Ive never built a hoop house but I think I would like to try one. They seem fairly easy. I like the hot house inside the hot house idea.

Do you have directions or a supply list for your build? Or a link to a good site with directions?

 

Keep us posted with pictures. I am planning a small greenhouse like that myself.

 

AKA a coldframe...

Get some specialized film like that supplied by Grower's Supply. It's designed for this purpose and last longer.

http://www.growerssupply.com/farm/s...plies/prod1;gs1_greenhouse_film_and_covering-gs1_greenhouse_films;pg108654.html

http://www.growerssupply.com/farm/s...plies/prod1;gs1_greenhouse_film_and_covering-gs1_greenhouse_films;pg108632.html

Some outdoor rated PVC pipe, some rebar for the anchors, an old storm door...

We did this in a sustainable agriculture class. I don't remember all the details, but basically it was like this...

Lay out two rows for the sides and mark spacing along the rows about 24" apart.
Hammer in sections of cut rebar along this spacing for the ends of the PVC to go on to. Canting the rebar inward helps.
Place one end of PVC pipe over a protuding rebar section, bend pipe and anchor other end.
You will have a kind of collaposed structure. Use a long piece of PVC or wood as a spine along the top. String tie or otherwise anchor the the PVC cross pipes evenly space along the spine.
This is your basic structure.
For the door, I believe a 20ft. for the structure allows adequate height for a regular door? You have to build a door frame to fit the end of the stucture and then mount the door as normal. Or build your own.

I know these are very basic instructions and many need experimention and tweaking for size, but I'm hoping it outlines the concept enough to put one together.

 

Ive never built a hoop house but I think I would like to try one. They seem fairly easy. I like the hot house inside the hot house idea.

Do you have directions or a supply list for your build? Or a link to a good site with directions?

This is what we're using, more or less.

http://www.hightunnels.org/ForGrowers/SitePlanning&Construction/Articles/CareyHow-toBuild.htm

 

Making some progress. Got the hoops up and bolted in to the baseboards Saturday. I had only bolted one when I took the pics. Next will be installing the purlins (lengthwise pvc that attaches to all the hoops on the top and sides) for stability. I may have to put that off until my help comes back, she is currently out of town.

The original plans (link above) call for a house 30'x18'. This one is only 20'x16', the reason being that the plan is to build a full size house over it before next fall. The spacing of the hoops is 3' except only 2.5' on the ends so it would come out to an even 20ft' so we could use 2 10' baseboards. Another deviance from the instructions we made is that it calls for 3' ground posts (the 2" pvc you pound into the ground to set the hoops in). We cut ours down to 2'. 3' ground posts are unrealistic for this tight clay soil. Looks like they are working with sandy soil in the pics in the instructions. I also beveled the edges with a dremel to get them to drive in a little easier. Believe me, that house isn't going anywhere.

The GF is going to use it for raising chicks this winter and early tomatoes this spring, after that I will start constructing the aquaponics system that will remain inside it permanently. I'll start another thread for that when the time comes.

 

Is that an elect chicken fence in the back ground? Do you like it?

 

Is that an elect chicken fence in the back ground? Do you like it?

Yep. We've been here two years and hear coyotes all the time but have never lost one to a coyote. This is all inside cattle/goat fencing too. Its's portable and uses solar energizers. You can see the energizer sitting on cement blocks between the first two hoops in the bottom pic. We also us them for our ducks that do get moved around a lot. The chickens pretty much stay in one place.

 

Probably will still need a kerosene heater, etc. on the coldest days.

I have heard of people keeping hot composters in their hoophouses for heat. Never tried it myself, but it would be cheaper than kerosene if it works.