How to Use Plastic Walls in a Greenhouse
Modern greenhouses have evolved a great deal since the time of Victorian glass conservatories. The idea of the greenhouse has been around since human beings first decided to grow plants out of season. Advances in greenhouse technology grew in leaps and bounds as plastic technology improved. Today, greenhouses made almost entirely of plastic make owning a greenhouse an affordable prospect for almost anyone. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- 2 pieces of 12-foot PVC Pipe
- 24 pieces of 5-foot PVC pipe
- 25 pieces of 4-foot PVC pipe
- 4 PVC 3-way, 90-degree joints
- 14 PVC T-joints
- 12 PVC 4-way joints
- 38 PVC clamps
- Sandpaper
- Permanent marker
- PVC glue
- Greenhouse plastic sheeting
- 38 PVC snap clamps
Instructions
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1
Place the 3-way PVC joints on the ends of the 12-foot PVC pipe. These are the ends of both of your greenhouse foundations. Lay these ends in place where your greenhouse will be located.
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2
Lay out five pieces of 4-foot pipe end-to-end at one side of the foundation. Place a T-joint between each of the 4-foot sections. Join each of these sections using a T-joint, and connect the ends to the 3-way joints on one side. Repeat this process for the other side of the greenhouse foundation.
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3
Lay out five pieces of 4-foot pipe end-to-end. Connect each section with a 4-way joint to create a ridge pole. Repeat this process two more times to create two more ridge poles.
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4
Lay four sections of 5-foot pipe end-to-end and connect them with T-joints. Bend this shape into a U, and stick each end into the 3-way joints on the end to create an end wall. Repeat this process to create the other end of your greenhouse.
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5
Place your three ridge poles in the open sockets of the T-joints that are holding together your end wall. Connect your ridge poles together, and to the foundation, by placing the remaining 5-foot sections in the open sockets of the 4-way joints.
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6
Label each piece of your greenhouse structure using a permanent marker. Trace the joint seams onto the PVC pipe where the two meet. Disassemble your structure. Sand the inside of the joints and the ends of your PVC pipe above the marker line. Coat the inside of your joints and the PVC above the marker line with glue and reassemble the parts. Wait for the glue to dry.
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7
Cover the greenhouse frame with greenhouse sheeting. Hold the sheeting in place by sliding PVC snap clamps over the sheeting and around the greenhouse frame between each rib and joint.
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Tips & Warnings
Wear protective eyewear and a mask when sanding and gluing PVC.
