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New greenhouse project

Darren Wright

Darren Wright

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We got the last 6 panels on tonight, at least dried in. The last steps are to put the cap on at the peak, then it has 6 straps over the top covering each end, and each of the panel joints. Still need to cut in the roof vent windows, and install some of the misc hardware, such as door hooks.
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The inside view, it’s not as tall as it looks though.
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Tonight it’s serving as a catararium, as we need to keep the recently fixed cat “inside”, he seems pretty happy in it.
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We’re getting rain all day tomorrow, so should be cool enough for him.

We’ll be doing the floor in pavers. We have those picked out, just need to figure out a time to go get them.
 
J

John Bartley

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If you plan to pave the floor and then garden in pots and raised beds, I strongly recommend layering heavy (6mil) plastic all over the floor, covered by or covering black landscape matting. I covered my floor with a tarp for one summer and weeds came anyway ..... too much sunlight thru' a tarp that didn't provide enough light or moisture blocking.

cheers - looks great !!
 
Darren Wright

Darren Wright

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Thanks!

I also have a large stack of tongue and groove floorboard flooring that was in the rafters of the little house. Some of it is chewed up by squirrels, but I have a lot to work with as well as some oak wall studs. Thinking about using the material to build the raised planter tables with. I also have a bunch of 1x6 material her grandpa put in the barn that was excess from what was used to build the garage. I still need to look through that pile and see what the termites haven't munched on.
 
Darren Wright

Darren Wright

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Today I got the electrical ran to the greenhouse from a new gfci outlet on the back of the garage. I had planned to install 3 more outlets inside, but picked up the wrong boxes (got ones with 3/4” vs 1/2” holes).
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I also added some new outlets on the back wall of the garage.
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My next project is replacing the old sub panel, which you can see the feed wires laying on nails going along the back wall to. I have to remember, grandpa learned his electrician skills probably before many of us were born and manny houses even had electricity, so his way works, even if it may burn down the garage and house some day. ;)
 
larry merlau

larry merlau

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Delton, Michigan
Darren Wright said:
Today I got the electrical ran to the greenhouse from a new gfci outlet on the back of the garage. I had planned to install 3 more outlets inside, but picked up the wrong boxes (got ones with 3/4” vs 1/2” holes).
View attachment 121614 View attachment 121615

I also added some new outlets on the back wall of the garage.
View attachment 121616 View attachment 121617

My next project is replacing the old sub panel, which you can see the feed wires laying on nails going along the back wall to. I have to remember, grandpa learned his electrician skills probably before many of us were born and manny houses even had electricity, so his way works, even if it may burn down the garage and house some day. ;)
Click to expand...
darren i would double up the conduit put some protection on your run from garage to green house.. that could easily get cut no deeper than yu have it we have to have ours 18" deep
 
Darren Wright

Darren Wright

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larry merlau said:
darren i would double up the conduit put some protection on your run from garage to green house.. that could easily get cut no deeper than yu have it we have to have ours 18" deep
Click to expand...
It's at least in conduit, unlike the main feed to the garage. ;) I do have some back fill and paver surfaces going over this, so I'm not too concerned about the depth.
 
Darren Wright

Darren Wright

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I finished up electrical on the one side Saturday. I just need to install a plug cover on the middle box, which I grabbed over lunch today.
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I’ll see how we’re using them and add more if need be, I was thinking grow lights, heater, and fans when I did the placement. Most likely some hydroponics at some point too.

I need to rework the mechanism on the automatic windows too, they are staying about an inch open, even with the cylinders removed.
 
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Darren Wright

Darren Wright

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I figured out the issue with the vents, they fully close now. After looking at the manual, it seems the larger holes in the mounting bracket were for ascetics :huh:, not to be used for the location to mount at. I moved the mount down two holes and the geometry is quite a bit different.

Planta Greenhouses has a new page for owners to post pics of their builds and ask questions. It's a relatively new page, but got a few ideas for ours going forward. A few folks even poured concrete foundation walls to raise theirs up, which I'm kind of wishing I did to add some height, but it's still plenty high for our needs.
foundationwalls.jpeg

Another idea was adding solar powered fans, which I probably will do in some capacity. I do have some monitoring projects to do for it as well as control of fans and watering.
solarfans.jpeg

I've been thinking about the heating for ours, as I was wanting to put a hydronic coil/fan into it from the wood boiler. However, I think since we're planning to do pavers inside, I may just install pex under them for radiant heat instead. I still need to figure out how to best branch off the boiler for additional zones, most likely I'll just add a couple of manifolds to distribute the water and additional pumps (greenhouse & garage) on thermostats to control the heat.

I'm thinking a thin layer of foam over paver base, then some wire screen to zip tie some 1/2" pex to, sand over all of that and then the pavers. Similar to this.
radiant+heat.jpeg
 
Ryan Mooney

Ryan Mooney

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The Gorge Area, Oregon
Darren Wright said:
larger holes in the mounting bracket were for ascetics
Click to expand...

Drain / weep hole maybe?
Darren Wright said:
I've been thinking about the heating for ours, as I was wanting to put a hydronic coil/fan into it from the wood boiler. However, I think since we're planning to do pavers inside, I may just install pex under them for radiant heat instead. I still need to figure out how to best branch off the boiler for additional zones, most likely I'll just add a couple of manifolds to distribute the water and additional pumps (greenhouse & garage) on thermostats to control the heat.
Click to expand...

Wow that's fancy!

I've been looking at the rocket mass heaters for plant starter beds, basically a big thermal mass you heat with a handful of twigs. In theory a firing every 2-3 days would keep it warm enough to help get the plants going in the spring at least.

We've been using under tray heating mats (ala https://www.greenhousemegastore.com/supplies/seed-starting/heat-mats-cables/) for the "really likes it hot" plants like peppers which has improved our germination rate on those immensely. Less useful for ambient heating though.

Having some fans to move air also really helps the plants get a sturdy start.
 
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