GoOnThen Posted January 3, 2013 My take on a portable greenhouse. ( 2.4m x 2m ) I have eventually got my shit together and I am going to finish my greenhouse. It is on bolt on wheels because I had to move it from where we unloaded it off the truck and it is no light weight ( all steel ) and I will have to move it again in the future as it is now sitting where my new shed is going. The wheels just bolt onto the sleeper base which is screwed to the frame. The idea is I just level the area and wheel it in take the wheels off and just sit it down. There is also a walkway mesh floor to go in but it will just sit in so it can be removed easly. There is a big sliding window to go in the back and a split door to go in the front. I will update this thread as I finish it. Cheers Got 12 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
inti Posted January 3, 2013 awesome looks good. nice work so far. Look forward to see finish pics 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LokStok Posted January 4, 2013 nice work GOT. so when are you taking orders? 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
inti Posted January 4, 2013 nice work GOT. so when are you taking orders? yea that would be awesome ..i could sure clear some of rear lawn... grafting room ! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CβL Posted January 4, 2013 Great idea, and I can't wait to see it finished. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
.dg Posted January 4, 2013 awesome what are you using for glazing? poly carb-film-glass? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GoOnThen Posted January 5, 2013 I cant wait to see it finished as well. I started it about 18 months ago I have taken the wheels off and its sitting in position. Window and door are in and I have finished painting it. Next is the covering which I have been and picked up the channels and clips to hold the plastic and shade cloth on. The plastic that I am using is the standard rolled green house film which I have an off cut in my shed that is big enough to double skin it. I have put the mesh on the sides to protect the plants on the shelf from the plastic. I still haven't decided whether I am going to blow air in between the two layers or not. If I do the sides will bulge internally as well as externally. Cheers Got 6 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bert&Ernie Posted January 5, 2013 Looking great! I think air in between the two layers would be great as it would provide some good insulation Cannot wait to see it finish and full of plants! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GoOnThen Posted January 5, 2013 Thanks jwerta My families commercial greenhouses were always double skinned with computer fans supplying the air but recently my brother changed tact and has gone to single skin. He had found that for his conditions and the cost and hassle it wasn't worth it but I think with smaller structures it still might be viable. Cheers Got 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
.dg Posted January 5, 2013 Got i see you are in Perth- being from California i have little knowledge of your climate would the inflated double skin be used to keep your plants warm-or cool-or both? (curious because i've used single 6mil film for my hoop houses for years now...) whatcha planning on growing in there? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
karode13 Posted January 6, 2013 Great work Got. Can't wait to see it finished and full of plants. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GoOnThen Posted January 13, 2013 I have had to go with a single skin my piece of plastic was smaller than I thought. The Idea of the air in between the to skins is to insulate and it does work for heat and cold. It is used more for the cold especially if you are heating the green house. I started putting on the plastic yesterday. First job was to fix all of the aluminum channel that holds the plastic on. This is fixed using self drilling screws every 30 to 40 cm. The plastic is laid over the frame and one end is fixed using the spring clips then the other side is done by pulling it taught and fitting the clips. The sides are then done the same. Anyone that is thinking about using plastic for a green house have a look at using this system as it is very fast to fit once the channel is on. I will be laying my shade cloth over the top and clipping it with another clip on top of the plastic so the shade cloth can be changed easily if necessary. If the plastic ever needs to be changed I would think it would take me well under a day to do the whole lot by myself. Fitting of the channel and the first piece of plastic took me about 5 hours Cheers Got 9 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jox Posted January 13, 2013 (edited) I'll buy two thanks Got That has come up great!! I'm very jealous!!!!! Edited January 13, 2013 by Jox 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
teonanacatl Posted January 13, 2013 Who makes the channels and what are they worth? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bert&Ernie Posted January 13, 2013 Looking very neat. Are you going to be putting plastic on the front part? And if you don't mind telling us how much did all this cost to build? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GoOnThen Posted January 14, 2013 Who makes the channels and what are they worth? Mine came from my brother and at this point I haven't paid for them and I have no idea what he will charge me. This is one place that I can find online that sells them http://www.sagehort....el-Spare-Repair but like with most things It is a numbers game and my price will be substantially less than sagehorts price as my brother would have bought hundreds of meters of the stuff. This is one of his little green houses I have no idea what it would cost to build this at the moment as it was built from new and second hand materials that I already had. The plastic and the clip systems all came from my family that were left over from there own green houses. I believe that if you can weld then its not a bad way to go as 25mm square steel tube is quite cheap and easy to work with. If you had to pay someone to fabricate it then the cost could get up near the cost of a off the shelf greenhouse but a welded steel frame will be a lot stronger than the light weight aluminum ones that are on the market. I am lucky in that I have a workshop and one of my employees is a 1st class welder and another is a apprentice welder. I am also a reasonably competent welder but the biggest plus for a project like this is having a fully equipped workshop. I still have to finish fitting thew plastic onto the front and back walls and the door. It will be water proof when it is all closed up. Cheers Got 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
teonanacatl Posted January 21, 2013 What type of plastic is that? Im looking at building one... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Optimystic Posted January 21, 2013 Sorry to but in here, but I wanted to share a link to some nice tarps.. They list a number at the bottom for orders outside the usa I bought a really inexpensive "HoopHouse" which is 15 x 7 feet... which is I guess approx 5 by 2.5 meters.... IT came with the netted green plastic, and the heat wore it out... the net stayed but the little plastic chards between were eventually punched out by rain and such..So far I've only bought an inexpensive replacement tarp that I hope will last a year (and im gonna leave the netting on there for support) but my plan is to get one of the vinyl tarps on this page when I can afford it... My hoophouse required some creative anchoring (when I first got it some wind blew it over and it got puntured by my yuccas lol) but it has served really well as a shadehouse for my cacti in the summer... and this year I know I could leave them out there a little longer as we have more of a fall season than a winter here... This is the link http://www.tarpsplus.com/clear-tarps.html?gclid=CPmUyYqOpLECFWyHtgod7iFTeQ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Optimystic Posted January 21, 2013 I just took some pics in case anyone cares for a visual.. Just mention it if its okay to post some here ;)I wish I could make a portable one too but Im not sure one could be built heavy enough to stand some of our wind without actually anchoring it to the ground... though that looks pretty heavy! Very creative and really nice! Mine is a feather compared to that! lolI also found several places selling the traditional greenhouse plastic just searching a bit... I was looking for a catalog I had but seem to have misplaced it... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rabelais Posted January 21, 2013 (edited) Looks great, GOT. Any other features you're planning on adding? Passive ventilation for hot days? Adding some high mass, low thermal conductivity materials which will slowly purge heat over time would probably help keep it warmer during winter nights also - something that can be removed during summer...I'm thinking big, black, sealed tubs of water which will slowly heat up during winter days and purge the heat at night...pitty you couldn't get the double skin, that would make it even more effective. Anyway, I'm rambling...I love passive cooling and warming tech. Tip top work. Edited January 21, 2013 by Rabelais 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GoOnThen Posted January 22, 2013 I just took some pics in case anyone cares for a visual.. Just mention it if its okay to post some here ;) I wish I could make a portable one too but Im not sure one could be built heavy enough to stand some of our wind without actually anchoring it to the ground... though that looks pretty heavy! Very creative and really nice! Mine is a feather compared to that! lol I also found several places selling the traditional greenhouse plastic just searching a bit... I was looking for a catalog I had but seem to have misplaced it... I don't have a problem with you posting pics of your green house it is always interesting to see what other people are using. The plastic that I am using is a UV stabilized plastic that is used for commercial greenhouses and is supposed to last for 5 to 7 years. It also doesn't tear if you poke a hole in it. It would be much like the plastic that is in the link that I posted before. I don't know what thickness that I have but I would presume it would be one of the heaver ones considering it was purchased originally for the covering on a multi span greenhouse. Looks great, GOT. Any other features you're planning on adding? Passive ventilation for hot days? Adding some high mass, low thermal conductivity materials which will slowly purge heat over time would probably help keep it warmer during winter nights also - something that can be removed during summer...I'm thinking big, black, sealed tubs of water which will slowly heat up during winter days and purge the heat at night...pitty you couldn't get the double skin, that would make it even more effective. Anyway, I'm rambling...I love passive cooling and warming tech. Tip top work. Thanks Rabelais. I would have liked to have the double skin but when I realized I didn't have enough plastic I wanted to get it built and I had the time to do it so I had to just get it done. I am going to see how it goes through this summer and winter and make changes if they are required. I do think I am going to need to put a couple of auto vents in the roof so don't have to worry about it over heating if the doors and window are closed. The plastic is finished and the shade cloth is on the outside. I now have to finish the doors and fit the retractile shade cloth to the inside. I am using a reflective shade cloth (50%) on the inside much like this Cheers Got 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Optimystic Posted January 23, 2013 thats super nice work man..Mine is very simple and a quick and affordable way to get the trick done... didn't cost much but I had to invest a little extra into anchoring stakes and an extra tarp.. buncha sand and junk... I used some of those foamy winter pipe protectors in the interior bars from rubbing the metal too much and I had to get some tarp tape.. Its convenient, what can I say? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
teonanacatl Posted January 23, 2013 Where did you get that one? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Optimystic Posted January 23, 2013 (edited) straight up ebay... unfortunately they went up to 200 bucks,,, just search greenhouse and you'll see it , but im not sure if the same vendor sells internationally... its probably better to find one there locallyThe nice thing about it is that its easy to work with but you have to make sure and anchor it real good and suppore the base with like roof shingles or something... Mine is 15 x 7.5 x 7 .. there is a 10 x 6 x 6 one listed for only 90 bux! not too shabby http://www.ebay.com/itm/Outdoor-10x6-6x6-6-Green-House-Grow-Hut-w-Shelves-/290600784269?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43a928118d and this one has shelvesUnfortunately this one doesn't list int'l shipping but its just an example..I recommend if buying one that looks nice make sure to find the same on if you can on amazon and read the reviews... I don't trust ebay reviews cause ppl risk retaliation for being honest about a product on there... though I do always check the percentages and read the feedbacks There are some really nice ones that sell for alot more but I had limited resources and needed a shade house/ rain guard Edited January 23, 2013 by Spine Collector Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GoOnThen Posted March 3, 2013 Ok I have got the greenhouse to the stage that I can move the cacti in I new I should have built it bigger but at least my shelves in the shed are just about empty so I have room for more grafts and seedlings My cacti have looked a lot better than they do at the moment. They are trying to recover from mite damage that I took to long to deal with The reflective shade cloth inside is retractable so it can be drawn back in winter ( I wont have to wear my foil hat when I am inside in summer ) Cheers Got 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
