How to Build A Homemade Greenhouse: Wooden Greenhouse Plans

With the advances in modern technology, greenhouses are made from materials like metals, polycarbonate film and glass as is the case with one of the largest hothouses in the world - the Eden Project in Cornwall. Of course, these greenhouses require plenty of time, effort and money from the construction to the operation, which means that average homeowners can miss out on the benefits of greenhouse gardening. Fortunately, this is not so as there are affordable and manageable wood greenhouse plans suitable for homeowners with small backyards.

Choice of Advantages

There are many advantages to wooden greenhouses, of course, or else these structures will not be popular with many avid gardeners.

• For one thing, wood is a durable material that can withstand the vagaries of nature like rain, snow and frost for many years, which is in contrast with flimsier materials like small pipes from a recycled shoe stand.
  
• For another thing, wood is beautiful to look at both when it is relatively brand new and when it is already weathered.
  
• Add in the fact that lumber is substantially more affordable than steel and you have a clear-cut case in favor of wood greenhouse plans.

The choice of the wooden greenhouse design will depend on plenty of factors including the following:

• Space where the greenhouse will be erected since it will determine the size of the structure
  
• Budget for the greenhouse together with the essential tools, technologies and equipment to make it functional.
  
• Types of plants to be cultivated especially as most plants will only thrive either in a cool or hot greenhouse.
  
• Permits to be acquired from the local building authorities especially where standalone greenhouses are concerned.
• Climate and environment of the greenhouse location.

Choosing from among a wide variety of wood greenhouse plans takes careful planning.

• Keep in mind that the structure can make a sizable dent on the bank account and, hence, it is important to plan for returns on investment, in a manner of speaking. For example, the wooden greenhouse must last for as long as 10 years so that the thousand dollars poured into building it will be recouped a hundred times over.

Choice in Woods

However, not all woods are created equal to the task of providing for beautiful, durable and still affordable wooden greenhouses. There are many choices for the main materials used in wood greenhouse plans from untreated to treated woods with many budget-conscious gardeners even recycling lumber from scrap yards, old furniture and even the dismantled tool shed from the kind neighbor. But in terms of the types of wood used, the following are the most common:

• Treated pine is the cheapest choice with added benefits of being resistant to water and rot in the long term. The only visible sacrifice will be its plain look.

• Black locust is also water and rot-resistant with a lifetime of 15 years at most. With its hard composition, beautiful tones and excellent durability, black locust is also favored by budget-conscious greenhouse gardeners.

• Redwood is known for its warm color and long grains, which make it a beautiful material for greenhouse, while also possessing the qualities of decay, rot and water resistance. Many wood greenhouse plans recommend redwood for beginners because of its ease in workability.

• Cedar is the most popular wood where builders are concerned. This is because the wood possesses a sharp but still rustic beauty on one hand and extreme durability coupled with resistance against rot, decay and water.

• Naturally, even a wooden greenhouse will require other materials to complete it. These materials include aluminum and PVC piping for the pipes as well as plastic sheeting and glass for the roof and walls. For better insulation, builders recommend polycarbonate.

Choice in Location

Another advantage and consideration in choosing from among hundreds of wood greenhouse plans is the location. Indeed, before choosing the design, size and amenities of the greenhouse, it is important to pinpoint the best location possible for the structure. A wooden greenhouse can be situated just about anywhere - in the yard, on the rooftop and even on top of a mountain, if the need arises.

No matter the general location identified, however, there are certain non-negotiable requirements for the best location for a wooden greenhouse.

Most wood greenhouse plans will identify these ideal criteria for the location:

• The land must be level and flat with sufficient grade for water drainage. This ensures that the greenhouse can be uniformly cooled down or heated up depending on the plants' needs.
  

• The greenhouse must be oriented toward the south. Maximum sunlight for at least 6 hours a day is required for the greenhouse plants to thrive in addition to the fact that the utility bills for heat will be lower. If there are trees and other shaded areas obstructing the sun's ray from penetrating through the greenhouse, it is necessary to trim the trees and see what can be done to remove the offending structure.

• The utilities outlined in the wood greenhouse plans must be considered as these are also the heart of the structure. Water and electricity outlets must be near the greenhouse so that safe, fast and convenient tending to the plants can be performed.

Ask the advice of a professional when going through the wood greenhouse plans in order to iron out possible problems.

In this way, actual construction can start with nary a hint of roadblock standing in the way. And even if there are challenges in the building, these issues can be easily and quickly addressed.

The quality by which the greenhouse was constructed will largely determine how well the structure can stand up to the gardener's use and to the abuse of nature.

• When these structures go according to the specifications outlined in the wood greenhouse plans, the gardener will have a venue in which to indulge in his passion for growing plants the whole year-round.