Comments on: An Inexpensive, Hail Proof, PVC Pipe Greenhouse

By: Amy in Wyoming

Amy in Wyoming — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 15:05:41 +0000

I built a wood frame greenhouse one time and wanted to protect the plastic from the rough wood..i cut carpet strips and stapled them to the wood runners..worked great and the plastic wore out LONG before the carpet strips did.

By: janice

janice — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 09:21:14 +0000

Would this concept be useful for putting a winter cover over a 18 ‘ round pool?? It seems that the leaves wouldn’t settle down inside and would be easier putting on and taking off a tarp.

By: Cory

Cory — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 15:01:50 +0000

That “5.2 oz. Heavy-Duty All-Purpose Fabric – Clear” from Farmtec…does that replace the normal greenhouse plastic covering? I ask because it seems as though the all-purpose fabric wouldn’t be waterproof…?

By: Mel

Mel — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 02:49:23 +0000

Just found this thread while looking for info about reactions between pvc and poly. I have a 15×20 house built from 1 1/2 pvc conduit. Here in Augusta, GA we don’t have to worry about snow loads so the ribs are 5′ apart. In 1 1/2 years, I have covered it twice and it’s time to do it again. Tearing of the poly always occurs along the ribs. I presume that is a combination of pvc/poly reaction as well as heat build-up from the gray pipe. The poly actually sticks to the pvc after awhile, particularly in hot weather.
Anyway, this time I have purchased some felt tape made for greenhouses. It will be run along the top of the ribs to insulate the poly from the heat of the pvc, as well as keep the poly from touching the pvc.
Should know by late winter whether the poly lasts longer or not. Also, I have a 50% shade cloth to put over the house during the rest of the summer and fall.

By: Adrian Wallace

Adrian Wallace — Sun, 16 May 2010 18:19:45 +0000

Couple suggestions, for what its worth.
I’d build a hinged counterspace at each end of the frames for working on cuttings, etc.. Also, small shelves for equipment storage.
I’d like to incorporate plastic flaps using velcro for venting the hoophouse on the sides or ridge.
Difficult to explain. Easier to draw a diagram. But essentially, lap hoops with 3 widths of plastic running full length. Attach sides to wood strips running length of hoops. Overlap side pieces of plastic with top piece by several inches. Incorporate velcro along edges of overlaps. Peel back top and remove. To regulate amount of sunlight you could just tie up the center plastic with rope allowing recommended amount of opening between other pieces instead of removing completely. Possibly, replace center piece with shade cloth in Summer. Point is to make it versatile for your environmental or seasonal conditions. Also, mice, squirrels, and rabbits LOVE fresh food! Protect any ways inside, accordingly! Cats visiting the hoophouse can be a deterrent…Just my 2 cents…

By: MamaStories » $600 Movable Hoop House: Details, Pictures and Cost Analysis

MamaStories » $600 Movable Hoop House: Details, Pictures and Cost Analysis — Thu, 13 May 2010 02:12:39 +0000

[...] new design was inspired by this one. Our improvement upon that model is that ours is movable, in that the modules of the structure are [...]

By: Jeremy Jones

Jeremy Jones — Fri, 07 May 2010 06:33:37 +0000

Cyndie Lou,
Just throw a baseball as hard as you can at a bed sheet hanging on the clothesline. See what happens? The ball falls to the ground! A hail storm is the same thing. It is all just physics, action and reaction. The material absorbs the impact over time, albeit a short amount of it! As the material deflects from the blow it is slowing the velocity of the projectile. Something such as glass is not ductile enough to achieve this. It is brittle and inflexible and breaks from the dynamic impact of the hail. Something such as the steel hood of your car is not resilient enough and thick enough to handle the impact and becomes hammered, hence the imperativeness of hail insurance. I intend to check out the super wonder plastic for my feature projects, perhaps, so should you?

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 03:36:44 +0000

Cyndie, one hail storm we had broke car windows and mirrors, pounded hoods and roofs, stripped ALL the leaves off shrubs, made swiss cheese out of the siding on the house, and yet, bounced off the greenhouse plastic. I’m telling ya, it’s good stuff!

That hardware cloth may help. Is it like what you’d have on a screen door? Is it hail proof? I think you might be cutting down a lot of your light, but it’s hard to say. If it’s not too expensive, give it a try and see how it does. Then let us know!

By: cyndie lou

cyndie lou — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 23:54:13 +0000

i am curious about the true hail proof-ness of this structure. i live in texas and not too many things here are hailproof. what did the hail do, slide off the sides? if it will break glass and dent your car i will certainty be impressed if it didnt bust through your plastic. can you give me some insight into this? i wanted to run some hardware cloth, which is really small mesh screening, the length of the greenhouse (like ur top rail) down about 4 feet to either stop or bust up the hail. well, those are my thoughts and questions. anxious to hear back. and thanks a lot for your response.

By: dean

dean — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 14:49:49 +0000

i biult a hoop house. i am in alberta canada, the other day the winds were 61km gusts to 95km. the hoophouse survived ,miner damage my trees not so much i planted then last spring the wind pushed 2 trees over .the hoophouse was to hot i ran a 4ft wide strip of black poly down the center and it cools it off.