Construction of a greenhouse in one’s backyard or on one’s property can provide all of these benefits and more for gardening aficionados. Choose from a micro greenhouse, a midsize greenhouses, or maybe even a barn greenhouse, depending on the function of the greenhouse. However, there are several things you should be aware of before even beginning to look for greenhouse plans or making a decision on a DIY greenhouse. So if you simply let someone else construct it for yourself, there are a plethora of organizations that specialize in various sorts of greenhouses that can be customized to meet your needs.
Before you start building your own greenhouse, consider the following seven considerations:
Orientation
In North America, the best orientation for such a greenhouse is typically straight southern or east, because in frigid areas, it is critical to capture the first rays of sunlight as soon as they appear. An east-facing disposition can also be effective, especially whether there is some transparency and the building is exposed to the sun from the south. Because of the possibility for overheating, western direction or exposure must be avoided in the majority of instances.
By the way, this advice should be interpreted as guidelines rather than fast and hard rules; it is critical that you thoroughly consider your own case. Due to the fact that clouds cover much of the sky during the winter months, such as those in the Northwest, orientation is much less crucial because the light is diffused evenly across the entire sky. In addition, at high elevations, the blazing sun moves significantly further north in the winter.
Proportions of Length to Width
Because it is narrower than it is wide, a greenhouse with a shorter daytime window for solar heat gain will not receive as much sunlight. At CRMPI, the Mana greenhouse measures 24 by 35 feet and does not perform as well as the Phoenix greenhouse, which measures 76 x 26 feet. This is due to the fact that the sun has a significantly greater amount of time during the day to heat up a region with a wide east-west axis. Building a standalone greenhouse necessitates taking this into account, which is very significant.
A good rule is a three-to-one ratio in terms of size.
Foundation
There are several different materials & ways for constructing foundations, so you can utilize those that are applicable to the construction of other structures to the construction of a greenhouse. Concrete piers (as shown in the figure below) have been employed as foundations at CRMPI in recent years, and they are connected along with the framing of such structure. The foundation footers of two previous greenhouses on this site were made of sunken pressure-treated wooden pillars.
Slope of the Roof
We prepare for a 6/12 pitch to shed significant snow loads, even though Phoenix’s roof has a 4/12 slope (i.e., 4 inches for each and every meter of length), because the climate varies dictates that a 4/12 slope is inadequate. Since the greenhouse is warmer than its surrounding rural air, a layer of snowmelt frequently accumulates between the polycarbonate glazing as well as the snow, assisting the roof in shedding any large weight of snow from the structure. Snow has a tendency to adhere more strongly to double-inflated polyethylene.
The freeboard, which is the area between both the lowest level of the roof as well as the ground, is closely related to a roof slope. In places with significant snowfall, a minimum of 3 or 4 feet of snowfall is recommended to ensure that snow does not pile right back onto the greenhouse roof and obstruct any ventilation.
Cost
Do you wish to make a significant financial commitment or a little contribution to the design of this greenhouse? Do you want to do everything yourself, purchase a greenhouse kit that includes all of the necessary building supplies, and have someone else construct your greenhouse according to the design you selected? All of these choices will have an impact on the price.
In accordance with Fixr as well as the Craftsman National Building Price Estimator, a 12-by-12-foot building at a cost of $25 per square foot will cost $3,590 on average across the United States. It is recommended that you obtain at least 3 distinct contractor offers and prices for the project. From construction process to water supply to finishing work and everything in between, each proposal should include everything.
Your reasons for Constructing One
The following are some of the most popular reasons to construct a greenhouses or conservatory:
Gardening throughout the year
Because of the controlled atmosphere within the greenhouse, it is possible to grow vegetables year-round, regardless of how cold it is outdoors.
Everything grows better in a perfect environment
Everything from plants to flowers & vegetables thrive in the greenhouse atmosphere, which is controlled by heat with water vapors to ensure maximum growth.
Money-saving measures
Every spring season, a large number of homes spend a significant amount of money on plants & lawn grasses for their outside gardens. A conservatory allows you to produce as many seedlings as you desire and you will most likely have enough to share with friends and family.
A lot to do with this space
Due to the ample storage space provided by a greenhouse, you will not even want a garden shed to store tools as well as other equipment.
Protection of plants
Caterpillars, spider lice, locust swarming, as well as a variety of other insects and diseases are kept at bay when plants are grown in greenhouses, as are a variety of other insects and diseases. Plants that grow in greenhouses are generally healthier in general.
Conclusion
Despite the fact that the greenhouse environment will be largely homogeneous, it is critical to detect existing microclimates in order to aid in the establishment of viable plant communities.
In the winter, for example, cold air descends, so if your greenhouse contains 2 layers or slopes, the lower path will act as a cold sink, causing the outer borders of the room to be colder in the winter as heat is lost to the outside. In order to assist alleviate this problem, circulatory fans should be installed.