Building a Green House.

[cat fever]

My wife and I decided we need a greenhouse. So here are a few pictures of the progress.
It's 21'X36'X8'ish, It's a little different design tha

n what you would imagine a greenhouse to be, but trust me it'll work.
It'll have a concrete floor and raised beds.
Side note, the guy in the skid steer is 91 and still going strong.

 

[cat fever]

Not sure why the system split up the writing but its all there.
Also why we have cement trucks coming I'm going to get a pad for my diesel tanks (2-550gal.)
I have the rebar in now but not at the time of the picture.

 

[ponytug]

Looks interesting! Thanks for sharing.

Are you going to put foam under the concrete floor for insulation?

All the best,

Peter

 

[cat fever]

Looks interesting! Thanks for sharing.

Are you going to put foam under the concrete floor for insulation?

All the best,

Peter

No plan to insulate under the concrete.

 

[EddieWalker]

Looks like a fun project. My wife has been wanting me to build her a Green House for awhile now. A friend of mine just built one with geo thermal loops under it to keep it cooler in summer and warmer in winter.

 

[3Ts]

A greenhouse in on our list to build as well, but it will be a little while yet.

About those geo thermal loops. I can see them working in the cold regions of the US as long as they're below the frost line. But, what about down here in the south? Anyone have experience with them in the south. The only thing I have is that my well driller tried 2 things and said it wasn't worth the effort. 1) Since he's a well driller, he drilled well holes for a geo-thermal Air Conditioning system and said it was not cost effective. 2) He dug a root cellar, but the top was covered with the floor of a porch and the "roof" was uninsulated so that doesn't really count in my book.

What I've read about the geo-thermal tubes is that they have to be down about 8' and use a small fan to move the air thru them.

 

[EddieWalker]

The guy who did the geo thermal loops is here in Tyler TX, near Whitehouse. I might be calling it by the wrong name.

He dug a long trench with a mini excavator, and put PEX inside it, and he is circulating water with something mixed in it. The liquid is cooled off when it goes through the ground and then cools off the floor in his Greenhouse in Summer.
In winter, the ground is still the same temperature, so it warms up the liquid as it goes through the ground, and then through the floor of his Greenhouse. He owns a business in Tyler, and I've spoken with him about it a few times, but I haven't seen it in person. He's given me directions to his place, I just haven't taken the time to go see what he's done.

 

[cat fever]

OK, I'm ready for concrete on Monday.

Also got a call from the place I'm buying my fuel tanks from and they are being shipped, should be here Monday.

 

[scaredychicken]

That's a big project, looks good.

are the fuel tanks going on that triangular end ?

For several years, I have thought about a (much smaller) hobby greenhouse, 8x10 or 10x12. I have relatives th.at own one of the largest greenhouse companies in the Province. I might have a lead. Won't be cheap, but probably manageable, and they do all the work.

Aluminum, glass, wind resistant, high snow load capacity. Better than I could do at any level.

Saving up.

 

[cat fever]

That's a big project, looks good.

are the fuel tanks going on that triangular end ?

For several years, I have thought about a (much smaller) hobby greenhouse, 8x10 or 10x12. I have relatives th.at own one of the largest greenhouse companies in the Province. I might have a lead. Won't be cheap, but probably manageable, and they do all the work.

Aluminum, glass, wind resistant, high snow load capacity. Better than I could do at any level.

Saving up.

Thanks, the fuel tanks will go on the rectangular pad. (last picture on post #8)

 

[cat fever]

This is where I'm at as of last night. Supposed to rain today, hopefully not much I'd really like to get the trusses up today.

 

[EddieWalker]

Nice seeing how quickly you are moving along. Here in East Texas, I've been struggling to find a concrete contractor to pour the pad for my garage. Seems like they are too busy, don't know how to schedule trucks, or they have moved away. Moving away has been my biggest issue with these guys, I've never been able to use the same crew for a second time.

 

[cat fever]

Nice seeing how quickly you are moving along. Here in East Texas, I've been struggling to find a concrete contractor to pour the pad for my garage. Seems like they are too busy, don't know how to schedule trucks, or they have moved away. Moving away has been my biggest issue with these guys, I've never been able to use the same crew for a second time.

Sorry to hear about those kind of problems Eddie.
I have used the same concrete guy since I moved up here. He does good work and is very reasonable on the price.

If the weather doesn't hold me back I should have it all framed this week. Waiting for metal and translucent panels will take at least a week though.

 

[EddieWalker]

We're still in a building boom here, so everything is hard to get. I'm amazed that you are able to move along so quickly, out in a much more rural area then I'm in.

 

[cat fever]

We're still in a building boom here, so everything is hard to get. I'm amazed that you are able to move along so quickly, out in a much more rural area then I'm in.

I have saw mills very close to me for rough cut stuff and a Home Depot 75 miles away.
In a worst case scenario, Salt Lake is only 3 hours away.

 

[Snobdds]

A greenhouse in on our list to build as well, but it will be a little while yet.

About those geo thermal loops. I can see them working in the cold regions of the US as long as they're below the frost line. But, what about down here in the south? Anyone have experience with them in the south. The only thing I have is that my well driller tried 2 things and said it wasn't worth the effort. 1) Since he's a well driller, he drilled well holes for a geo-thermal Air Conditioning system and said it was not cost effective. 2) He dug a root cellar, but the top was covered with the floor of a porch and the "roof" was uninsulated so that doesn't really count in my book.

What I've read about the geo-thermal tubes is that they have to be down about 8' and use a small fan to move the air thru them.

My buddy built a green house using geothermal as a heat/cool source. He ran loops of pipe about 5 feet down that goes into a large 1500 gallon open water tank in the greenhouse. It creates a huge heat/cold sink that regulates the temperature in the greenhouse to a constant temperature, while adding humidity. He does have it plumbed into a boiler that does come on to keep the water 55* in the winter if needed. It's a slick set up. He has it set up in Steamboat Colorado and it funny to see feet of snow outside of it all winter, while it's tropical inside.

 

[cat fever]

Framing done, waiting for metal and translucent panels.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

How are you going to vent it in the summer? Power vents? Blocking the north wall with insulation and 50 gallon drums full of antifreeze will cut the winter heating bill.

 

[Yander]

That is a dandy sized greenhouse. Would love to have a greenhouse at some point. will be interested in seeing you finish this out.

 

[cat fever]

How are you going to vent it in the summer? Power vents? Blocking the north wall with insulation and 50 gallon drums full of antifreeze will cut the winter heating bill.

Up front I'll just open the doors to vent but eventually power vents will be coming. I do not plan to use it during the winter for growing. I need it just to have a garden in the summer. Cold nights and lots of critters wanting to eat a nice garden.