Every owner of a summer cottage sooner or later wonders how to increase the productivity of the garden and optimize financial and physical costs. As a rule, it is after this that they begin to consider the available greenhouses with their own hands: the most best projects and features of their implementation. This article will discuss successful greenhouse designs, materials for construction and coating, as well as a detailed description of the construction process.

Before you begin building a greenhouse, you need to decide on several fundamental aspects that will determine the size, type and location of the structure. First of all, you should think about what you plan to grow in it. For example, a greenhouse for tomatoes should correspond in height to the growth of adult plants, while growing exclusively seedlings does not require a large structure.

Another important point– the material from which the construction will be carried out. The most popular option, which is used in most cases, is wood. But today wood has given way to lighter and more affordable modern materials, for example, plastic pipes and covering material. But this does not mean that wooden frames were abandoned altogether. Wooden and metal greenhouses can still be found quite often.

In addition, give the area a neat appearance The symmetrical arrangement of all buildings, fences and paths will help. But the most important thing is that the greenhouse is positioned correctly and does not cover the windows of the house, does not block the passage, etc.

Do-it-yourself wooden greenhouses and greenhouses: photos, instructions and material features

Wood is one of the most affordable and popular materials, which is used for various constructions. Of course, one cannot deny the fact that it is wood that is more susceptible to influence than all other materials. external factors However, this does not stop many owners of summer cottages who want to build a greenhouse with their own hands.

Soft wood species are acceptable for the construction of temporary structures. In this case, pine, alder, spruce, aspen or linden are suitable. For more reliable and permanent structures it is better to use others deciduous trees or swamp cypress, larch.

In the process of constructing a greenhouse, the frame of which is made of wood, it is very important to prepare a reliable foundation, which will become a solid foundation for the structure.

Foundation options for a greenhouse and a greenhouse for a do-it-yourself cottage

Depending on the design features, you can make one or another version of the foundation that will be suitable for this type of structure:

• foundation made of railway sleepers or timber. To do this, you need to prepare a trench into which sleepers or timber are laid. All these elements are connected using metal brackets. Then, the finished greenhouse frame is installed on top;

• For places where windy weather often occurs, it is preferable to install a columnar foundation. Thanks to the availability concrete base, such a design can withstand severe wind loads, and even hurricanes. For this purpose, pipes with a diameter of more than 20 cm will be required. They are dug in to a depth of 90 to 120 cm so that they do not freeze during the cold season;
• a block foundation is another solution to the issue of installing a foundation for a greenhouse or greenhouse. In this case, sand and gravel are first poured into a pre-prepared trench, and then concrete blocks. It's all poured in cement mortar and then a frame of beams is attached on top;
• strip foundations are practically not used for greenhouses, since they are designed for more severe loads. In a not too deep trench there is a concrete pad 30-50 cm thick. The main advantage of this option is its extremely long service life, which allows you to change structures by installing them on the same base.

Assembling a greenhouse frame with your own hands

Having figured out the difference between a greenhouse and a greenhouse, and having installed the type of foundation that is suitable for you, you can proceed directly to the construction of the frame itself. As mentioned earlier, there are several options that you can implement yourself, for example, an arched or gable design. It all depends on your preferences, as well as the characteristics of the area where the installation will be carried out.

Most often at dachas you can find rectangular greenhouses or greenhouses with gable roof. Making wooden greenhouses with your own hands is quite simple, and their use will be quite comfortable if you think through all the nuances.

Features of each stage of construction. How to choose and secure covering material. Advantages of PVC pipe structures.

Installation always begins with the installation of a support beam, which is attached to the foundation and is usually somewhat thicker than the rest of the wood used for the frame itself. In this case, all elements are necessarily treated with a protective antiseptic.

All fastenings must be reliable, so you can use reinforcement, anchor or metal bolts for this purpose. Another important aspect– the integrity of the timber, which is used as a base. It must be solid, without cracks or signs of rotting, since the stability of the structure depends on this.

The construction of a wooden greenhouse with your own hands is carried out according to the drawing you choose. But, in general, the scheme of work looks like this: it is necessary to assemble two side and two end walls, which are then fastened together with screws, corners, metal profiles or clamps.

When the “box” is ready, you can proceed to installing the rafters. Their number depends on your preferences, however, it is worth understanding that the more there are, the easier it will be to attach the covering material and the stronger the structure in general will be.

When all the rafters are secured, you can proceed to the installation of the roof ridge, which is attached to the upper groove of the rafters. At the same stage, it is worth securing the wind boards, for which the side grooves of the rafters are provided. You can see more details on how exactly to do this in the drawing or diagram. All these elements must be made of solid material.

The final stage of construction can be called the installation of a doorway, as well as a window, which is provided for ventilation. After this, all that remains is to cover the frame with covering material, and you can begin operation.

Helpful advice! One of the most effective ways protection against rodents - lay a chain-link mesh with small cells under the greenhouse. This must be done before installing the frame.

The most convenient DIY greenhouses. Photos of models made of polycarbonate and plastic pipes

One of the modern and inexpensive options for building a greenhouse is to use plastic pipes. Depending on the manufacturing technology, they are divided into polypropylene, metal-plastic and PVC.

The last option is slightly cheaper than all the others. But metal-plastic ones, although the most expensive, can provide much more high level strength. Therefore, in in this case You should be guided by your preferences and financial capabilities. As an example, you can look at photos of greenhouses in the country with your own hands.

The main advantages of a plastic greenhouse frame over a wooden one are ease of installation and the ability to give the structure any shape. As in the case of a wooden one, construction must begin with choosing a location and preparing the site. Having decided on the purpose and size of the greenhouse, you can proceed to drawing the diagram and purchasing the appropriate amount of necessary materials.

Often structures made from plastic pipes are made temporary, since they can be easily dismantled and reassembled several times. The type of foundation that needs to be laid depends on whether the greenhouse is stationary or collapsible. In the first case, it is better to use tape or columnar. For a temporary structure, you can not make a foundation at all, but simply dig in metal pins and reinforce the site with boards.

Using pins, the base is made as follows:

1. Strong metal pins are dug into the ground. They should protrude approximately 30 cm above the ground surface.
2. One edge of the pipe is placed on the pin.
3. The pipe is bent in such a way that the second edge can also be put on the pin, which is dug parallel to the first.

How to economically build a greenhouse with your own hands from plastic pipes

Anyone can make a simple greenhouse with their own hands without any special financial investment or effort. To do this, you just need to purchase all the necessary materials, according to the selected drawing and follow a fairly simple algorithm:

1. After the base arcs are installed, it is necessary to fasten them together. To do this, you need to use a pipe, the length of which will correspond to the length of the entire greenhouse.
2. A long pipe (or two short ones, fastened together) is located in the center of the arches standing on the base, and is fixed as tightly as possible with clamps or ropes. At this point, the frame assembly can be considered certified.
3. It is best to use polycarbonate or polyethylene film as a coating. In the first case, the thickness of the polycarbonate must be at least 4 mm, and the sheet size can be any, since this material can be easily cut and adjusted to the size of the greenhouse. In the second case, the film is cut into strips and attached to the arcs using double-sided tape, office binders or special pipe fasteners.
4. Fastening polycarbonate or film must be overlapped. To connect sheets, you can use self-tapping screws with wide heads or thermal washers. The main thing is to pay due attention to sealing the joints. You can use a special tape for this.

You can build small ones for greenery with your own hands from scrap materials

Greenhouse made of covering material: which is better, polycarbonate or film

Technical and performance characteristics polycarbonate allowed it to take a leading position among materials that are used to create greenhouses and greenhouses. It is quite simple to cut and attach, and at the same time it is resistant to external factors. In addition, it has excellent light transmission, providing plants with the necessary amount of sunlight.

It is worth considering that this durable and reliable material is significantly more expensive than the usual and affordable polyethylene film, which is still widely used to cover greenhouses.

Anyone can figure out how to cover a greenhouse with film. The main thing is to fasten it to the frame as securely as possible and fix it at the bottom by sprinkling the edges with earth and laying heavy boards or bricks. When deciding which film to choose for a greenhouse, you should first of all be guided by its strength. But in any case, most likely, it will not last more than one season. The price of greenhouse film is affordable, so you can replace it without much difficulty or investment.

As for the features of fastening polycarbonate, it is worth noting the presence of several in various ways. So, in addition to ordinary self-tapping screws, you can use aluminum staples or special plastic earrings.

Another option is to use profiles for this purpose. In this case, you need to drill holes in advance that will allow you to attach the coating to the metal frame.

Helpful advice! The use of thermal washers in the process of attaching polycarbonate is a mandatory measure, since this is what allows the material to maintain its integrity and prevents condensation.

Do-it-yourself greenhouse from window frames: how to arrange a place for growing seedlings

On garden plots You can often find small greenhouses made from old window frames. Of course, such a design is unlikely to be suitable for growing tall and large crops, but it will be more than useful as a do-it-yourself greenhouse for seedlings.

The main advantage of this option is financial savings. All you need are old window frames. If they have glass, you can leave them and use them instead of the standard coating. If the frames are empty, then after installation they can be covered with plastic film or inserted into cut polycarbonate sheets.

Even for such a small and light greenhouse, it is necessary to prepare the foundation in advance. For this purpose, it is installed wooden frame from boards or timber. A 50x50 mm beam or a board 40 mm thick is best suited for this purpose.

The frame will consist of racks, as well as upper and lower frames, which are made from identical boards. The racks, in this case, must be installed at such a distance from each other that the window frame can fit between them.

Timber is best suited for the roof, as it is more durable and minimizes the risk of greenhouse destruction under the weight of snow in winter time. Also, gable structures are more durable, which is also worth taking into account.

As for attaching the frames themselves to the supports, this can be done using nails and screws. It must be fixed on all four sides, both from the outside and from the inside. All remaining cracks must be sealed using polyurethane foam.

Like the walls of the greenhouse, it is best to cover the roof with polycarbonate or cover it with film. This will provide the plants with the maximum amount of light.

Helpful advice! It is best to start installing the coating from the roof, gradually moving down. Otherwise, you risk damaging already coated areas by touching them during the work process.

Do-it-yourself greenhouse under a film made of galvanized steel profile

Profile is another material that has recently become actively used for the construction of greenhouses and greenhouses. The main advantage of this method is the ability to give the structure any shape and size, without being limited to any standard sizes.

Helpful advice! In order to build a beautiful and reliable greenhouse with your own hands from a profile, videos, calculations and step-by-step photo instructions offered on the Internet can serve you well. Do not neglect the advice of specialists, as well as the recommendations of users who have already had to work with such buildings before.

To work, you will need the following tools: a measuring tape, a building level and a plumb line, scissors designed for working with metal and a screwdriver.

Installation of the frame begins with fixing the guide profile, which is attached to the foundation using self-tapping screws. One upper beam must connect all sections, which must be at such a distance that the structure is sufficiently rigid. As a rule, the pitch is a third and a fourth of the length of the polycarbonate sheet.

Using the same principle, you can make a galvanized greenhouse under the film. You just need to think in advance about how to attach the film to the greenhouse. Otherwise, the technology is no different from that used for wooden structures and greenhouses made of plastic pipes.

Very often, galvanized profiles are used for greenhouses for tomatoes. It is quite simple to build it with your own hands, and at the same time the structure has the proper strength. Moreover, every summer resident, interested in the question of how to grow tomatoes in a greenhouse, will definitely be faced with the fact that the temperature in a greenhouse for tomatoes should not drop too low. Therefore, it may be worth thinking about a heating system at the design and construction stage.

How to care for the structure and how to prepare the greenhouse for planting

Regardless of whether you chose a greenhouse under film or a more fundamental design using polycarbonate, before you start planting, you need to carry out a number of procedures. First of all, this concerns the preparation of soil and beds in a greenhouse with your own hands. Photos and diagrams of how to correctly arrange everything inside clearly demonstrate that by calculating everything in advance, you can ensure convenience and ease of working with plants.

When wondering how to treat a greenhouse in the spring before planting, it is worth studying in detail all possible methods in order to protect the plants and the building. First of all, it must be a high-quality antiseptic that will destroy all dangerous microorganisms living in the soil.

When considering the question of which is better, a greenhouse or a greenhouse, it is also worth considering that the first option is often installed on open ground, and the structure can be moved to a new location from year to year. But the greenhouse is a stationary structure, and it will not be possible to move it without effort.

Another important point is how to make beds in a greenhouse. Here you need to start from what kind of crop you plan to grow. For example, if you start building a greenhouse for peppers with your own hands, then the width of the bed should be at least 80 cm. At the same time, the paths should be thought out in such a way as to provide free access to each plant.

The most convenient DIY greenhouse: video instructions for making

After watching the video, a DIY greenhouse will no longer seem like an impossible task. Following simple recommendations, you can easily make a greenhouse with your own hands from a covering material that will meet all your needs and is perfect for efficient cultivation vegetable crops.

Greenhouse management should be based on sober calculation. There is no reason to buy an expensive greenhouse for seasonal growing of vegetables if you can make a greenhouse with your own hands, spending a minimum of money and time on it. Implementing one of dozens of ideas is quite possible both for those who hold tools in their hands almost for the first time, and for those who are considered experienced craftsman. What do certain structures made from scrap materials look like, and what is the principle of manufacturing each of them?

Mini-greenhouse from the store

Do-it-yourself greenhouse in the country - it's easy

Gardeners most often build a greenhouse from scrap materials for cucumbers - these vegetables grow quickly, store well and are in year-round demand. Any building materials are suitable for constructing a seasonal greenhouse with your own hands, the main thing is to ensure a sufficient supply. To determine the type and size of the structure, take a closer look at the place where you are planning construction and conduct an audit in your own garage or shed.

Do-it-yourself folding structure made of PVC pipes and timber

Choosing a location for a greenhouse

Most vegetable crops, including cucumbers, come from hot tropical countries, and to obtain a good harvest, appropriate conditions are needed:

• thermal regime – not lower than 25 °C during the day and 15 °C at night;
• daylight hours – at least 10 hours;
• air humidity – within 85–95%;
• soil moisture – up to 95% during growth and up to 85% during fruiting.

Proper placement of the greenhouse in the local area helps to ensure optimal performance microclimate and get by at the lowest cost. Looking for suitable place analyze the features of your site and, on a copy of its plan, shade in the free zones that:

• are located near a water source;
• well lit from 7am to 9pm;
• not blown by north winds and drafts;
• dimensions allow you to orient the greenhouse in the east-west direction.

Choose a sunny site

Consider the intersection of the hatches as the most suitable for installing the greenhouse. It is acceptable if no more than two points do not meet the stated requirements. In this case, consider whether it is possible to eliminate the shortcomings, for example, install a spacious tank, clear away old plants and buildings, protect from the wind with a solid high fence or gazebo.

Make sure that at the selected site groundwater does not come close to the surface - it interferes with the development of crop roots and causes their diseases. An indirect sign of excessive dampness is the presence of plants such as sedge, moss, meadowsweet, and marigold in the area. If you notice them, take the following measures:

• add soil and raise the height of the beds;
• plant water-bearing trees (plum, wild rose, pear);
• arrange a drainage ditch and a drainage well.

Frame made of pipes in the form of a house

It is desirable that the selected site be slightly inclined to the south or be flat, but not located on a western or northern slope. If there is no other platform, you will have to level it, otherwise the beds will be illuminated unevenly.

Construction materials

To build the simplest greenhouse with your own hands, just a film and a few wooden beams or reinforcing rods are enough. But, trying to reduce the cost of construction as much as possible, summer residents sometimes use other available materials:

• remnants of plastic water pipes;
• rubber watering hoses;
• wooden containers and pallets from building materials;
• dismantled metal-plastic or wooden windows;
• cases of old furniture and household appliances.

Greenhouse from an old refrigerator

Summer residents make frames from anything; some even use an outdated bus. But the choice of covering material is not so extensive - it is significantly limited by the requirements for strength, light transmission and price. Choose from these options:

• polyethylene film (reinforced or simple, but always with UV protection);
• white agrofibre with a density of 60 g/m2. (keep in mind that canvas with a lower density is intended for frameless shelter or for later planting);
• polycarbonate 4–8 mm thick (the most reliable and durable material, but lay it only on a rigid frame);
• glass (covering a greenhouse with heavy and expensive glass panels only makes sense if they are available).

Simple shelter

If you want to build a tall, stationary structure made of metal or heavy lumber with your own hands, think about the type of foundation in advance. It determines the quality factor of the greenhouse structure, resistance to snow and wind loads, and ease of use. The cheapest and easiest base to arrange is a wooden beam or round timber. Unfortunately, in greenhouse conditions such a foundation does not last long.

You can significantly extend the service life of a greenhouse by raising the wooden base onto brick or concrete supports or pouring a concrete strip. To secure the frame to the ground or foundation, and the covering material to the frame, stock up on screws, nails, angles, reinforcing pins and other hardware. Consumption depends on the dimensions of the future structure.

Mini-greenhouse on a columnar foundation

dimensions

Even experienced summer residents often underestimate the importance of choice optimal sizes greenhouse But the dimensions determine what crops you can grow with your own hands, how comfortable it is to care for the plants, and whether the space is well ventilated. So, for a full cycle of growing cucumbers, you need a greenhouse with a height of at least 1.8 m, and for cucumber seedlings, a small-format greenhouse up to half a meter high is sufficient.

To service a tall greenhouse, you need doors and a fairly wide passage; beds should be arranged inside or shelving should be installed, which means that the width of the building cannot be less than 2–3 m. Greenhouses are usually not made wider than 3–4 m and longer than 6 m, since there is calm weather. Without fans it is difficult to ventilate them.

Standard polycarbonate width 2.1 m

As for the greenhouse, when choosing dimensions, consider the following factors:

• technology for growing the selected crop;
• method of organizing ventilation;
• the possibility of free access to the far edge of the garden bed;
• standard dimensions of available building materials (for example, the length of the arc or film, the thickness and width of the polycarbonate sheet or window frame).

Greenhouse box dimensions

You can go another way - look at purchased greenhouses and build the same one with your own hands. The most popular models - tunnel ones - have a length of 4 to 8 m or more, and the width and length depend on the length of the pipe (usually it is 2–2.5 m) and the installation method.

Factory-built polycarbonate pop-up greenhouses are typically designed this way:

• width – 1.6 m;
• height – 1 m;
• length – 4–8 m or more (on request).

Second Life plastic bottles

If you are just taking the initial steps in the greenhouse business, try your hand at a small greenhouse - it’s easy to enlarge it or place the same one next to it. And if you get exhausted and realize that this is not your thing, the loss of time and effort will be minimal.

Types of homemade greenhouses - descriptions and photos

Looking at the photo, you might think that building a functional and simple greenhouse at home from scrap materials is a matter of 5 minutes. Indeed, the designs of most homemade products look simple, but some greenhouse options still require careful execution and skills in carpentry or welding. Look and choose what you have enough skills for.

For installation, stock up on power tools

Simple arc greenhouse

Almost all greenhouses and greenhouses under film offered in stores have an arched shape. Their equipment is minimal - several arcs of pressure polyethylene pipes, covering material (film or spunbond), fastening elements (clips and pegs). Sometimes the kit includes ready-made arches with a canvas placed on them, which significantly saves time and justifies costs.

However, most manufacturers suggest bending the pipes and covering them with film yourself. What prevents you from choosing a kit and making a greenhouse for cucumbers with your own hands - according to your size, from more quality materials and with the same result, only cheaper? To install a four-meter greenhouse you will need:

• HDPE or PVC pipes with a diameter of 20 mm – 5 pieces;
• polyethylene film or spunbond 3.5 m – 6 m wide.

Such greenhouses are popularly called “snowdrops”

Replace plastic pegs with sections or whole reinforcing rods. If there metal pipes, you can use them, but to give the desired shape you need a pipe bender or considerable physical strength. There is no need to run to the store for spunbond of the required width - if you have a supply of material 1.6 m wide, just glue or sew the panels; this is quite acceptable for mini-greenhouses.

To make the finished greenhouse convenient to store, sew several folds 25 mm wide in agrotextiles with a step of 1 m between them. After this:

1. Along the perimeter of the future greenhouse, drive the reinforcement into the ground in pairs so that the ends 10–20 cm long come out.
2. Thread plastic pipes into the stitched spandbond, bend them and install them on the ends of the reinforcing bars.
3. Level the structure, if necessary, add soil around the perimeter or drive in wide boards.

You can water the beds without removing the spunbond. When you want to ventilate the greenhouse, lift the edge of the canvas on one side and secure it to the arches with clothespins. It is also convenient to use plumbing clips or office binders as fasteners. At the end of the season, remove the structure, fold it like an accordion and place it in a dry, ventilated shed.

Insulated early greenhouse

Arc-shaped greenhouse with bottle insulation

The previous model is designed to equalize small temperature differences, but is not able to protect plantings from frost. Because of this, homemade greenhouses made from scrap materials cause a lot of criticism. In fact, in spring the difference between night and day air temperatures reaches 20–25 °C, which has a detrimental effect on plants.

It is impossible to compensate for such heat losses without high-quality insulation, but how can you make a greenhouse warm without spending a lot? The solution to this problem is to use plastic bottles, which restrict the movement of air near the walls of the structure and thereby reduce heat transfer.

Since the implementation of an idea takes a lot of time and labor, start taking active steps with your own hands as early as possible:

1. Approximately calculate how many empty eggplants you will need - measure the dimensions of one bottle (without the bottom), divide the total area of ​​​​all surfaces of the greenhouse by its area.
2. Collect the required number of bottles and prepare the containers - wash, cut, sort by color and volume.
3. Using a thin knitting wire, connect the bottles to each other, inserting one into the other, like glasses.
4. Measure the length of the bottle “garland” - it should be equal to the length of the greenhouse arch. Assemble the rest of the “garlands” using the template.
5. Cover the finished tunnel with the collected bottles, tie them together for reliability.
6. Wrap the greenhouse on top with a second layer of covering material, for example, frost-resistant film.

Very warm greenhouse

Use the remaining unused containers as heat accumulators. Fill them with water and place them inside the greenhouse between the beds. During the day, the water will heat up under the sun, and at night it will give off heat. This design will protect young plants from frost down to –5 °C.

Triangular greenhouse made of boards

A win-win way to build a greenhouse with your own hands in 2-3 hours is to use leftover timber and boards. It differs from previous solutions made from scrap material in its triangular shape - this is good for growing cucumber seedlings, eggplants or peppers. The design turns out to be quite heavy, but it can be moved if desired. If you have a supply of lumber and hardware, put them to use:

1. Along the perimeter of the future greenhouse, build a rectangular base from boards 100–150 mm wide.
2. In the center of the side jumper, install a beam vertically with a length equal to the desired height.
3. Determine the length of the slope (the distance between the top of the beam and the extreme point of the side lintel) and knock down a support post in the form of a triangle from a beam or board of a smaller section.
4. Divide the long side of the base into equal intervals (0.8–1.2 m) and count the number of racks.
5. Make racks using the template, install them in the marked places and secure them with nails.
6. Connect the tops of the posts with a ridge beam and cover the frame with film or spunbond.

Triangular greenhouse made of lumber

For ease of closing and opening, nail one edge of the canvas to the base using nails and wooden planks, and wrap the other around the beam and also connect it with nails. Do not attach the beam itself to the base. When you need to open the greenhouse, lift the beam along with the covering material and secure it with twine or wire.

Quick greenhouse made of wooden lattice

After transporting furniture, equipment or building materials, wooden boxes, lathing, and pallets are often left behind. Instead of dismantling them for firewood, it would be better to make a greenhouse with your own hands. The easiest way to connect the gratings into a gable structure is with regular wide tape; then, if not needed, you can easily disassemble it and compactly fold the parts for storage.

If during the installation process you carefully pin one grate to another and tightly wrap it with two or three turns of tape, the greenhouse will stand without moving - thanks to its weight and symmetrical arrangement, it is not afraid of any wind. Such a structure is assembled even faster than a tunnel one, and its benefits are just as great.

Collapsible greenhouse made of lattice

Greenhouses "breadbox" and "butterfly"

These greenhouse structures are interesting because they utilize the entire area to the maximum. The lid that slides up gives the plants access to the sun and fresh air, and it becomes very easy to care for the plantings. Even more interesting from the point of view of operation is Fedorov’s design, which is a kind of combination of a Mittlider greenhouse and a greenhouse-breadhouse.

The frame consists of two mobile halves different heights. This solution allows:

• tightly close the greenhouse when there is a threat of cold weather;
• leave an open opening in the upper part for ventilation;
• completely open the plants on each side in turn.

Butterfly greenhouse

A little less often, you can see a butterfly greenhouse in garden plots. It also has a movable roof, but it does not slide down, but opens upward - like the wings of a butterfly. Among the disadvantages of the model is the high windage in open form, so leaving it unattended is not recommended.

Another disadvantage of mini-greenhouses made from scrap materials is that making them with your own hands is much more difficult than others. However, if you have a pipe bender and the skills to use a welding machine, it won’t be difficult to build a “breadbox” frame:

1. According to the dimensions of the future mini-greenhouse, weld a rectangular base from a 20x40 mm metal profile.
2. Make a mark in the center of the side and measure the resulting distance - this is the length of the mobile roof element.
3. On both sides in the center, weld metal plates or hinges with holes for attaching the roof.
4. Determine the height of the greenhouse and specify the height of the roof elements.
5. Using the obtained dimensions from the 20x20 profile and the arcs made on a pipe bender, weld four roof segments so that one pair fits into the other with a minimum gap.
6. Use welding to connect the segments with a jumper (20x20 pipe), drill holes in the corners and align them with the holes on the mounting loops.
7. Secure the roof parts with bolts, paint the frame and cover it with polycarbonate.

Greenhouse-breadbox

Greenhouse made from window frames

When puzzling over how to most efficiently make a greenhouse with your own hands from scrap materials, remember if anyone in your environment has replaced the old windows with metal-plastic ones. If so, then the problem can be solved simply, and the window frames will serve for several more years as a greenhouse frame.

From the frames you can build a greenhouse of any shape and size - small triangular, high gable and even arched, covered with a polycarbonate roof. The simplest design looks like a wooden box on which a window frame is attached at an angle. Special costs It doesn’t require time or money, but you can also grow crops limited in volume and variety.

The construction of a full-fledged greenhouse with an entrance and beds, on the contrary, will take a lot of effort, since you will need:

1. Collect a sufficient supply of windows.
2. Restore and prepare them for installation.
3. Mount a sufficiently powerful frame.
4. Install it on the foundation.
5. Cover the frame with frames.
6. Cover with a pitched or arched roof.

Dutch frame greenhouses

Keep in mind that both a mini-greenhouse and a greenhouse made from old window frames require constant repairs and tinting of wood - due to high humidity structures are quickly destroyed.

Stages of greenhouse construction

If you make a standard greenhouse out of boards and film, you may encounter a common problem, judging by the reviews on videos and forums. Summer residents often complain that the soil in such structures warms up slowly, and cucumber seeds can be planted only 5–7 days earlier than in open space. How to build a greenhouse with your own hands to speed up soil heating?

Closed raised bed

It is quite easy to fulfill this desire if you raise a mini-greenhouse from scrap material above ground level by 40–50 cm and thus arrange a high bed. To obtain sufficient height, make an appropriate base from any material convenient for you - timber, brick or concrete blocks. This is what the further assembly algorithm looks like:

1. According to the dimensions of the finished base, knock down a box from 40x40 timber.
2. Nail two beams in the center of both sidewalls, the length of which is equal to the total height.
3. Connect the peaks together with 20x40 ridge beams.
4. Tie the edges of the ridge to the corners of the box.
5. Measure the dimensions of the roof slopes and make frames for the roof.
6. Install butterfly hinges on the ridge and hang the finished frames.
7. Using thin nails and glazing beads, cover the frame with film on all sides.

The second method of arranging the roof

To support the open roof, select a beam of sufficient length and nail a strip on the inside of the greenhouse on which the beam can be supported. Don't forget to paint or stain the wood. Then proceed to fill the greenhouse layer by layer with old newspapers or cardboard, then large and small organic waste, and finally, fertile soil.

This option for setting up a greenhouse for cucumbers allows you not only to get the harvest 15–20 days earlier, but also to protect it from pests, provide comfortable care for crops, and also organize a garden bed on problematic soil. Moreover, neatly assembled and painted plant houses become a real decoration of a summer cottage or local area.

Video: a greenhouse at the dacha made from scrap materials

Although structures made from scrap materials are considered temporary, with proper operation and timely repairs you can use them for several seasons, thereby saving family money on the purchase of fresh vegetables, and even making money from their sale. Who knows, maybe this is where your greenhouse business will start?

Video 1: Do-it-yourself mini-greenhouse “butterfly”

Video 2: Greenhouse in 1 hour

Video 3: Underground greenhouse trench

Video 4: Cucumber greenhouse

A greenhouse for summer residents is the simplest and most unpretentious design for growing seedlings, as well as early vegetables and herbs. Currently, garden stores sell inexpensive snowdrop greenhouses, which are easily and quickly installed on a personal plot. Making such a greenhouse with your own hands is not at all difficult. There are the simplest designs that do not require large financial investments and labor costs.

Description of the snowdrop greenhouse design: design, advantages and disadvantages

The snowdrop greenhouse is the simplest design, which consists of a certain number of plastic (or metal) arcs and covering material (polyethylene film or agrofibre). Since greenhouses are much smaller in size than greenhouses, the requirements for them are not so stringent.

The small snowdrop greenhouse is easy to assemble and also easy to dismantle. It will only take a few hours to install it. It does not take up much space on the site and therefore can be placed anywhere in the garden. For such a greenhouse you can make a wooden base, or you can do without it. In this case, plastic or metal arcs are simply buried in the ground. The spunbond is attached to the arches with special latches, clips or other convenient methods.

Basically, the snowdrop greenhouse is made of spunbond (agrofibre), since it has a large number of advantages compared to polyethylene. Arcs made of plastic pipes are much lighter than metal ones, bend easily and do not rust.

Advantages and disadvantages of a snowdrop greenhouse made of plastic pipes and agrofibre

pros	Minuses
Easy to install and dismantle	Not stable in strong gusty winds
Low cost of materials	During heavy rainfall and hail, the structure may bend
Agrofibre resistance to wind and hail	Not suitable for use in severe frosts
Protects plants from ultraviolet rays, transmits soft diffused light and prevents them from drying out	Small area and height of the structure for growing plants
Does not allow water to pass through and preserves plants in slight frost (-5°C)	If used carelessly, agrofibre can be damaged by sharp objects.
Durability of the design
Easy to care for (easily machine washable)
Agrofibre is a durable and hygroscopic covering material
Suitable for use in middle lane Russia, the Urals and Siberia

Examples of designs in the photo

Small greenhouse “snowdrop” made of agrofibre
Greenhouse made of plastic pipes
Greenhouse on a wooden base made of spunbond
Small polycarbonate greenhouse
Small square greenhouse made of polycarbonate
Triangular wooden greenhouse
Greenhouse "snowdrop" made of plastic pipes under plastic film
Polycarbonate greenhouse

Preparation for construction: drawings and design diagrams

To build a snowdrop greenhouse, you do not need special complex drawings or diagrams. It will be enough to draw by hand simple diagram greenhouse indicating the number of arcs and the size of agrofibre.

The greenhouse is 4 meters long, 1 or 1.2 meters wide.

Construction of a snowdrop greenhouse will not cause much difficulty, since you will need to buy the required number of plastic pipes and a roll of spunbond.

When purchasing covering material, it is necessary to accurately calculate the width of the material, since agrofibre can be made in widths from 1.6 to 3.5 meters. A narrow canvas can be used in a ground-based greenhouse as mulch.

To build a small greenhouse with a length of 4 to 6 meters, you can simply sew on sewing machine two strips of spunbond.

If you plan to plant seedlings early in the ground, then it is best to use dense spunbond with a density of 60 units. Standard snowdrop greenhouses are covered with agrofibre with a density of 42 units.

Calculation of the required amount of material and tools for building a greenhouse

We will build a small greenhouse 4 meters long. To create it we will need:

• PVC plastic pipes - 5 pieces (diameter 20 mm). Pipes are sold in lengths of 3 meters. HDPE pipes can be used.
• Agricultural material - a piece 6–7 meters long (if the width is 1.6, then the footage is multiplied by 2).
• If we make a greenhouse with a base, we will need wooden boards- 2 pieces 4 meters long and 2 pieces 1 or 1.2 meters long. The width of the greenhouse will depend on its height; the higher the structure, the smaller its width will be. If there are strong winds in the region, then it is best not to build a high greenhouse.
• If we put arcs on the reinforcement, we will need 10 rods about 40–50 cm long.

Tools:

• Hammer, nails;
• Screwdriver, self-tapping screws;
• Construction level, corner;
• Bayonet shovel.

Step-by-step instructions with photos for building and installing an arched greenhouse “snowdrop”

1. First we need to knock down the base for the greenhouse. To do this, we take wooden boards and knock them into a rectangle. We check the evenness of the structure with a corner or building level.
2. We install the base on the ground in the place where the greenhouse will be built. On the sides, from the outside or inside, at a distance of 1 meter from each other, we drive in reinforcement to a depth of approximately 20–30 cm. The rods should be located opposite each other.
3. We bend plastic pipes and insert them into metal rods. For greater strength, plastic pipes can be secured to the base with self-tapping screws and metal plates.
4. Also, for greater strength, you can nail wooden blocks at the corners of the base and in the places where the arches are attached.
5. If we need to make the greenhouse more stable and reliable, then we simply nail vertical wooden boards to the board base (at the short ends). We attach a vertical board to them on the edge, in which we pre-drill holes with a diameter slightly larger than the plastic pipe.
6. During the assembly of the greenhouses, we thread each pipe into these holes. The greenhouse structure will be more durable.
7. If you make special folds in the agricultural material every meter and stitch them, then the arcs can be simply inserted into them and then there will be no need to secure them to the structure with special latches or clips.
8. For further use of the greenhouse, you may need ordinary clips for plastic pipes, which will secure the agricultural material raised to the required height.

How to make a snowdrop greenhouse for cucumbers, peppers and eggplants

A triangular-shaped greenhouse is perfect for growing cucumbers.

1. First, we make a wooden base the same as for an arched greenhouse. In the middle we nail the posts every meter.
2. Then we nail two inclined boards to them on each side of the base. We get a triangular-shaped structure.
3. We nail a long beam or attach a pipe to the top of the greenhouse.
4. We attach agrofibre to the sides of the greenhouse. We also attach spunbond to the sides, but only in a different way. We cut off the required number of strips, measuring the length by the width of the material with a margin. We nail small wooden slats to the agrofibre on both sides, which will serve as a certain “anchor” for the material. We cover the greenhouse with it and nail it on top so that it sticks better to the structure.
5. Thanks to the wooden slats, the agrofibre will not rise in strong winds, it will not need to be fixed at the base, and it will also be convenient to use the greenhouse on both sides.
6. If desired, agrofibre can be replaced with cheaper polyethylene film.
7. After the cucumbers begin to curl, the agrofibre can be removed and high posts can be nailed to the side parts. Between them we will just need to pull a rope along which the cucumbers will curl upward.

How to use a greenhouse

• The snowdrop greenhouse made of plastic pipes is easy to assemble, so at the end of the season you can simply assemble it like an accordion and put it in the pantry.
• If the greenhouse has a wooden base, it will need to be regularly treated with antiseptic agents to prevent the appearance of fungus and mold.
• Agrofibre is a lightweight but durable material that can be easily washed in an automatic machine.
• If you want to use biological fuel as additional heating for a greenhouse, its base will have to be buried about 15–20 centimeters into the ground. We insulate the side walls with polystyrene foam and fill the interior space of the greenhouse organic fertilizer: manure, as well as dry leaves, hay or straw.
• Place the prepared soil mixture on top of the layers.

Biofuel types:

• Horse manure is considered the best organic fuel, since within 7 days after installing a greenhouse, the temperature inside it will rise to +25–30°C and will remain for about two and a half months. Thanks to this, seedlings for early vegetables can be grown in such a greenhouse.
• Cow and pig manure are slightly worse than horse manure, as they produce less heat. The temperature in the greenhouse does not rise above +20°C and lasts only 1 month.
• Goat, sheep and rabbit manure have similar characteristics to horse manure and produce the same amount of heat.

Since biofuel settles over time, when laying it it is necessary to make a sufficiently high layer.

Video: how to make a snowdrop greenhouse with your own hands

The light and simple design of the snowdrop greenhouse is perfect for growing seedlings, early vegetables and herbs. It does not take up much space and can be built in just a few hours if you have all the materials and tools. After the season ends, such a greenhouse can be removed to make room for growing other late crops. Thus, with a minimum of effort and a little imagination, you can build an excellent collapsible greenhouse on your site.

Greenhouses today can be seen in garden plots in both southern and northern regions. And this is not surprising, because the greenhouse allows you to organize favorable conditions for plant growth, protect seedlings from diseases and pests, and get maximum yields of better quality than at open bed, fruits. How to make a greenhouse or greenhouse without professional help, with your own hands - read below.

Creating a greenhouse yourself is a rather labor-intensive process, which includes selecting materials for the frame and covering, making calculations and drawing up a drawing. In order to make a greenhouse, you first need to decide on the shape and size future construction.

How to draw up a greenhouse drawing yourself is explained in our material:

The most popular options for homemade greenhouses today:

1. Arched. It can be either capital or temporary. A permanent structure can be assembled from wood, galvanized profiles; RBO planks are suitable for a temporary greenhouse. This greenhouse is compact.
2. Wall-mounted. Such a greenhouse is easy to construct, and in winter, due to the adjacent wall of a residential building, it needs to be heated less. But such a greenhouse can only be installed if the house does not cast a shadow on it, or the greenhouse has additional artificial light devices for plants.
3. Gable. Such greenhouses resemble a “bread” house for birds. They are very convenient to work in and can accommodate both tall and low plants. But a large area will have to be heated in winter.

Which greenhouse is best placed on the site depends on how many acres you have at your disposal: the greenhouse should be positioned so that no shadow falls on it. In addition, you need to leave space in the garden area for opening the bed.

Homemade greenhouses and equipment for them

Homemade greenhouses are the most suitable option for those who do not want to spend money on a purchased structure and its installation in the garden. Which ? You can independently assemble both a simple greenhouse and a large vegetarian garden. At the same time, a budget greenhouse, properly made, will be no less effective: it can be used to organize autonomous system heating, drip irrigation, aeration system.

Easiest with my own hands make tunnel greenhouses from agrofibre, film structures on a frame made of wood (timber, poles) and plastic.

You can assemble both a summer and a year-round greenhouse. To keep the greenhouse warm, you can use electric heating equipment with automatic temperature control, or gas equipment with automation. The autonomous “smart” Arduino super-greenhouse performed well.

The cheapest option would be to use a solar power plant to heat the greenhouse, which will collect the sun's rays and heat the coolant.

Collect solar collector you can do it yourself. The inexpensive “Bubafonya”, a wood-burning stove, is also suitable for heating a greenhouse. Compared to a conventional stove, this stove is efficient and economical.

A geothermal convection system and drip irrigation will help create a favorable climate in the greenhouse. Read more about geothermal heating in our material:

The advantages of a geothermal system are completely autonomous control and durability (can last up to 50 years). In addition, such a system will additionally produce carbon dioxide, which plants need for photosynthesis. Assembling a geothermal system with your own hands will be quite difficult.

Roofing materials: how best to make a greenhouse

Roofing material for a homemade greenhouse should be affordable, lightweight and easy to install, durable and efficient. Previously, one could often see greenhouses made of glass, but such material is very demanding on the frame, is expensive, and can be easily damaged during installation.

Today, there are such affordable and effective materials for covering greenhouses:

1. Polycarbonate. This material is excellent for covering the popular “Sotok” greenhouses; it is durable, light weight and durable, and has high light transmittance. From leftover polycarbonate you can make a fence for the beds inside the greenhouse.
2. Film transmits light well and creates a greenhouse effect. In addition, greenhouses made of polyethylene do not require a rigid, and therefore more expensive, frame. The disadvantage of film is its fragility.
3. Agrofibre is a lightweight covering material that can protect crops from UV radiation, frost, and pests. You can cover a tunnel-type greenhouse with agrofibre. Such a greenhouse will be both cheap and effective.
4. Vacuum panels have high thermal insulation properties. It is possible to grow crops in greenhouses made from vacuum panels even in the far north. At the same time, you can harvest up to four times.

Which material to choose depends on the type of greenhouse and the region in which it is located. Each material has installation features that should be familiarized with before starting construction work.

Assembling a simple frame: how to make a greenhouse with your own hands

Greenhouses are divided into wooden, brick, metal or PVC frames. In addition, you can often find combined designs. The most convenient greenhouse designs are those with a frame that looks like a gazebo without windows: it is tall, it is convenient to work in and you can place many plants, put up shelves or racks, or place a trellis. But the easiest way is to make an arched type greenhouse.

Let's look at the greenhouse-arch assembly technology step by step:

1. We level the ground and install a wooden frame around the perimeter of the future building. To make the frame more stable, we hammer in pieces of reinforcement in the corners.
2. From the outer sides of the base we hammer in pieces of reinforcement 800 mm long in increments of 400 mm so that an even half of the piece goes into the ground.
3. We put a PVC pipe on the reinforcement on one side of the frame, bend it and put it on a piece of reinforcement on the opposite side.
4. We fix the plastic arcs to the frame using a metal clamp and self-tapping screws.
5. We make the end sides with doorways from wooden blocks.
6. Separately, we knock down the door frame and fix it on the hinges to the end sides.
7. Starting from the end sides, we stretch the stiffening rib and fix it to each arch using plastic straps.

The simplest homemade frame is ready! Such a greenhouse can be covered with film. The instructions with video sequence can clearly illustrate the self-assembly of the greenhouse-arch.

If you have repeatedly thought: “I want to make a greenhouse, but I don’t know where to start,” then you should turn to practice experienced gardeners. Before you start building a greenhouse, you need to draw a model of the future building and make calculations building materials based on it. At the same time, fasteners and fittings (handles, stoppers, openers, etc.) should be included in the construction estimate. At the same time, to build good greenhouse you need to prepare the soil. So, on heaving soils it will be necessary to build drainage, and clay soils will need to be replaced with sandy ones.

From the practice of gardeners, the following can be distinguished: useful tips that will help you find a place for a greenhouse:

1. To minimize heat loss, all-season greenhouses should be placed on a foundation buried in the ground.
2. Homestead greenhouses can be built on the roof of other buildings on the site (garage, outbuilding, etc.).
3. Summer greenhouses can be placed on a foundation made of boards.
4. A permanent greenhouse built on hollow blocks will be stable and warm. Brickwork is also suitable for a capital foundation.
5. In the greenhouse in the basement you can grow mushrooms, vegetables, strawberries (a hydroponic setup is well suited for growing strawberries and hemp).

The greenhouse should only be placed on level ground and not in a shaded area. At the same time, the greenhouse should not be located in drafts.

A small simple greenhouse with your own hands

The Timiryazevskaya greenhouse is a fairly simple, lightweight structure, which consists of a wooden base frame. In such a greenhouse you can grow low vegetables and flowers (for example, balcony tomatoes, violets). You can even assemble such a greenhouse with a woman’s hands.

In order to make a Timiryazev greenhouse you need:

1. Determine the dimensions of the greenhouse and draw a diagram.
2. Knock down boards for the base (if the greenhouse is portable).
3. Place borders 200 mm high along the perimeter of the base.
4. Mark the middle of the curb on the long side and nail a vertical post 600 mm high to it.
5. Do the same on the opposite side. The racks must be strictly opposite each other.
6. Connect the racks with a horizontal block.
7. Cover the greenhouse with film or spandex.

As a coolant, bottles of water can be placed inside such a greenhouse, which will slowly heat up and transfer heat to the greenhouse. To enhance the effect, you can wrap the bottles in black cellophane or paint them black.

Do-it-yourself small greenhouse made from barrels

Increasingly, in garden plots you can find unusual, original greenhouses (for example, a greenhouse made from plastic bottles), which are easy to make and have a minimal cost. Such structures also include a greenhouse made from old plastic or metal barrels. The design is easy to make, heats up well and retains heat.

In order to make the design you need:

1. Dig a shallow pit under the horizontal barrel.
2. Lay the barrel down and cover it well with soil: the barrel should stand still.
3. Using a marker, mark two or three (depending on the size of the barrel) rectangular windows. The windows should not reach the ground by 20 cm and open the “roof” of the barrel.
4. Cut out the “windows”.
5. Nail a wooden block to the top of the windows and secure the film on it.

A small greenhouse is ready! Now you can fill the soil inside and grow flowers, herbs or seeds for seedlings in it.

What can you make a greenhouse out of with your own hands?

The easiest way is to make a greenhouse from RBO slats or PVC pipes (as the plants grow, they can be raised higher) and a shading mesh. This design will allow you to create favorable conditions for plants during the warm period; if necessary, it can be easily disassembled.

Any greenhouse, even a small one, should have folding doors that allow ventilation.

A simple frame for a greenhouse can be made from wood. Depending on its purpose, a wooden frame can be a “house” of arcs connected by a stiffener or a wooden box with vertical posts and horizontal ribs. The best covering for wooden greenhouses is film.

Before assembly, the wood should be treated with an antiseptic: this will protect it from pests.

A greenhouse “for centuries” can be made by welding pieces of reinforcement. Such a frame can be covered with a special cover with folding sides for ventilation. It is very easy to make a greenhouse from used window frames. This structure can be covered with glass.

How to make a polycarbonate greenhouse

If you want to grow vegetables in a greenhouse, it would be best to cover it with polycarbonate. The easiest way would be to make a polycarbonate greenhouse on a frame-box. To do this, you will need a galvanized profile, metal corners, self-tapping screws and fasteners with a rubber seal for polycarbonate.

Making a greenhouse step by step:

1. We draw a diagram of the future greenhouse. At the same time, one long side should be higher than the opposite: we will hang the top cover on it.
2. We cut the profile (don’t forget about the frame for the top cover).
3. Preparing the base from wooden beam, coated with an antiseptic.
4. Attach the profile for the bottom trim of the greenhouse base to the timber using corners.
5. Fastening vertical racks and connect them to the horizontal ones using corners.
6. We hang the upper frame on the higher side of the greenhouse.
7. We drill technological holes in the profile for polycarbonate sheets.
8. We fasten the polycarbonate with self-tapping screws with a rubber seal. At the same time, try not to overtighten the screws.

The greenhouse is ready! This design will look attractive and will last for decades.

The most convenient DIY greenhouses (video)

A greenhouse is a structure that makes it possible to create the most favorable conditions for growing fruit crops and flowers. To decide which greenhouse to install on the site, you need to look at each individual case. The easiest way would be to assemble an arched greenhouse and a small greenhouse. Use the above recommendations, suggested examples and ideas for constructing greenhouses, and build a beautiful and effective structure on your own!

DIY greenhouse ideas (photo examples)

In the possession of any self-respecting gardener there is always one or two greenhouses for growing seedlings and heat-loving plants. If you haven't installed it yet similar structure on your site, it's time to start construction. We will describe in detail how to make a greenhouse with your own hands.

Materials used

To create a frame, many types of materials or a combination of them are used:

• wooden beams, boards, slabs, etc.
• aluminum metal profile
• metal corner or pipes
• PVC pipes

You can glaze the greenhouse using window frames or polycarbonate. Polyethylene film or spunbond material (agrofibre) is more often used to make temporary plant shelters and protect seedlings from spring frosts. You can also cover a stationary greenhouse with film, but in this case it will have to be changed annually - winter winds will quickly render it unusable.

In recent years, reinforced film has appeared on sale. It also transmits light excellently, while its strength is much higher than usual.

Greenhouse shape and size

These parameters depend on the type of crops grown. Low greenhouses are used for radishes, dill, strawberries and other low-growing plants. How to make a greenhouse for cucumbers and watermelons? Its optimal height is 1.8 m. To cover cucumber seedlings, a structure up to half a meter high is sufficient.

Tomatoes and peppers are tall crops, so greenhouses for them are built the size of a person. For such buildings, full doors and a wide passage between the beds are equipped. The width of such a greenhouse is 2-3 m. The length depends on the number of plants planted. A building longer than 6 m should not be built without a forced ventilation system, otherwise it will not be ventilated in windless weather.

There are many designs of greenhouses:

Simple

Simple

Protozoa in the form of arcs dug into the ground; they are popularly called “snowdrops”: they are used mainly as a spring shelter for seedlings; Even a woman can make such a greenhouse herself.

Triangular

Triangular

Triangular, assembled from boards: the film or covering material on them holds more firmly than on the arcs; If desired, such a greenhouse can be easily moved to another place.

From window frames

From window frames

Assembled from window frames: a durable and reliable structure that can be used for growing many crops, including tall ones.

Folding

Folding

Folding butterfly greenhouses of a round shape, the side windows of which rise on both sides; in this form they really resemble the wings of a flying butterfly; How to make such a greenhouse for seedlings will be described below.

Greenhouses

A greenhouse that looks like a breadbox

Greenhouses

Greenhouses-breadboxes (they are also called snails or shells): when closed, they resemble the previous version, however, the doors do not tilt up, but rotate on hinges along the axis.

According to the shape of the roof, all greenhouses can be divided into:

Arched

Arched

Arched: they are made mainly of polycarbonate, bending which is not a particular problem; This form of the structure allows snow to easily roll down without lingering on the roof.

Single-pitch

Single-pitch

Shed: with a roof pitched to one side.

Gable

Gable

Gable roofs: their roofs are formed by two inclined slopes.

A-shaped

A-shaped

A-shaped: a type of gable; They have no walls, they consist only of slopes that are very elongated in height.

Drops

Drops

“Drops” (with a pointed roof): a combined version of an arched and gabled version; counts the best option for areas with snowy winters, snow does not linger on such a roof; Such structures are less likely to be damaged during strong winds.

Wall mounted

Wall mounted

Wall-mounted greenhouses: allow you to significantly save materials during construction; they are built if the wall is well lit by the sun and is located on the south side.

Greenhouse made from window frames

Throwing away window frames remaining after renovation is a real crime for a gardener. After all, they can be used to make a full-fledged greenhouse. Indeed, why spend money on a ready-made store structure if you have excellent material at hand?

So, let's describe how to make a greenhouse from window frames for tomatoes:

Do you need a foundation?

The mass of a greenhouse made from window frames is significant, and without a foundation, the structure may become warped during the process of soil subsidence. Therefore, it is erected on a strip or brick foundation(you can use old brick). It is also possible to use foam blocks, columnar concrete foundations or metal piles.

In some cases, instead of a foundation, a double row of thick wooden blocks is laid in the ground. However, such a foundation is permissible only in the presence of dry sandy soils. But even in this case, it will last no more than 6-8 years.

It is advisable to use coniferous wood - it does not rot so quickly. The timber is pre-treated with bitumen mastic and wrapped with roofing felt. Two rows of beams are connected anchor bolts or wooden dowels. You can simply hammer pieces of reinforcement into the tree.

Strip foundation

Let us describe in detail the process of constructing a shallow strip foundation:

1. The ground at the location of the future greenhouse is carefully leveled. The turf layer must be completely removed.
2. The depth of the pit is 40-50 cm. It is also necessary to take into account the height of the sand and gravel cushion. It is poured in a layer of 20-30 cm.
3. When pouring the foundation, anchor bolts are pre-installed into it, onto which wooden blocks will later be attached to hold heavy frames.
4. Before pouring, it is better to lay a layer of old plastic film along the bottom of the formwork so that the soil does not draw water from the solution. The concrete will be more durable, and the film itself will act as waterproofing.
5. The reinforcement can be replaced with layers of cheaper rubble stone. It is not advisable to use broken bricks - they will simply collapse in the ground in a few years.
6. The poured foundation must be covered with a damp cloth so that it dries more evenly. All further work begins no earlier than a week later, when the concrete has completely hardened.

The lower frame in the form of wooden blocks is laid at the last stage of foundation construction so that it can adhere to the concrete.

Frame assembly. Frame fastening

The frame must be strong enough to support the weight of the window frames:

1. Using anchor bolts, which we installed in the concrete, we attach two rows of bars to the bottom wooden frame, between which the window frames will be inserted. The distance between them is equal to the width of the frames.
2. We mount four corner posts from timber with a section of 15x15 cm or a metal corner.
3. Next, vertical posts are placed at a distance equal to the width of the windows.
4. To give the structure stability on the outside of the greenhouse, we prepare wooden supports that are dug into the ground and fastened to vertical support posts.
5. If the frames have different sizes, you will need not two, but three rows of vertical strapping. The first is at the bottom (it is attached to the foundation grillage), the second is in the middle, the third is at the very top. For window frames of the same height, two trims are sufficient - top and bottom.
6. To ensure ventilation, windows with vents are located at opposite ends of the greenhouse.
7. The frames are fixed to the frame support posts with metal corners, metal plates and self-tapping screws.
8. Fastening frames using metal plates is more convenient. It makes it possible to quickly repair or replace the frame if it breaks.
9. When using window frames same size Their frameless fastening is allowed. But such a connection will be less durable and may not withstand strong wind loads. It is preferable to use this option if the height of the greenhouse is small.
10. At the top of the frame, they are connected to the frame in a similar way through a separate block.
11. It is advisable to cover the roof with a lighter material, for example, several sheets of polycarbonate. Window frames too heavy.
12. For the roof, rafter joists are prepared, which are fixed to top harness. To do this, small recesses are cut out in it. At the top, the logs are attached to the ridge beam.

To protect the foundation from moisture (after all, the soil next to the greenhouse will always be wet), make a drainage trench around the perimeter of the greenhouse and fill it with crushed stone or gravel, and then fill it with concrete.

Polycarbonate greenhouse

Perhaps the best greenhouse option for home use today. It has minimal weight and does not require a powerful foundation - a 0.3-0.5 m deepening into the ground is sufficient. We described the types of foundations for a greenhouse a little higher.

Quite durable and easy to assemble, it is most popular today. The special structure of polycarbonate sheets with an air gap makes them excellent heat insulators. And from the outside, such a structure looks very aesthetically pleasing.

Frame assembly

Metal profiles or wooden blocks are used as a frame:

1. The minimum cross-section of a metal profile for a standard greenhouse is 20x40 mm. It is better to use a stronger rectangular or square pipe. The thickness of the timber timber is from 50 mm. For small structures, it is possible to use a profile with a U-shaped section.
2. The frame should be screwed to the bottom frame made of wooden beams only after complete assembly. It is better to assemble the greenhouse using self-tapping screws equipped with a press washer - their heads will cling less to the skin. For connection profile pipe You will need bolts and nuts with washers.
3. When using welding, additional protection of the seams from corrosion is required.
4. Individual elements of the frame should not be immediately pulled together too tightly. The bolts are tightened until they stop only after adjusting and leveling the structure with a building level.
5. First, the end parts of the frame are assembled, and then the side stiffeners are screwed on. The horizontal cross members are attached last.
6. Do not skimp on material - to obtain a reliable structure, the distance between the stiffening ribs should be 50-75 cm.
7. You can strengthen the frame using jibs - short slats attached at the corners.

How to bend a pipe

Arched structures or streamlined teardrop-shaped greenhouses are more practical. There is never too much snow accumulated on their roofs; it easily rolls down.

Pipes of only a small cross-section bend easily. With a profile height of 40 mm or more, bending them without preheating is problematic. This can only be done with a special profile bender.

If you don't have a device, you can do the following:

1. To protect against bulging and cracks, the pipe is filled with dry sand through a funnel, and its ends are plugged with wooden plugs. On the sides of such plugs it is necessary to select small grooves for gas outlet.
2. We clamp one end of the pipe in a vice.
3. We insert a pipe of smaller diameter into the second end, which will serve as a lever (“shoulder”).
4. If there is a weld in the metal, turn the pipe so that it is located on the side. Otherwise it may fall apart.
5. Warming up the bend area blowtorch red hot For convenience, this place can be marked in advance with chalk.
6. In order for the profile pipe to be located in the same plane after bending, without the formation of folds, the pipe must be bent in one smooth movement strictly in one direction.
7. It is not recommended to heat the metal several times due to a decrease in its strength, but when creating an arch this does not always work. Sometimes you have to “afterburn” adjacent surfaces. But it is still necessary to reduce the amount of heating to a minimum.

You should not leave a half-assembled polycarbonate greenhouse. Due to the high windage of the material, strong gusts of wind can cause damage to the sheets. They must be fastened in calm weather.

Polycarbonate fastening

How to make a greenhouse from polycarbonate? To ensure that such a greenhouse lasts longer, adhere to the following rules when assembling it:

• The protective layer on which the inscriptions are applied must be located on the outside of the greenhouse.
• To obtain the most durable structure, be sure (!) to pay attention to the location of the polycarbonate “honeycombs” - they should go only vertically, in inclined structures - parallel to the slope.
• When creating arches, keep in mind that polycarbonate sheets bend only in one direction - lengthwise, that is, along the line of the stiffeners.
• The joints of the sheets should be at the center of the frame post; the sheets are connected only in this way.
• This type of plastic is cut with a construction knife, jigsaw, or grinder. You can also use a hacksaw or a circular saw.
• To firmly connect the sheets to each other, special plastic profiles. Manufacturers do not recommend overlapping polycarbonate. In practice, when making a polycarbonate greenhouse with your own hands, it is not always possible to cut and fit the sheets perfectly. Some craftsmen even manage to do without connecting profiles, placing polycarbonate overlapping. The most important thing is that the joint must be in the center of the rack, and not sag in the air. Moreover, even with ideal installation, snow pressure can force the sheet out of the profile. In the case of overlap, this does not happen.
• It is not advisable to use a powerful drill for screwing in self-tapping screws - it will overtighten the fasteners and often slip off during operation. It is better to work with a regular screwdriver. Polycarbonate is drilled at low speeds with little effort. Next, turn off the tool, insert the screws and continue working.
• The distance between the screws to be screwed in is 25-70 cm. It all depends on the type of frame and the expected snow and wind load.
• When assembling polycarbonate structures, rivets are sometimes used instead of self-tapping screws. However, dismantling the greenhouse or replacing a damaged sheet in this case will be more difficult.
• When the temperature changes, plastic can change size. When making butt joints, a small space of a couple of millimeters in size is necessarily left between the sheets - a technological gap. Otherwise, cracks will form at the junction. For the same reason, the size of the holes for fasteners is made a little larger. To prevent the plastic from cracking, do not tighten them all the way.
• To compensate for expansion and protect against cold bridges, it is recommended to use special thermal washers for polycarbonate (screws are purchased separately). Allowed to use roofing screws EPDM, equipped with a gasket or standard for metal with a rubber thermal washer, in which the threads have a small pitch.

The polycarbonate stiffeners are placed perpendicular to the ground so that moisture flows down. Otherwise, the water accumulated in the honeycombs will tear the sheets during frosts.

Read also:

• Making a greenhouse with your own hands from a profile pipe and polycarbonate: a complete description of the process, drawings with dimensions, watering and heating (Photo & Video)

Greenhouse made of plastic pipes

To create arched structures, PVC pipes are often used rather than metal profiles. After all, this plastic is quite durable - one single pipe can withstand a load weighing 500 kg. It is much easier to bend it into an arc than metal. Plus, users are attracted by the price of PVC products - assembling a greenhouse from it is quite inexpensive.

A serious disadvantage of such products is their lightness. A greenhouse with a frame made of polyvinyl pipes requires reliable fastening. Otherwise, with strong gusts of wind, the structure may collapse.

Materials and tools

How to make a greenhouse from pipes yourself? For this you will need:

1. 2.5 mm water pipes PVC and connecting fittings - tees and crosses.
2. Metal plates and galvanized screws are used to connect the frame to the wooden base.
3. We will cut the pipes with a regular hacksaw for wood or metal with fine teeth.
4. It's great if you have a special one in your house or your friends' house. welding machine for welding plastic pipes. But you can do without it - they can be connected to each other using glue.

How to bend plastic pipes

To bend PVC products, they must be heated. To do this, use hot sand, salt or construction hair dryer. To begin with, you can practice on a small piece of pipe.

We tell you how to make an arched greenhouse at home:

1. To heat large-diameter arcs, it is better to use a hair dryer - the sand will cool quickly.
2. To create several arches of the same size, it is better to prepare a frame for them from wooden blocks.
3. Warm up the pipe with a hairdryer.
4. Smoothly bend it in one plane, trying to avoid any displacement along the axis.
5. If you don’t have a hairdryer at hand, heat sand or salt on the stove.
6. We insert a wooden plug into one end of the pipe.
7. We take a funnel in our hands, insert it into the free end of the pipe, and add heated sand or salt.
8. We close the pipe with a second plug.
9. With a gentle movement we bend it into an arc.

Assembling a small greenhouse from PVC pipes

We will describe step by step how to make a greenhouse from PVC:

1. To create a simple greenhouse for seedlings from PVC pipes, it is enough to assemble a rectangular base from boards and secure it at the inner corners with metal stakes or reinforcement stakes.
2. In places where arches are installed, metal stakes are driven into the ground so that they rise above the ground by 0.3-0.4 m. The distance between the arches is 0.8-1 m.
3. We put prepared arcs made of PVC pipes on the stakes. To strengthen the attachment point, we connect the pipes to the wooden base using metal strips and self-tapping screws.
4. We strengthen the frame using horizontally located pipes. We fasten them together with self-tapping screws.
5. The mini-greenhouse for seedlings is ready.

To reduce heat transfer, the greenhouse can be slightly deeper into the ground. For low-growing plants, half a meter will be enough. You shouldn’t go too deep into the ground, otherwise the plantings will end up in the shade.

Pipe connections with crosses and tees

Assembly using corners and crosses

Fastening with corners and crosses is more durable. This method allows you to create not only small arched, but also more massive full-fledged structures:

1. For such a greenhouse you will need a base in the form of bricks dug into the ground to a depth of 0.3-0.5 m or two rows of wooden blocks.
2. When covering a greenhouse with polyethylene, the distance between the frame posts is not of fundamental importance. If the greenhouse will be later sheathed with polycarbonate, it is better to use a distance that is a multiple of the width of the sheet so that it does not have to be cut. Standard size polycarbonate - 2.1x6 m. To create a greenhouse 6.3 m long you will need 3 sheets (multiply the number 2.1 by 3). When bending 6-meter sheets into an arc, the width of the greenhouse will be 3.8 m.
3. First, the lower piping is assembled from pipes, then vertical posts are attached to it.
4. If you don’t have a pipe welding machine, we use special glue for PVC. We clean the joints with crosses or tees with sandpaper and coat them with adhesive. It is necessary to cover 2/3 of the fitting with glue. We insert the pipe into the cross, turn it 90 degrees and wait a couple of minutes.
5. Instead of glue, you can use self-tapping screws to connect the pipes to the fittings. In this case, the greenhouse will be collapsible.
6. While creating gable roof reinforce it with additional stiffeners. Otherwise, flexible PVC pipes simply will not withstand the weight of snow.
7. The PVC frame is attached to the lower wooden frame only after complete assembly using metal plates and self-tapping screws.
8. Doors can be hung using Velcro tape.

Preparing a butterfly greenhouse

1. The frame for it is made from both profiles and PVC pipes. We described above how to bend metal and PVC pipes.
2. First, we weld or bolt the pipes together to form a quadrangle. We attach two half-arcs to the end parts and attach the upper jumper between them.
3. We assemble two “butterfly” wings from pipes and two half-arches.
4. We prepare holes in the upper jumper for inserting hinge joints.
5. We screw the lower part of the hinge to the “wings” of the butterfly. For the convenience of opening and closing such a sliding greenhouse, we attach handles to them (ordinary door handles will do).

Greenhouse-bread bin

Making a greenhouse-bread bin is not difficult. The principle of its creation is similar to the previous one. The only difference is in the method of fastening the sashes. If in the first case hinges are used, located on the upper horizontal jumper, then for a greenhouse-breadbox the hinge joints are located at the very bottom, on the sides of the frame. Since such a structure has a small height, any type of plant can be grown in it, except climbing ones.

Such a greenhouse can be easily moved to another location. It is better to strengthen a large greenhouse with horizontal guides. It would be better to make it collapsible so that, if necessary, it can be easily assembled and stored for the winter. To prevent such a structure from being torn out of the ground by the wind, it is installed on wooden blocks. To protect seedlings from drafts, soil is laid around the perimeter of the greenhouse and compacted well.

Greenhouse on the balcony

In early spring there is still little work to do in the garden. I don’t really want to travel long distances just to water seedlings every day. It is much wiser to make a mini-greenhouse on the balcony. It can also be used to grow a variety of types of flowers. In warm weather, plants begin to be sown on the balcony in March-April. They can be grown on insulated loggias all year round.

Any materials can be used for production. After all, the balcony is already protected from the winds, so capital structures are not needed here. We have described in detail the process of creating greenhouses from PVC pipes, metal profiles, wooden frames, polycarbonate. When creating a greenhouse on the balcony, you can use any of the methods.

1. The simplest greenhouse is racks attached to the main wall and covered with film or polycarbonate.
2. You can install shelves on a narrow balcony.
3. It will be inconvenient to maintain a structure more than 3 m high. The most common sizes of balcony mini-greenhouses are 2.8 x 0.8 m.
4. You can attach the film to the frame with double-sided transparent tape.
5. Don't forget about the correct arrangement of plants. In a small space they can shade each other. Place the pot with the largest flower in the center. Place smaller sprouts along the edges.

To illuminate plants, purchase LED lamp. She spends minimal energy.