An easy and affordable greenhouse provides an excellent location to start new plants or grow plants through inclement weather. A hoop house is a type of green house uses bowed braces to support a plastic covering. The temperature inside a hoop house using translucent plastic is 5 to 25 degrees warmer than the outside temperature. A shade cloth is put over the hoop house to cool the area if needed. Build a small 10 by 12 foot hoop house in the backyard. Plan a good day to complete the project.
Things You’ll Need:
Yard spray paint
25-foot tape measure
10, 28-inch lengths of rebar
Heavy hammer
Rubber mallet
10, 10-foot lengths of light duty 3/4 inch PVC pipe
4, 3/4-inch PVC three-way tee connectors
3, 3/4-inch PVC four-way cross connectors
Heavy translucent plastic, 15 by 35 feet
Heavy translucent plastic, 10 by 25 feet
14, 1 inch black poly pipe, 10 inches long
4, 2 by 4’s, 12-foot long
1 box, 1 1/2-inch wood screws
Drill
Drill bits
Hacksaw
Utility knife
8 foot step ladder
Instructions:
Step 1 – Measure and mark a 10-by-12 foot area in the desired location. Use yard spray paint to designate the space.
Step 2 – Insert a 28 inch rebar stake in each corner. Use a heavy hammer or mallet to sink the rebar stake in the ground 14 inches.
Step 3 – Measure between the 12 foot stakes and mark every three feet. Insert a rebar stake at each mark. Use a heavy hammer or mallet to sink the rebar stake in the ground 14 inches. Each 12 foot side of the hoop house will have five rebar stakes.
Step 4 – Use two 10 foot pieces of PVC pipe and the tee connector to make one end piece for the hoop house. Look at the PVC tee connector. Hold the connector so the arms of the tee are on the horizontal. Insert one PVC pipe into each arm of the tee. Tap the PVC pipe into place with a mallet. Repeat the process for the second end piece.
Step 5 – Insert one end of the end pipe over a corner rebar stake. Push the PVC pipe to the ground. Place the opposite end of the end piece over the opposite corner rebar stake. Push the PVC pipe to the ground. Repeat the process for the opposite end of the hoop house. The PVC pipe and tee connector will make a large dome shape on both sides of the hoop house.
Step 6 – Insert two pieces of 10-foot PVC pipe into one PVC cross connector to make the inside ribs of the hoop house. Complete the process by inserting one PVC pipe into a hole on the cross connector. Tap it into place. Insert the second PVC pipe in the hole directly across from the first. Tap it into place. This is the rib or center domes for the greenhouse. Repeat the process for a total of three hoop house ribs.
Step 7 – Place the hoop house ribs on the rebar stakes. Take the end of one rib and insert it over one rebar stake. Push the pipe to the surface of the ground. Place the opposite end of the rib on the opposite rebar stake. Push the pipe to the surface of the ground. Repeat the process with the other two ribs.
Step 8 – Open the 8 foot step ladder and place it inside the hoop house at one end. Climb the ladder and insert 34 inch pieces of PVC pipe to connect the ribs and hoop house ends together. Insert a 34 inch piece of PVC pipe in the open hole on the tee connector on one end of the hoop house. Tap it into place. Insert the opposite end of the 34 inch piece of PVC pipe in the open hole on the cross connector. Tap into place. Repeat across the hoop house. This process connects the hoops together to form a stable frame.
Step 9 – Unfold the 15 by 35 foot piece of translucent plastic. Center a 12 foot 2 by 4 on one edge of the 15 foot dimension of the plastic. Roll the 2 by 4 in the plastic until it is completely covered. Roll the board one more time. Place a second 12 foot 2 by 4 over the one encased in plastic. Secure the two boards together with wood screws. Place the wood screws 12 inches apart.
Step 10 – Carry the plastic and 2 by 4’s to one 12 foot side of the hoop house. Place the 2 by 4’s six to eight inches away from the PVC piping. Pull the free edge of the plastic over the top of the hoop house. Continue to pull the plastic over the hoop house until the 2 by 4’s rest on the ground without any sagging plastic. Straighten out all wrinkles in the plastic.
Step 11 – Center a 12 foot 2 by 4 on the free edge of the plastic. Roll the 2 by 4 in the plastic until it rests on the ground six to eight inches away from the side of the hoop house. Place a second 12 foot 2 by 4 on top of the one encased in plastic. Secure the two boards together using wood screws spaced every 12 inches.
Step 12 – Hacksaw and slice the 1 inch black pipe along one side to form a clip. These clips will hold the front and back plastic to the hoop house frame.
Step 13 – Unfold the 10 by 25 foot piece of translucent plastic. Fold it in half to form a rectangle 10 by 12 1/2 feet. Cut the plastic along the folded edge with a utility knife. Each half of plastic is used as the hoop house end walls. Carry one rectangle to each end of the hoop house.
Step 14 – Center the 25 foot length of the plastic rectangle on the outside of each end hoop on the greenhouse. Lift the plastic from the ground and extend it past the center of the hoop house until two to four inches of plastic is still lying on the ground. Lay the over extension of plastic on the top of the hoop house. Clip the plastic onto the center top of the end hoop with one of the cut 1 inch black plastic clips. Continue securing the plastic to the hoop house end with three 1 inch black plastic clips on each side of the center clip. Repeat the process with the opposite end.
Step 15 – Cut off all excess plastic laying on the top of the hoop house with a utility knife.
Step 16 – Find the center of one end. Measure six feet from the ground. Use a utility knife and slice from the measurement to the ground to create a door. Repeat in the opposite end if desired.
References:
Webside Gardener: How to Build a PVC Hoophouse for Your Garden
The Daily Green: How to Make a Home Garden Greenhouse Like Michelle Obama
Door Garden: How to build My 50 Dollar Greenhouse
Reference:
- www.associatedcontent.com/article/5737970/install_a_greenhouse_and_garden_twelve.html
- www.associatedcontent.com/article/2732191/how_to_find_diy_greenhouse_designs.html?cat
- www.associatedcontent.com/article/2652163/how_to_plan_your_greenhouse.html?cat=32
