my greenhouse died :(

[thomasgreen]

So i decided to buy a greenhouse for the allotment instead of making one... BIG mistake! It was a temporary greenhouse, 3.5x2x2metres in size... it seems that it wanted to be a kite It is now TOTALLY broken?! The metal tubes were rather weak. I think I'll try to use the outer skin and some of the tubes and build a much stronger frame!!

Oh bother

[Colin]

Hi Thomas,
If the cover is serviceable i`d build a new frame to match the old one using 2x2 or 3x2 timber. You could perhaps recycle some of the tubing as gussets to brace across the corners (flatten the ends with a hammer and drill a hole), triangulate wherever possible as it increases strength.
To anchor it to the ground, bury an 18x9x9 hollow concrete block (24kg) on each corner and bolt or concrete the corner posts into one of the holes.

[sadie]

Yes, anchor it down.

Lengths of angle iron or dexion hammered down into the ground at the corners is a common way of doing it & works well.

FWIW you're not the only one, I've seen a few that blew away. Even if it's one with guy lines, they can't take the wind like a proper one.

I got mine (aluminium & glass) from a 'free to collector' card at tescos. They seem to come up on freecycle too, so keep your eye open for a proper one maybe...

(proper ones can blow away too!)

[Millymollymandy]

Not another one - we were just discussing this on another thread! It's just not worth having anything that doesn't have a concreted in base.

This was my one that lasted less than a week and blew over on a day that wasn't even considered windy! The whole metal frame buckled and the shop refused to give us our money back as they said it didn't have a guarantee!!! (so hubby made a huge fuss in front of lots of customers and we were given credit - not what we wanted but better than nothing and we boycott that shop now).

Greenhouse disaster.jpg (213.84 KiB) Viewed 5357 times

[Colin]

Ouchy It looks like it folded over at those 90 degree bends. Pity the manufacturer didnt invest a little more tubing to brace them. I hand mixed almost 2 tons of concrete for my base but it seems many allotments don`t allow you permanent foundations so its a bit of a dilemma.

[JulieSherris]

Aww, what a shame

In our polyhouse that Andy built, he built raised beds first & the corner stakes & 2 centre stakes on the beds were 3ft 6ins long - hammered down into the ground levelled with the 9inch boards - so 2ft 9ins is in the ground.... the polyhouse frame is then securely screwed to the bed boards & the polythene was 'sandwiched' between the framework.....
We had some very windy days week before last & the polyhouse didn't even flinch
Thank goodness for 2" x 1" timber..... and a LOT of screws!!

[Millymollymandy]

Gosh 2 ft 9" in the ground - Julie you are lucky to have such depth. A lot of my garden has only 6" of soil over granite bedrock. I am constantly amazed how any trees grow here at all!

[Shutsumon]

After a minor collapse a few weeks ago my little plastic greenhouse seems to be doing okay now. I don't actually have anywhere to put a proper one in, so it'll have to do. :/

Hopefully I haven't jinxed myself and it won't go flying off now.

Becky

[thomasgreen]

Round 2 ding ding!!


I'm going to have it out with the wind. Thomas--> <-- the wind

The green house/tunnel is back up with s nice strong/heavy timber frame. I've dug its legs into the ground about 2ft deep

Fingers crossed this sucker doesn't blow away!!

[Millymollymandy]

Good luck Thomas! to the wind. So far this year is turning out just like last summer - every time the sun shines and it looks like nice weather the rotten wind gets up. Honestly if I'd wanted to live in a windy place I'd have moved to the coast!

[wolfsong]

combining those two gifs makes it look like you and the wind are having a communal log cutting session
@millymollymandy, that green house actually looked quite a good design, its a shame about the structural bits. Good designers, made in China, says it all really.