Does a greenhouse need a foundation?

A greenhouse is a structure that weighs several times less than a house. This means its structure is sufficiently lightweight, and in many cases, its foundation needs to be strengthened. This is achieved by creating a foundation. How is it built correctly? Which type should you choose when building a greenhouse?

What is it for?

A foundation during construction ensures the greenhouse's reliability, safety, and stability. A greenhouse is a lightweight structure and therefore considered temporary. Is a foundation necessary for a greenhouse?

1. It helps the greenhouse frame stay in place even during strong winds, rain and other adverse weather conditions.
2. The materials from which the greenhouse is constructed are completely protected from negative environmental influences.
3. It improves the thermal insulation properties of the greenhouse. Greenhouses equipped with it retain heat 15 percent longer than those without it.
4. Provides reliable protection from fog and cold air currents.
5. Directly involved in protecting plants and the greenhouse structure itself from pests.
6. It now becomes clear that any greenhouse structure must be durable, weather-resistant, and meet the design specifications.
7. It makes the structure more stable. This is especially important in late winter, as the snow becomes heavy and meltwater can damage the greenhouse. That's what we call reliability.
8. If you skimp on building materials during installation and use improvised and low-quality tools, the foundation can quickly become unusable. The result: a broken greenhouse.
9. It must match the size, shape, and materials of the greenhouse structure. If the materials are significantly different, the structure will warp and eventually fail completely.

Types of foundation

The foundation is the foundation of any structure. Its choice depends on the material the greenhouse will be built from. For example, polycarbonate is a lightweight building material, and its installation requires less rigid material than glass.

The foundation can be of several types:

1. Made of wooden beams.
2. On a concrete and brick base.
3. Concrete, strip.
4. Based on blocks.
5. In the form of a columnar base.
6. Monolithic slab.

You may be interested in:

How to choose the right greenhouse for your summer house
Many summer residents are building greenhouses on their plots. These structures help them grow vegetables year-round, as well as…Read more…

Made of wooden beams

This building material is suitable for constructing the foundation of a greenhouse that is used only during the summer season. To ensure its longevity, follow a few simple rules:

• Before using the beams, inspect them carefully;
• You need to choose a dry, clean tree that is not damaged by insects or rodents, and that is free of rot;
• Before you start building the foundation, treat the beams with protective agents.

A wooden base is lightweight and an affordable building material. Window frames can be used with this type of base, but only after careful treatment. Wood has one significant drawback: its lifespan is short when exposed to adverse environmental factors. Various preservatives can extend its service life.

On a concrete-brick base

It is suitable for greenhouses that operate from early spring to late fall. This type of foundation is lightweight and easy to construct. A concrete and brick foundation can withstand increased loads and deformations well. It is suitable for building a heated winter version.

The disadvantages include its tendency to accumulate moisture. Brick deteriorates quickly. In colder climates, it requires additional insulation.

Concrete, strip

A concrete strip foundation can serve as a substitute for a brick foundation. It's particularly suitable for installing greenhouses that operate in winter. A strip foundation offers increased reliability compared to brick, but is also easy to build and can be done independently.

The advantages of this type of foundation are durability, resistance to moisture and other harmful weather conditions.

Negative characteristics include poor thermal insulation and heavy weight. Its production cost will be quite high.

On a block basis

This type of foundation is suitable for construction in areas with very wet soil. However, additional, specialized equipment is used for construction. Its advantages include simple construction and low cost. It is also relatively unaffected by weather and environmental conditions.

The downsides include very poor thermal insulation. It is susceptible to mechanical damage and deteriorates quickly.

Columnar foundation

This type of foundation is easy to build and inexpensive. The posts are screwed into the ground to a depth of 750-850 millimeters. If the greenhouse is small, burying them is not necessary. It's best to space them 1.5-2 meters apart.

The main advantages are reliability, strength, and durability. They are inexpensive. The downside is that installation requires additional work. This involves installing a rigid frame, and the base requires additional insulation.

Monolithic slab

If the groundwater level is close to the surface or the soil is unstable, a monolithic slab foundation is best. There are two types of slabs:

1. It floats. That is, the concrete base is located on the ground above.
2. A slab with rigid ribs. It is a composite structure of concrete strips, with a monolithic slab attached to them only at the top.

A monolithic foundation offers numerous advantages, including durability and strength. The greenhouse frame is also firmly anchored, allowing it to be installed on any type of soil. The interior is completely insulated from unpredictable weather conditions.

Building this type of foundation will be quite expensive. After installation, additional insulation is necessary. To ensure the well-being of plants, don't forget about a drainage system when installing a monolithic foundation.

You may be interested in:

Building a heated winter greenhouse: step-by-step
Without hiring a builder, you can build a heated winter greenhouse yourself, but how? There are several…Read more…

What kind of foundation should I choose for a greenhouse?

It doesn't matter what covering material you use for your greenhouse—for example, polycarbonate, glass, or polyethylene film—the foundation can be anything. It's important to consider both the structure's design and the soil quality. It's best to conduct a survey. This will help determine the soil quality on your property. Also, don't forget to consider your climate zone.

When building permanent greenhouses that will operate year-round, a concrete strip foundation is an excellent option. It can be used in the construction of any type of greenhouse structure. If you're building a temporary structure on your property that will only be used during the summer season, then a pier-based foundation is a safe choice.

Foundation for a polycarbonate structure

A polycarbonate greenhouse structure is lightweight, but to extend its lifespan, it's best to place it on a foundation. To select the optimal foundation type for polycarbonate greenhouse It is worth considering:

1. What size is the greenhouse structure? The strength of the foundation depends on the area of ​​the structure.
2. What are the soil characteristics on your property? Considerations include the depth to which the ground freezes, whether there is groundwater, and the soil type.

From this entire article, we can conclude that the foundation must be a solid support that will protect plants from adverse factors. It must also be:

• resistant to various natural phenomena;
• have increased strength and provide high-quality support for the entire frame of the structure;
• correspond to the parameters of the greenhouse structure.

In the spring, when the snow melts, it's crucial that the greenhouse has a sturdy structure that can withstand the snowmelt and the meltwater runoff. A poorly constructed foundation will have negative consequences. It's also important that the greenhouse and foundation be identical in size—this also affects the structure's strength. A sturdy greenhouse also looks much more attractive and beautiful.

A proper foundation protects not only the overall structure but also the plants. It also creates a microclimate inside, which has a positive effect on the growth of the plants.

Whatever type of foundation you choose, and whatever building materials your greenhouse is constructed from, the primary purpose of the entire structure is to completely protect plants from adverse environmental factors. The greenhouse must maintain optimal conditions for the healthy growth of crops, so that at the end of the gardening season, you'll be rewarded with a bountiful harvest.

Now you can draw a conclusion for yourself: “Where is it better to place a greenhouse: on a foundation or in the ground?”