10 ways to make a greenhouse with your own hands

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-01 16:51

Use pipes, film, polycarbonate, and even old window frames to delight yourself with fresh vegetables all year round.

What you need to know about greenhouses

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Like a greenhouse, a greenhouse is used to create a favorable microclimate when preparing seedlings or when fully growing tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage and other plants.

In a broad sense, both structures are perceived as one and the same, although in reality a greenhouse is a small and unheated structure. And the greenhouse is a larger building with a heating and ventilation system, allowing for the cultivation of many crops at any time of the year.

Design

Greenhouses are quite simple in design. A frame is assembled from pipes, metal or wood, which is covered with a film, polycarbonate, glass, acrylic and other light-penetrating materials. If the weight of the structure is very large, it is additionally installed on the foundation.

Removable panels or opening transoms are provided for ventilation. Heating is carried out using hot water heating with radiators, infrared heaters or hot air from heat sources outside the greenhouse.

Installation

Since sunlight is vital for plants, you need to build a greenhouse on the south side. It is advisable to place it on a slope and close to other buildings in order to protect it from the wind and have access to utilities. It is better to stay away from tall fences and trees: they provide shade, and falling leaves reduce light transmission.

1. How to make a greenhouse from agrofibre and reinforcement with your own hands

• Complexity of assembly: low.
• Foundation: not required.
• Price: low.
• Variations: the frame can be replaced with plastic pipes, and the covering material can be replaced with a film.

The simplest design option, which is ideal for a small greenhouse. A frame made of reinforcement is installed directly on the garden bed, and agrofibre or, as it is also called, spunbond is stretched over it. This material protects from the sun, while retaining heat and moisture.

1. The dimensions of such a greenhouse are chosen arbitrarily, depending on the footage of the materials available. For example, it is convenient to cut a six-meter reinforcement in half. With such a length of arcs, the width of the greenhouse is about 80 cm. The arcs themselves should be installed in increments of 1, 2–1, 5 m.

2. Arcs are bent from reinforcement with a diameter of 8 mm. Then they put on drip irrigation tubes or an old hose, leaving 10–20 cm at each end, so that it is convenient to insert the structure into the ground.

3. After marking the installation points of the arcs, scraps of steel pipes or drilled wooden pegs 20-30 cm long are driven into the ground, and reinforcement is inserted into them.

4. Spunbond can be sewn on a sewing machine, forming folds-pockets, which are worn directly over the arcs. Another option is to install plastic pipe guides on the sides of the garden bed and attach agrofibre to them using purchased clips or cut pieces of pipes. As a result, the covering material can be easily lifted by simply removing them.

5. If you wish, you can fix the arcs not to pipes driven into the ground, but to metal guides rigidly fixed along the edges of the base. This design will allow you to fold the greenhouse like an accordion, simply by moving the arcs.

6. The free ends of the spunbond at the ends must be assembled, tied in a knot and secured with a peg, earth or other method.

Here are the step-by-step video instructions.

2. How to make a greenhouse from masonry mesh and film with your own hands

• Complexity of assembly: low.
• Foundation: not required.
• Price: low.
• Variations: instead of a film, you can use agrofibre, and the door can be made on a wooden frame.

A budget version of a greenhouse made of masonry mesh and ordinary film, which is quickly assembled and has a number of advantages. The structure does not require a foundation, due to its elasticity, it is resistant to wind loads, and is also convenient for tying plants from the inside. At the same time, by folding the mesh, you can get different sizes depending on your needs.

1. Wooden beams, steel corners, pipes or channel bars are used as load-bearing posts. They are hammered at a distance of 1, 2–1, 4 m.
2. The greenhouse arch is formed from two overlapping mesh pieces. From below it is attached with a wire to the posts, and from above with the same wire or plastic ties it is fastened together.
3. To strengthen the structure in the middle of the passage, T-shaped supports made of wooden beams 50 × 50 mm are installed. If desired, they can also be driven into the ground.
4. A film is put on a dome assembled from a mesh, which is held by strings of twine or rope stretched over it.
5. The side walls are also made of foil, which is rolled up and attached to the dome with tape. In several places, small windows are cut at the top and bottom for ventilation of the greenhouse.
6. The door is made on a wooden frame or made of the same film that is cut and attached to the side wall with magnets in the manner of door mosquito nets.

3. How to make a greenhouse from a stretch film with a wooden frame with your own hands

• Complexity of assembly: average.
• Foundation: not required.
• Price: low.

Another quick way to build a greenhouse. A wooden beam is used as a frame, and a packing stretch film serves as a covering material. With a large number of layers, it transmits light a little worse than ordinary PVC film, but on hot days this is even a plus.

1. The film is sold in rolls, so the size of the greenhouse is chosen according to the cutting of the timber and taking into account your wishes.
2. For the base, steel corners 40 × 40 mm are used, in which holes are pre-drilled for fastening the frame racks. They can also be bitumen treated or painted to extend their service life.
3. The corners are hammered into the ground, and pieces of timber are screwed to them with self-tapping screws. In turn, the lower frame is attached to the timber, on which the side walls and the roof are assembled. All corners are reinforced with additional inclined timber sections.
4. The door is assembled on a wooden frame in one of the side walls and hinged.
5. The film is wrapped in parts, and in several layers and with an overlap. First, the gables are installed, then the roof slopes and only then the walls. You need to start wrapping them from the bottom so that the flowing rainwater does not get inside the greenhouse.
6. After winding with glazing bead or river, the door and its outer contour of the door are upholstered, and then the film is cut around the frame. In the same way, you can make a window in the opposite wall.

4. How to make a greenhouse from old window frames with your own hands

• Complexity of assembly: average.
• Foundation: desirable.
• Price: minimal.
• Variations: it is possible to combine frames with foil to make roofs, side panels or doors from it.

The main advantage of this design is its low cost. Old window frames can be found, if not for free, then for a symbolic price. In addition, glass transmits light much better than film and polycarbonate. The windows already have vents for ventilation, and if you pick up a balcony block, there will also be a finished door.

1. The size of the greenhouse depends on the size of the frames and the interior space you need. Aim for a width of about 2.5 m to get a passage of about 60 cm and two beds of 80–90 cm.
2. Windows, together with glass, are heavy, so it is advisable to install them on a solid foundation. It can be a shallow strip foundation, a massive wooden beam or a metal profile.
3. A wooden frame or pillars in the corners are installed on the foundation, and frames are attached to them and to each other. The gaps between each block are covered with putty and clogged with strips of laminate backing or a thin wooden strip.
4. A door is made in the front wall. Its role can be played by one of the windows, a balcony door or a wooden frame covered with a film. Ventilation is carried out through the window vents.
5. To reduce the weight, it is better to make the roof from a wooden bar and a film. You can use all the same window frames, but in this case you will have to reinforce the structure with struts in the middle of the aisle so that it can withstand a lot of weight.

5. How to make a greenhouse from film and polypropylene pipes with your own hands

• Complexity of assembly: average.
• Foundation: not required.
• Price: low.
• Variations: the film can be replaced with agrofibre or polycarbonate

A greenhouse made of polypropylene pipes attracts with its simplicity, reliability and low price. Materials are sold in any hardware store, and assembly does not require any special skills or tools. You can even do without a soldering iron if you connect the pipes not with fittings, but with through bolts.

1. As usual, the dimensions are selected based on the needs and materials available. Polypropylene pipe is usually sold in 4m lengths and is easy to cut and spliced with couplings.
2. The first step is to calculate the length of the pipe and the number of fittings required. It is better to take with a margin, so that later you do not have to run the store.
3. From the pipe, tees and crosses, the main parts are soldered - arches with crossbars and longitudinal inserts.
4. Next, a greenhouse is assembled from the prepared parts. If a soldering iron is not at hand, bolts with nuts and washers that are inserted into drilled through pipes can be used to connect.
5. The film is fixed on the edges of the frame with the help of purchased pipe clamps or homemade clips from a slightly larger diameter pipe cut along the length of the pipe.

6. How to make a greenhouse from a film with a wooden frame with your own hands

• Complexity of assembly: average.
• Foundation: not required.
• Price: low.
• Variations: the film can be replaced with agrofibre or polycarbonate.

The classic version of the greenhouse, used for decades and not losing popularity at the same time. Wooden beams are easy to process, have a low weight and sufficient strength, and also retains heat well. The structure does not need a capital foundation - you can get by with a frame made of a bar of a larger section or use steel corners as a base.

1. The standard cut of the timber is 6 m, therefore, it is from this figure that they are repelled. Most often, greenhouses are made 3 × 6 m, but if desired, the size can be either reduced or increased. The finished project with calculations of materials is available at this link.
2. The assembly of the frame is the same as that of a greenhouse made of stretch film. Steel corners are hammered into the ground at intervals of about 1 m at the points of attachment of the racks. In each of them, two holes are drilled for self-tapping screws or one for M8 or M10 bolts.
3. At the corners along the entire perimeter, vertical racks are fixed, which are tied with an upper contour of a bar. To stiffen the corners, add one jib on each side
4. Opposite the racks, triangular roof trusses are installed and fixed. The slope angle is selected depending on the snow load. So, if there is a lot of snow in your area, the angle of inclination should be greater (the roof is higher and sharper).
5. The door and window for ventilation are knocked down on wooden frames and installed in the front and rear walls, respectively.
6. At the end, the frame is covered with a film, which is attached to the timber with the help of a rail stuffed over it. All sharp parts on the wood are rounded or covered with a soft material so that the film does not break during operation.

7. How to make a polycarbonate greenhouse with a metal frame with your own hands

• Complexity of assembly: high.
• Foundation: is necessary.
• Price: high.
• Variations: the foundation can be made of wooden beams or use steel reinforcement, corner or pipes driven into the ground.

The most popular and modern version of the greenhouse. Such a design is much more expensive than others, difficult to manufacture, but it will serve for more than one decade. Polycarbonate can withstand the open sun for 10-12 years, and the frame made of a shaped steel pipe is practically eternal.

1. The standard size of polycarbonate is 2,100 × 6,000 mm, so it is convenient to cut it into four or two pieces with a size of 2, 1 × 1, 5 m or 2, 1 × 3 m, respectively. Such pieces will be optimal for a greenhouse measuring 3 × 6 meters.

2. For reliable fastening and distribution of wind loads, a foundation is made under the greenhouse. It can be a strip shallow foundation, a frame made of wood treated with an antiseptic, or steel corners driven into the ground.

3. The structure of the greenhouse consists of an arch, which is formed with the help of arcs from a profiled steel pipe 20 × 20 mm, located at a distance of one meter from each other.

4. The arcs are fastened together by longitudinal sections from the same pipe, which are connected by welding.

5. A door is arranged at the front end: a frame of 1.85 × 1 m is welded from the pipe, which is attached to the frame on hinges. A ventilation window measuring 1 × 1 m is made according to the same principle and is located at the rear end.

6. Covering with polycarbonate starts from the ends. The sheet is cut in half, attached to the profile on special self-tapping screws with thermal washers, and then trimmed along the arc with a sharp knife. After that, the side wall sheets are installed.

8. How to make a polycarbonate greenhouse with a galvanized profile frame with your own hands

• Complexity of assembly: average.
• Foundation: not required.
• Price: low.

A simpler and more affordable version of a polycarbonate greenhouse. It does not use an expensive metal pipe that needs to be welded. And as a frame material, galvanized profiles for plasterboard systems are used. They can be easily cut with metal scissors and fastened with ordinary self-tapping screws.

1. When choosing sizes, as usual, we start from the parameters of polycarbonate sheets. Since the profiles lose their rigidity when bent, it is better to stay not on an arched greenhouse, but on a gable greenhouse.
2. By analogy with arcs from a metal pipe, a frame from a galvanized profile is assembled from ribs in the form of a house.
3. The assembled modules are installed on a frame made of wooden beams and tied together with sections of profiles. Doors and a window for ventilation are made in the front and rear walls.
4. At the end, the frame is sheathed with polycarbonate sheets, which are attached using special self-tapping screws with plastic thermal washers.

9. How to make a glass greenhouse with a metal frame with your own hands

• Complexity of assembly: high.
• Foundation: is necessary.
• Price: high.
• Variations: to facilitate the construction, the top can be made of polycarbonate or film.

The most correct, but rather laborious and expensive version of the greenhouse. The main trump card of glass is its excellent light transmission and durability. However, due to the heavy weight of the structure, a solid metal frame and foundation are required. In addition to arranging the strip foundation, the complexity also lies in the need to use welding.

1. When it comes to the choice of sizes, the glass greenhouse is no exception - everything is strictly individual and taking into account the materials available.
2. The impressive weight of the glass and metal frame requires a complete foundation. Usually, a trench 30 cm deep and 20 cm wide is dug along the perimeter, a wooden formwork 20 cm high is installed on top, and all this is poured with concrete. Also, before pouring, anchor bolts are inserted into the formwork to fasten the frame.
3. A metal channel or corner is attached to the resulting base with the help of anchors. Then to this frame, posts with a height of 1, 6–1, 8 m from two folded corners 45 × 45 mm are welded. On top, they are fastened with longitudinal corner pieces.
4. Next, rafters from the same double corners are placed on the resulting box. At the bottom, they are welded to the racks, and on top - to another corner, which acts as a ridge beam.
5. A door is inserted into one of the walls, and a window for ventilation is arranged in the cover or wall.
6. The glasses are installed in the frames obtained due to the use of double corners and are fixed with home-made stamps - plates bent in the shape of the letter Z made of thin aluminum or steel. The glue is attached to the corner with one hook, and to the glass with the second.

10. How to make a domed greenhouse from a film with a wooden frame with your own hands

• Complexity of assembly: high.
• Foundation: desirable.
• Price: high.
• Variations: the film can be replaced with polycarbonate or glass, and the frame can be made of profiles or pipes.

A domed or geodesic greenhouse attracts primarily with its unusual appearance: it entirely consists of many triangles and hexagons. Other advantages include high structural strength and best light transmission. The disadvantage of a geodesic dome is one - the complexity of manufacturing.

1. The dimensions of such a greenhouse are selected individually, based on the required area. Since the structure of the frame is quite complex, the calculations are the most time consuming part of the project.
2. In order not to get confused and take into account all the nuances, it is convenient to carry out the calculation using a special calculator. In it, you can set the dimensions, select the "density" of the frame and get a list of all the necessary parts for assembly with dimensions, as well as their approximate cost.
3. Regardless of the size, the domed greenhouse is highly durable and is not afraid of winds, so it is not necessary to make a foundation for it. However, since the construction of the structure is very labor-intensive, it is rational to extend its service life and equip a light strip foundation for fastening the frame.
4. The ribs of the structure consist of triangles, which, in turn, are assembled from a wooden lath according to a pattern. First, you need to prepare the required number of such triangles.
5. The greenhouse is assembled as a magnetic constructor from childhood. Starting from the bottom, one by one, rows of triangles are assembled, which are fastened together with self-tapping screws and form a dome. If everything is calculated correctly, it will close at the top and will be ideally correct in shape.
6. One of the triangles in the roof is made folding or removable to provide ventilation. The door is either installed in the shape of a polygon, or it is made in a traditional shape with a mortise frame.
7. The film covers the finished dome or is stretched over each triangle at the assembly stage. In the first case, it will be easier to replace the film when it breaks. The second one gives a more aesthetic look. Which one to choose - decide for yourself.