How to Build Your Own Greenhouse

Do you ever feel like your backyard deserves a few more additions to make it prettier, useful, and a bit more interesting to your friends, family members, and neighbors? Well, the best way you can achieving these goals is by adding a greenhouse to it. However, purchasing a pre-built greenhouse or having an expert to build it for you can be very expensive. The costs might rocket up to several thousands of dollars. Paying so much money is not exactly ideal. But, you do have the option of building it by yourself which is the much cheaper variant.

Believe it or not, building your own greenhouse is simpler than what most people think. With the right tools and a good plan, you will be able to finish this kind of a project in just a couple of days or a week or two. Although, I wouldn’t recommend taking up on a project of this size without first acquiring the right knowledge and without proper planning.

But, don’t worry, after reading through this entire article, I am confident that you will be able to create a proper plan and that you will be able to make the right decisions when it comes to doing the finishing touches.

Pick the location

One of the first steps you should take is to decide where you will want the greenhouse to be placed in your backyard. Make sure you take things slow because this may be the most important decision when it comes to a project such as this one. Once you start building it, there is no going back. Finalizing your decision might seem scary at first, but you shouldn’t worry about it too much.

Pick a location that won’t block too much of your backyard. You will want to keep the space seem as open as possible. For example, if you were to place it in the middle of your property, it will look out of place and your entire view will be ruined. I can’t exactly tell you where you should start building the greenhouse, but most people prefer to place it next to a corner. This way it will serve its functionality and will look quite good at the same time.

Choose the materials

Another very important step is to determine which materials you will be using for this project. Keep in mind that the quality of the materials you pick will ultimately influence the quality of your greenhouse. Getting cheap materials for a project such as this one is never a good idea. You need to ensure that this little house will last you at least for the next ten years.

The materials will also have a major impact on the aesthetics of the build. Most people prefer going with metal framing because of its durability and lower maintenance, but I personally prefer wood when it comes to little buildings such as these. Wood always looks much better, especially when combined with your backyard’s fauna. Sure, there is a bit more requirement for maintenance, but that isn’t so complicated. Repainting once or twice in 5 years is not exactly a big deal. It will only take up a day of your time.

Sheeting, Plastic vs Glass

After you’ve decided what kind of materials you will be using when building this project, your next step would be to choose what type of sheeting you should use. You have two options, either plastic or glass. When going for the latter, I would recommend getting tempered glass because it is much more durable, it can sustain a direct impact from hail and it is a better insulator than regular glass. Although, it is important to note that even though it is tempered, it can still be damaged or broken. If you do not want to risk it then your next best option is plastic.

Plastic sheeting might not be the most aesthetically appealing option, but at least you will get peace of mind that nothing will break while you are away from your home. Sure, the plastic might tear, but repairing that is both simple and cheap.

I should also note that the type of panel you buy, whether glass or plastic will also influence the plans that will be growing inside of your greenhouse. Fully transparent panels will be able to send direct sunlight to your plans well an opaque one will reflect sunlight which will ultimately lead to a lower ambient temperature inside of the building.

Garden beds

Once everything is built and your project is finally looking like a real greenhouse, you will need to start thinking about your plants and where you will put them. Obviously, you will need to implement several garden beds. Although, if you do decide to get a garden bed, I would recommend getting raised ones because they are easier to work with and are safer against insects or pests. Before getting raised garden beds, you should probably read more about their advantages and disadvantages to find out whether they are the right choice for your goals.

Ventilation

Since the entire point of a greenhouse is to grow flowers, trees, and all kinds of plans, you will need to implement a cooling and a ventilation system. Plants cannot survive without oxygen and they can get any if the entire construction is closed off with glass or plastic panels. Sure, air might be getting through the main door, but that is simply not enough, especially if it is a bigger greenhouse.

A small but efficient ventilation system will be more than enough for air supplied to your plants. You do not have to overspend on this kind of equipment because the greenhouse is not that big to spend so much money.

Before reading this article, I’m sure you thought that building an entire greenhouse on your own is an impossible task. But, after reading through most of my points, I’m sure that you will feel much more confident that you will be able to do this kind of project. Make sure you plan everything properly and things will be just fine.