If you are a serious gardener, you have probably dreamed of having your own greenhouse. A greenhouse can be expensive unless you build it yourself. You may construct a homemade greenhouse in several different ways, but one of the most-economical methods is to build a greenhouse with plastic bottles. Plastic 2-liter bottles allow maximum sunlight and offer protective insulation. If the greenhouse gets damaged, repairs are easy to make by simply replacing the plastic bottles. If you can use scissors or a screwdriver, you can build this greenhouse.
Instructions
Things You'll Need:
- 1,500 plastic 2-liter bottles
- Soap
- Water
- Scissors or razor knife
- Gravel
- Shovel
- Rake
- Level
- 4 boards, 4-by-4 inch by 8-foot long
- Cement
- Drill or screwdriver
- Screws
- Miter saw
- 9 boards, 2-by-2 inch by 8 foot long
- 20 boards, 2-by-2 inch by 6 foot long
- 2 hinges
- 8 boards, 2-by-2 inch by 5 foot long
- 2 boards, 2-by-2 inch by 4 foot long
- 140 to 150 canes, bamboo (or wooden rods), 6-foot long
- Staple gun
- Fence staples
- 1
Prepare the 2-liter plastic bottles by soaking off the labels in hot soapy water. Remove the caps. The label must be removed so they do not block sunlight. Wash, rinse and thoroughly dry the bottles. Cut the bottom off each bottle, using scissors or a razor knife.
- 2
Measure and mark the 6-by-8 foot dimensions for the greenhouse. Level the soil. Shovel gravel over the floor area and rake it level. Sink a 4-by-4 inch by 8-foot post 2 feet into the cement at each of the four corners of the greenhouse. Check with a level.
- 3
Build the side frames using four 2-by-2 inch by 8 foot boards and four 2-by-2 inch by 6-foot boards. Miter the ends of all lumber with a miter saw. Use screws and a drill or screwdriver to assemble the mitered end of the lumber. Build two side frames.
- 4
Build the back frame using four 2-by-2 inch by 6-foot boards. Miter the ends. Use screws and a drill or screwdriver to assemble the mitered end of the lumber.
- 5
Build the front frame and door frame using four 2-by-2 inch by 6-foot boards and six 2-by-2 inch by 6-foot boards. Duplicate the back frame. Build a door frame that will fit easily inside the front frame by measuring the inner edge of the frame for height. If the measurement is 6 feet, subtract 6 inches, and that is the height of your door frame. The width or the door can be up to 4 feet wide. Miter all ends and screw them together. Attach the door frame to the front frame on the left side, using hinges.
- 6
Build the sloped roof using four 2-by-2 inch by 8-foot boards and four 2-by-2 inch by 5-foot boards for the roof sides, one 2-by-2 inch by 8-foot lumber for the roof central beam, four 2-by-2 inch by 5-foot boards and two 2-by-2 inch by 6-foot boards for the roof top gables and two 2-by-2 inch by 4-foot boards for the roof supporting beam for gables. Miter the ends. Use screws and a drill or screwdriver to assemble the mitered end of the boards.
- 7
Make the plastic walls by inserting the cane through the first bottle, with the bottle neck pointing down, the rest of the bottles are bottle neck up. Fill the cane with bottles and lay it on the frame that is on the ground. Pack canes tightly on the frame until it is full. Staple the canes to the frame at the top and bottom. Fill the two side frames, front, back and door frames. The two roof panels should also be filled with bottles. Screw the completed frames to the corner posts. Fill the triangular gables with bottles but adjust the canes to fit the shape before installing the gables to the greenhouse with screws.
Tips & Warnings
- Make your own solar warmer for your new greenhouse. Paint several plastic milk jugs black and fill them with water. Place the black jugs on the side of the greenhouse that receives the most sun. The black bottle will absorb light and heat the water which will keep the greenhouse warm at night.
- Use extreme care when cutting the bottoms of the 2 liter bottles. Wear protective gloves to avoid blisters, cuts, and scratches.
No comments:
Post a Comment