SKR8PN's greenhouse journal and Zombie FYI thread

[SKR8PN]

Ok so coming from earthquake country. I never stack anything that high without securing it to the wall somehow. Are your jugs hooked together at all? Or are they falling not a concern?

It is looking amazing!!! I cant wait to see it with the glass in.

gina

We don't have a lot of earthquakes around here
BUT.... if you look at the 4rth row up, you will notice a 1/16th inch cable that is holding those jugs to the back wall. The jugs have interlocking tabs that tie them together somewhat, and they interlock together pretty well. I just did the cable thing as a safety feature, just in case they would happen to come loose and try fall down.

 

[Jaxom]

SKR8PN

Thanks for reading my thread in the money-finance forum. Of all the green house projects I liked this one the best. I like seeing the various stages you are going through. It's given me some ideas on how I would go about doing something simlar. For reference sake I hope you don't mind I ask a few questions?

I noticed from one picture, the angle of the shadows from the trees, is this facing south? What made you decide to build beds rather then pouring a floor? You're last picture you were still waiting on glass. What progress have you made from there? How do you plan on venting heat and humidity during the hieght of summer? What about shading?

For not having a plan, or having a plan that's just in your head, you are certainly doing an excellent job!!!

Some changes I would have made though...(not that you did anything wrong you personalized this for your growing style)

I would have started with a pouring a slab foundation for the green house. This would serve to get the wood framing up off the ground and prevent rot and or termites. Of course once the structure is enclosed, but before it was finnished I would also be laying down electric in floor heating. Of course you're attemting to do this without requiring using power, that's a big different between our styles.

Another thing I would personally do different, would be to elminate the sliding doors. There's going to be some heat loss in this area. Instead I would have enclosed those area's and cut in access from the garage, right where the window is. The garage, even if not heated would act as a buffer zone in the dead of winter. Especially if you've insulated the walls in the garage.

Framing, wise. To handle potential snow loads we can get in the midwest, I would go with 2x6's for roof and really lay in the insulation! I'd also put in a knee wall on the southern most side. Since you're growing in beds, I can see why you went all the way down to ground level. I'm planning on using benches and large pots for tropicals.

I really want to hear how those jugs work out for you as a thermal mass. I was concidering first removing the siding from the garage the green house is attached too. Then covring studs with plywood, so I could then build a cinder block wall in front. Of course this would be conciderably more expensive then the route you went so I can't wait to hear what results you see.

Anyways, those are some things I would do for my own style. Please do post more pictures though! I can't wait to see what you got growin in there come this winter! I'll be so jealous!

 

[SKR8PN]

Windows are in and I am beat. My wife has worked me like a DOG for past two days. GAWD I'll be glad when she goes back to work!

More greenhouse update pictures.

Looking east this morning.

Looking west this morning.

I still have to finish trimming out both of the triangle shaped windows. Next up is installing all the rest of the glass on the south wall and it will be DONE other than maybe some trim paint work.

 

[SKR8PN]

SKR8PN

Thanks for reading my thread in the money-finance forum. Of all the green house projects I liked this one the best. I like seeing the various stages you are going through. It's given me some ideas on how I would go about doing something simlar. For reference sake I hope you don't mind I ask a few questions?

I noticed from one picture, the angle of the shadows from the trees, is this facing south? What made you decide to build beds rather then pouring a floor? You're last picture you were still waiting on glass. What progress have you made from there? How do you plan on venting heat and humidity during the hieght of summer? What about shading?

For not having a plan, or having a plan that's just in your head, you are certainly doing an excellent job!!!

Some changes I would have made though...(not that you did anything wrong you personalized this for your growing style)

I would have started with a pouring a slab foundation for the green house. This would serve to get the wood framing up off the ground and prevent rot and or termites. Of course once the structure is enclosed, but before it was finnished I would also be laying down electric in floor heating. Of course you're attemting to do this without requiring using power, that's a big different between our styles.

Another thing I would personally do different, would be to elminate the sliding doors. There's going to be some heat loss in this area. Instead I would have enclosed those area's and cut in access from the garage, right where the window is. The garage, even if not heated would act as a buffer zone in the dead of winter. Especially if you've insulated the walls in the garage.

Framing, wise. To handle potential snow loads we can get in the midwest, I would go with 2x6's for roof and really lay in the insulation! I'd also put in a knee wall on the southern most side. Since you're growing in beds, I can see why you went all the way down to ground level. I'm planning on using benches and large pots for tropicals.

I really want to hear how those jugs work out for you as a thermal mass. I was concidering first removing the siding from the garage the green house is attached too. Then covring studs with plywood, so I could then build a cinder block wall in front. Of course this would be conciderably more expensive then the route you went so I can't wait to hear what results you see.

Anyways, those are some things I would do for my own style. Please do post more pictures though! I can't wait to see what you got growin in there come this winter! I'll be so jealous!

Yes it is facing south withing a couple of degrees. I went with beds for one simple reason: When you have your plants up on a table, in flats, the roots are more exposed to temperature swings. With a bed, the roots are in the ground and no air can get under or around them like in a flat. More stable temps for the roots is a really GOOD thing. A concrete floor is very hard to heat when you do NOT have any auxiliary heat source. With beds, I am also gaining thermal mass which in this case, equals a heat source. Plus the fact that with a concrete floor, you'd need drains. With beds, the excess water just leaches down into the ground. The wood foundation I used is treated lumber that has insulation between it and the planting medium to stop any leeching of chemicals. Treated lumber is guaranteed for 30 years and offers better insulating value than concrete blocks. I figure the next owner will have to worry about replacing any rotted wood. I used 2x4's for rafters,set 16 inches on center, because the roof is only a little over 5ft long, front to back. Even with the heaviest snows, there won't be problem with strength. I WANTED to go with 2x6's, but I didn't have enough roof height on the shed to get away with it, with the height of the sliding doors.
I used the sliding glass doors to help with venting in the summer, AND for the solar gain they offer during the winter. Shading will be done with shade cloth draped over the south wall.
One more reason I decided on this building style, is that in this area, it is considered a "temporary" structure and therefore does not require a permit to build it. I HATE it anytime the gubbmint sticks their nose in MY business and tries to tell me if I can or cannot build something, let alone HOW to build it. When I got the permit for the shed, I bought just the BASIC permit: No floor, no drains, no electrical. The permit is a LOT cheaper that way, plus there is NO LAW that says ya can't add that stuff AFTER the final inspection has been done and you have your occupancy permit. It's all in knowing HOW to play the game.

 

[Jaxom]

Nice!! that's gonna be sweet when your done. Glad ya took my comments as is. Different styles and all. Oh boy do I know all about permits, had issues with my city about doing stuff to my mother's home.

Can't wait to see the finish! Keep posting pics!

 

[xpc]

Kudos on a nice looking project and even more so on all the energy innovations. Too bad about it facing north though, I'm sure it will make a fine above ground root cellar.

 

[SKR8PN]

Kudos on a nice looking project and even more so on all the energy innovations. Too bad about it facing north though, I'm sure it will make a fine above ground root cellar.

10,000 comedians are out of work, and you telling jokes.



The new glass was delivered today!! The Wife and I set it, and sealed it in place this evening!! Next I have to cut the strips that will hold the glass in place (trust me, that glass ain't goin' anywhere until I get those finished) screw them and the gutter on, then it's just little nit-picky trim sh!t to finish it off. Photo's tomorrow.



Can anyone explain to me...... WHY..... I had to chose the hottest and most humid days of the year, to work on a GREENHOUSE???

 

[DrakeMaiden]

It is the same sort of inevitability as the wind kicking up the day you are putting plastic up on a hoop house, I guess. I'm glad your project is moving forward! I bet you are going to have a lot of fun with that greenhouse.

 

[TanksHill]

Looking good!!!

 

[SKR8PN]

I have to back up a little bit and tell you folks that I had to replace the very FIRST set of windows that I had for this project. I bought them off of Craiglist, brought them home and stacked them in the shed and forgot about them. When I set them in place, I discovered that over half of them had lost the seal, and the other half had a very nasty bunch of scratches in the glass that would NOT clean up. I resold those and had to purchase new ones.

Here is a shot or two, of the FIRST set of windows. You can see how bad they were.

Here are the new windows we just got yesterday afternoon. It is so nice to actually be able to see thru the glass!!

I still have to make my trim pieces and get them installed, and hang the gutter, but at least it is ready to begin planting in!