simple greenhouse with cattle panels?

[digitS']

On that other thread, Canesisters will have to wait to see this but I thought others with an interest in greenhouse may find it more easily on this forum.


This is a video I saw the other day showing how this guy built a simple, inexpensive greenhouse. I have really wondered about cattle panels but fear the plastic film would be damaged easily by them. Maybe the pipe insulation on the ends would work okay. Anyway, here is the construction video:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DKlXs8iov0[/youtube]

digitS'

 

[so lucky]

Well, they probably have some pretty good winds in Texas. I wonder how long the plastic film is expected to last; maybe two years? I really like this plan. So simple, and neat looking. Now I gotta have one! Thanks for sharing that, digit'S.

 

[Smiles Jr.]

I like this idea also. The greenhouse is small but portable. If the owner has shade issues this unit can be moved for the different seasons. Pretty nice . . . and cheap.

 

[journey11]

How about that now... That's a great idea. It looks just like the chicken tractor I'm gonna build for my Cornish X, also with cattle panels. I like how they built the door...I'll have to pay close attention to that. Those foam pipe covers are so cheap too.

ETA: I wonder how they keep the corners square? I figured I would have to nail on a short length of wood to brace across each corner. Do you think they make hardware that would be strong enough to hold up to moving it or the counterpressure from the cattle panel?

 

[digitS']

The cattle panels have to make it rigid and should hold the door & window without much problem. But, the covering is my concern.

The UV-resistant plastic film may last 3 or 4 years in the sun. However, it isn't strong!

What I have bought from Farm-tek is soft. It is fairly easy to poke a hole in it! Of course, with the construction-grade stuff of the same 6-mil thickness, I'm lucky to get it from March to July without splits. I have "pretended" to leave it up from March until October before. It has blown itself apart by then. It can go the entire winter with no problems. Summer sun kills the construction-grade plastic film.

I just don't know about the UV-resistant being able to be right up against metal for any length of time. Someone with better hearing would have to tell us if the guy on the video tells us what kind of plastic film it is. It looks like the UV-resistant film.

Steve

 

[journey11]

I wonder if you could go with the cheapie 6ml clear and just replace it every year? I use the 4ml to wall in my porch for winter (wind blows snow and rain in sideways) and with lattice, it has held up very well with our 50-60 mph wind gusts. He's right about the grid of the cattle panel distributing the pressure out better than arches. You'd definitely lose it to wind with only arches.

 

[Mickey328]

It's a cool idea but both the sun and the wind would be serious issues here. At over 5000 ft, and few cloudy days, the UV eats stuff we leave outside

 

[897tgigvib]

I can't remember the name and number of it, but the big greenhouse in Montana, about a mile up, used very thick and heavy, very uv resistant, double layered plastic, almost transparent, so called clear, that lasted 6 years. What got it hardest was the last 2 of the 6 years, hailstones like golf balls, every one broken in half(!!!), made holes that needed taping. After 2 or so years of taping those holes, it's time to replace it.

A serious greenhouse is double walled, but the single walled units will surely extend the season on both sides of the year.

 

[thistlebloom]

I wasn't able to view the whole thing because with satellite I'm limited, but I got the jist of it. I'm using a shelter like that for the pony and goats and it's a very do-able and durable design. Dh made a solid back wall for it, and there is no door on the front. Mine got a little squished looking with a heavy snowload, but sprang right back into shape when I knocked the snow off.

I showed DH, and he told me to price the materials, and we'd compare with the Harbor freight 10 x 12.
I was looking at greenhouse plastic in catalogs and online the other day, but I didn't take notes...my head was spinning with all the options.

I think this would price out cheaper, even with going to a 16 foot long one. Thanks for posting this Steve

 

[wsmoak]

Cattle panels are fairly smooth galvanized metal -- at least compared to something like the concrete reinforcing wire I use for tomato cages. You'd probably want to go over it with an exam glove or a cloth that will catch on rough spots, and tape them, before putting on the plastic.

-Wendy