Winter greenhouse: features of self-construction

Construction of a winter greenhouse This is quite a challenging task. Simple structures may not produce the intended effect, while more complex ones require time, effort, and resources. But with the right materials, some construction skills, and, most importantly, the desire to put in the effort, achieving a year-round harvest of beneficial vitamin-rich crops is more than feasible.

The beginning of an important journey

Garden crops, depending on the species, require different approaches. There are also several other factors that can influence the choice of structure type, location, and the planning and installation of heating and irrigation systems.

Work plan

Even the most successful start small The best winter greenhouse designsYou can create a drawing or plan yourself, which you will then follow. Adjustments will be inevitable, as practice always differs from theory. To minimize these adjustments, you need to determine the order of work from the very first stage. There are no special secrets here. The actions are carried out in the following sequence:

1. Plan the site for construction.
2. Determine the number, size and direction of the beds.
3. Determine how communications will be supplied to the greenhouse.
4. Calculate the area of ​​the structure, select its type.
5. Decide on materials and tools and purchase them.
6. Lay the foundation. The summer version doesn't require a permanent foundation, but an all-weather greenhouse must have a solid foundation.
7. Bring heating to the development site. Doing this in advance will save you from drilling holes in the walls and having to insulate the pipe entries. The same goes for lighting and irrigation systems.
8. Build a frame.
9. Carry out the arrangement of the roof and walls.
10. Install the internal part of the communications.
11. Bring in soil.
12. Decorate the space inside the premises.
13. Connect communications and carry out a test run.
14. Eliminate the shortcomings.

You may be interested in:

How to build a greenhouse from polypropylene pipes
An inexpensive, yet effective and time-tested method for obtaining an early harvest in the spring and a late harvest in the fall is…Read more…

Selection of materials

Reliable heated winter greenhouse designs call for the structures to be installed on a slight elevation, but away from strong winds. This provides more sun and snow melts faster. Wall-mounted structures that become an extension of the house are also beneficial—this saves space on the property and simplifies utility connections. Whatever the chosen option, high-quality materials are essential.

You may be interested in:

Building a greenhouse yourself from window frames
A wide variety of materials, including scraps, are suitable for building a DIY greenhouse. For example, old window frames…Read more…

For construction, depending on the choice of design, you can use:

1. Wooden boards and beams are convenient, but they require mandatory treatment with impregnations, varnishes, and paint. This is because they will be exposed to the elements on the outside, and high humidity on the inside will affect them.
2. Metal pipes, poles, and profiles. They're more reliable, although anti-corrosion treatment is still a good idea. However, there's a wide selection of stainless steel and aluminum alloy profiles available on the market today.
3. Polyethylene. This is the simplest and cheapest covering option. However, the film is short-lived. Even if it doesn't tear, it quickly loses some of its properties. Furthermore, for winter use, sheets will need to be layered several times. The resulting savings will be questionable.
4. Glass. A very good, suitable material that meets almost all requirements. However, it is not durable and is fragile. An inexperienced craftsman might also find glass difficult to work with.
5. Polycarbonate. Currently, it's the most popular material for price and quality, and not just for winter greenhouses. It's durable, flexible, has a beautiful appearance, is lightweight, easy to maintain, and frost- and moisture-resistant. Experts also note its thermal insulation properties.
6. Brick or foam concrete for walls.

Foundation and heating

These are two interconnected issues. While the greenhouse and the soil itself receive sufficient solar heat in the summer, during the cold season the soil freezes and natural heating is absent. Therefore, modern greenhouses for winter cultivation require a foundation that partially addresses the problem of large temperature fluctuations.

Secrets of a Reliable Foundation

It's common to install a greenhouse with the entrance facing south. A vestibule should be built in front of the door to act as an air gap between the greenhouse and the outside environment. This should be taken into account when laying out the foundation. Once the lines for the future structure are drawn, you can grab a shovel and other tools.

To properly construct a foundation, you need to know:

1. The trench must be dug 0.3-0.4 m wide and 1-1.2 m deep.
2. The structure can be buried even deeper if there is no groundwater nearby (then drainage will be needed).
3. Sand, gravel, or expanded clay (0.1–0.2 m) should be placed on the bottom. This layer should be thoroughly compacted. This is the first level of thermal insulation.
4. Next comes one or even two layers of roofing felt for waterproofing.
5. Now it's time to weld and install the reinforcement mesh. It could be prefabricated, but that would take longer and be less reliable.
6. The foundation is poured in one step. Depending on the type of fastening used for the future frame, metal studs should be left above the concrete base or the foundation should be completely level.
7. You can also lay foam plastic on top. The layer shouldn't be too thick.

If it is decided to install heating and water supply systems underground, then this must be arranged before the concrete is poured.

The device of the artificial heating system

Several schemes can be used here. The choice usually depends on the existing utilities and equipment, as well as the type of fuel already used. For example, if the site has a centralized gas or electricity supply, there's no need to overcomplicate the greenhouse heating system—its internal system is easier to implement using these.

You can consider these and other options. In this case, it is necessary to take into account:

1. Whatever the system, it must be designed to continuously meet the standard during the coldest period.
2. The operation of a heating device will be efficient and economical only if the entire structure is properly insulated.
3. It wouldn't hurt to create so-called warm beds. These will also require trenches filled with leaves, sawdust, tree bark, pieces of branches, and broken slate—anything that releases heat as it naturally decomposes. The soil is placed on top of this natural heater. Its quality should also be taken into account.
4. Heating pipes, batteries, and radiators must be placed so that their overall system evenly covers the entire space of the all-weather "garden" and ensures the same temperature in all areas of the greenhouse.
5. Installing a basic stove using solid fuel (wood, coal, or peat) is also possible. However, this will require more time spent on the heating process itself and proper ventilation.
6. A ventilation system is doubly important in a heated space during winter. It not only removes combustion products and excess heat and regulates the temperature, but also provides oxygen to the plants. Based on the principles of physics, vents are installed on the roof or in the upper parts of the walls.

Building a simple, reliable greenhouse

The easiest to assemble and most reliable to operate are heated polycarbonate winter greenhouses. They provide good thermal insulation and allow access to natural light. A basic, non-forced ventilation system is also easy to install.

The order of work will depend on the characteristics of the structure, but its main stages remain unchanged:

1. Assemble the lower block from the profile on the foundation or near it.
2. Secure the base to the concrete with anchors or weld it or attach it to the pins in any suitable way.
3. Install the vertical posts and corner posts and secure them. Specialty stores typically offer suitable fasteners. It's best to stock a little extra.
4. Don't forget about the vestibule. Its vertical supports are also installed at this stage.
5. Lay out the horizontal lines.
6. Fix the verticals to the central upper crossbar (or crossbars, depending on the type of roof you have).
7. Install the carbon fiber sheathing, starting from the top. It's best to cut the sheets to size one by one immediately before fastening them. This will save time on fitting.
8. Sheathe the northern side in two layers.
9. Seal joints and gaps.
10. Build a ceiling frame from wooden beams.
11. Install canopies on the outside. This difficult step can be avoided by making the vault arched or gabled.

Building a winter greenhouse out of polycarbonate is just the first step toward a consistent harvest and growing seedlings for open ground. To achieve these goals, it's necessary to carefully study the characteristics of different crops, their planting times, and fertilizer requirements.

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…