6 Types Of Greenhouses For Your DIY Project

Are you trying to select the perfect greenhouse for your house? If yes, the first thing you need to do is research. You will find a plethora of greenhouse ideas online for your DIY project. Based on their structure, there are different types of greenhouses to choose from.

Greenhouses may also be distinguished based on the material used to construct them and the specific purpose they are being built for. A greenhouse is a constructive addition to your backyard or garden if you have a green thumb and enjoy growing plants yourself. Greenhouses are also useful if you plan to develop a vegetable garden at home. Nothing tastes as good as homegrown, organic vegetables and herbs.

In this article, let’s discuss a few types of greenhouses based on their structural features. You will also find a step-by-step guide to DIY your greenhouse.

Types of greenhouses

A major factor on which your final choice depends is the amount of space in your yard. It is important to understand your exact needs before selecting a greenhouse. Different structures will suit different types of spaces. So, here are six types of greenhouses based on their structure:

Lean-to

A lean-to greenhouse is built using a prebuilt wall. It may be the wall of your house, a shed, or the boundary wall. Due to its unique structure, it is the most cost-efficient type of modern greenhouse. The material used for a lean-to greenhouse is usually wood and glass. It has wooden windows through which sunlight can enter. Another advantage of this type of greenhouse is that it is easier to retain heat in the winter months to prolong the growing period. Since wood and glass are insulating materials, glass greenhouses can retain heat for a long time. To increase its heat-retaining quality, bricks can be used to construct the lower half of the greenhouse. 

Adjoining greenhouse

• The proximity of the greenhouse to the house ensures all facilities like water and electricity are easily accessible. 
• The greenhouse provides a larger space that can contain more number of plants. With proper space allocation, a variety of plants can be accommodated in an adjoining greenhouse.
• The frame of the greenhouse may be constructed using wood and glass panels, allowing ample sunlight to enter the greenhouse. This part of the greenhouse needs more attention as compared to the rest.

Combination greenhouse

A combination greenhouse, also known as a Combi, is an efficient combination of a greenhouse and shed. It is a modern greenhouse that makes the best use of a greenhouse and a shed. The shed can be used to store seeds, tools, and other things required for gardening. The Combi greenhouse has proved to be handy for gardeners who like to keep it all in one place. Everything that the greenhouse needs can be stored in the shed. This style of greenhouse can be constructed using wood, glass, and fiberglass. The wood and glass would structure the frame, and the fiberglass can be used for the shed.

Freestanding greenhouse

A freestanding greenhouse is the oldest and most popular type of greenhouse. It is especially common in rural areas with large plots of land available. It may be of any size, depending on your requirement. The main advantage of a freestanding greenhouse is the flexibility of design it provides. You are free to construct it in any shape and size. A Freestanding greenhouse can be constructed in the beautiful Victorian style using a wrought iron frame, also known as the Victorian greenhouse or a wrought-iron greenhouse. They may be constructed in various other designs as well, like the cottage greenhouse, a glass greenhouse with wooden paneling, or a hoop house. Another advantage of this type of greenhouse is that it can be built in such a way that it gets the maximum sunlight, for the maximum time of the day. A freestanding greenhouse also allows you to build it at a location with optimum soil, wind, and temperature factors.

Hoop house

Unlike other types of greenhouses, hoop houses are not permanent structures. They are make-shift structures that can be used for a particular season and then dismantled. These types of greenhouses are more relevant for crops rather than plants. You can construct a hoop house over a certain area of the crop for the season and dismantle it once the seasonal threat is gone. It helps protect plants from frost, high-speed winds, etc. Hoop houses are generally used by farmers to cover large areas of land with crops to protect them from seasonal changes. There are many other advantages of hoop houses like:

• Flexible location: Since a hoop house is not a permanent structure, you can build it on a trial basis. 
• Cost-effective: The cost is lesser than the average for a permanent greenhouse.
• Pest and weather protection: Crops often get damaged due to pests and frost. Pesticides can be used for pest control, but the weather is uncontrollable. This is the reason that a hoop house is the best alternative for such situations.

Mini Greenhouse

As the name suggests, mini-greenhouses are compact, specially built to fit into small spaces in urban homes. It addresses the problem of restricted spaces and space inadequacy. A mini greenhouse is a type of modern greenhouse popular in urban areas, that is great for beginners as well as city dwellers. You can picture this greenhouse to be a freestanding structure or attached to a wall of the house. This urban greenhouse provides enough space for the healthy growth of a few select plants. It can provide all the basic requirements for growing in a tiny space like protection from pests and weather conditions, along with adequate sunlight. Mini-urban greenhouses make growing plants possible in city apartments and homes. A mini greenhouse can also be a semi-permanent structure that can be moved around the area to provide the correct angles for sunlight.

8 Easy Steps To Build Your DIY Greenhouse

1. Select the type of greenhouse: Depending on the space you have and the plants you intend to grow, choose the most suitable type of greenhouse for yourself. This will determine the tools and materials that you will require to build it. Nowadays, the tools are easily available both online and offline.
2. Acquire a greenhouse plan: A good deal of DIY greenhouse plans are available online, paid, and free. You must check many options before narrowing it down to a single plan. If you need a generic plan, you can choose a free one and build according to it. Otherwise, if you want something specific, you can hire someone to draw a greenhouse plan for you, customized according to your needs. Hiring an expert can save time and add finesse to your project. You can closely supervise it throughout the process.
3. Choose the right location: Once you have chosen a style and acquired a plan for yourself, the next thing you need to do is choose the right location. To decide on the perfect location, you need to ask questions such as: Which side do you want the glass panels of your glass greenhouse to face? On which side the door of your cottage greenhouse will open? And how far the storage shed will be?
4. Take measurements: Taking correct measurements is very important for your DIY to be successful on the first go. One wrong measurement can cause multiple parts to get disarranged. Do this task slowly and carefully. Try to note down the measurements all in one place for better organization. An organized builder equals an organized modern greenhouse.
5. Building a foundation: This is where the actual work begins. The foundation must be smooth and uniform. This forms the base under the flooring of your modern greenhouse. It is unadvisable to fix the flooring tiles without creating a level foundation. Especially for urban greenhouses where leaving the foundation rough can affect the adjoining wall of the house due to leakage from irrigation.
6. Assemble greenhouse frame: When you assemble the frame, you must think of the materials that you want to use. PVC is a popular frame material amongst new-age greenhouse builders. Alternatively, wood can be used for the frame. A wooden frame is tried and tested, so it has fewer chances of going wrong. A third option is using aluminum or galvanized steel for the frame.
7. Frame coverings: Polythene sheeting is used the most for greenhouse coverings. It is a substitute for a glass greenhouse because of its cost-effectiveness and flexibility. Polycarbonate sheets are a thicker version of polythene sheets and are more durable. The last and surest option is that of glass panels.
8. Ventilation: Your greenhouse would require enough circulation for the plants to grow without allowing the entry of pests. A ventilation system is a must for a modern greenhouse. It can be mechanical as well as automatic.

Conclusion

If you are a garden enthusiast, building a greenhouse would be an exciting idea for you. With these DIY steps, building a greenhouse becomes possible. Using the tools can take some getting used to, but eventually, you will start enjoying the process of building your greenhouse. You can easily buy greenhouse kits, tools, and parts online according to your liking.

If you need help with finding quality products including tools, parts, and kits for your DIY greenhouse, check out www.garagedepartment.com for the latest hardware from the best brands. Shop now to make your greenhouse dreams come true!