Don't know if you can see these shelves well. They are closet organizer panels, purchased used from the Habit for humanities RESTORE. They are easy to install and do not block the light. They are available new at Lowes, but would not be cheap. Look around and maybe you can find something similar.

Wire mesh nailed to a lumber frame is the least expensive shelf material I know of.

I found a warehouse place going out of business that was selling their wire pallet rack decking. These are the big heavy steel wire shelves that are in big box stores, warehouses, etc...Here's photos from mine before I built the shelves. I'll try to get some updated pics soon:

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If you shop on craigslist and call around sometimes you can find great deals on these. I bought a whole lot of them for $200 (they were 4' X 3' each). The lot consisted of I want to say over 50 pieces so $200 for all was crazy cheap. I took what I needed which was roughly 2/3rds, turned around and sold the rest on Craigslist for the same $200 I originally paid for all so my tops were essentially free. Built treated frames to fit the bench tops and voila! Super indestructo greenhouse benches. This summer I'll be spray painting my bench tops with green Rustoleum industrial paint to protect them from long term exposure to moist conditions.

There are lots of ways and lots of materials you can use for your tops. Be on the lookout for anything!

Thanks folks! This gives us a place to start!

Hola!

I posted these photos a while back, but this is what I used to make some gh benches. They're pine 2x4 with redwood stain. Sure, they won't last forever, but I figure at least ten years before they rot away.

another photo,

Those are really nice benches qrper!! My frames are very similar to yours in structure and design. I like how you've made them to size for those trays you have. Are those mortar mixing trays? They look similar to the 2' X 3' mortar mix trays I use in my greenhouse. I LOVE those things. So tough and durable. I've got one for mixing a large batch of potting mix and another I'll be filling with sand and turning into a greenhouse benchtop version of my outdoor cutting propagation bed. Next winter I'll be all set up to hopefully take some late season cuttings of things like Fall storebought mums, tropical vines, pepper plants, tomatoes, etc...and root them in there when the outdoor temps are starting to cool off.

I'm watching this forum because we will soon have a rotting deck removed and replaced. Not all boards are rotting. Just a few, and those will be tossed. These are 2 x 6 boards of various lengths, and I would love ideas for potting benches, picnic tables, chairs, and things like that to strategically place in 1.4 acres of heaven.

Suzi

Thanks squirrellypete,

Yes, those are mortar bins. Home depot had them for about 5ish bucks. the photos don't show it, but I put a 2x4 across the benches so it would catch the lips of the bins.

I drilled a 1" hole in each one as a drain. A broken clay pot covers the hole keeping the potting soil from falling out.

I use these a poor man's grow beds. When the potting soil is kaput, it ends up in the garden or compost pile.

Just finished My hfgh 10x12. It went very well thanks to all of you for your blogs and pics. I have part #81 4 bushings where I find no reference to in the manual. Anyone have any ideas?

I can give you some help, although it's been so many years since I built mine, some of the small details aren't clear to me anymore. I'm looking at the newest version of the Harbor Freight manual, and the part 81 white plastic bushings are mentioned on page 17, in step number 5.

Apparently the bushings were to be inserted over the part 78 Double Brace Bolts (part 78), before you used those bolts to finally attach the side diagonal struts (part 80.)

Maybe you can locate the side diagonal struts on your greenhouse (part 80) and look at the bolts holding it in place, to see if it really matters if there's a bushing to space something a bit apart, on the long bolt part 78 bolt. I'm not sure how difficult it would be to back track, at this point, and maybe it's not all that important.

I also set up the 10x12 harbor freight greenhouse. There were a few left over pieces in my bag also.