Greenhouse with doors at each end?

highdef

I will be buying a greenhouse in the next year or so. Ideally I'd like one with doors at both gable ends (double doors if possible), preferably 10' long and 8' wide.

Have had a look at a few sites and can't find an option for doors at both ends unless forking out vast amounts of money. I looked at Lenehans greenhouses and although they have a huge selection at a range of budgets, doors at both ends doesn't seem to be mentioned anywhere.

Is this something that is easily done with much extra cost?

mr chips

If you're happy to go with a polytunnel rather than a glass greenhouse, this should be much, much cheaper.  I made mine for under £250STG (including the heavy-duty plastic) with double doors at each end - it's about 6m x 3m, so quite a bit bigger than what you're looking for.

highdef

I looked into polytunnels and I think for the size I am looking for, it wouldn't be for me. How does ventilation work in polytunnels? With a greenhouse, the vents open automatically but I'm not sure how vents would operate in a plastic membrane

Marhay70

I'd imagine a greenhouse with two doors would have to be a bespoke option and personally I can't see the logic of two doors in a house that size, you would be losing quite a bit of space. What are your reasons for wanting two doors?
Also, to have greenhouse vents open automatically you would need to fit automatic openers, they don't come as standard.

peasant

We're just after putting this up ...greenhouse with polycarbonate wall/roof, galvanised square tubing frame and doors either side.

The greenhouse we bought is 3m x 4m but due to a misunderstanding we started off with the basic section of 3m x 2m and had to wait a bit for the extension to arrive...so here's pictures of both.

Very happy with it so far, easy to put up and seems stable and strong. You can either put it on a base or dig it into the ground as we have.
This is a proper nut and bolt job, no flimsy connectors, clips or plastic bits. All connections fit properly and all holes line up, no bodging or fudging.

Very affordable as well...the short version is € 390, the long one 550




Got it from KSB greenhouse on facebook/ donedeal.


Here's the assembly instructions video for it (yes, it's Russian made)

Strawberry HillBilly

Looks great. Best of luck with it.

highdef

Agreed, that looks quite good alright....and sturdy. Would it get very hot in summer during sunny days? I don't see any vents on it.

robbie checker

I don't know how anyone sells or buys those polycarbonate greenhouses in Ireland. They would be blown to bits in the storms we get each winter. Have a glasshouse and polytunnel myself and the glasshouse has the toughened glass. Sure the only thing holding them down is the weight of the glass as the frame is very light material. The polycarbonate wouldn't have a hope! In the storm this year in February, one pane of glass popped out and I was able to put it back in as it didn't break. The polycarbonate option would be a disaster in my opinion. I'm living in the midlands in County Offaly so its not like I'm by the sea or anything.

peasant

highdef wrote: »

Agreed, that looks quite good alright....and sturdy. Would it get very hot in summer during sunny days? I don't see any vents on it.

The doors either side are half doors. So you can open the top "window" only and use it as a vent ..see second picture, front window is open (I'm sure, if necessary you could somehow bodge an automatic opener to that)

robbie checker wrote: »

I don't know how anyone sells or buys those polycarbonate greenhouses in Ireland. They would be blown to bits in the storms we get each winter. Have a glasshouse and polytunnel myself and the glasshouse has the toughened glass. Sure the only thing holding them down is the weight of the glass as the frame is very light material. The polycarbonate wouldn't have a hope! In the storm this year in February, one pane of glass popped out and I was able to put it back in as it didn't break. The polycarbonate option  would be a disaster in my opinion. I'm living in the midlands in County Offaly so its not like I'm by the sea or anything.

The frame is made of galvanised steel tubing 25x25x1 mm, which in itself is quite heavy. The legs of the frame (all verticals) have 30 cm long ground anchors which are dug into the ground. As our greenhouse sits on a slope I've anchored it with some additional "pegs" made out of 12 mm rebar ...so the frame itself won't move.
All the polycarbonate is fixed to the frame with screws, no panes to "pop out". Unless the polycarbonate splits or tears (which would take quite some force) it should stay safely in place.I guess time will tell..we're supposed to get gale force winds in the NW this week :'(

Bri.A.M

peasant wrote: »

The doors either side are half doors. So you can open the top "window" only and use it as a vent ..see second picture, front window is open (I'm sure, if necessary you could somehow bodge an automatic opener to that)


The frame is made of galvanised steel tubing 25x25x1 mm, which in itself is quite heavy. The legs of the frame (all verticals) have 30 cm long ground anchors which are dug into the ground. As our greenhouse sits on a slope I've anchored it with some additional "pegs" made out of 12 mm rebar ...so the frame itself won't move.
All the polycarbonate is fixed to the frame with screws, no panes to "pop out". Unless the polycarbonate splits or tears (which would take quite some force) it should stay safely in place.I guess time will tell..we're supposed to get gale force winds in the NW this week :'(

Hi
How was the greenhouse after the wind in Feb
I have just found KSB on done deal and they seems to be reasonable priced.

peasant

Still very happy with the greenhouse, no issues with the wind either.
Sat inside for a while during the strongest winds so far and couldn't see nor hear anything that would have caused concern.

I did make some improvements in anticipation of winter storms however:

Every second ground anchor was re-inforced with a "peg" bent out of 12 mm rebar hammered down to firmly hold the anchor

The rather large unsupported flat bits of polycarbonate either side of the doors got a vertical length of 40x20 mm wood behind them (on the inside of the greenhouse) to prevent them from flapping too much in the wind

The bottom half of the door is only held closed by a magnet and the overlapping polycarbonate from the top door (which has a bolt for closing). So I drilled a hole through the door frame and the greenhouse frame to push an additional bolt through to prevent the bottom half from being opened by a violent gust

And lastly, as ours is on a bit of a slope, the polycarbonate doesn't go all the way to the ground all round the greenhouse. I closed the gap (to prevent wind from getting in under it and lifting it) with a few bags of stone laid half way around the house.

Currently the main issue with the greenhouse is that my wife had the brilliant idea to plant some pumpkin...the fecking thing has taken over most of the space

The insulation of the polycarbonate is really good, much better than a polytunnel. Even on overcast days at least one window has to be opened (two once the sun pelts down) to prevent your plants from boiling.

Would definitely recommend and/or buy again

Bri.A.M

Thanks for that. Pumpkin are a great idea, kids will love them. I actually spoke to Peter yesterday at KSB. Very helpfull.

peasant

Bri.A.M wrote: »

Hi
How was the greenhouse after the wind in Feb
I have just found KSB on done deal and they seems to be reasonable priced.

I can report that the brave little greenhouse is now officially a Hurrican Ophelia survivor

As mentioned before...bottom door secured with extra locking bolt, legs secured with extra pegs and as an Ophelia special I tied it down with two builder's galvanised fixing bands and four more pegs.

No damage done and not sure if the fixing band was really necessary...but it certainly did no harm.

peasant

pimp my greenhouse

with an automatic vent opener fixed to the back door top half



That door isn't really used as an entrance, so it's not in the way

_Brian

Thanks for the tip on these peasant.

We’re deliggted with ours.
Have auto opener fitted too.

recedite

I see the massive one has a more fancy type of door on it.
Twinwall polycarbonate is what is used on the roof of most conservatories BTW, so i would not be worried about its strength. It should have better impact resistance than glass for wind borne sticks blowing off trees, or sliotars.
The main concern is anchoring the whole structure. If you wanted to do a really good job, lay a course of blocks and bolt the frame onto that. Would also keep slugs out as well, as they can burrow down through the soil if its only sitting on the surface.

http://www.ksbgarden.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=59_60&product_id=52

To me, these have a nicer look about them than polytunnels.

kerryjack

What the cost of that one

New Home

Wouldn't that fall into the "polytunnel" category, more so than into the "greenhouse" category?

peasant

New Home wrote: »

Wouldn't that fall into the "polytunnel" category, more so than into the "greenhouse" category?

They do a more "housy" one as well, but that one doesn't quite offer the same value for money.
http://www.ksbgarden.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=59_60&product_id=72

The roundy ones might look like polytunnels, but that's really it, the strength of the structure & walls as well as the insulating properties are on another level ...for the same price or even less than a polytunnel.

One of the reasons why they all look the same is because the half dome shape is easy to make, really strong and they are all designed to take one whole sheet of 2 x 6 m polycarbonate to span the roof per 2m length...that gives it good rigidity once screwed to the frame.

Once you can live with the slightly agricultural look (in comparison to a fancy green-HOUSE), I think you are getting fantastic value for money with these products.

Mine has been through two winters and several storms now and other than needing a wash there is nothing whatsoever wrong with it.

recedite

peasant wrote: »

Once you can live with the slightly agricultural look (in comparison to a fancy green-HOUSE), I think you are getting fantastic value for money with these products.

To me it looks a lot better than polythene, but not quite as good as glass.
I'm assuming this polycarbonate comes in flat sheets, so you would have to bend them into the curved shape. Is that right?
Is it twinwall (double glazed)? Looks like it from your last photo, but they don't seem to say on the website.

In terms of insulation, at this time of year, twinwall should be a lot warmer than glass or polythene, and would be totally frost free.

peasant

watch the assembly video from 11:20 onwards ...it shows the material pretty well.

Don't know about completely frost free now...I mean it is cold and dark at night, don't know how long any heat from the day would last...if there was any heat, that is. Never had the need to check for frost as what's left in there over the winter is pretty hardy stuff.

recedite

peasant wrote: »

watch the assembly video from 11:20 onwards ...it shows the material pretty well.

Don't know about completely frost free now...I mean it is cold and dark at night, don't know how long any heat from the day would last...if there was any heat, that is. Never had the need to check for frost as what's left in there over the winter is pretty hardy stuff.

Yes it seems to be very flexible twinwall, so the "4mm" it says on the website must refer to the air gap. The stuff you would see on a conservatory roof would be about 16-20mm or more air gap, I think, so is much stiffer.


Might be worth running a bead of silicon rubber along the cut edges, just to seal in the insulating air layer, and keep out any dust and dirt?

Mango Joe

Hi Peasant - Thanks for posting so much helpful information about your greenhouse.

Can I please ask are you happy with the size you went for? Seems to be a common issue where people wished they'd gone a bit bigger etc.

- Also where did you buy your automatic vent opener and would you recommend it?