on in spring and power wash it off in fall. I do agree about making it larger than you think you will need. They are never as large as we think we need. Or, construct it with doors at each end, with the thought in mind of adding on later. And do use an insulated door. It would seem a pity to construct a GH like that, then lose heat/cool through a door. Or, go with a really heavy, tightly sealed insulated storm door, not the lightweight junk that comes with most prefab GH's, even the most expensive ones. However, for framing, think twice about using cedar. The average cedar now sold is not only far more expensive than treated, it's not what was available 40 years ago. All of the tight grained old growth is gone and what is now on the average priced market is soft, fast growth farmed lumber that will rot out faster than treated. Good quality treated lumber, if gone over with several heavy coats of any good oil based penetrating stain sealer, will outlast cedar by a mile, and look good for years. And- when you do restain it, if you dribble any onto the glass, you can use paint thinner that would destroy polycarb to wipe it off and/or go over it when it dries the same way you would any window; with a razor scraper. Then- talk about a garden GH as a class act......See More
gps5865
8 years agokudzu9
8 years agojrslick (North Central Kansas, Zone 5B)
8 years agogps5865
8 years agokudzu9
8 years ago
Related Stories
WINDOWSSteel-Framed Windows Leap Forward Into Modern Designs
With a mild-mannered profile but super strength, steel-framed windows are champions of design freedom
Full Story
DECKSDecking Materials Beyond Basic Lumber
Learn about softwoods, tropical hardwoods, composites and more for decks, including pros, cons and costs
Full Story
MATERIALSMaterials Workshop: Polycarbonate — a Low-Cost Alternative to Glass
Looking for something lighter, stronger and less expensive than glass? Multiwall polycarbonate may be a good option
Full Story
GREAT HOME PROJECTS25 Great Home Projects and What They Cost
Get the closet of your dreams, add a secret doorway and more. Learn the ins and outs of projects that will make your home better
Full Story
WEDDINGSHouzz Call: Show Us Your Backyard Wedding!
Did you say ‘I do’ at home? We want to hear and see everything about it. Share your photos and you could be featured in an upcoming ideabook
Full Story
MOST POPULARHow to Add a Backyard Shed for Storage or Living
Need a home office, a playspace or extra room for your stuff? Learn about off-the-shelf, prefab and custom sheds
Full Story
GREEN BUILDINGHouzz Tour: Going Completely Off the Grid in Nova Scotia
Powered by sunshine and built with salvaged materials, this Canadian home is an experiment for green building practices
Full Story
DECORATING GUIDESBudget Decorator: Let’s Go Thrifting
Dip into the treasure trove of secondhand pieces for decor that shows your resourcefulness as much as your personality
Full Story
GREEN DECORATING8 Questions to Help You See Through Green Hype
With the ecofriendly bandwagon picking up some dubious passengers, here's how to tell truly green products and services from the imposters
Full Story
GREEN BUILDINGOff the Grid: Ready to Pull the Plug on City Power?
What to consider if you want to stop relying on public utilities — or just have a more energy-efficient home
Full Story
kudzu9