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Old October 17, 2014   #1
tqn626
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Default Cheap PVC Green House

Anyone got any tutorials on PVC green house? I just need to make a temporary one for my tropical plants if the winter get too bad.
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Old October 17, 2014   #2
troad
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have a web site for parts but they are holding back on the plans:

http://www.dpsbargainbasement.com/
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Last edited by troad; October 17, 2014 at 11:51 PM. Reason: clarify
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Old October 18, 2014   #3
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See "Raised bed mini hoop house" in the Undercover Gardening" here at Tomatoville for a video.
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Old October 18, 2014   #4
Cole_Robbie
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Chain link top rail is much sturdier than pvc and lasts decades instead of years.

1 3/8" top rail will fit inside 1 1/2" metal conduit elbows. Use one 90 for the top, and chop another 90 in half to make two 45s. Each 45 will sit into a chain link top rail ground post. Then you have an a-frame rafter in whatever dimensions you want. I am building a 4,000 sq ft structure after the first of the year using this plan.

Cutting the metal pipe and conduit goes a lot faster if you have a reciprocating saw. The conduit elbows need to be clamped to a table when being cut.

You can also bend top rail by hand with a bender, which costs about $100. I spent more money building the table to mount it to than the bender. Here's a pic of the last high tunnel I built: http://i.imgur.com/vkpzF0r.jpg It's 18 1/2' by 48'. Total cost was less than $2,000 for everything, which is 1/3 what a kit would have cost. To be fair, it did get smashed by a foot of snow in the following winter, but fixing it cost me about $40. I am hoping the A-frame structure will shed snow better.

Last edited by Cole_Robbie; October 18, 2014 at 12:45 AM.
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Old October 18, 2014   #5
tqn626
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I mainly want PVC so i can dismantled it during the summer months. My Space will be around 8 feet in width and 10 feet in length.
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Old October 18, 2014   #6
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Greenhouse Megastore has a selection of kits.

http://www.greenhousemegastore.com/p...se/cold-frames
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Old October 18, 2014   #7
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Aaron's Creek Farms has good selection of kits.....they do have one line with PVC ...ck. their website and you will find it among others.
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Old October 19, 2014   #8
tqn626
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Thanks for all the links, I will check it out.
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Old October 20, 2014   #9
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If you use the metal conduit elbows as connectors for top rail, a tek screw holds them together. Take out the screw and it all comes apart.

How were you going to take it apart? Were you going to plumb in unions, or just not glue the pvc fittings?

If you are dead-set against top rail, I like the gray electrical conduit better than white pvc pipe. It has much better UV resistance and will last longer.
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Old October 22, 2014   #10
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I made one with 3/4" PVC that I've used 2-1/2 years. I had a bunch of 4' pieces and buckets of tees, crosses, and 45s. I just started putting pieces and fittings together until it started looking like a greenhouse. I ran 1/2" EMT (metal conduit) inside the PVC pipe at the corners and then drove it into the ground. It kept it anchored and added some strength. I covered it with plastic sheeting using 2x4s to hold the plastic on the ground.

Mac
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Old October 22, 2014   #11
BigVanVader
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This is still the best video I have seen for cheap and easy greenhouse building, even now the rebar version would be less than 200$

He (Elliot Coleman) shows the easy/cheap greenhouse ideas starting around 11 1/2 minutes into the vid. Oh and the rebar is also easily taken down and moved if needed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovR-OZlul3w

Last edited by BigVanVader; October 22, 2014 at 11:23 AM. Reason: forgot something
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Old October 28, 2014   #12
Worth1
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BigVanVader View Post
This is still the best video I have seen for cheap and easy greenhouse building, even now the rebar version would be less than 200$

He (Elliot Coleman) shows the easy/cheap greenhouse ideas starting around 11 1/2 minutes into the vid. Oh and the rebar is also easily taken down and moved if needed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovR-OZlul3w
I like where he showed how easy it was to make the Gothic arch which I think is much more useful and pleasing to the eye.

Worth
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Old November 13, 2014   #13
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I agree, I hope to build one in the next week or two at our new home. Whenever I get around to it I will try to take some pics and post em. I have been wanting to try to build a walipini greenhouse but the clay here is so gosh darnoodley hard I'd need a backhoe....still like to do it eventually though.
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Old November 24, 2014   #14
NathanP
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Anyone know plans to build one (relatively cheaply) that is hard plastic, not a hoop house type covered with flexible plastic?
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