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Greenhouses & Garden Structures

HFGH with 4x4 base

6 years ago

I have recently purchased a 10x12 HFGH and as soon as the weather warms up will begin assembly. I have been reading this forum, the blog by mudhouse and watching many youtube videos. I hopefully know what I am getting myself into with this project. In watching the videos and looking at the manuals for the 10x12 and the 6x8 greenhouses I notices that the smaller one can be installed directly to 4x4's for the foundation. Can parts 1-6 of the 10x12 also be installed directly to 4x4's or must the base assembly (parts 44-46) be assembled and attached to the 4x4's? Just wondering if there is any reason the use the base assembly if I am going to anchor 4x4's to the ground for my base.

Comments (2)

mudhouse
6 years ago
With apologies, I'll post a half-answer, because I'm helping a relative with a move and I don't have access to my manuals (and some of my brain cells, lol.)

Over the years I can recall another HFGH owner years ago, contacting me through my blog, and they didn't want to use the steel base for the 10x12 either. Their concern was a very wet environment; they felt the steel might not hold up (although I don't know of a steel base ever failing; they're pretty heavy.) I know they were successful with their build, but I don't know the specific re-engineering steps that eliminating the base may have caused. So it's possible to eliminate the base, but if there are resulting tweaks I can't outline them for you.

You might specifically check to see if the part 47 hold-down connectors (that secure the diagonal braces to the base) attach to a lip on the base itself, or to a lip on the top plates. (It's been too many years since my build, and I can't recall...and don't have easy access right now.) I just have a question in my mind about that possible complication.

In my warm climate I didn't mind the extra inches of height that are contributed by the base, even though we mounted our steel base on top of a (taller) wooden foundation as well. My biggest problem is cooling, and warm air rises, so a slightly taller greenhouse was a slight advantage for me. It did require me to build a few paver steps up to the doorway on the outside of my greenhouse, and there's a very slight step down to my paver floor inside.

Apologies for the half-answer! Maybe someone who has built one more currently could do a little brainstorming with you. I do know these kits lend themselves well to re-inventing, if you're willing to figure out the possible solutions. Over the years I've been very impressed by changes that are possible with a little creativity.
clkirk72
Original Author
6 years ago
Thanks so much for the prompt reply. I'll keep diggin through the instructions to see what I can figure out. I will probably end up using the base and adding a step up to the door as you mentioned.
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DarrellRG, the excellent photos posted by changingitup do a good job of showing how that small black plastic part 51 does have to hook under that lip, as you said. If you tried to just have part 51 sit on top of the track, and scoot along in that valley, your doors will "sort of" work, but they will be able to come off the track. Sometimes, people assemble their doors this way by accident, so it's an issue that comes up a lot. I've been stepping over that extended lip in my 10x12 for about 8 years now. I think I am used to it, and it's only rarely that I managed to catch my toe on it (usually, if I am lugging something in or out that is big and awkward, and I lose track of where my feet are!) Also, we put our frame on a bit of a raised wooden frame, so I built some steps using stacked paver blocks, right outside my greenhouse door. So, even if I do accidentally step on the very edge of the bottom door track, it only flexes down a small distance before it makes contact with the concrete pavers. The pavers just tuck right under that lip, up snug against the greenhouse frame. There are now two versions of the 10x12 kit for sale, and two versions of the 6x8. I know the newer version of the 10x12 kit doesn't have Part 51; they have somehow redesigned the bottom door track, and it's different. I don't know if this is true or not, for the 6x8. Just giving you a heads up, in case you look closely at the parts in your kit, and they don't quite seem to match up with some of the photos you see online. Harbor Freight likes to keep us on our toes.
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