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tstation_gw

Anyone ever convert a shed to a GH?

tstation
18 years ago

Well, yea- I am sure some people have- but my question is a little deeper. For years I have been wanting a GH. I can't afford much, and was figuring on buying a Harbor Freight 6x8. I am a little leary that it will too small and difficult to put together.

So I have been thinking- if I had a shed, I could cut holes in the walls and ceiling and install poly or fiberglass panels. I was even looking into buying a shed form Lowes or Home Depot. Lowes has a couple of their demo sheds on sale for like $300.

So, I don't know- would this be a good idea? It seems a wood structure would be better. Has anyone done this? Do you think it's feasable? Practical? Should I just get a HF?

Comments (2)

  • agardenstateof_mind
    18 years ago

    Ahhh, tstation, that's just what I was planning to do last autumn. We have a 10x12 barn-style storage shed that needs some roof and wall repair. I was thinking of replacing part of that with polycarbonate panels to create a combination storage shed/greenhouse. I posted a question here and got some nice feedback ... if I can run a search and find it later I will post a link for you ... that was probably in October if you want to check.

    However, to keep things simple, I did pick up the 6x8 Harbor Freight model and have been delighted with it. My adult son and I assembled it in one day, placing it on a 2x10 foundation of treated lumber for extra height (2x12 would have been better, but was much more expensive). Of course, I'd love a larger greenhouse, but this one has been great ... it depends on what you want to do with it. Some folks who have them have posted some pictures of some very well-organized layouts.

    I you go the modified-shed route, from what I've read, you'd be better off with the polycarbonate than the fiberglass, as the pc transmits more light. If you plan to use it through the winter, you'll probably want double-wall pc. Someday, when I go for a larger GH, I just might opt for triple-wall. If you haven't looked already, there are lots of sources online for both the pc panels and the channels and hardware to install them. You'll also probably have to find some way to protect the wood framing from the humidity and the water that inevitably splashes around.

    Good luck and please keep us posted - it's great to see what others are doing!

    Diane

  • geekbooks
    17 years ago

    I built an 8x12 greenhouse shed from plans about a decade ago. It's a conventional saltbox wood shed, with 4x12 of plexiglass (for better or for worse) glazing on the south (long) roof. This worked out nicely and the shed has held up really well.

    I don't know that a $300 shed off-the-lot would be a good start for a greenhouse. You'll spend plenty just on the glazing so it's best to start with something that's designed and built from the get go to work with the sun and humidity. Many inexpensive sheds aren't framed really well.

    I spent about $1000, all in all, and did all of the work by myself. The plans were modified from a 8x8 layout. The shed could have been built either with a solid roof or with the glazing.

    Here is a link that might be useful: my shed

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