How to Build an Inexpensive Hoop-Style Greenhouse
One of the most valuable assets in my garden is my greenhouse. It has allowed me to grow plants that I normally would not be able to grow, produce crops that the season is not usually long enough to produce, and protect my plants from frosts, hail, or other severe weather that normally would have destroyed my garden.
But I don’t have thousands of dollars to spend on a greenhouse. I just priced out an 8’x12’ greenhouse for $3,500. I would love to have a large, professional greenhouse, but that simply isn’t financially feasible for me. So, instead I’ve found a way to make a large greenhouse that is functional, easy to build, and inexpensive. This article will explain to you exactly how to build a 12’x32’ hoop-style greenhouse for under $400.
Required Materials List
Note: All wood should be green, treated wood to resist rot. (Or you can spend more money and buy a rot resistant type of lumber such as cedar.)
- (4) 2×6 – 16’
- (2) 2×6 – 12’
- (14) 2×4 – 12’
- (19) ½” x 20’white pvc pipe
- (9) 10mm x 10’ rebar
- (1) 20’x50’ roll of 6mm plastic
- (1) Bundle of 50 4’ wood lathe (or optional staples)
- Zip ties
- Nails or screws
- Metal banding
- Door hinges and handles
Step 1 – Laying Out the Frame
Using the 2×6s, lay out and put together your 12’x32’ frame. (You can join the two 16’ pieces with a 2’ piece of 2×4.)
Ensure that the frame is square by measuring diagonally across it. You can temporarily keep the frame in place by pounding a 30” piece of rebar in each corner. (You can pull these out to use them in the next step.)
Step 2 – Adding the Hoops
Cut each 10’ piece of rebar into four 30” pieces of rebar. This will give you thirty-four pieces. Pound the rebar into the ground about 15” deep on the outside of your frame at two foot intervals. This will leave 15” sticking up out of the ground.
Now slide both ends of your pvc pipe over the rebar to make a hoop across the width of your greenhouse.
Attach the pvc pipe to the 2×6s by screwing short pieces of metal banding around the pipe.
Step 3 – Building the Ends
Cut the following pieces out of your 12’ 2×4s:
- (2) 11′8¾”
- (4) 1′6″
- (4) 4′7″
- (4) 5′7″
- (8) 1′11¼”
- (2) 4′¼”
For each end, assemble the wall according to the following diagram.
Place this wall within the 2×6 frame and nail/screw in place.
Cut (4) 28” 2×4 pieces. Cut one end at a 45º angle. Use these pieces to brace the wall.
Once all of the hoops and the two ends are in place, connect two pvc pipes together and cut them to measure 32′ long. This will be the rib that will go along the top of your hoops. You can attach this rib with plastic zip ties.
Step 4 – Covering the Greenhouse with Plastic
If you are going to use wood lathe, cut 32 pieces of 20” lathe. These will secure the plastic to the sides of the 2×6 frame in between each hoop. Or optionally, you can use staples, though they may have a tendency to pull through the plastic.
Drape the plastic over the length of the greenhouse. Be sure to have enough overlap at the ends to cover the end walls. Pull the plastic snug and attach to the 2×6s at one end using the wood lathe or staples. Go to the other end, pull snug, and attach in a similar manner. Do this at the center, and then along the rest of the length of the greenhouse.
Note: If you can do this in warm weather, there will be less sagging later. Make it as snug as you can without causing damage to the plastic.
To attach the plastic to the ends, pull the plastic straight down, and attach with lathe. Then pull the plastic out to the sides. This will give you extra plastic along the outside edge. Fold the plastic back towards the center and attach. For the end with the door, cut out the plastic leaving a few inches of over hang to wrap inside and attach.
Step 5 – Adding the Door
Before you cut your pieces, check the actual measurements for the space you have. Your wall may sit a little different than mine. It’s always better to go a little small or your door may not fit. But if the measurements are the same, cut the following pieces out of your 12’ 2×4s:
- (2) 4′11″
- (2) 3′9″
Nail these together to make your door frame. Lay a 2×4 diagonally across the frame and nail in place. Trim off anything that hangs over the frame of the door. This will be on the inside of your door. Too much wood hanging over will jam your door. Attach the hinges to the door frame.
Cover the outside of the door with remaining plastic or you can use plywood if you would rather. You can attach the plastic with the wood lathe or staples. There should be about 4” of overhang of plastic on all sides.
Attach the door handles to the door. Mount the door to the frame.
And there you go! You can have a beautiful 12’x32’ hoop-style greenhouse that can be built in a weekend and all for less than $400.
——
Update: July 11th, 2008
To see just how well this greenhouse works, see my July Greenhouse Update.
Update August 5, 2009
For an new and improved version, see An Inexpensive, Hail Proof, PVC Pipe Greenhouse.
May 14th, 2008 at 6:35 am
Your blog is becoming one of my favorites…fast! Thank you so very much! Keep blogging!
May 14th, 2008 at 3:45 pm
I’m glad you like! Blog I shall!
May 15th, 2008 at 8:53 pm
You’ve put up a fantastic tutorial here – very, very tempting!
May 18th, 2008 at 12:35 pm
wind ever take it for a ride?? and have you found an easy way to attach a ventilation system
May 18th, 2008 at 7:49 pm
The rebar does a great job of keeping it put. I’ve never had a problem with wind. The only ventilation I’ve used is to either replace the plastic on the door with screen or leave the door open. For the majority of the summer, you can just leave both ends open – closing them for the night when there is a risk of frost.
May 30th, 2008 at 1:34 am
This is the best set of directions and the most clever design. I thank you very much, my hollyhocks and cantelope may have a chance in Fairbanks, AK this year!
June 4th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
Great design! How about snow? I want to build a greenhouse over my garden and I live in northern Wisconsin where we get lots of snow…
June 4th, 2008 at 3:08 pm
Well, I haven’t tried it with 6 mil plastic over the winter, but the 10 mil plastic I had on another greenhouse of similar design did just fine. The snow just slides off. The only concern might be if it piled up too high on the sides and started to push in your walls. But I never had a problem.
June 22nd, 2008 at 8:21 pm
Super design! I also live in Alberta and we are planning on building a greenhouse in the next few weeks, or at least we are now. If I may ask, where did you buy your plastic?
June 22nd, 2008 at 8:37 pm
This plastic was bought at Rona for just under $100. If you do build a greenhouse, I’d love to see some pictures!
July 9th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
Unbelievable! I’ve been to hundreds of webpages trying to find some way to build my own greenhouse that seemed like it would be simple, inexpensive and really work. I can’t tell you how grateful I am for your great description, instructions and pictures here that make it easy to follow. I live in a windy area, so I’m a little concerned about it holding up, but it looks like this design is the best for the wind to just ‘blow right over’! Does this really work throughout the whole winter? Even if it got through most of the year, it’s still going to be a huge blessing. Thanks for sharing this with the world wide web!
Blessings,
Angela
July 9th, 2008 at 8:11 pm
Structurally, this greenhouse should have no problem making it through the winter – the only issue could be your plastic. Six mil plastic might be a little thin to leave on all winter, but 10 – 12 mil should be just fine.
August 18th, 2008 at 4:07 pm
Great job Dave. I was just wondering could you not space the pipes 3′ or 4′ apart instead of 2′ apart? Also would it be easier to put the plastic on by digging a trench at each side and when you backfill the trench it will stretch the plastic?
August 23rd, 2008 at 9:08 am
You might try 3′ or 4′ spacing, especially if you plan on taking the plastic off for the winter. Otherwise, depending on your snow fall, you might end up with a saggy roof in winter.
The trench idea might work too. You’ll have to give it a try and let me know how it works!
August 25th, 2008 at 6:29 am
How would you heat this greenhouse if you lived in northern mississippi. The winters here have been very mild the past couple of years. We do get down into the teens occasionally, snow maybe once a year that barely covers the ground. I’ve read where you could fill milk jugs or barrels with water and paint the container black so it would absorb heat, just looking for inexpensive way to heat. Any ideas. Thanks.
September 7th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
Hmmm… that’s hard for me to imagine. Most of my winters hit at least -35 or -40! Barrels of water might work – it depends how warm you need to keep it. In the greenhouse above you would probably want several barrels of water to keep it a few degrees warmer than outside. Anything more and you’d probably need to look at some artificial heat – electric, gas, coal, wood, whatever is available in your area.
September 22nd, 2008 at 9:51 am
Fantastic! Bravo!
I read about how some people dig down a foot and lay down styrofoam board then sand with a heat mat in the sand…soil is last.
Regardless, your project as presented is GREAT!
October 12th, 2008 at 5:32 am
Just a few tips for anyone who’s interested.
6 mil poly is stong enough for any winter if it’s greenhouse poly not vapour barrier. For anyone who wants to heat it they should go with a double layer of poly and inflate them with a little bathroom fan or furnace fan. You want a 6-10″ air space between the 2 layers this air space acts as isulation and greatly reduces condensation. I would also suggest putting the 2×6 on the outside of the pvc pipe this way you can get a tight seal down the full length of the building. You would also need a tight seal on the ends, this might require the use of a wirelock system or plywood ends. The 2 layers both go on the outside 1 on top of the other and the fan separates them and gives you your insulation. Also if you have a choice you should face the building east west so you get maximum sunlight in the spring when you need it most, this will also make it easier to vent in the warmer months. Sorry for being so long winded! Good luck.
October 19th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
Where did ya’ll get your plastic? I can’t fing a 20′ by 50′ roll anywhere. If you could email me to the address above, i would greatly appreciate it. I love your blog! Keep Blogging!!!!!
October 27th, 2008 at 12:20 pm
Thanks AG! I had something like this in mind using black steel pipe at first, but also had thought about using pvc pipe. I just want to get a head start in my garden raising tomatoes. I can do this in the middle of March I’ll have a months head start on my competitors. And I don’t have to worry about snow much, but maybe wind. I’m in Illinois with a veggie garden. I appreciate all the time it took you to make this site and photograph and write the procedures!
October 30th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
We’re at 4500′ in north central Washington state, long, sold, snowy winters. What adaptations would you make for, say, 20 below to 20 above weather, and what about snow load? Appreciate your thoughts.
October 30th, 2008 at 7:35 pm
To structurally strengthen this greenhouse, you can run rebar through the length of your pvc pipes. Most of the snow slides off anyway (though you may need to shovel the sides a bit if the snow gets really deep – I’ve never had this problem.) I would also recommend going with a thicker woven poly like what you would find at http://www.northerngreenhouse.com/ If you plan on heating it through the winter, check out comment #18 of this post by Tony – He’s got some good thoughts.
November 22nd, 2008 at 8:07 am
that s very good idea im going to try it
November 25th, 2008 at 12:28 pm
Very interesting but what sort of plastic would you use if you live in Africa, won’t i get a problem with the sun?
November 26th, 2008 at 9:15 am
The plastic that I mentioned from Northern Greenhouse in a few comments above has UV inhibitors so that even in constant direct sunlight, it should still last 3 – 4 years. The key is to have anything that touches the plastic colored white and to have good ventilation.
January 9th, 2009 at 10:20 pm
The greenhouse poly seems to come only in narrow widths, 10′ or 12′. Does that work for this greenhouse that requires a 20′ wide piece? Is it better to use heavy mill vapor barrier?
January 10th, 2009 at 3:57 pm
If you’re looking at the poly from Northern Greenhouse, they can join the 10′ strips to make whatever size you want. Heavy mil vapor barrier should work as well – though I can’t imagine it would have the life span of greenhouse poly.
January 13th, 2009 at 5:57 am
The company I spoke to here in Ontario was L&R Shelters, they sell greenhouse kits as small as 12′ wide. They will also just sell you the poly for .11c sq/ft it is a 6mil uv treated greenhouse poly which has a 4 yr warranty. This is the industry standard that most nuseries use, as it was explained to me the poly will last 6-7yrs, the warranty only goes 4yrs because as the poly ages you start to lose light transmissions required for certain plants/ vegtables. The problem some might have with ordering this poly is getting a piece small enough, as a 12×32′ house would require a piece that is considered an off cut.
I spoke to 1 of their customers who built his own frame and used the 6mil poly, it was a double layer inflated with a small fan. He said the poly was 9 yrs old! Which I found hard to believe but he showed me the date stamp on the poly 1999. His fig trees didn’t seem to care about getting less light and he said the reason it has lasted so long was because it was inflated so when the weather gets really hot and the poly stretches it just has more air between the layers and never gets loose. Here is a link to their site.
http://www.lrshelters.ca/index.html
January 13th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
Awesome idea! I live in alberta and am going to give this a try!
January 13th, 2009 at 3:57 pm
I should have mentioned that if hail is your concern you should go with the 10mil.
January 13th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
Tony, thanks for the link – looks great!
January 27th, 2009 at 5:34 pm
The best set of instructions I have seen. Best wishes from Ireland
February 2nd, 2009 at 4:00 am
my dear friend , i`m so thanksfull to you , i tried to find a new way for makeing a greenhouse., so now you makeing a new knowleg about my question . ( mahdi ramazy from Islamic Republic Of Iran – Tehran-Shahriyar) ..
February 5th, 2009 at 1:43 pm
what a great step by step tutorial. I have plans for one this year and will certainly be referring back here for hints…thanks so much! First time visiting and am enjoying very much, Kim
February 12th, 2009 at 11:39 am
I really like the plan for make the greenhouse, but the greenhouse poly that I am considering to buy cannot be touching PVC plastic or vinyl. I was thinking, could I use a galvanized steel tubing? Thanks
February 12th, 2009 at 10:28 pm
Sure. I would choose steel tubing over pvc if cost wasn’t an issue. Most commercial greenhouse use steel tubing.
February 13th, 2009 at 2:59 pm
Hi, thank you for your tutorial and great pics. I am planning one following your guide but half the length. This looks perfect for our needs. I linked to your page on my blog to give you credit. Thanks bunches!
February 13th, 2009 at 5:20 pm
http://www.growerssupply.com/farm/supplies/prod1;gs1_cold_frames_high_tunnels;pg103083_103083.html
This company sells a light weight 8×24 steel hoop house for $399us. I don’t know if it includes poly or not?
February 14th, 2009 at 8:30 pm
I used one of the carports that you see everywhere for a frame to build a greenhouse for a friend.
February 17th, 2009 at 8:17 pm
This is awesome! I’m so glad you posted it. I am trying to build a predator-proof aviary for my rescued pet ducks, and this will work perfectly. I was pricing out dog runs and specialized buildings, but this is WAY more within my price range. I am covering it with heavy 1″ predator-proof avian netting all around, except for the door.
Just perfect. Thanks for the detailed supply list as well.
February 24th, 2009 at 12:25 pm
Hi… this the most wonderful site I seen. I have dreamed for the passed 5 years to build myself a green house but never could see the way to afford to get enough money for one. I was checking out differant sites and run acrossed yours, it is wonderful I wa so blessed to find it. The next day I showed my husband and he said “wow” that seems easy enough, so within two days I had all the supplies I needed,and got home and within and hour and 15 min. we had the frame build and the rebar set in and the pvc pipe placed, oh what joy it brought to my heart. Our green house is an 12′ by16′…..thank you so much. you are a blessing to many. bye for now Nancy-Jo
February 26th, 2009 at 5:07 pm
great idea . I am a market gardener from pei with a need to extend my growing season I think this may be what i need or at least can afford.
I am just a little nervous of the half inch pvc frame.would it not shift in heavy winds.
February 26th, 2009 at 5:51 pm
I’m not sure how your wind would compare to ours, but I haven’t had a problem. The rebar anchors it to the ground, but still allows the frame to have some flexibility.
March 18th, 2009 at 7:40 am
If you use double poly with wirelocks or batten tape, keep the inflation fan running during the winter and summer. The poly will survive hail much better if inflated. Growers Supply has the fan kit with the blower, flex pipe and pass through for the inside poly layer. They also have rolls of narrow felt, sticky on one side, that you can attach to the pvc to protect the poly. You can get corkscrew ground stakes, like you would use for a dog, there too. Use these to secure your boards to the ground. As stated above, most greenhouses would have the boards on the outside of the pvc. You don’t want to invest all that money and time in making a giant kite. I speak from experience. I use the ground stakes every 5 feet with ratchet tie-downs. Two additional purlins, like the one at the ridge, one on each side, should help with the snow load and sagging.
March 24th, 2009 at 5:53 pm
Dave first let me thank you for this wonderful design! I am a collector of Japanese Maples and I live right on the border of zone 5 and 6…of course most them are hardy to zone 6 and so I am so excited about this greenhouse as a way to protect my maples in the winter as well as late frosts when thyey have already started to leaf out. I either dismantle it in the summer or convert part of it into a partial shade house in the summer. But I am wondering what is the lifespan of PVC exposed to the elements? I love the idea of using PVC but if it isn’t going to last more than 4 or 5 years I might consider the metal hoop. How long has yours lasted? Also another great resource for greenhouse suplies including plastic is farmtek.com I have bought from them many times and LOVE them!
Vicki
March 30th, 2009 at 10:03 am
I’ve found that the PVC does get brittle with time. Because I’ve changed my design several times, I’ve only had the same PVC in use for one year at a time. But with the brittleness that I’ve seen, I would have doubts that it will last 4 – 5 years. If you’re looking for a long term greenhouse, you’ll probably want to go with steel.
March 31st, 2009 at 7:53 pm
I live in Calgary, in an apartment building and luckily for me I live on the main floor and I have a small patio. 3 yrs ago I had a raised (waist high) 3′x6′ garden box (on legs) built but being a beginner gardener I had little success. I love the idea of building my own green house however, I’ll have to figure out a way to build one to accomodate my existing box, where I can raise the plastic to access the plants (since I can’t walk in it) but still seal tightly when the plastic is down. I’m open to any suggestion
Thanx for sharing your ideas and experiences.
April 6th, 2009 at 10:12 am
Well we just built this greenhouse, with a few changes, we made ours 10×22.
We put a peice of strapping 2 feet off the floor running the liength of the greenhouse to sturdy it up.
We also used strapping in the top centre (instead of pipe and zip ties)attached to the hoops with the metel electrical bands , we got a box of 50 for 8$
It was complete in 2 days!
Its wonderful!
When we bought our farm it came with a huge pile of electrical conduit, enough for 3 or 4 of these greenhouses.
We plan to build another very soon.
We could’nt of been happier to find this design!
Good job!
It is now full of many vegetables , flowers and herbs getting ready for the upcoming season.
Happy gardening ,
Stacy
April 12th, 2009 at 7:08 am
i like the greenhouse. I was so happy when i found the design its going to help me out alot. QUESTION! what kind of plastic did you use on the green house?
April 13th, 2009 at 9:10 am
This plastic is just 6 mil plastic from Rona. It held up pretty good over the winter, but I would still recommend going a little stronger with a 10-12 mil plastic. You can find some great stuff at http://www.northerngreenhouse.com
April 14th, 2009 at 9:33 pm
Hi Dave
I followed your instruction and built the green house. It took 3 afternoons (after work). I am amazed how easy and cost effective it was (about NZ$200) it is 6mX3m very big. We are very lucky, not needing any heating systems as winters are not very cold here. Sun is sufficient enough. I have some pics but I don’t know how I can send it to you. Thanks mate!!!
April 27th, 2009 at 3:50 pm
Superb !!
Dave, Do you think it would be possible to make it wider and taller by joining two lengths pf pvc pipe together. I would like to get 20ft wide. Is this possible or would it compromise the strengh too much. How about using thicker pipe ?
Thanks
April 27th, 2009 at 4:13 pm
20ft wide using the pvc pipe would likely be too flimsy. If you want to go that route, you could try a 1/2 inch rebar. Or another way to go is A-Frame Style. I built one like that last year, but I used too cheap of plastic. My brother made one just like it with 11 mil plastic and it worked great!
April 27th, 2009 at 7:09 pm
Thanks Dave, Could I go up tp 16ft wide. If I use 3/4 or inch pipe would it bend enough to create the hoop, or would this be too rigid.
thanks
April 27th, 2009 at 8:34 pm
I haven’t tried the 3/4 inch pipe, so I couldn’t say for sure. But I would guess it should work. Are you still planning on using 20 ft long pipes? That would make your roof pretty low, unless you put them on top of a short (maybe two foot tall) wall. Also, if you’re planning on leaving the plastic on over the winter, you might need to be concerned about the snow load on such a low angled roof.
April 28th, 2009 at 5:59 am
Hi Dave,
Thanks again for your reply. I was going to experiment with joining two lengths together to get a good height maybe try a 20ft and a 10ft.
I not too sure weather the join would cause a problem as far as weekness is concerned. I hope that the bend in the pipe would not cause the join to split. Thanks again !! P.S I live in Barbados so snow is not an issue , just the heat and the odd Hurricane !!
May 20th, 2009 at 1:33 pm
hi there!
I want to know if this structure is weather resistant. What happen when the rain is severe? When the wind is severe? It can be built larger? say 25′x105′…. do you think it would be a good idea for a commercial initiative? thanks a lot every one, all opinions will be considered?
May 21st, 2009 at 9:36 am
Hi Dave,
Just wanted to let you know that I used your plans to build a greenhouse on Mother’s day this year. I’m located in Alberta, near Edmonton and we’ve had some snow and fairly strong winds since I put it up and it is holding up fine. Building the greenhouse only took me about 6 hours – my cost was a bit higher (around $500) as the store I went to didn’t have everything so I substituted some more expensive material and bought twice the amount of poly as was needed.
Your plans were great, before finding them I was going to build a small wood-frame green-house but this one is much bigger and better.
Thanks,
Don
May 21st, 2009 at 2:35 pm
If the greenhouse is properly anchored, wind and rain should be no problem in all but the most severe weather. You could build it larger provided that A). You have sufficient ventilation and B). The arches are sufficiently supported. You may need a center support system for spans over 12′. I’m not sure I would go this way for a commercial venture – I would likely choose a steel frame.
June 7th, 2009 at 6:09 pm
Hi Dave,
I live north of Toronto , and the winters can get pretty cold, around -30 C.
We have potted fig trees that we keep outside during the spring/summer months but by October, we bring them inside and store in our basement until the following Spring.
With this type of greenhouse, would it be possible to keep them outside in the greenhouse growing and producing fruit all year long?
Thanks Steve
June 8th, 2009 at 8:48 am
Hi Steve! This type of greenhouse would be quite expensive to heat all year round. If you did want to heat it, you would want to two layers of poly with a layer of blown air between them. Even this at -30 would lose a lot of heat! If I were in your situation, I think I would either A.) Build a sun room onto my house, or B.) Keep doing what you’re doing!
Dave
June 22nd, 2009 at 10:19 am
wow! this is amazing! also living in northern alberta with lots of snow & cold, so i’ll definatley upgrade to the 10mm poly!! cant wait to fabricate this design!!!Honestly thank you so much! i was literally minutes away from ordering a much smaller greenhouse for $1550. from sears canada. Your blog has also bin incredibly inspirational for us:) take care & keep blogging!! i will post pics as soon as its complete! ~Thanx again~
what type of heating would you recommend for attempting some crop’s throughout the winter months, if that is even possible!??
June 22nd, 2009 at 12:18 pm
If money were no object and I wanted to heat this type of a greenhouse, I would use in-floor hot water heating. That would keep the soil and the air temperature warm enough throughout much of the winter, but in -40 degree weather, I’m not sure this structure could keep the heat coming in as fast as it goes out. But then again, I’ve never tried, so who knows….
June 25th, 2009 at 3:38 am
# 60 steve.
Hi Steve,
A friend of mine has fig trees in a greenhouse, he started with a 20′x48′ x9′tall house but the trees grew too tall. Now he has a 30×48x18′ tall and the trees still grow almost to the roof!
He was spending around $300 a month on gas to heat the greenhouse to 5 degrees C through the winter. Now he uses a used oil furnace so the oil is free but he paid 10,000 for the furnace.
The trees still go dormant in the winter but they grow like weeds in the spring.
If you do put up a greenhouse you will eventually need somthing very tall, which will be even less efficient and more unstable in the wind. So you might be better off to build from wood and if possible face the building east west so you can insulate the 3 sides and leave the south side covered with double poly or lexan.
Good luck.
June 26th, 2009 at 10:03 am
We are going out today to buy the materials and build this greenhouse over my existing garden..Weve had nothing but rain and more rain to come..if my garden doesnt get covered it I’d might as well forget about everything in it… thanks for this great idea that is cost effective.
July 2nd, 2009 at 3:17 pm
hi this is great, i too have a poly greenhouse athough i used conduit. i wanted a bigger one and was clueless how to go about it. this is perfect. for my existing greenhouse i have 4ft high framed walls with conduit completing the roof. i ended up with a 8 ft greenhouse that is 6 ft wide, shelves run the length on both sides wide enough to accomodate flats of plants underneath i used closet rod hangers to hold more conduit to accomodate my baskets, while the floor on both sides holds all my planters. i used 1×3 lumber to use at the peak to sandwich the condiut and it also holds my heat lamp and gro lights well. i also used more 1×3 to hold down thw plastic over the wood framing.i used a double layer of 6 mil poly as well. the only venting is the door. i can hardly wait to do a larger green house next year. thanks!!!
July 3rd, 2009 at 7:36 am
Hi Dave:
Thanks for taking the time to document your nice procedure. I leave in Austin and here we have an issue with deer. I’m thinking about using your design to make a protected vegetable garden. However, due to hot temp, I’m thinking about using chicken wire instead of plastic. Do you think the PVC is strong enough to hold the weight of chicken wire? .. a 48″ X 30′ for each overlapping section of the structure would weigh approximately 10 lbs.
Thanks in advance for sharing your thoughts on this,
Mosen
July 3rd, 2009 at 9:08 am
Hi Mosen! I think you’ve got a great idea using that chicken wire – I’m sure the weight would not be an issue. I’d love to get some pictures from you when it’s done!
July 10th, 2009 at 8:22 pm
Thanks so much for your version of the hoop green house. Just wanted to let Mosen know that I built a similar design but with chicken wire to use for my chickens so they could free range without being bothered by my dogs. The pvc has no problem supporting the weight of the chicken wire. I tie wrapped the wire every few inches along the pvc and it stiffened the structure also. I stapled the bottom of the wire to my wood frame that made my bottom supports.
July 13th, 2009 at 10:52 am
What kind of plastic should be used?
Like stuff I can get at rona, Or the building box?
July 13th, 2009 at 10:29 pm
Thank-you so much for sharing your greenhouse design. Your instructions are so clear and intelligible that I think I can actually build one. I have looked at ready made large greenhouses and they’re all too expensive for my budget so I’m elated to find this information. It is also very refreshing to see an idea like this shared without asking for a fee but if you do have things for sale related to gardening I would be interested in hearing about them and/or seeing them. Thank-you again, Take care, Lee.
July 14th, 2009 at 7:23 am
Scroll through the other comments on this page – lots of ideas for plastic!
August 4th, 2009 at 4:33 pm
would using cross tees not make for a sturdier construction? Also hauling 20 ft. lengths of pipe can be a challenge.
My interest is primarily for a poultry run that will be covered with stucco or other strong wire. Maybe the base perimator will be stucco and the top will be a lighter material. I never thought of using rebar to secure the base.
August 4th, 2009 at 8:33 pm
Actually, the first hoopframe greenhouse I built I used cross tees, and I had two pipes break right where they joined the tees. I haven’t had a 20ft break yet. (But transportation is a challenge…)
August 5th, 2009 at 6:09 pm
I use this design for my pastured poultry. Of course I don’t need an 8 ft. wall for an 18″ chicken so I cut the poly pipe into 10 ft. lengths. This gives me a 7 ft. wide by 3 1/2 ft. hi structure. The chickens need shade and shelter from rain so I put about a 4 ft. strip of tarping along the top of the hoops full length and tie it down to the rebar and secure it to the end hoops. Then I run around the two sides and one end with poly secruity fencing or plastic chicken wire, tucking and tying at the corners, no need to cut it. A fifty ft. roll of fencing gives you about a 20 ft. run. Since the fencing is only 4 ft. hi it would not go right to the rop of the hoops and would leave a gap along the top but that is covered with the tarp roof. I also throw a tarp over one end for their” house” for sleeping at night and to get into out of the wind. Works great for growing out chicks to point of lay. Just think – no cleaning out chicken houses, just move it. It leaves a lovely fertilized spot where the grass quickly pops up. For chickens one does not need the wood around the bottom, just let the fencing curl into the pen at the bottom about 4 inches then there is no sneaking out even if your pasture is not level. I built a square panel that fits against the open end of the run which I just swing aside when I want to feed and water. No need for me to go in there. The “gate panel” is a piece of concrete reinforcing wire (6″ x 6″ steel mesh) covered with fencing. The steel wire acts as a frame to hold the fencing up. I just bungie it to the end of the run. I wish I could send pictures of my happy chickens in their chicken patio. A picture is worth a thousand words.
August 11th, 2009 at 8:38 am
Thanks for your great ideas and plans. I plan on creating this greenhouse very soon. However I was wondering how to vent this greenhouse? It says to put vents at the rear & sides but doesn’t explain how? Also, I want to buy the 12 mil woven poly, is there anyone in Alberta that sells it? Did you purchase your pvc from a lumberyard? I’m very excited about this project, & like many other Albertans wish to increase our growing season. I hope to hear from you soon. Dianne.
August 12th, 2009 at 7:40 am
Right now for my ventilation, I keep both doors open all summer, just closing them over night on frosty nights. This seems to be plenty of ventilation for that size of greenhouse. If you went longer you may need to add side ventilation. As far as the 12 mil woven poly – I don’t know of any in Alberta. Northern Greenhouse in Manitoba is the only place I know about that does the woven poly. My pvc pipes came from Home Depot, but I’m sure any lumber yard should carry it.
August 20th, 2009 at 6:21 am
Nice article and explanation. I built a hoop house (cold frame) a few months ago. I purchased mine from FarmTek.com. I got the 10W by 20L. You can see their sizes at: http://www.farmtek.com/farm/supplies/prod1;ft1_coldframes_hightunnels;pg105158f.html
The frame was very sturdy and I picked up greenhouse film from them too. I’ve enjoyed this year’s tomatoes so much, that I’m thinking of getting a bigger structure. They call them high tunnels. Look at: http://www.farmtek.com/farm/supplies/cat1a;ft1_coldframes_hightunnels.html. They also have manuals you can download too, so if you are building one, you can get good ideas. Peace.
August 30th, 2009 at 1:49 pm
Dave, I have a question, we want to build a greenhouse a little wider that the one in this plan, is it possible to take say 2 16″ pvc pieces connect them with a connector and pvc cement, then bend, or would the joint screw up the bend? I am just thinking smaller sized pvc pieces would be easier to deal with. Possible? thanks
September 15th, 2009 at 9:24 pm
The 6mil plastic which I used for my greenhouse did not last one season because I used steel wires for connecting the PVC pipes which burnt the plastic.
This season I am planning to cover the plastic with white tarp which I got from Home depot for $26 for 19′ X 20′. The tarp looks very tough for tearing. Any comments appreciated.
October 15th, 2009 at 7:50 am
Hi Dave,
Love your design. I am in Florida and plan on building my greenhouse in a few weeks. Do you think it would take away from the sturdiness, if i placed the rebars inside of the frame verses outside the way you have it. Thanks
October 15th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
Actually, I would recommend putting the rebar and pvc on the inside of the frame. That’s one modification that I’ve made to the design – you can see my latest design here – http://www.albertahomegardening.com/an-inexpensive-hail-proof-pvc-pipe-greenhouse/
November 10th, 2009 at 6:25 am
like your blog as this is something I have had an interest in for some time. One question to you guys, especially for those who leave their plastic on over winter, the problem I forsee in Ireland is the wind rather than the snow! would the pvc plastic pipe be strong enough even with rebar in it to withstand some of the winds we have on the western seaboard of Ireland? If not how did you get around the problem?
thanks
November 10th, 2009 at 1:39 pm
Paul, I can’t speak to your specific winds, but we do often get some strong winds here. In my experience, the strength of the PVC in the wind isn’t a problem – it’s more of a concern of the strength of the plastic (or perhaps how well the plastic is attached.) I’ve heard of wind lifting the entire structure if not properly anchored, but the PVC itself has had no issues that I know of.
December 18th, 2009 at 6:26 am
[...] Big Hoop House under $400 [...]
December 18th, 2009 at 12:35 pm
Just in time for spring in the Ozarks! Freshe food!!!!
January 6th, 2010 at 6:34 am
That looks great we are looking for just your kind of set up but at a lower price than the commercial fat cats are offering.
We have professional market gardener friends coming to stay this summer so the pressure is really on. Wish us luck and I will let you know how we get on. Many thanks for being so open and generous with your knowledge.
January 25th, 2010 at 9:40 pm
Thanks for the wonderful idea. I finally found what I’been looking for. It seems really unexpencive and funcional. Keep doing watever you’re doing, helping another people like myself. Thanks again
February 6th, 2010 at 12:55 pm
a few questions and also a reply to post 42/43?
the pvc pipe should flex in winds and absorb any sudden wind loads
shifts/shocks. im more concerned about the amount of heavy snow
we get here. and the odd mild days then rapid cold snaps where we get
temperatures that dip down to -38′c. and high winds.
id like to find a way to heat the green house to make it fully functional
through the entire winter months here in ontario,canada.
my idea was to build a small wood frame structure with single pane
glass windows (wood frame around the windows already) and build
a small structure at one end, and use an old wood stove for heating.
a few fans to blow the heat around. condensation might not be a bad thing, a little dampness and humidity might be a good thing.
any ideas on this?
coehill.dave @ gmail.com
February 9th, 2010 at 6:57 pm
you have made it very simple and user friendly. I didn’t notice anywhere what the thickness of the pvc pipe is. I assume it is the thicker walled, schedule 40 material. Please confirm. Thank you.
February 9th, 2010 at 7:15 pm
You can use either, but I find the 20 is more flexible and less likely to break as it gets brittle with time.
February 10th, 2010 at 9:14 am
When I found your plans for an inexpensive greenhouse I knew it was for me. I read every comment and researched all the sources you recommended for covering etc. I finally decided on the 12X32 version with some revisions.
Since I am 6′4 I needed more height so I added 2 ft to the hoops. I also decided on the plywood ends and I added some extra internal bracing there. One other major change–I bought elec conduit clamps to fasten the hoops to the base. Much, much easier to use than the strapping material. I chose plastic covering over the mesh due to high cost differences and no apparent guarantee that the mesh would last longer–not counting hailstorms. I live in N. central Texas and hail is a possibility. I also spent closer to $650 rather than the $400 you originally estimated but it is still a bargain. Now to the planting and growing.
big jim
February 15th, 2010 at 7:06 pm
I think your design looks great. I’ve been drooling over greenhouse catalogs and thinking it would be years before I could afford to get one. Now I’m thinking that maybe my husband and I can actually build one a lot like yours. My only question is, I live in Payson, Utah where we get microbursts just about every spring and sometimes more often. The winds can get up to 60 to 80 miles an hour, but usually only last a few minutes. Trees are usually uprooted all over the place and we have to replace roof shingles constantly (it seems like). Anyway, if you have any ideas about handling those nasty little winds I would be very appreciative. I don’t want to see my future greenhouse sailing across the field the next wind storm we get. Thanks so much!
Sincerely,
8daisy8
February 15th, 2010 at 9:58 pm
This greenhouse should be fine even in the wind as long as you anchor it. Pound some long wooden stakes along the inside edges and fasten the stakes to the frame. This will keep the wind from picking up the whole structure. And as long as your poly is tight and attached securely, the wind won’t be able to rip that away either.
February 17th, 2010 at 3:03 pm
[...] I’d share Big Jim’s pictures and tell you about some of the modifications he made to my Inexpensive Hoop-Frame PVC Pipe Greenhouse. So first the [...]
February 23rd, 2010 at 12:54 pm
WOW I’m inspired. Just recently divorced and don’t have much money. I’ve got a little bitty purchased greenhouse that I spent far more on and is a pain to put up have to be a rocket scientist have have multiple helpers to assemble.
I also liked the ideas about utilizing this with small modifications for inexpensive poultry housing as well. When you start looking at $12K greenhouses it becomes cost prohibitive and offsets any potential savings from growing your own food. Costs of barns and buildings for small livestock also becomes prohibitive.
Thank you Dave.
February 24th, 2010 at 5:22 pm
Thank you for this great comprehensive post, just what we need!
March 3rd, 2010 at 6:41 am
Thank you thank you thank you!!! I needed this and to build a greenhouse and I was getting pretty frustrated with the cost of the metal hoops and even finding them without buying a whole kit!!!! My plants thank you and my family thanks you!!!