Greenhouse Erection
Discussion
What sor of tips are there for Greenhouse erection. Got a 10.5 ft by 14.5ft comming in 2 weeks. We have an area where an old she was on which is cleared but has some slabs, bricks and concrete foundations for the old shed but they are wonky.
Clearly need a level ground, do I need proper foundations (Greenhouse has a metal plinth/base) ie concrete/brick or will beded in slabs do.
How hard is it to screw together the GH?
Any general tips gratefull received.
Clearly need a level ground, do I need proper foundations (Greenhouse has a metal plinth/base) ie concrete/brick or will beded in slabs do.
How hard is it to screw together the GH?
Any general tips gratefull received.
We just did a 6x16.
We layed concrete footings, because it seemed easier than laying blocks. About 8 inches deep I think.
One thing I would say is, make the base up first, get it square, then work out where your foundations are going to go. Our manual had measurements in, but they weren't very useful.
We layed concrete footings, because it seemed easier than laying blocks. About 8 inches deep I think.
One thing I would say is, make the base up first, get it square, then work out where your foundations are going to go. Our manual had measurements in, but they weren't very useful.
The Black Flash said:
We just did a 6x16.
We layed concrete footings, because it seemed easier than laying blocks. About 8 inches deep I think.
One thing I would say is, make the base up first, get it square, then work out where your foundations are going to go. Our manual had measurements in, but they weren't very useful.
good ideaWe layed concrete footings, because it seemed easier than laying blocks. About 8 inches deep I think.
One thing I would say is, make the base up first, get it square, then work out where your foundations are going to go. Our manual had measurements in, but they weren't very useful.
Here's our effort, mounted on a concrete plinth, erected in a couple of days mostly by me but got a lanky mate to give me a hand with the glass (wear gloves).
I'd advise you to read through the plans a few times before you even open the box and stop occasionally and read them again just to make sure you're doing right, and also get seperate jars for each screw/bolt/nut etc as it saves a lot of time scrabbling around for the right fixing.
Otherwise all pretty straightforward.
Good luck
I'd advise you to read through the plans a few times before you even open the box and stop occasionally and read them again just to make sure you're doing right, and also get seperate jars for each screw/bolt/nut etc as it saves a lot of time scrabbling around for the right fixing.
Otherwise all pretty straightforward.
Good luck
I just built one, 8'x10', this week. Took me a day and a half, managed it alone although had to apply a little lateral thinking on account of it being in a corner with solid fence panels on one end and side with a maximum of about 8" clearance.
The manufacturers recommend laying the base on a level slab/slabs or grass and ensuring it's square ie, equal distances between opposite corners. Very important that bit otherwise the frame won't be true and you'll never get the roof glass in. I initially nipped up the nuts/bolts tight enough to hold together but loose enough for jiggling, easing, adjustment with a final once over for tightening up at the end. They also recommended building the framework and then glazing it but if, like me, you can't get to all the sides you'll have to glaze some, bolt it in and then get creative. If you find yourself in this position let me know and I'll tell you how I got round it.
I think all nuts and bolts are 10mm. If so arm yourself with a couple of 10mm sockets, thin-walled if you have them, on extension bars. Use a ratchet for final tightening but be careful, they shear easily. Might be an idea to break a couple for practice beforehand so you can judge when enough is enough. Oh, if you have one a ratchet spanner is very useful. Mine's available at reasonable rates ;-)
If it's not too late and you can afford it stretch to safety glass and powder coating. The former avoids having lots of little panels, fiddly clips and won't decapitate you when a football lands on the roof. The latter just looks nicer, I didn't want a bare aluminium one that was going to oxidise in a few years.
Edit. Guttering and downpipes too. Avoids muddy splashes all up the sides.
The manufacturers recommend laying the base on a level slab/slabs or grass and ensuring it's square ie, equal distances between opposite corners. Very important that bit otherwise the frame won't be true and you'll never get the roof glass in. I initially nipped up the nuts/bolts tight enough to hold together but loose enough for jiggling, easing, adjustment with a final once over for tightening up at the end. They also recommended building the framework and then glazing it but if, like me, you can't get to all the sides you'll have to glaze some, bolt it in and then get creative. If you find yourself in this position let me know and I'll tell you how I got round it.
I think all nuts and bolts are 10mm. If so arm yourself with a couple of 10mm sockets, thin-walled if you have them, on extension bars. Use a ratchet for final tightening but be careful, they shear easily. Might be an idea to break a couple for practice beforehand so you can judge when enough is enough. Oh, if you have one a ratchet spanner is very useful. Mine's available at reasonable rates ;-)
If it's not too late and you can afford it stretch to safety glass and powder coating. The former avoids having lots of little panels, fiddly clips and won't decapitate you when a football lands on the roof. The latter just looks nicer, I didn't want a bare aluminium one that was going to oxidise in a few years.
Edit. Guttering and downpipes too. Avoids muddy splashes all up the sides.
Edited by Flintstone on Saturday 15th May 12:17
If it has Aluminium bolts be careful has you do them up they can shear pretty easily.
Pick a nice day to put the glass in an put it all in on that day!!! I've seen plenty of greenhouses trashed because the owner put half the glass in and left it. one breezy night later, goodnight vienna.
I once put up a frame the same size as yours on an allotment. It was sat, but not anchored, on a bed of 3x2 flags and although aluminium it had a fair old weight to it.
Pleased with our days efforts we retired for the night with plans to glaze it the next day. It was a pretty windy night but we had no concerns, not a single sheet of glass would come to any harm as it sat in the garage at home.
The next day was bright, sunny and calm, lovely weather for glazing. We arrived at the plot full of vim and vigour. This was short lived however as before us lay a tangled mess of angles. It truly looked as though a giant had picked our greenhouse up, screwed it into a ball as though a piece of waste paper, then thrown it a good 30 feet from where we had lovingly constructed it the day before!!!
I kid you not. To this day i have no idea how the wind got hold of it as there was nothing to get hold of!
The moral of the story is read the instruction carefully and prepare the ground/base well. Anchor it down, and treat the build as a proper construction job not the sunday afternoon throwing up of a bbq gazeebo
Pick a nice day to put the glass in an put it all in on that day!!! I've seen plenty of greenhouses trashed because the owner put half the glass in and left it. one breezy night later, goodnight vienna.
I once put up a frame the same size as yours on an allotment. It was sat, but not anchored, on a bed of 3x2 flags and although aluminium it had a fair old weight to it.
Pleased with our days efforts we retired for the night with plans to glaze it the next day. It was a pretty windy night but we had no concerns, not a single sheet of glass would come to any harm as it sat in the garage at home.
The next day was bright, sunny and calm, lovely weather for glazing. We arrived at the plot full of vim and vigour. This was short lived however as before us lay a tangled mess of angles. It truly looked as though a giant had picked our greenhouse up, screwed it into a ball as though a piece of waste paper, then thrown it a good 30 feet from where we had lovingly constructed it the day before!!!
I kid you not. To this day i have no idea how the wind got hold of it as there was nothing to get hold of!
The moral of the story is read the instruction carefully and prepare the ground/base well. Anchor it down, and treat the build as a proper construction job not the sunday afternoon throwing up of a bbq gazeebo
DJFish said:
Here's our effort, mounted on a concrete plinth, erected in a couple of days mostly by me but got a lanky mate to give me a hand with the glass (wear gloves).
I'd advise you to read through the plans a few times before you even open the box and stop occasionally and read them again just to make sure you're doing right, and also get seperate jars for each screw/bolt/nut etc as it saves a lot of time scrabbling around for the right fixing.
Otherwise all pretty straightforward.
Good luck
smart greenhouse.I'd advise you to read through the plans a few times before you even open the box and stop occasionally and read them again just to make sure you're doing right, and also get seperate jars for each screw/bolt/nut etc as it saves a lot of time scrabbling around for the right fixing.
Otherwise all pretty straightforward.
Good luck
We have cleared the area, and am working out how best to level. Im not a very good DIY er. I will get a mate along who is ! to help advise on levelling.
Good advice all round. Thanks.
when you dig concrete foundations for a GH, do you put in wooden shuttering or just dig a small trench? is this a simpler job then slabs? (ready mixed concrete bags to be used)
The slabs Im looking at are 600x600x50 2 inches thick which has been recommended in the instructions - ie council paving slabs and then drysand/cement and level off.
Bearing in mind Ive not done anything like this.
The slabs Im looking at are 600x600x50 2 inches thick which has been recommended in the instructions - ie council paving slabs and then drysand/cement and level off.
Bearing in mind Ive not done anything like this.
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