How to Build a Fold-Down Greenhouse - Bonnie Plants · 2020. 8. 10. · How to Build a Fold-Down...
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How to Build a Fold-Down Greenhouse This simple, inexpensive greenhouse folds down to protect your plants during early frosts and cold snaps, then can be raised up on warmer days. Made with PVC pipe and plastic, it’s light, yet sturdy enough to withstand winds when placed in a somewhat sheltered location. Cut the pipes yourself, or make it easy by having them pre-cut at your local home improvement store. Choose a spot that gets at least 6 hours of sun per day, then build it in a single afternoon to protect your plants all season long.
Transcript of How to Build a Fold-Down Greenhouse - Bonnie Plants · 2020. 8. 10. · How to Build a Fold-Down...
HowtoBuildaFold-Down
Greenhouse
Thissimple,inexpensivegreenhousefoldsdowntoprotectyourplantsduringearlyfrostsandcoldsnaps,thencanberaiseduponwarmerdays.MadewithPVCpipeandplastic,it’slight,yetsturdyenoughtowithstandwindswhenplacedinasomewhatshelteredlocation.Cutthepipesyourself,ormakeiteasybyhavingthempre-cutatyourlocalhomeimprovementstore.Chooseaspotthatgetsatleast6hoursofsunperday,thenbuilditinasingleafternoontoprotectyourplantsallseasonlong.
DETAILSEstimatedTime:2hours**lessifyouhavepipespre-cutDifficulty:Easy(withahelper)tomoderateApproximateCost(notincludingplants):$100ListofMaterials:• 8–1-inchx10-foot-longPVCpipes• 8–1-inchelbowfittings• 2–1-inchteefittings• 4–1¼-inchteefittings• 2–¾-inchx5footpiecesmetalconduit• 2–¾-inchx5-foot-longpiecesmetalconduit• 1box#8x¾-inchlathwasherheadscrews• 2–¼-inchx3-inchbolts• 25feetof12-footwide4mmplasticsheeting(UV-ratedwilllastlonger)• 3–2-to3-footlengthsofcoatedlight-dutyutilitychain• 3springlinks• 2to4–1¼-inchpipestraps• 2to3plastic-bodyspringclamps• severalbricksorpaverpiecesListofTools:• hacksaw,jigsaw,ormitersaw*• rubbermalletorsledgehammer• drill/driver• springclamps• ¾-inchsoil/gardenaugerdrillattachment(optional)*orcanhavepipespre-cutathomeimprovementstoreperlengthsinPartsListPartsList:Part Quantity SizeBackframestiles 2 1x72 Backframerail 1 1x96Bottomframebackrail 1 1x94Bottomframestiles 2 1x60Bottomframefrontrail 1 1x92Middleframerail 1 1x89¼Middleframestiles 2 1x44
HOW-TOINSTRUCTIONSDesignbyChrisHill
ChoosingandPreparingYourLocationPickaflat,well-drainedareaalongawallofyourhome,garage,orout-buildingwithatleast10feetofuninterruptedlengthand6ormorehoursofsunexposure.Makesurethatnowiringorpipesrunwithinafootofthewall.You'llneedclearancetoabout8feetawayfromthewallforgreenhouseassembly.Usingarubbermalletorsmallsledgehammer,drivetwo5-footsectionsofconduitpipeatleast12inchesintothegroundadjacenttothewall,about8feetapart.Placethemasclosetothewallasyoucan.Ifyouhavetroubledrivingthepipeintotheground,youcanusea3/4-or1-inchsoilaugertocreateahole.CuttingthePipeCuteachPVCpipepartasneededusingahacksaw,jigsaw,ormitersaw.Doublecheckmeasurementsateachstep.(Alternatively,youcanhavethisdoneatyourlocalhome-improvementstore.)BuildingtheFrame
Figure1
Tocreatethebackframestiles,inserta72-inchlengthofPVCpipeovereachpieceofconduit.Slidea1¼-inchPVCteeovereachstile.Presseachoneintothegroundasfarasyoucan,makingsuretheremainingteeopeningsarefacingeachother,paralleltothewall.Placea1-inch90-degreeelbowonthetopendofeachbackframestile,againmakingsuretheopeningsarefacingeachother,paralleltothewall.Insertthe96-inchlengthofPVCpipe(thebackframerail)intotheelbowsatthetopsofthebackframestiles,asshowninFigure1.
Figure2
Placea1-inchteeoneachendofthe94-inchlengthofPVCpipe(bottomframebackrail),sothatonepointofeachteeisperpendiculartotherail,asshowninFigure2.Makesuretheteesareparalleltoeachother.
Figure3
Inserttheendsoftherail/teeassemblyintothe1¼-inchteesonthebackframestiles,asshowninFigure3.
Figure4
Placea1-inch90-degreeelbowononeendofeachofthetwo60-inchlengthsofPVCpipe(bottomframestiles).Ontheoppositeends,placea1¼-inchteeoneachstile,45½inchesfromtheend.Attachteestothestilesusing#8x¾-inchlathscrews,asshowninFigure4.Inserta1-inch90-degreeelbowinsidetheopenpointofeachofthe1¼-inchtees,makingsuretheyarepositionedperpendiculartothestile;drilla¼-inchholethrougheachtee-and-elbowpair.(Markasymboloneachoftheelbowsandteessotheycanbematchedlater.)Theseholeswillbeusedforinsertingaboltatalaterstep.
Figure5
Inserttheendsofthestileswithouttheelbowsintothe1-inchteesonthebottomframebackrail.Makesuretheelbowsarefacingeachother.Laythepartsflatontheground.Insertthe92-inchlengthofPVCpipe(bottomframefrontrail)intotheelbowsontheendofthestiles,asshowninFigure5.
Figure6
Placeoneofthe1-inch90-degreeelbowswitha¼-inchholeononeendofeachofthetwo44-inchlengthsofPVCpipe(middleframestiles).Theendswithouttheholesshouldgooverthestiles.Inserttheendsoftheelbowsintotheirmatchingteesonthebottomframestiles,andinserta¼-inchx3-inchboltintotheholes.Thisshouldallowthemiddleframestilestoremainupright,asshowninFigure6.
Figure7
Placea1-inch90-degreeelbowontheoppositeendsofeachofthemiddleframestiles,makingsuretheelbowsfaceeachother.Insertthe89¼-inchlengthofPVCpipe(middleframerail)insidetheelbows,asshowninFigure7.
AttachingthePlastic
Figure8
Drapetheplasticovertheentireassemblysothatafewinchesofplasticextendsbeyondtheframeinalldirections,asshowninFigure8.
Figure9
Holdtheplasticinplaceagainstthebackframerailandbackframestilesusingspringclamps.Startingatthecenterofthebackframerail,begindriving#8x¾-inchlathscrewsthroughtheplasticandintothepipe,asshowninFigure9.Thewasherheadsofthescrewswillholdtheplasticinplace.Workoutfromthecenteroftherailtoonebackframestile,tuckingandattachingtheplasticasyougo,addingascreweveryfewinches.Workallthewaydowntothebottomframestile.
Figure10
Foraddedstability,attachthe1¼-inchgalvanizedpipestrapsoverthebackframestilesand/orthebackframerail,screwingthemintothewallwith#8x¾-inchlathscrews,asshowninFigure10.
Figure11
Atthebottomframestile,startpullingtheplasticunderneathandinsidetheentirebottomframe,asshowninFigure11,workingfrombacktofront..(Donotattachtheplastictothebottomframeyet.)
Figure12
Returntothecenterofthebackframerailandattachtheplastictothisrail,workingintheoppositedirectionfromwhereyoustarteduntilyoureachthebackframestile.Gobacktothefirstbottomframestileandbeginattachingtheplastic,asshowninFigure12,continuingtopullandtucktheplastictobringittaut.(Asyouwillbeworkingfromtheinsideoftheassemblyatthispoint,it’susefultohaveanassistantontheoutsidewhocanguidetheprocessandhelpspotandsmoothwrinkles.)Workyourwayaroundtheframeuntilyoucomewithin24inchesofthebackframestileoppositefromwhereyoubegan.Donotattachtheplasticwithinthis24-inchspace,ortotheadjacentbackframestile,asyouwanttoleaveagapthatwillallowyoutoenterandexitthegreenhouse.Youwillkeepthisflapclosedusingacoupleofplastic-bodyspringclamps.Toholdtheframeinplacewhenit’sdown,weightthebottomedgeswithbricksorpaverpieces.
FoldingUptheFrame
Attachonespringlinktotheendofeachlengthofchain.Frominsidetheassembly,removetheboltsholdingthemiddleframeupright(toreleasetension,liftupthebottomframeafewinches)andlowerthemiddleframetowardthebackframe,makingsuretheelbowsstayinthe1¼-inchteesonthebottomframestiles.Liftuptheentireassembly,rotatingthe1-inchteesofthebottomframeinsidethe1¼-inchteesofthebackframestiles.Pushtheassemblyagainstthewall,loopthechainaroundthebackframerail,bottomframefrontrail(whichisnowupright)andtheplastic,andconnecttheendsofthechainusingthespringlink.Positiononechainneareachendoftheassembly,andoneinthecenter,asshownabove.FinishedDimensionsHeight:73inches(attheback)Width:99inchesDepth:61inches
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