Topic: Please help: How to put up a greenhouse

[Karen Atkinson]

I've bought a dismantled second hand glass greenhouse (aluminium and glass).  Now need to erect it on my allotment. I've never done anything like this before and wondered how to go about it. A few questions first:

1. I've got enough pavers for the floor but do I just lay these on the soil! Won't they sink over time.
2. I guess I'll need to secure it to something but what? I can't drill into the pavers as they'll just break.
3. Someone mentioned measuring temporarily securing the frame as I built in order that it doesn't shift as I construct it. How might I do this?

I'm on my own constructing it by the way. Feeling overwhelmed to be honest.

[Jayb]

Congrats on getting a greenhouse.
When I put up my greenhouse a few years back (it's 12' x 8'), I dug a trench/footings which I filled with concrete for the base, if I'd been a bit wiser I would have put in a course of blocks to add a little head height. I bought some bolts to attach the base to the concrete. A friend used pavers on top of stone chippings and theirs doesn't seem to have sunk at all, sorry can't help with drilling pavers. 

It took me ages working out which pieces went where, I just laid them out on the ground to start and then loosely put them together to get an idea of it all. It certainly was quite daunting putting up a greenhouse for the first time on my own, not easy but it is do-able. If you can perhaps ask a lottie neighbour to give you a hand on the trickier bits, that might help. I propped up parts of the frame with timbers, shovel rake etc to hold it together whilst I fitted the bolts. Having lots of spare bolts, clips etc really helped, because quite a few were missing or stuck fast. Fitting the glass on your own is a bit tricky too, needed a step ladder and some creative puzzling on which order to fit them.

It might be worth having a look/asking how some of the other lotty holders have done their bases and attached them?

[picman]

Hi    I've put up a few GHs in my time  , unless your soil is like sand , you just need a nice level base , the standard concrete blocks ( no cement, large side down ) are good as it will raise the GH up so you won't bang your head !( so much) I put the last one I helped with on treated timber as well , then put a dpc plastic strip on top the timber , most 8x6 are similar construction ,captured bolts and nuts don't tighten fully as you go wait until its square on the base and the go round with a 10mm spanner , if in doubt ask if you can check another on the site. 

Edit , You really are going to need help , some one to hold stuff

[Hector]

If you know the make, you might find others have directions/ instructions or they might be online on manufacturers site :)
It will be worth it, I love my greenhouse, a real haven.

[Redalder]

From what I remember from putting up mine you construct each panel on a flat surface with plenty of room ie. the two sides sides, the front and the back and then put them together standing on the prepared surface where it is to be, squaring each one off by measuring the diags. Then do the same with the two roof panels. Keep on squaring at each stage and only do the final tighten when all is in place and square. Does it have a separate metal base or is the base part of the panel? If separate make sure that it too is absolutely level and square before you attach the sides. The main thing (as you may have gathered !) is everything must be square and level or the glass will not fit and tempers will fray. Glass is put on from the bottom up and each pane overlaps on the outside so that the rain runs down, go from bottom to top on each section.  Hope this helps. ps you will need help with this but two can managethe job easily.

[Jeannine]

We put up four when in the Uk, it was a fairly windy site . John laid a set of breeze blocks to sit the frame on, then  he used old bits of greenhouse aluminum to made long angled brackets which he screwed to the frame, with  the other end in the holes of the breeze blocks which he filled with concete. Nothing ever shifted even slightly and the blocks raised it nicely off the ground.

[picman]

Just to add, If you can get an automatic vent for the green house would be good, closed up, temperatures can go wild during sunny days, also conceder orientation N-E-S-W  long side south would be good, and if very exposed , cool glass paint ( shading ) will be required. finally leave cans of water inside ready to for watering. will stop now !   

[Paulines7]

What size of greenhouse do you have, spudcounter?

My husband used breezeblocks as a base for ours.   

[ACE]

Pick a busy day at the allotment and stand there scratching your head, someone will soon chip in with ideas, might even help you.

[Tee Gee]

1. I've got enough pavers for the floor but do I just lay these on the soil! Won't they sink over time.
2. I guess I'll need to secure it to something but what? I can't drill into the pavers as they'll just break.
3. Someone mentioned measuring temporarily securing the frame as I built in order that it doesn't shift as I construct it. How might I do this?

I'm on my own constructing it by the way. Feeling overwhelmed to be honest.

Hi Spud,

I moved an 8 x 6 a couple of years ago more or less on my own.

To explain I was giving up one of my plots and wanted to put it on my other plot.

I didn't totally dismantle it I only removed the glass and another plot holder and I carried the structure on to the the other plot fully erected. The rest was up to me on my own!

Before the move the greenhouse was on a paved floor but I wanted proper soil beds so what I did was, I used the flags around the edge to form a a footpath and sat the greenhouse on the edge of the flags as you can see here;



So to answer your questions

1. I've got enough pavers for the floor but do I just lay these on the soil! Won't they sink over time.

I laid my flags directly on to the soil but first I levelled the area, and raked the soil in lieu of a sand bed and they have never moved or sunk since I laid them as you can see in the picture I took this morning.

2. I guess I'll need to secure it to something but what? I can't drill into the pavers as they'll just break.

The way I got over this was quite simple really.

What I did was drilled the greenhouse base at points where two flags joined up.

From inside the greenhouse I dug a little hole under the edge of the flags to get acces to this hole then I pushed a washered threaded bolt up between the joint in the two flags, then through the hole in the frame, added another washer and tightened the bolt up to secure the frame.

Now my greenhouse (which is in an exposed spot) is securely fixed down to its base!

The aluminium horizontal bar you see half way up the greenhouse is just a piece of alumimium framing I had so I drilled this then fitted it to the glazing bars with cropped greenhouse bolts to act a a stiffener thus reducing the shaking and that takes place in high winds. In the past this shaking used to cause panes of glass to fall out now I do not have that problem.

Sorry I am a bit late in getting back to you but at least you know how I overcome a similar situation as to what you have/had.

[Hector]

What a super thread. I wish I'd had this before I put up my greenhouse :)