First of all, the greenhouse is designed to protect various garden and horticultural plants from the effects of negative atmospheric factors (hail, rain, snow, wind, and so on).

A favorable atmosphere is created inside the structure, which makes it possible to grow various fruit crops, and their yield in such conditions increases several times.

As for vegetables and greens, their harvest time comes much earlier compared to the same species if they are grown outdoors.

A huge advantage of installing greenhouses on a garden plot is the fact that an excellent harvested crop, and in the case of some crops, more than once, can provide vegetables and herbs for the entire winter-spring period.

This can be very cost effective, especially given that the price of these products in stores during the indicated period of time is quite high.

Place for greenhouse installation

The idea to build a greenhouse with their own hands comes to minds of many gardeners and gardeners. But before starting work, you must first familiarize yourself with the construction stages of this structure and, most importantly, determine the shape of the greenhouse and its location.

It must be remembered that it is not set for one year. The average time of its operation can be almost ten years.

The best option in this matter would be consultations with specialists. Their advice can be obtained either directly (if such a master is included in the social circle) or via the Internet.

• The place where the greenhouse will be installed must be flat, protected from wind loads. At the same time, the sun's rays must completely cover and heat the structure.
• There is no need to set up a greenhouse in dark places, near a fence or trees.

• In the case of the winter version of the greenhouse and growing plants in the cold season, it must be taken into account that the snow falling on the covering of the structure can prevent the penetration of sunlight. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that this does not happen and remove the snow caps in time.

In addition, due to insufficient supply of light and water heat to the greenhouse, it is possible to organize the supply of electricity and arrange watering in the greenhouse by installing an irrigation system.

Where to start building a greenhouse?

When building any structure, including a greenhouse, it is best to start the process with design. Create blueprints for the greenhouse, reflecting its external forms and basic materials that will go to its construction.

The structure itself can be small, with an area of ​​about two by three meters and a height of two and a half meters. Or large, three by six meters in area with a similar height.

Of the most popular configurations that are used when installing greenhouses, arched and gable greenhouses stand out. When choosing one of the species, not the last, and perhaps the most important role, is played by the factor of choosing the types of crops that will be grown in the greenhouse in the future.

For example, the arched type is more suitable for planting low-growing crops, that is, tomatoes, eggplants, peppers. The gable type will promote better growth of tall crops (this type of tomato, cucumber and flowers).

In general, it is not difficult to create a project for a good greenhouse. If you cannot do this on your own, then on the Internet various standard projects of similar structures are always available.

Selection of materials for covering and frame

One of the most common basic materials used in greenhouse construction is polycarbonate. Its attractiveness comes from a number of characteristics, the advantages of this material in comparison with other types of materials used in the construction of similar garden structures, for example, film or glass.

Note!

Among the main characteristics are: light transmission, thermal conductivity and strength. One of the main advantages of the material is its lightness and plasticity. The inner composition of polycarbonate allows the sheets to be bent without the risk of breaking.

In addition, the price component serves as an additional advantage. Polycarbonate is considered a cheap material, which further increases its demand.

Already with the direct process of installing polycarbonate sheets, it is best to use a double sheet fastening system. Hard and open. Thus, a ventilation system is formed in the greenhouse.

Having decided on the material for covering the greenhouse, you can proceed to the selection of the frame. There is a wide selection of profiles that can be used when installing the frame system. This includes metal pipes with a round, rectangular or square section.

Each designated type has its own advantages and disadvantages. Galvanized square pipes are considered the most suitable. This profile is excellently characterized by high strength, as well as the presence of galvanized, which protects the structure from corrosion.

However, today plastic is gaining wide popularity among materials. Metal pipes are in many ways inferior to plastic pipes, and many have already appreciated this.

Note!

A plastic greenhouse is a modern high-quality construction that has many positive qualities due to the special properties of the material.

Of these, it is worth noting that plastic pipes can be easily cut, glued and welded. It is an environmentally friendly material that is not subject to corrosion, mold, and can withstand various atmospheric loads.

Considering the appearance of the greenhouse, you can choose either rigid PVC pipes for gable or single-slope structures, or flexible PP or PVC for arched types.

In the end, whatever the choice of someone for whom a greenhouse made of pipes with his own hands is an already made decision, he can always compare and choose the most optimal frame option.

Greenhouse foundation

Installing the greenhouse on clean ground is certainly not worth it. A foundation is needed. Based on the fact that the structure itself belongs to lightweight types, however, requiring stability, the basis for it is made as follows:

Note!

• A trench is being dug.
• A sand bed with compaction with a thickness of 20 centimeters is being arranged.
• Formwork is placed along the entire perimeter of the trench on both sides.
• Reinforcement mesh is laid on the bottom of the trench over the entire area of ​​the sandy base.
• The trench is filled with concrete. The upper concrete level mark is equal to the width of the installed formwork board.

When performing these works, it is imperative to remember that if the greenhouse itself is installed very quickly (within one or two days), then when installing the foundation it will take almost a month for good adhesion. Therefore, such work should be done in advance.

The final stage

When the structure is completely ready, it will be possible to proceed with the internal equipment. Placement of beds and aisles, determination of places for piping for irrigation, and so on.

Many people like to photograph their work. Some people prefer to shoot the whole process of work, while others like to take pictures based on the results of their work.

But with special pride, friends and acquaintances are always presented with a photo of a greenhouse made with their own hands, where tomatoes, eggplants and other all kinds of vegetables and greens ripen in full growth.

DIY greenhouse photo

In summer cottages, you can find various forms of greenhouses in which both vegetable and flower plants are grown. This allows you to breed non-seasonal crops throughout the year. The success of the business will depend not only on the design of the greenhouse, but also on what material was used in its manufacture. Our goal is to tell you what types of greenhouses are, and what material can be used in their construction, and we will also look at how the process of building a greenhouse at a summer cottage takes place.

Depending on the design features, greenhouses can be:

• arched;
• single-pitched;
• gable.

The first type is characterized by an arc-shaped roof, which allows the plants growing inside the greenhouse to receive more daylight. The big advantage of this form will be the absence of snow in the winter, so deformation and breakdown of the structure will not threaten you.

If you decide to install a greenhouse close to any country building, then the option with a pitched roof will suit you. Such a model is very economical, since, in addition to reducing the cost of materials, you also save free space on the site. The only drawback of this design will be the accumulation of snow in winter, which will have to be cleaned off in order to protect the structure from deformation.

The most common option is the gable form of the greenhouse, which is very spacious for plants and humans. In some cases, summer residents equip a semblance of a recreation area in such buildings, which allows you to combine business with pleasure.

Types of greenhouses, their advantages and disadvantages

To date, summer residents are presented with several options for materials that can be used to cover greenhouses and greenhouses. They differ in their structure, price and performance characteristics, so you can choose the material according to your capabilities and requirements.

The most popular greenhouse coating material will be:

• glass;
• polycarbonate;
• film.

If you are not limited in funds, then the best option would be glass and polycarbonate greenhouses, which differ in their strength and performance characteristics. Film is a budget greenhouse option that has been in use for decades.

You can see what your greenhouse should look like in the video presented:

Advantages and disadvantages of greenhouses made of various materials

To figure out which material is best for greenhouses, you need to consider the advantages and disadvantages of each of them.

Glass

This material is considered the most suitable option.

Its advantages include:

• transparency, which allows you to provide the greenhouse with daylight;
• resistance to chemicals, even when they hit the glass, they are easily washed off;
• when exposed to sunlight, the material does not emit harmful toxic substances;
• wind resistance.

Its disadvantages include:

Polycarbonate

Polycarbonate is a polymer plastic that is increasingly used in greenhouse coating.

Its advantages include:

• strength;
• transparency;
• high rates of thermal insulation;
• protection of plants from UV rays;
• unpretentious care.

Its disadvantages are:

Film

This material is distinguished by its ease of use and budgetary qualities, especially since the experience of using such material has been confirmed for decades.

Its advantages include:

Its disadvantages include:

• sailing;
• poor frost resistance, which is why it has to be removed after summer use;
• short service life.

DIY greenhouse construction

Summer residents are forced to build greenhouses for growing vegetable or flower crops, firstly, in order to get a harvest earlier than usual, secondly, to grow crops that are not suitable for a particular climate, and, thirdly, to increase the amount of harvest.

Greenhouses create favorable conditions for the growth of any plant. If it is not possible to purchase a ready-made structure, then you can always build it yourself, using all your skills for this.

The first question you have is where to start? So that you do not have to rack your brains for a long time, we have drawn up an action plan for you, following which you can easily build a greenhouse on your site.

Greenhouse space

The first thing you need to do is find a place for the location of the greenhouse. To do this correctly, pay attention to the following requirements:

The size and shape of the greenhouse

The second question that you need to decide is the size of the greenhouse. To calculate everything correctly, consider how much and what you will plant in the greenhouse. If you plan to plant tall plants, then the best shape of the greenhouse will be arched or gable, the height of which will provide you with convenient crop care. You can calculate the dimensions yourself, or take the proposed version of a rectangular greenhouse with a gable roof as a basis.

The base of the greenhouse can be any, round, square, rectangular or trapezoidal, it all depends on your capabilities.

Greenhouse frame

The frame is the main part of the greenhouse, therefore special requirements are imposed on the choice of material. It must be strong and durable, therefore, for its manufacture, they choose:

• galvanized profile;
• steel profile;
• galvanized steel profile with square section;
• wooden beams.

The choice of material also depends on your capabilities, even the most budgetary option - wood, can stand for quite a long time.

How to make a greenhouse from cellular polycarbonate can be seen in the video:

Greenhouse foundation

In addition to its direct purpose, the foundation plays the role of a pocket in which several high beds are placed. If its construction was carried out incorrectly, then this can lead not only to its destruction, but also to cracking of the greenhouse cover. To avoid this, you need to heed our advice:

Around this trench, it is necessary to install formwork, lay metal reinforcement rods in it and fill it all with concrete. The height of the foundation must be at least 20 cm.

By following these rules, you will create a solid and reliable foundation for the greenhouse, which will not be subject to ground movement.

Frame fabrication and coating

The manufacture of the frame begins with the marking of the future greenhouse. You have already calculated what size your structure will be and even poured the foundation under it, now you can start assembling the main structure:

Ventilation

Inside the greenhouse, sunlight creates a greenhouse effect. To create an ideal microclimate for plants, greenhouses have to be equipped with a ventilation system.

Air vents located on the sides of the greenhouse or doors can act as ventilation. Airing helps plants planted in the greenhouse to get sick less after transplanting them into open ground. But drafts must be avoided so as not to harm them.

By placing such vents in the greenhouse roof, you can ensure the movement of warm air to the street, and open doors will allow the passage of cool air. There will be no draft, and the air will change.

If you have a small greenhouse, then two vents located on the greenhouse roof will suffice for good air exchange.

To make air exchange faster, instead of roofing vents, it is better to equip side vents, which will be located above the ground.

For the cultivation of tropical plants, ordinary ventilation cannot be used, therefore, vents can be equipped as ventilation according to the principle of blinds.

Greenhouse tricks

Summer residents who have been working in greenhouses for several years can tell a lot of tricks on which the yield of vegetable or other crops depends. But everyone, without exception, will answer that growing plants depends on the culture itself, on the amount of heat supplied, on the length of daylight hours, on ventilation, on proper watering and regular feeding.

With some of these subtleties and tricks, we will share with you:

From the foregoing, we can conclude that several types of material can be used for the manufacture of a greenhouse, each of which has its own advantages and disadvantages. If you are planning to make a greenhouse yourself, then by adhering to our action plan, you will complete it without much difficulty. Remember that equipping the greenhouse with vents is as necessary as watering the plants.

Every summer resident and owner of his own house, sooner or later, has a desire to have a good greenhouse on his site. After all, everyone knows that vegetables and greens from their own greenhouse, besides grown by their own hands, are much tastier and healthier than purchased ones. Therefore, someone is following the path of buying a ready-made greenhouse. Someone buys a greenhouse in a disassembled state and assembles it on the site as a constructor. But a large part of gardeners want to build a greenhouse with their own hands. After all, everyone knows: if you want to do something well, do it yourself.

How to build a greenhouse with your own hands? To begin with, let's figure out what types of greenhouses are there. This is important for the choice of the future design and material of the greenhouse.

Winter and summer greenhouses

All greenhouses can be divided into two large groups: winter and summer. They differ in the presence of a heating system in a winter greenhouse, which allows you to grow plants in such a greenhouse all year round. The summer greenhouse is intended for faster ripening of fruits and protection of plants from accidental frosts.

Winter greenhouses are generally more extensive than summer greenhouses. They are built closer to the house, sometimes even attaching them to the south side of the house. This way they are closer to the heat source. Winter greenhouses are almost never made from plastic. The heating system can be either connected to the heating system of the house, or it can be autonomous. For this, an oven is made in the greenhouse.

Video review of a self-heating winter greenhouse

Arched, shed and gable greenhouses

Everyone chooses the type of roof for the greenhouse based on the location of the greenhouse. As well as your personal preferences. We can only suggest the advantages and disadvantages of each of them.

Shed roof usually choose by attaching a greenhouse with their own hands to the house. This type of roof is simple to construct and economical. Under such a roof, you can make an inexpensive but solid base from a wooden bar or a metal profile pipe. The disadvantage of this roof will be that snow will accumulate on such a roof.

Gable roof, like a shed one, can have a cheap and durable frame. It is a little more expensive than a single-slope one, but more aesthetic. But snow will also accumulate on such a roof. Consider this factor when choosing a greenhouse roof.

Types of greenhouses. Video review

And finally arched roof... A very popular type of roof and deserves it. Economical, quick to build, it conquered its niche very quickly. In combination with cellular polycarbonate, this greenhouse has almost all the advantages. Snow does not collect on it, it is very resistant to winds and the dispersion of sunlight in it occurs naturally. The only drawback may be a frame for this type of roof. It will be more expensive and more difficult to make a strong and reliable frame than for previous types of roofing. Let's talk about frames for greenhouses with our own hands.

Types and materials for the greenhouse frame

We continue to answer the question of how to build a greenhouse with our own hands. If you decide to build a greenhouse on your site, have chosen the type of roof for your future greenhouse, then now you need to think about choosing a material for the frame of the greenhouse. What to build a greenhouse from?

A greenhouse frame can be made from:

• wood
• metal

Wooden frame

Timber frames are very easy to work with. The tree is easy to handle and can be used to build almost any kind of greenhouse. The disadvantage of such construction will be the wood's susceptibility to rotting. Therefore, the entire timber has to be treated with special impregnations before construction.

Greenhouse made of wood and foil. Construction instruction video

Metal

Good skills are required to assemble a metal frame. After all, the metal will either have to be welded or bolted. Such a frame for a greenhouse is very expensive. But it is very durable, reliable and will last for more than a dozen years. Such a frame is suitable for a capital greenhouse.

Video of building a greenhouse made of glass and metal

Plastic

Today, the construction of greenhouses from plastic pipes is gaining popularity. This type of construction is relatively cheap, even beginners can make it. Moreover, such a construction will not take much time. The downside of such a frame will be its low strength. Over time, plastic pipes bend, the greenhouse loses its shape. Therefore, as a capital structure, such a frame is not suitable.

Video how to make a greenhouse from plastic pipes and film

Greenhouse cover

The materials for the walls and roof of the greenhouse are very diverse. Each has its own pros and cons. Let's take a closer look at them.

• glass
• film
• agrofibre
• cellular polycarbonate

DIY glass greenhouse

How to build a greenhouse with your own hands? If you want to build a capital and durable greenhouse with your own hands, then a glass greenhouse is a good option. Moreover, such a greenhouse will not necessarily be expensive. After all, it can be built from.

Many people, replacing old wooden windows with plastic ones, simply throw out the frames in the trash. So you can get the material for your greenhouse for free. You just have to process the wood of the window frames and fasten them together. You will even have windows and vents ready for airing plants on hot days.

Video review of a greenhouse made of old window frames

However, do not forget that glass is a heavy material. Therefore, the foundation of such a greenhouse must be appropriate. It must be buried, or. Or you can make a slab foundation and drain water from under it.

DIY film greenhouse

Such a greenhouse, although it requires frequent film changes, is still common. Because the film is easy to mount and cheap. In addition, with a careful attitude, it can withstand several seasons. Not suitable for a winter greenhouse with your own hands, but copes with the functions of a summer one very well.

The ideal design option for a film greenhouse would be a frame made of plastic pipes curved with an arch. Such an arch is erected in one day, it is cheap and even one person can handle it. The arch is covered with foil. Moreover, it will be possible to clean it for the winter. It is possible to somewhat modernize such a greenhouse if agrofibre (geotextile) is used instead of film.

Do-it-yourself agrofiber greenhouse

Can be used as a material for covering the greenhouse with your own hands. It is water and steam permeable. Your plants will be irrigated with rainwater and will be able to breathe freely. White geotextile provides enough light for plants, and at the same time prevents the sun's rays from burning the foliage. Such a greenhouse needs less ventilation than a greenhouse made of other materials. Agrofibre is a durable material, unlike film. It can be used for many years. It does not tear, is not afraid of piercing, it stretches well. Today, this is a good alternative to film.

Step-by-step video instructions for making a greenhouse made of agrofibre

DIY cellular polycarbonate greenhouse

Such greenhouses are made with their own hands for all types of roofs and frames. They are both arched and one-gable. Polycarbonate is attached to both wood and metal. They are covered with frames made of plastic and aluminum pipes. In general, this is a versatile material for building a greenhouse with your own hands. When choosing polycarbonate, pay attention to its thickness and weight. Choose sheets with a thickness of 4 mm or more. Better 6-8 mm. In addition, the sheet must be heavy enough. Remember that polycarbonate cannot be mounted horizontally. Condensation in the honeycomb should be free to slide and flow out. Otherwise, polycarbonate will quickly overgrow with algae and lose its transparency.

How to make a polycarbonate greenhouse on a metal frame. Video

We hope that our article helped you in choosing the type of your future greenhouse and we answered the question of how to build a greenhouse with your own hands. Share your thoughts and questions in the comments to the article. We are very interested, and what kind of greenhouse did you make with your own hands?