How to make a greenhouse with your own hands: for seedlings, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers and other plants. From polycarbonate, window frames, plastic pipes (75 Photos & Videos) + Reviews

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In the possessions of any self-respecting gardener there is always one or two greenhouses for growing seedlings and thermophilic plants. If you have not had time to install such a structure on your site, it's time to start building. We will describe in detail how to make a greenhouse with your own hands.

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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 used more often for making temporary shelters for plants and protecting seedlings from spring frosts.

You can also cover a stationary greenhouse with a film, but in this case it will have to be changed annually - winter winds will quickly render it unusable.

Small greenhouse for seedlings with arcs of PVC pipes

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

The shape and size of the greenhouse

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

Three-tier mini-greenhouse

Tomatoes and peppers - tall crops, so greenhouses for them are made to the height of a person. For such buildings, full-fledged 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 without a forced ventilation system should not be done, otherwise it will not be blown through in calm weather.

There are many designs of greenhouses:

Simple

Greenhouses-snowdrops

Simple

The simplest in the form of arcs dug into the ground; among the people they are called "snowdrops": they are used mainly as a spring shelter for seedlings; even a woman can make such a greenhouse herself.

triangular

triangular greenhouse

triangular

Triangular, assembled from boards: the film or covering material on them is held stronger than on arcs; if desired, such a greenhouse can be easily moved to another place.

From window frames

Greenhouse from window frames

From window frames

Assembled from window frames: a strong and reliable structure that can be used to grow many crops, including tall ones.

Folding

Butterfly greenhouse

Folding

Folding greenhouses-butterflies of a rounded shape, the side windows of which rise from two 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.

Hotbeds-bread boxes

A greenhouse that looks like a bread box

Hotbeds-bread boxes

Hotbeds-bread boxes (they are also called snails or shells): when closed, they resemble the previous version, however, the doors do not recline upwards, but rotate on hinges along the axis.

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

Arched

arched greenhouse

Arched

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

Shed

Shed construction

Shed

Shed: with a roof slope in one direction.

gable

Gable mini greenhouse

gable

Gable: their roofs are formed by two inclined slopes.

A-shaped

A-shaped greenhouse recessed into the ground

A-shaped

A-shaped: a kind of gable; they do not have walls, they consist only of slopes, strongly elongated in height.

Drops

Drop-shaped roof

Drops

"Drops" (with lancet roof): a combined version of the arched and gable version; it is considered the best option for areas with snowy winters - snow does not linger on such a roof; such structures are less often damaged during strong winds.

wall

wall greenhouse

wall

Wall greenhouses: allows 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.

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Greenhouse from window frames

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

Old window frames are a popular material for greenhouses and greenhouses.

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

Is a foundation needed?

Weight greenhouses of window frames is significant, and without foundation in the process of subsidence of the soil, the structure can warp. Therefore, it is erected on a strip or brick foundation (you can use an old brick). It is also allowed to use foam blocks, columnar concrete foundation or metal piles.

Laying the foundation from a bar

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 desirable to use a coniferous tree - it does not rot so quickly. The beam is pre-treated with bituminous mastic and wrapped with roofing material. Two rows of beams are connected with anchor bolts or wooden dowels. You can simply hammer pieces of reinforcement into the tree.

Strip foundation

Strip foundation

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

1The land at the location of the future greenhouse is carefully leveled. The turf layer must be completely removed.

2The 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 with a layer of 20-30 cm.

3When pouring the foundation, anchor bolts are pre-mounted in it, on which wooden blocks will later be attached to hold heavy frames.

4Before 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 turn out to be more durable, and the film itself will act as a waterproofing.

5Reinforcement can be replaced with layers of cheaper rubble stone.It is undesirable to use a broken brick - in a few years it will simply collapse in the ground.

6The flooded 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 is fully strengthened.

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

Frame assembly. Frame fixing

Fastening with pads

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

1With the help of anchor bolts, which we built into the concrete, we fasten to the lower wooden trim, two rows of bars, between which window frames will be inserted. The distance between them is equal to the width of the frames.

2We mount four corner posts from a bar with a section of 15x15 cm or a metal corner.

3Further, at a distance equal to the width of the windows, vertical racks are placed.

4To give the structure stability from the outside of the greenhouse, we prepare wooden supports that are dug into the ground and fastened to vertical support posts.

5If the frames are of different sizes, you will need not two, but three rows of vertical strapping. The first is on 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 - upper and lower.

6To ensure ventilation, windows with vents are located at opposite ends of the greenhouse.

7The frames are fixed to the support posts of the frame with metal corners, metal plates and self-tapping screws.

8Fastening frames with metal plates is more convenient. It makes it possible to quickly repair or replace the frame in case of breakage.

9When using window frames of the 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 with a low height of the greenhouse.

10At the top of the frame, they are connected to the strapping in a similar way through a separate bar.

11It is desirable to cover the roof with a lighter material, for example, several sheets of polycarbonate. The window frames are too heavy.

12For the roof, rafter logs are being prepared, which are fixed to the upper harness. To do this, small notches are cut in it. In the upper part, the logs are attached to the ridge beam.

Mini greenhouse from window frames

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

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Polycarbonate greenhouse

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

Ready-made polycarbonate greenhouse

Strong enough and easy to assemble, it is the most popular today. The special structure of polycarbonate sheets with an air gap makes them excellent heat insulators. Yes, and outwardly such a structure looks very aesthetically pleasing.

Frame assembly

Finished frame

As a frame, a metal profile or wooden bars are used:

1The minimum section of the metal profile of a standard greenhouse is 20x40 mm. It is better to use a stronger rectangular or square tube. The thickness of the wooden beam is from 50 mm. For small structures, it is allowed to use a profile with a U-shaped section.

2The frame should be screwed to the bottom trim of the wooden beam only after complete assembly. It is better to assemble the greenhouse with the help of self-tapping screws equipped with a press washer - their hat will cling less to the skin. To connect the profile pipe, you will need bolts and nuts with washers.

3When using welding, additional protection of seams against corrosion is required.

4The individual elements of the frame should not immediately be pulled together too tightly. The bolts are tightened to the stop only after adjusting and leveling the structure with a building level.

5First, the end parts of the frame are assembled, and then the side stiffeners are screwed. The horizontal crossbars are attached last.

6Do not save on material - to obtain a reliable design, the distance between the stiffeners should be 50-75 cm.

7You can strengthen the frame with the help of jibs - short rails fixed at the corners.

How to bend a pipe

Arched structures or streamlined drop-shaped greenhouses are more practical. Too much snow never accumulates on their roofs - it easily rolls down.

Pipe bending

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

In the absence of a device, you can do the following:

1To prevent bulging and cracking, the pipe is filled with dry sand through a funnel, and its ends are plugged with wooden plugs. From the sides of such plugs, it is necessary to select small grooves for gas to escape.

2Clamp one end of the pipe in a vise.

3We insert a pipe of smaller diameter into the second end, which will serve as a lever ("shoulder").

4If there is a weld in the metal, we turn the pipe so that it is located on the side. Otherwise, it may fall apart.

5We warm up the place of the fold with a blowtorch red hot. For convenience, this place can be pre-marked with chalk.

6In order for the profile pipe to be located in the same plane after bending, without the formation of wrinkles, it is necessary to bend the pipe with one unsharp movement in exactly one direction.

7It is not recommended to heat the metal several times due to a decrease in its strength, but this is not always possible when creating an arch. Sometimes you have to "burn out" adjacent surfaces. But still, it is necessary to reduce the amount of heating to a minimum.

Semi-assembled greenhouse from polycarbonate not worth leaving. Due to the high windage of the material, strong gusts of wind can damage the sheets. It is necessary to fix them in calm weather.

Polycarbonate mount

Lap joint

How to make a polycarbonate greenhouse?

In order for such a greenhouse to last 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 (!) Pay attention to the location of the "honeycombs" of polycarbonate - they should only go vertically, in inclined structures - parallel to the slope.
When creating arches, keep in mind that polycarbonate sheets bend only in one direction - in length, that is, along the line of stiffeners.
The joints of the sheets should fall on the center of the frame rack, connect the sheets only in this way.
Cut this type of plastic with a construction knife, jigsaw, grinder. You can also use a hacksaw or a circular saw.
For strong connection of sheets among themselves special plastic profiles are used. Manufacturers do not recommend overlapping polycarbonate. In practice, in the manufacture do-it-yourself polycarbonate greenhouses cutting and fitting sheets perfectly does not always work. Some craftsmen generally manage to do without connecting profiles, placing overlapping polycarbonate. The most important thing is that the junction must necessarily fall on the center of the rack, and not sag in the air. Moreover, even with perfect installation under the pressure of snow, the sheet can be squeezed out of the profile. In the case of overlap, this does not happen.
Powerful drill it is undesirable to use it for screwing in self-tapping screws - it will overtighten fasteners and often slip off during operation. It is better to work with a conventional screwdriver.Polycarbonate is drilled at low speed with little effort. Next, turn off the tool, insert the screws and continue to work.
The distance between the screwed screws is 25-70 cm. It all depends on the type of frame and the expected snow and wind load.
When assembling polycarbonate structures, riveting is sometimes used instead of self-tapping screws. However, it will be more difficult to dismantle the greenhouse or replace the damaged sheet in this case.
When the temperature changes, the plastic is able to change dimensions. When butt-joining between sheets, a small space of a couple of millimeters in size is necessarily left - a technological gap. Otherwise, cracks will form at the junction. For the same reason, the size of the holes for the fasteners is made a little larger. To prevent the plastic from cracking, do not twist them all the way.
To compensate for expansion and protect against cold bridges, it is recommended to use special thermal washers for polycarbonate (self-tapping screws are purchased separately). It is allowed to use EPDM roofing screws equipped with a gasket or standard for metal with a rubber thermal washer, in which the thread has a small pitch.

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.

Plastic pipe greenhouse

To create arched structures, PVC pipes are often used instead of metal profiles. After all, this plastic is quite durable - a single pipe can withstand a load of 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.

Tees and crosses for PVC pipes

A serious disadvantage of such products is 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 out of pipes?

For this you will need:

2.5 mm PVC water pipes and connecting fittings - tees and crosses.
To connect the frame to a wooden base, metal plates and galvanized self-tapping screws are used.
We will cut the pipes with an ordinary hacksaw for wood or metal with fine teeth.
It's great if you have a special welding machine for welding plastic pipes in your house or friends' house. But you can do without it - they can be glued together.

How to bend plastic pipes

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

PVC pipe arc

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

1To warm up large diameter arcs, it is better to use a hair dryer - the sand will cool quickly.

2To create several arcs of the same size, it is better to prepare a frame for them from wooden bars.

3We heat the pipe with a hairdryer.

4Gently bend it in one plane, trying to avoid displacement along the axis.

5If there is no hair dryer at hand, we heat sand or salt on the stove.

6We insert a wooden plug into one end of the pipe.

7We pick up a funnel, insert it into the free end of the pipe, pour in heated sand or salt.

8We close the pipe with a second plug.

9Gently bend it into an arc.

Assembling a small greenhouse from PVC pipes

The simplest greenhouse made of plastic pipes

Let's describe step by step how to make a PVC greenhouse:

1To create the simplest greenhouse for seedlings from PVC pipes, it is enough to assemble a rectangular base from boards and fix it at the inner corners with metal stakes or reinforcement stakes.

2In the places where the arches are installed, metal stakes are driven into the ground so that they rise 0.3-0.4 m above the ground. The distance between the arches is 0.8-1 m.

3We put prepared arcs from PVC pipes on the stakes. To strengthen the attachment point, we connect the pipes with a wooden base using metal strips and self-tapping screws.

4We strengthen the frame with horizontal pipes. We fasten them together with self-tapping screws.

5The mini-greenhouse for seedlings is ready.

To reduce heat transfer, the greenhouse can be slightly deepened into the ground. For low-growing plants, half a meter will be enough. It is not worth going into the ground too deep, otherwise the landings will be in the shade.

Pipe connections with crosses and tees

Assembly with corners and crosses

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

1For 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 bars.

2When fitting a greenhouse with polyethylene, the distance between the racks of the frame is of no fundamental importance. If the greenhouse will be sheathed with polycarbonate in the future, 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. The standard size of polycarbonate is 2.1x6 m. To create a greenhouse 6.3 m long, you need 3 sheets (we 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.

3First, the lower trim is assembled from the pipes, then vertical racks are attached to it.

4In the absence of a pipe welding machine, we use a special glue for PVC. We clean the joints with crosses or tees with sandpaper and coat with adhesive. Glue must also cover 2/3 of the fitting. We insert the pipe into the cross, turn it 90 degrees and wait a couple of minutes.

5Instead of glue, you can use self-tapping screws, with which pipes are connected to fittings. The greenhouse in this case will be collapsible.

6When creating a gable roof, reinforce it with additional stiffeners. Otherwise, flexible PVC pipes simply cannot withstand the mass of snow.

7A PVC frame is attached to the lower wooden trim only after complete assembly using metal plates and self-tapping screws.

8Doors can be hung with Velcro.

Assembled arched greenhouse from PVC pipes

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Butterfly greenhouse

How to make a greenhouse from pipes in the shape of a butterfly? The advantage of this design is perfect ventilation - in the summer, the greenhouse can be opened completely.

Butterfly greenhouse preparation

1The frame for it is made both from a profile and PVC pipes. How to bend pipes made of metal and PVC, we described above.

2First, we weld or bolt the pipes in such a way as to obtain a quadrilateral. We attach two semi-arcs to the end parts and attach the upper jumper between them.

3We assemble two “butterfly” wings from pipes and two semi-arcs.

4We are preparing holes in the upper jumper for inserting swivel joints.

5We fasten 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).

Butterfly greenhouse

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Greenhouse bread box

Making a greenhouse-bread box is easy. The principle of its creation is similar to the previous one. The only difference is in the way the sashes are attached. If in the first case the hinges located on the upper horizontal lintel are used, then for the greenhouse-bread box, the hinged joints are at the very bottom, on the sides of the frame.

Since such a structure has a small height, it is possible to grow any kind of plant in it, except for climbing ones.

Greenhouse-bread box made of polycarbonate

Such a greenhouse can be easily moved to another place. A large greenhouse is best reinforced with horizontal guides. Make it better collapsible, so that if necessary, you can easily assemble and store for the winter.

To prevent such a structure from being pulled out of the ground by the wind, it is installed on wooden blocks. To protect seedlings from drafts around the perimeter of the greenhouse, they lay and compact the soil well.

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Greenhouse on the balcony

There is still little work in the garden in early spring. Travel a long distance just to water daily seedlings, do not want too much. It is much more reasonable to make a mini-greenhouse on the balcony. It can also be used to grow a wide variety of flowers.

In warm weather, sow plants on balcony start in March-April. On insulated loggias, they can be grown all year round.

Mini greenhouses on the balcony

Any materials can be used for manufacturing. 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 a balcony, you can use any of the methods:

1The simplest greenhouse - racks attached to the main wall and covered with film or polycarbonate.

2Shelves can be installed on a narrow balcony.

3It will be inconvenient to maintain a structure with a height of more than 3 m. The most common sizes of balcony mini-greenhouses are 2.8x0.8 m.

4You can attach the film to the frame with double-sided transparent tape.

5Don't forget about the correct arrangement of plants. In a small space, they can obscure each other. Place the pot with the largest flower in the center. Place smaller sprouts around the edges.

To illuminate plants, purchase an LED lamp. She spends a minimum of energy.

Greenhouse or garden bed (for the lazy) simply and quickly

How to make a greenhouse with your own hands: for seedlings, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers and other plants. From polycarbonate, window frames, plastic pipes (75 Photos & Videos) + Reviews

8 Total Score

Conclusion

Feedback from our readers is very important to us. Leave your rating in the comments with the reasoning behind your choice. Your opinion will be useful to other users.

Ease of implementation

6.5

Convenience

Application efficiency

9.5

How to make a greenhouse with your own hands: for seedlings, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers and other plants. From polycarbonate, window frames, plastic pipes (75 Photos & Videos) + Reviews

Materials used

The shape and size of the greenhouse

Simple

triangular

From window frames

Folding

Hotbeds-bread boxes

Arched

Shed

gable

A-shaped

Drops

wall

Greenhouse from window frames

Is a foundation needed?

Strip foundation

Frame assembly. Frame fixing

Polycarbonate greenhouse

Frame assembly

How to bend a pipe

Polycarbonate mount

Plastic pipe greenhouse

Materials and tools

How to bend plastic pipes

Assembling a small greenhouse from PVC pipes

Pipe connections with crosses and tees

Butterfly greenhouse

Greenhouse bread box

Greenhouse on the balcony

Greenhouse or garden bed (for the lazy) simply and quickly

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