The Story of my DIY 18 x 16 Seedling Hoop-House

newtraditionsfarm · March 8, 2011

Here's the visual story of my DIY 18 x 16 seedling hoop-house.

Cost: $824 to date

Time to Construct: ~1 Week

Not having to worry about another Harbor Freight Greenhouse collapsing: Priceless.

freelancer79d · March 8, 2011

Good work!!! Let us know how it works for you.

stormymater · March 8, 2011

Nice work! I like the waisthigh framing. We used 20' 1/2 inch rebar in EMT for our ribs & put them in 3/4" metal EMT we put in the ground & secured to a 2 x4 frame on the ground. Only framed the door.

Would love to see a pic of your table construction!

newtraditionsfarm · March 8, 2011

We used treated 2 x 6's for the baseboard / frame, and then used 2' x 4's to frame the side and end walls. For the hoops, we use 1 1/2 inch PVC conduit and have them connected to the baseboard PVC's using 45 degree elbow joints.

I really like the 4' sidewalls. They make all the difference and come winter I plan to insulate them somehow.

The back wall is made a double layer of polycarbonate panels which I salvaged from my Harbor Freight greenhouse which got pulverized by a tornado last year.

The door... well... it's a drawbridge door! Heavy as hell, inconvenient, but all around lovable.

So far it's working out quite well.

As for the tables... you dont want to know.

They are essentially 4 x 8 frame screwed together at the ends with deck screws to create a box, and then covered with hardware cloth and stapled for the surfaces. Then we just add four legs at the corner, and two cross braces on each side as a place to set planks for shelving under the tables. They don't have much stability, but they are cheap and easy to make!

b54red · March 8, 2011

Nice work and you will really enjoy using it for many years to come I hope. I built a little 6 X 9 ft greenhouse attached to the back of my house with clear fiberglass 26 years ago and am still using it today. Other than raised beds nothing I have done gardening wise has been more useful. It leaks a little and can get pretty cold in the winter but I wouldn't trade it for all the cold frames I could fit in my yard and it beats the heck out of having the mess of seed starting in the house.

erlyberd · March 9, 2011

My personal suggestion would be to run a 2x6 or 2x8 as a ridge beam and conect it to the top of your door header for extra support. You may need to double up the header as well. I assume the ribs are pvc/metal by the size which should work fine. My 1 1/4" pvc withstood some heavy snows this winter and I must say I'm 100% impressed. Take away the 2x6" ridge beam and it would have come crashing down for sure.

I like your side walls as they'll keep the snow loads off the plastic some what. Better than a sloping side wall plus more inside growing room when using beds. What about wind support? I had to use cables with turnbuckles to pet some tension where it was needed.

Wish I took pictures this winter but was too sick to even do that, let a lone shovel the six foot deep snow climbing the side walls! I still can't believe it survived all that abuse. Sometimes its good to test a new design to its fullest! It hurt to do it but I had no choice in the matter!

Best of luck.

les matzek · March 9, 2011

nice job, i know where you live you get plenty
of snowright?, if i where you i would in dieangle
let in braces on your side walls like you have on
the front of your hoop house the waffer board
board will act as a shear wall so you need no
braces on the front or back walls.

wes i would have a 2x12 ridge beam to support
the hoops butt and tripple grip it to 2x12 header
on the front and back walls this is just my
opinion.

looks good good luck and regards

stormymater · March 9, 2011

Like it alot - cheap & easy - some of my favorite words!

newtraditionsfarm · March 10, 2011

Thanks for the advice and kind words!

A ridge beam is def. forth-coming. I just hate going to Menards (the local big box) and figured the PVC purlin alone would hold me over for this spring.

As for the plastic flapping, today I'll be installing Eye Bolts along both sides of baseboard and tyeing the plastic down sort of like a drum (with a crisscrossing pattern).

So far I am very satisfied with the greenhouse. There are still some improvements to be made, but it seems well suited to surviving our Spring in it's current shape.

At the moment, I believe I'll be taking down the plastic and hoops for the winter. Everything is bolted / wiggle wired in place, so it should be a rather easy job!

heirloomer08 · March 13, 2011

I love the greenhouse. I'm going to try and build a smaller version of it for myself. Only one question? What are you using for the plastic covering? Is is something special for greenhouse's or just a heavy mill plastic sheeting?

vagardener434 · March 13, 2011

Thats a cool looking GH. I too like the sidewalls. My 18 x 40 is just hoops, and the additional height on the sides would be very helpful. I'm gonna build another one something like 20-24 x 60-64, WITH sidewalls, learning from the mistakes made on the first one. Again, great job ! Very nicely done !!

newtraditionsfarm · March 13, 2011

The greenhouse is made using 6-mil 4-year rated Poly Film from Farm Tek. If I remember right it cost about $130.

attml · March 13, 2011

Very nice! That looks professionally done!

David Marek · March 13, 2011

Nice greenhouse. I see you also use my favorite milkhouse heaters. How have they been keeping up? Do you use the drawbridge door for adjustable ventilation?

ireilly · March 13, 2011

I like the use of a knee-wall because that space is typically not used for anything.

Very nicely done. I wish I had one.

March 8, 2011	#1
newtraditionsfarm Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Kankakee, IL Posts: 59	The Story of my DIY 18 x 16 Seedling Hoop-House Here's the visual story of my DIY 18 x 16 seedling hoop-house. Cost: $824 to date Time to Construct: ~1 Week Not having to worry about another Harbor Freight Greenhouse collapsing: Priceless.

March 8, 2011	#2
freelancer79d Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2010 Location: Lancaster, California Posts: 233	Good work!!! Let us know how it works for you.

March 8, 2011	#3
stormymater Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Pleasure Island, NC 8a Posts: 1,162	Nice work! I like the waisthigh framing. We used 20' 1/2 inch rebar in EMT for our ribs & put them in 3/4" metal EMT we put in the ground & secured to a 2 x4 frame on the ground. Only framed the door. Would love to see a pic of your table construction!

March 8, 2011	#5
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	Nice work and you will really enjoy using it for many years to come I hope. I built a little 6 X 9 ft greenhouse attached to the back of my house with clear fiberglass 26 years ago and am still using it today. Other than raised beds nothing I have done gardening wise has been more useful. It leaks a little and can get pretty cold in the winter but I wouldn't trade it for all the cold frames I could fit in my yard and it beats the heck out of having the mess of seed starting in the house.

March 9, 2011	#6
erlyberd Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: CT Zone 5 Posts: 186	My personal suggestion would be to run a 2x6 or 2x8 as a ridge beam and conect it to the top of your door header for extra support. You may need to double up the header as well. I assume the ribs are pvc/metal by the size which should work fine. My 1 1/4" pvc withstood some heavy snows this winter and I must say I'm 100% impressed. Take away the 2x6" ridge beam and it would have come crashing down for sure. I like your side walls as they'll keep the snow loads off the plastic some what. Better than a sloping side wall plus more inside growing room when using beds. What about wind support? I had to use cables with turnbuckles to pet some tension where it was needed. Wish I took pictures this winter but was too sick to even do that, let a lone shovel the six foot deep snow climbing the side walls! I still can't believe it survived all that abuse. Sometimes its good to test a new design to its fullest! It hurt to do it but I had no choice in the matter! Best of luck.

March 9, 2011	#7
les matzek Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Landers, CA Posts: 191	nice job, i know where you live you get plenty of snowright?, if i where you i would in dieangle let in braces on your side walls like you have on the front of your hoop house the waffer board board will act as a shear wall so you need no braces on the front or back walls. wes i would have a 2x12 ridge beam to support the hoops butt and tripple grip it to 2x12 header on the front and back walls this is just my opinion. looks good good luck and regards

March 10, 2011	#9
newtraditionsfarm Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Kankakee, IL Posts: 59	Thanks for the advice and kind words! A ridge beam is def. forth-coming. I just hate going to Menards (the local big box) and figured the PVC purlin alone would hold me over for this spring. As for the plastic flapping, today I'll be installing Eye Bolts along both sides of baseboard and tyeing the plastic down sort of like a drum (with a crisscrossing pattern). So far I am very satisfied with the greenhouse. There are still some improvements to be made, but it seems well suited to surviving our Spring in it's current shape. At the moment, I believe I'll be taking down the plastic and hoops for the winter. Everything is bolted / wiggle wired in place, so it should be a rather easy job!

March 13, 2011	#10
heirloomer08 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Iowa Posts: 89	I love the greenhouse. I'm going to try and build a smaller version of it for myself. Only one question? What are you using for the plastic covering? Is is something special for greenhouse's or just a heavy mill plastic sheeting?

March 13, 2011	#11
vagardener434 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Freeman, Virginia Posts: 90	Thats a cool looking GH. I too like the sidewalls. My 18 x 40 is just hoops, and the additional height on the sides would be very helpful. I'm gonna build another one something like 20-24 x 60-64, WITH sidewalls, learning from the mistakes made on the first one. Again, great job ! Very nicely done !!

March 13, 2011	#13
attml Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Annapolis, Maryland Posts: 222	Very nice! That looks professionally done!

March 13, 2011	#14
David Marek Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: St Charles, IL zone 5a Posts: 142	Nice greenhouse. I see you also use my favorite milkhouse heaters. How have they been keeping up? Do you use the drawbridge door for adjustable ventilation?

March 13, 2011	#15
ireilly Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2010 Location: Dallas Posts: 344	I like the use of a knee-wall because that space is typically not used for anything. Very nicely done. I wish I had one.