Building a greenhouse is a great way to grow your own food year-round. It’s also an excellent way to supplement your income with home-grown produce and herbs! Follow these simple steps, and you will have the perfect place for starting seeds, raising seedlings, or just enjoying the fresh air.
Contents
Tools And Supplies:
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- -Tape measure
- -Circular saw, or hand saw
- -Plywood or OSB boards
- -High-grit sandpaper
- -Stiles (optional)
- -Paint or sealant
- -Greenhouse film (optional)
Building The Framework
The frame of your greenhouse can be made out of plywood or OSB boards. If you are using plywood, cut four boards to the length and width of your greenhouse site. For OSB, cut eight panels that are each two feet wide by the length of your greenhouse. Sand the edges of all the boards before you begin assembly.
Cover The Frame With Plywood Or OSB Boards
This step is optional, depending on how much time and money you want to invest in your greenhouse. You can leave it open-framed if desired, though covering it will help protect against wind damage and cut down on heat loss during colder months. If using plywood, simply attach one sheet of wood to each long edge of the frame with three nails per board (one every foot). For an OSB cover, place two boards along each long side to overlap slightly for additional strength. Nail these into place tightly with six nails per board (two every
Install The Windows And Doors (If Desired)
Adding windows and doors to your greenhouse is a great way to let in natural light and ventilation. You can buy pre-made greenhouse windows and doors or make your own using plywood or OSB. If you are using plywood, cut four boards to the desired size of your window/door and attach them to the frame with hinges. For an OSB door, cut two panels that are two feet wide by six feet tall. Nail these together to form a “U” shape, then hinge them onto the frame.
Build Your Roof
Building a greenhouse roof can be as simple or complex as you want it to be. Some people build roofs with exposed beams, while others prefer an A-frame style that is wholly enclosed and gives them more headroom inside the greenhouse. Decide how much weight your roof will need to support (there’s no point in trying to grow tomatoes if there isn’t adequate support for your rafters) and leave at least four feet of clearance between the top of the ridgepole and where branches begin on nearby trees.
Install The Roof Covering
There are several different kinds of materials you can use for covering your greenhouse: glass, plastic sheeting, fiberglass panels…the list goes on! Sheeting is inexpensive but not as durable as glass and can be brittle in cold weather. Plastic is also inexpensive but needs to be replaced every few years (and isn’t recyclable). Fiberglass panels are solid and long-lasting but expensive; they cost around $50 per four by the eight-foot panel, though you may find them cheaper online or at a home improvement store like Lowe’s or Home Depot.
Add Your Greenhouse Film
Greenhouse film is a polyethylene sheet that helps trap heat and moisture in the greenhouse while blocking out sunlight. This allows you to start seeds or plants earlier in the year or keep them going later into the fall. You can buy greenhouse film at most garden centers or online; it typically costs around $20 for a 100-foot roll.
Add Shelves
If you have a greenhouse, the chances are good that you also want to garden year-round. To do this, add storage shelves inside so your supplies will be out of the way but still accessible. You can buy pre-made shelving at home improvement stores or build your own using plywood and two-by-fours (or OSB if desired). Using wooden boards, cut them into five-foot-long pieces and attach them with hinges for easy assembly. Attach the shelves to beams using screws and a drill, spaced every four feet along each beam.
Add A Ventilation System
In addition to a roof, adding ventilation is one of the best ways to increase your greenhouse’s productivity. Your vents will need at least four inches clearance on both sides and top so that air can flow freely into and out of the greenhouse. There are three types of vent systems: passive, active solar-driven, and electrical driven. Passive vents have louvers or slats that open when heat builds up inside the greenhouse; these should be placed as high as possible to minimize temperature loss from warm air escaping through them before reaching ground level. Active solar-powered vents consist of small fans or turbines attached directly onto the frame near hot spots where they might not otherwise receive adequate airflow (such as corners); wind passing over these turbines causes them to spin, which in turn coaxes air out of the greenhouse through the openings. Electric-driven vents are connected directly to your home’s central AC system and send hot air outside whenever AC is turned on–which may be all day during the summer months!
Conclusion
Building your greenhouse is a fun and rewarding project that can save you money in the long run. With careful planning, it doesn’t have to be difficult, either! By following these simple steps, you can have your very own greenhouse up and running in no time.