Do-It-Yourself Greenhouse

2013 - Volume #37, Issue #1, Page #27

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Instead of buying a cheaply-built greenhouse kit from a big box store, Nathaniel Burson suggests building your own with plans he has used for 15 years for himself and customers near Big Sandy, Texas.
  His plans include a 40-pg. booklet and two DVD’s with detailed instructions on how to build a 10 by 15-ft. greenhouse for about $600.
  “This greenhouse is strong. It will last you for a long, long time,” says Burson, who is also inventor of the Garden In A Barrel (Vol. 34, No. 2).
  One testimonial of its strength comes from a customer in the Northeast, who recently told him their greenhouse survived Super Storm Sandy unscathed.
  Burson’s greenhouse design includes professional materials that should last at least 30 years: treated lumber on the ground, galvanized tubing (like the kind used on chain link fencing), galvanized electrical conduit and treated wood strips to secure greenhouse plastic.
  He shows how to bend the tubing with a vise and a piece of pipe. He offers tips on stretching the plastic taut without wrinkles.
  “Start from an anchor point,” Burson says. “Start from one corner and pull from the opposite side, then slowly work your way around each edge. It took a long time to figure that out.”
  Plans include building a sturdy door, how to secure the greenhouse to the ground with 2-ft. T-posts, and where to purchase fans and vents and how to install them.
  He emphasizes the importance of using genuine greenhouse plastic that is UV resistant and lasts about 4 years.
  “The plastic is less than a third the price of fiberglass, and when you replace the plastic it looks new again. Fiberglass looks dingy after about a year,” Burson says, regarding his preference for plastic over fiberglass. He adds that fiberglass also leaks air at the seams.
  Anyone with basic construction skills can build a greenhouse in two or three days, Burson says. His plans can be easily adapted for larger greenhouses up to 12 by 50 ft., and larger sizes are cheaper per square foot to build. For example, the estimated cost to double the size to 10 by 30 ft. is $800, only $200 more than the standard size.
  Burson also sells a kit with all the specialized hardware such as screws, bolts, UV-resistant plastic and the plans for $229 (10 by 15-ft.) and $329 (10 by 30-ft.) with free shipping. (He deducts the price of the plans if customers decide to order the hardware kit after buying just the plans).
  He adds that people interested in a sideline business can use the plans to build greenhouses to sell in their area. Plans sell for $29.95 plus $4.95 S&H.
  Check out the website for videos of Burson’s greenhouse.
  Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Pinnacle Switch Builders, Inc., 10758 Hwy. 155 S., Big Sandy, Texas 75755 (ph 903 576-6800; www.easiestgarden.com).

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Do-It-Yourself Greenhouse BUILDINGS Miscellaneous Instead of buying a cheaply-built greenhouse kit from a big box store Nathaniel Burson suggests building your own with plans he has used for 15 years for himself and customers near Big Sandy Texas His plans include a 40-pg booklet and two DVD’s with detailed instructions on how to build a 10 by 15-ft greenhouse for about $600 “This greenhouse is strong It will last you for a long long time ” says Burson who is also inventor of the Garden In A Barrel Vol 34 No 2 One testimonial of its strength comes from a customer in the Northeast who recently told him their greenhouse survived Super Storm Sandy unscathed Burson’s greenhouse design includes professional materials that should last at least 30 years: treated lumber on the ground galvanized tubing like the kind used on chain link fencing galvanized electrical conduit and treated wood strips to secure greenhouse plastic He shows how to bend the tubing with a vise and a piece of pipe He offers tips on stretching the plastic taut without wrinkles “Start from an anchor point ” Burson says “Start from one corner and pull from the opposite side then slowly work your way around each edge It took a long time to figure that out ” Plans include building a sturdy door how to secure the greenhouse to the ground with 2-ft T-posts and where to purchase fans and vents and how to install them He emphasizes the importance of using genuine greenhouse plastic that is UV resistant and lasts about 4 years “The plastic is less than a third the price of fiberglass and when you replace the plastic it looks new again Fiberglass looks dingy after about a year ” Burson says regarding his preference for plastic over fiberglass He adds that fiberglass also leaks air at the seams Anyone with basic construction skills can build a greenhouse in two or three days Burson says His plans can be easily adapted for larger greenhouses up to 12 by 50 ft and larger sizes are cheaper per square foot to build For example the estimated cost to double the size to 10 by 30 ft is $800 only $200 more than the standard size Burson also sells a kit with all the specialized hardware such as screws bolts UV-resistant plastic and the plans for $229 10 by 15-ft and $329 10 by 30-ft with free shipping He deducts the price of the plans if customers decide to order the hardware kit after buying just the plans He adds that people interested in a sideline business can use the plans to build greenhouses to sell in their area Plans sell for $29 95 plus $4 95 S&H Check out the website for videos of Burson’s greenhouse Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Pinnacle Switch Builders Inc 10758 Hwy 155 S Big Sandy Texas 75755 ph 903 576-6800; www easiestgarden com

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