Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Chatting => Design and Construction => Topic started by: Paulj on December 11, 2013, 08:59
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OK, so part of what has happened to my greenhouse is my fault, it wasn't quite properly secured to it base as I only built it recently, and found out the base I had bought wasn't designed with the particular greenhouse I had bought, but by the time I found out it was all too late, everything was in its place, and I used a bit of a diy approach to secure the two together until I had time to do something better...
Then we had a bit of wind the other week, and the whole thing came down, littering our garden! Luckily most of it is still in tact, but many of the struts are not in great shape and will need to be strengthened, and some have been torn apart, and a handful of the joints have been destroyed - see a couple of the pics below.
(http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/q719/llarious/20131211_084454_zps6144a39c.jpg) (http://s1355.photobucket.com/user/llarious/media/20131211_084454_zps6144a39c.jpg.html)
(http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/q719/llarious/20131211_082428_zps9b25c34f.jpg) (http://s1355.photobucket.com/user/llarious/media/20131211_082428_zps9b25c34f.jpg.html)
(http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/q719/llarious/20131211_082438_zpsdbb55cf8.jpg) (http://s1355.photobucket.com/user/llarious/media/20131211_082438_zpsdbb55cf8.jpg.html)
(http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/q719/llarious/20131211_082421_zps6e8d4b5a.jpg) (http://s1355.photobucket.com/user/llarious/media/20131211_082421_zps6e8d4b5a.jpg.html)
Now this was a cheap greenhouse as they go, but when I got it up I was pretty proud, and thinking, next year on the lotty/and in the garden will be great. I was all ready to go with some homemade pallett shelving in the next few weeks too, which I was going to find a way to join to the frame in order to give it more weight to keep it anchored too.
Has anyone any ideas as to how I can put this back together at some of the joins in the pictures, so that I don't give up and take it to the tip and can have it back up and ready for action come spring (and be wind resistant for the next time)?
All advice and help appreciated!
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A lot of it will be able to be straightened. Some of the joints/torn bits may be able to be repaired with straight or right-angled brackets, fixed either with small bolts, self tapping screws or pop rivets.
Once done, and the panels are back in, I would suggest paying a bit of attention to making them secure. I've had issues with panels flexing and blowing out of mine, and they can travel a surprising distance! I've started drilling through them into conveniently placed metal and putting small bolts or self tappers through. as an additional security measure I've drilled small holes through the external frame and threaded garden wire through, about 1/2 way up the side panels. So even if a panel does become detached it hopefully won't disappear.
The bottom line is I think it all looks salvageable.
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Malc has said it all really about the actual repairs ;)
But I thought I should say you can make a decent base out of old bricks, like a low wall, and bolt the frame to it. This is how we have done ours.
If you have enough bricks, you can even make this wall slightly taller, which will raise the height inside the greenhouse.
Just mind your head on the way in and don't trip over the step :nowink:
Hope you can get it sorted OK
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A small polycarbonate GH is very light, so needs attaching very securely to a base which won't move either (Sunny's suggestion of a brick (or concrete block) base could work well for you.)
Much of the structural integrity comes from the glazing, especially if some of the struts have had to be straightened and/or repaired - several members on here have reported success using silicone glazing products in addition to the clips.
If I were still in doubt about how strong and secure it was I'd consider installing at least 2 hefty additional internal vertical supports (e.g. scaffold poles or angle iron) firmly anchored into the ground and secured to the frame to help it stay square (and in your garden! ;))
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Thanks for the replies. I hadn't thought enough about weighing it down or the rigidity of it either. Some good ideas above that might help. I have a large pile of bricks hanging around that I was planning on using for a clay oven but this is a little more important!
I also like the idea of securing the polycarb sheets more securely so they don't fly off so easily.