How to Build Cheap Greenhouses

With a little thought and creativeness anyone can have a greenhouse to be proud of for less than the cost of a commercially produced one.

The greenhouse in the picture above cost me $400 from a discount company but using "Frame up kits" (registered trademark) you can put up a 6x8 greenhouse for a fraction of the cost of a traditional greenhouse.

If you have livestock and live in a warmer climate, and if their 50# feed sacks are woven plastic, you can use them for the roof and siding of your greenhouse to save even more money because they are free!

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 22 2x2x8 pieces of lumbar
• 1 frame up kit
• enough Visquine to cover greenhouse or use livestock plastic feed sacks if you live in a mild climate
• screws
• cordless screwdriver
• hand saw
• Staple gun to secure your outer covering.

1. Plan your area where you will keep your greenhouse.
   Make sure the area is level and free of large plants, stones, ect., that could be a safety hazard.

2. Decide what kind of flooring you want.
   It could be just plain dirt, gravel or cement.

3. Assemble everything you will need
   frame up kit
   5 ea 2x2x6 pieces of lumber
   6 ea 2x2x59 inches pieces of lumber
   6 ea 2x2x32 inches pieces of lumber

4. Start with 3 of the 2x2x72 inch boards and position the frame up angles at equal distance on each board and secure with screws through the bottom of the frame up angle.

5. Insert your rib boards into the sides of the angles of the frame up angles and attach your other two boards as done in step 4 one on either side of the ridge.
   Use screws to firmly anchor boards to plastic angles.

6. Flip the now completed roof over and attach your roof covering material.
   I attach it at this time since it seems easier to me than waiting till the entire greenhouse is up.
   If you are using clear plastic or Visquine and you want an insulated greenhouse you can line both the inner and outer sides to create a heat retaining pocket of air between the two sections.

7. Attach the legs by placing the 2x2's into the holes on the angle supports and secure with screws.

8. Attach your feet to the bottoms of the wood legs and secure with screws.

9. Cover the rest of the greenhouse with your selected covering material.
   Again you can place this material on both the outside and inside of the greenhouse to give it added insulation.

10. Decide if you want it to be fully open in the front or if you wish to have a door.
    You can frame the door using additional 2x2's and make it the size you desire.

11. Decide if you want to install permanent shelves in your greenhouse and use additional 2x2's and plywood cut to fit to create them.

Tips & Warnings

• lumber can expand when wet so you should saw a 2 inch cut into the middle of the ends of each piece of 2x2 boards
• you can use 1/2x2 wood strips to secure your covering in place by nailing or stapling them over the covering material and the 2x2's
• If you live in a windy area you may wish to anchor your greenhouse so that it does not catch the wind and flip.

Resources

• Worm Farming ~ a beginners guide to starting a worm farm
• Code 3 offers discounted merchandise to police and fire personell
• eHow Home and Garden Topic Guide
• Envirocycle Backyard Composter - Black
• Hydrofarm CK64050 Germination Station with Heat Mat
• 2x4basics - Easy-Up Enclosure Kit, Black

[mommyhen42]

on 11/6/2009 I just went over to that site and saw their cheap greenhouse, shipping is ridiculous for what you get and the construction is really cheap looking. For the same money you can get a nice greenhouse...

[bigthink]

on 11/4/2009 If your time is worth a few hundred dollars, then you should check out www.Plant365.com. I just got a greenhouse from them for just $199. I couldn't even buy the materials for that cheap!

[40skydiver]

on 6/27/2009 These are great instructions for building a cheap greenhouse. 5*

[Merriment]

on 6/10/2009 Very neat. I'd love to have a greenhouse to grow herbs and vegetables year round!

[edieness]

on 6/10/2009 Well written article on How to Clean a Drawing Blending Stump.5*