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How do you secure your greenhouse?


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Sorry if I'm driving anyone mad here, but this is my first greenhouse, and I want to do it right.

 

I'm planning on getting a concrete base put down, as the garden isn't very even, and was going to bolt the greenhouse frame into the base, to stop it moving. Anything else I need to do here?

 

Also, how do I protect the glass? I haven't built it yet, so don't know how the glass is held in, but want to try and minimise the chances of anything blowing out in the winds. Anyone any suggestions?

 

Thanks

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forget the concrete base,its expensive,use some 9x2 timber on edge.Wooden stakes in the corners can be concreted in,then the timber frame can be screwed to these.It also gives you more height in the greenhouse,then you can cover the floor in mulch.

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Ooh, that's a clever idea! Have to work out how to stop the timber rotting though, as it would be going directly onto the earth.

 

I have someone coming today to give me a quote for a concrete base, so while he's here, I'll see if he has any ideas about a frame. Thanks for the tip.

 

Edit: Forgot to mention that I need some groundwork doing anyway, as my daughter dug a vegetable patch there last spring, and for some reason sunk it down about 5", so the ground needs some work before it's suitable for anything. Once I'm having that done, I'll have to see how much extra it would be for concrete vs a frame.

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If you prefer to have the concrete base, you don't have to do it the full size of the greenhouse. You could simply mark out the greenhouse dimensions on the ground with pegs and string, and just dig a spade width 6-12 inch deep trench, as if you're laying foundations. This would save a heck of a lot of concrete. You could save even more by throwing in house bricks and any other rubble you have laying about. Old type roadworks fencing pins also make good concrete reinforcing if you can get your hands on them. Then when the outline base has set solid, you could also dig out the centre if you wanted and fill with mulch as Ada suggested. Or infill with a thin layer of ballast if you wanted extra headroom.

It all depends really on how compacted your ground is and what type it is, as to what strength of base you could get away with,.And only you can really decide then what the best option is.

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Hi what make is the greenhouse as some are stronger than others same with the glass as well depends on the thickness  , also the main point for me would be  where you site it ie gets blasted by the wind or is it protected by a hedge which helps slow the wind down, fences and walls just help speed it up. 

 

Exiting getting a greenhouse just opens up a totally new world of gardening 

 

RR 

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I made a base by laying slabs on a sand cement bed and then screwed the greenhouse into the slabs. You could probably pick some slabs up out of your local paper as people are always looking to get rid of them and it would be cheaper than a concrete base.

 

Dave

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I made a base by laying slabs on a sand cement bed and then screwed the greenhouse into the slabs. You could probably pick some slabs up out of your local paper as people are always looking to get rid of them and it would be cheaper than a concrete base.

 

Dave

Thought of that, but thought concrete would give me less hassle with weeds growing between the slabs. However, if it's going to cost a lot, I would certainly think of this idea as well.

 

Thanks

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I have built  8 greenhouses all by digging a trench all around as Welshy says and lay in cement or concrete in about an inch or two as level as is reasonable.

After it has cured a single course of bricks or blocks can be laid to match the base of your greenhouse, this will raise the greenhouse and give you something to screw directly into and the base layer will help against settling on disturbed ground.

Might I add that whatever ground you dig compacts back down over time that is why your ground has sunk.

Ian.

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Might I add that whatever ground you dig compacts back down over time that is why your ground has sunk.

Actually, the ground hasn't sunk. My daughter sunk her vegetable patch, meaning she dug down about 5" and levelled the ground inside the hole, and used that for the patch. There hasn't been any weight on it, so it wouldn't have compacted to any noticeable degree.

 

Thanks for the reply. Nice to hear from an expert.

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Greenhouse glass is supported by glazing bars - you have to locate rubber strips over these (a very time consuming job!). The glass rests on the rubber strips and is retained by W clips (you'll see why they're called W clips when you open the bag). Glass panes located higher up are supported on the lower panes by Z clips. It's all very easy when you've done a few panes, but be careful the glass breaks very easily until it's fixed in place.

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Greenhouse glass is supported by glazing bars - you have to locate rubber strips over these (a very time consuming job!). The glass rests on the rubber strips and is retained by W clips (you'll see why they're called W clips when you open the bag). Glass panes located higher up are supported on the lower panes by Z clips. It's all very easy when you've done a few panes, but be careful the glass breaks very easily until it's fixed in place.

Do I need to do anything extra to hold them in, or are the clips enough? We've had some pretty strong winds recently, and I want to make sure the glass doesn't blow out.

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You just use the clips, normally a couple on each side. If you are worried about the glass blowing out just put more clips in they don't cost very much.

 

Dave

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You just use the clips, normally a couple on each side. If you are worried about the glass blowing out just put more clips in they don't cost very much.

 

Dave

OK, thanks

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Thanks for that, very useful point. The door can be secured, and I am fully intending to bolt the greenhouse down securely. I guess as long as I keep the vent closed when it's windy, I should be OK.

 

Thanks again.

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