Harbor Freight greenhouses

[GolfAddict]

Has anyone had any experience with either the 6ft x 8ft greenhouse (lot no. 47712/69714) or the 10ft x 12 ft greenhouse (lt no. 93358/69893)? My wife and I are considering getting one. How hard are they to assemble, and how do they how up, especially against snow? Any other positives or negatives?

Thanks!!!

I don't have one, but an elderly neighbor couple has a 6x8 one. I'm not sure if it was purchased from HF, but it looks just like the 6x8 one that troutsqueezer pictured in this thread. When the neighbor got it, he more or less asked for help in assembly and set up. (He's good at that.) Here's what we did.

First we set four treated 6x6's in the ground (about half in the ground and half out) in a rectangle that the GH would sit on and filled the inside of the rectangle with a layer of river rock. We then assembled the GH to sit on the 6x6's. The base of the frame sits close to the inner edge of the 6x6's all the way around. In answer to your first question, it was pretty easy and straight forward to assemble.

We screwed the base of the GH to the 6x6's all the way around. I can't recall if the base of the frame had existing holes for the screws or we drilled the holes, but it is screwed down every foot or so to the 6x6's.

Then we screwed in 6 fairly substantial eye screws into the length-wise 6x6's, three each side, close to the outer edge of the 6x6's. The eye bolts are evenly spaced along the length - one almost at the front, one in the center, one almost to the back. We drilled a small hole through the top center/peak GH frame at the front, middle and back. I know these three holes were not preexisting. We then ran a thin cable from one eye screw, up over the GH through the corresponding hole in the peak, and down over the other side to the eye screw there, then tightened the cables down pretty good with the turnbuckle in the cables. The whole thing is basically "strapped" down in addition to being screwed down at the base.

Back at the assembly - we clipped the panels in place, and I don't recall if he had bought extra clips but there sure was a lot of them. However, we also used a generous amount of 100% silicone caulk all around each panel as we installed them, like others have mentioned. I don't believe they have ever had a problem with panels blowing out at all, as I'm sure I'd have heard about it.

The GH has lasted them many years, it has to be more than 10 years now. However, I have to add that it is only in place from early spring through early-to-mid summer. After each season of use, we get a call and the wife and I go over to their place to store the GH. We remove the three cables and unscrew the bottom frame from the 6x6's. Then the four of us each get on a corner and just lift the whole thing up and shuffle it over and set it inside his pole barn, probably only 100 feet or less. The whole assembly is fairly light.

Since it is stored through the winter, I cannot help you with your second question - about how they may hold up to snow loads. It hasn't had any issues with high winds or storms when it is in place, and has really been a great GH for them for many, many years... but it is only out in the elements for four months of each year at most. If storing it through the winter is an option for you it's really a neat way to go.

In answer to your third question, I know they really love it and I don't recall them ever having any negatives about it.

 

[GolfAddict]

I think I may be remembering a bit wrong. I think there are four cables we use, leaving the very center open. I remember there is a roof window on the one of the GH sides that can be lifted up to different heights for venting, and I think that is in the middle. Have to look again next spring...

 

[crowbar032]

Slightly off topic.....

What are you planning on doing with it? Growing winter crops or starting seedlings for spring planting? Dad and I used to grow tobacco and we put our seeds (tomato, pepper, cabbage) in the float bed system that most people switched to in the later years. It's basically a wood frame made from 2x8, lined with 6 mil black plastic with a waterbed heater under it, 1/2 inch pvc pipes from one side to the other to form a hoop, and covered with spun polyester (remay) canvas. The seeds are planted in styrofoam trays that have 240 cells to a tray filled with potting soil. Fill with water, turn the heater to high, float your trays, add liquid fertilizer after germination and wait until big enough to plant in the garden. We usually put the bed together and sow the seeds the first part of April and everything is ready to plant by mid to late May. This would not hold up to snow, but it will take frost without hurting the seedlings. If it's going to be really cold, we have put a tarp over the whole thing for extra insulation.