tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45634875860172120802024-03-06T13:03:42.992-07:00Building our Harbor Freight 10' x 12' GreenhouseHow we survived the Harbor Freight assembly manual, and modified our greenhouse to withstand New Mexico winds (so far)...mudhousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14797472938550347719noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4563487586017212080.post-74573903760237970992007-08-19T23:02:00.001-06:002012-11-29T10:39:06.973-07:00Part Seven: Greenhouse Enhancements<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEglDnz2lBhNaPhH4czo9fiXwBNytY7yPcbL428N-TBxw57nZYwdSl5k0FBYXWNdlyFcRz-ltKVTP9sFHktNZIcgJ-FYtc_7VTd1cVGkVhosV7N8W-5-OgFpWJwfy3tsL_9a8jxJ3fgtzT/s1600-h/benches,+beams+clamped+8-25.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5105839658922723170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEglDnz2lBhNaPhH4czo9fiXwBNytY7yPcbL428N-TBxw57nZYwdSl5k0FBYXWNdlyFcRz-ltKVTP9sFHktNZIcgJ-FYtc_7VTd1cVGkVhosV7N8W-5-OgFpWJwfy3tsL_9a8jxJ3fgtzT/s320/benches,+beams+clamped+8-25.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a><br />
This part will be a rambling list of things we've added to the greenhouse. It will probably never end. :-)<br />
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<b><span style="color: #3333ff; font-size: 130%;">Benches</span></b> <b><span style="color: #3333ff; font-size: 130%;">and Shelves</span></b><br />
I wanted a long bench on each side of the greenhouse, and several additional peninsula-style benches attached to the south bench. I was thinking of simple pine 2x4 frames with a hardware cloth top, but my husband’s design was much more graceful.<br />
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They should provide lots of space for pots on top, and lots of free space underneath. They aren't movable, however, so I spent lots of time scribbling on graph paper before we started, and it took a little math!<br />
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We started the greenhouse benches before the greenhouse panels were up (much cooler for us to dig the concrete footings.) Each long side bench is supported by two pressure-treated 4x4s, buried 24" deep and set in concrete.<br />
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The next day, two horizontal Douglas Fir 4x4's were clamped to either side of the two pressure treated posts. We checked for level, and then temporaried with long screws.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF78Kghti2jhU2B56105abqiQhtcA8GyRex8RXhyphenhyphenKdOuir8mr2fp7apNAxWwuhcqjR_CpIL3Ra9GsRJzNqe3Uk9Y8hrPpkgqhRgwaC027ZV1imeY7wa5TTr181kcz7viawRX8IeLRJDqgU/s1600-h/benches,+detail+of+bolt+at+top+8-25.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5105840960297813874" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF78Kghti2jhU2B56105abqiQhtcA8GyRex8RXhyphenhyphenKdOuir8mr2fp7apNAxWwuhcqjR_CpIL3Ra9GsRJzNqe3Uk9Y8hrPpkgqhRgwaC027ZV1imeY7wa5TTr181kcz7viawRX8IeLRJDqgU/s320/benches,+detail+of+bolt+at+top+8-25.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a><br />
The horizontal 4x4’s were attached by using a 12" long 3/8" drill bit to drill a hole through all three 4x4's. A length of 3/8" all-threads rod was inserted in the hole, and capped on each end with a washer and nut.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz-wBo_NUQtOJhgoMzZqylqQOIpgf84TVb5VxZH9hJgG9qG1YQz-syHRMeTlVQvB0jxt75jIBmgVtkhZKy4cRh1QeJIZO1nW1OlGbEXYpGjN5gwr6L7DLQ2umaau46dEnu7vilhAM6GquA/s1600-h/benches,+north+support+in+place+8-27.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5105841608837875586" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz-wBo_NUQtOJhgoMzZqylqQOIpgf84TVb5VxZH9hJgG9qG1YQz-syHRMeTlVQvB0jxt75jIBmgVtkhZKy4cRh1QeJIZO1nW1OlGbEXYpGjN5gwr6L7DLQ2umaau46dEnu7vilhAM6GquA/s320/benches,+north+support+in+place+8-27.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a><br />
The completed bench support for the north wall. It’s a bit over 10’ long. When the redwood slats are added to the top of the horizontal 4x4's, the benches will be 30” tall.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAHZYDBbV2J4FuynomOBkW_fUwJPWtT1Q7I8MUxF62tDf7vvi3Cz5zcQ0AgO9XdsB6gtCqijZIzyqgbVB6Y4y2dwuAkzgkd20W6mMw82CcHJUAXsUewI4CJSVyRGDuCYtJksU2MkY01_-F/s1600-h/ready+for+panels+(floor+done)+8-27.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5105842901623031714" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAHZYDBbV2J4FuynomOBkW_fUwJPWtT1Q7I8MUxF62tDf7vvi3Cz5zcQ0AgO9XdsB6gtCqijZIzyqgbVB6Y4y2dwuAkzgkd20W6mMw82CcHJUAXsUewI4CJSVyRGDuCYtJksU2MkY01_-F/s400/ready+for+panels+(floor+done)+8-27.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a> Bench supports after staining. The posts are pressure-treated pine, the horizontal beams are fir, and the top horizontal slats will be redwood. I used a redwood-colored stain to blend the different woods together. I doubt the color will hold up to our sun, but it’ll look nice for a while.<br />
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The floor is also in place in this photo. The 12" x 12" concrete pavers weren't very expensive, and should be easy to walk on. We chose gravel in a color complementary to the pavers, and in a size large enough to not get constantly stuck in our shoe treads.<br />
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Eventually, we'll do some kind of outdoor threshold to eliminate stepping over the greenhouse frame base. I trip over that daily.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicN1K2bCWZDgIrfOMBimHWCinx7KUgFKN_ehoqnJ8B_BNnKeHdETYzRSZbMgZS07lVvxUOJ9MZHj_lD5K0Uqt-XKbDflq8k757IYKftr1r8-CmlUzH2igxjjydqt8YQV1M0G5GCrLrkCR6/s1600-h/bench+slats+waiting+9-10.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5108774680659019730" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicN1K2bCWZDgIrfOMBimHWCinx7KUgFKN_ehoqnJ8B_BNnKeHdETYzRSZbMgZS07lVvxUOJ9MZHj_lD5K0Uqt-XKbDflq8k757IYKftr1r8-CmlUzH2igxjjydqt8YQV1M0G5GCrLrkCR6/s320/bench+slats+waiting+9-10.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a><br />
The slats for the bench tops were ripped from 2” by 6” by 12’ redwood. Each resulting slat is 1 ¾” by 1 ½”. We knocked the sharp edges down with a rasp, and sanded them. We used a template to mark the location of the screws, and drilled pilot holes with a drill press.<br />
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They were sealed with two coats of stain before attaching, and one more coat on the top surfaces after installation. I used a penetrating oil waterproofing sealant, Olympus Maximum Redwood Naturaltone. Here’s a pile of redwood slats waiting to be installed.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg61CEaNoadIcjxmfzdHjkYl3ci8tcH8AzYmt8aEpltHcFAWYWSaeXz9T47t9ppmnWnfdDEl2bKUVB2J3DTqoTgRtxBNqygu-m8ybETG2zlIzoMjYK-eL_kpXYVBo3E_pRFVHuXEdp8ZuWx/s1600-h/benches,+temporary+layout+9-24.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5122154947685465394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg61CEaNoadIcjxmfzdHjkYl3ci8tcH8AzYmt8aEpltHcFAWYWSaeXz9T47t9ppmnWnfdDEl2bKUVB2J3DTqoTgRtxBNqygu-m8ybETG2zlIzoMjYK-eL_kpXYVBo3E_pRFVHuXEdp8ZuWx/s400/benches,+temporary+layout+9-24.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a><br />
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Slats are laid out and temporarily propped up before we build more legs. We decided to cut a few more slats to reduce the spacing between the slats to roughly 3/4"...it seemed less tippy for small pots.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB7V3cEqGbPOZ_bf1KlLRmYz3rdsKyQ3ng2jzwgl44469a7NuqivCVwixQTSwyD1EMWcrzu5eCA10j8_QOAJE9gQppyo_9r7VCjGJdaoUTkKdbJf19qADcZNEIkA3VS3LQ0d3W_aK_o4MQ/s1600-h/benches+and+shelf+south+side+10-2.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5122156803111337282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB7V3cEqGbPOZ_bf1KlLRmYz3rdsKyQ3ng2jzwgl44469a7NuqivCVwixQTSwyD1EMWcrzu5eCA10j8_QOAJE9gQppyo_9r7VCjGJdaoUTkKdbJf19qADcZNEIkA3VS3LQ0d3W_aK_o4MQ/s400/benches+and+shelf+south+side+10-2.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a><br />
Completed bench on the south side, with 16” rubber-coated closet shelf from Lowes in place.I bought the “close mesh” which has ½” spacing between the wires. The standard mesh has 7/8” spacing between the wires, and I thought that would be too tippy for 4” pots.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEDPZghWKdQ9NROorU81-TMs9KaLrvTvPhtfyr9UjXDsuSL9ylWk7CruSDh94JdF89AaQOv4IOaGGoW28GRCp2hknUbP1mq44eQID-0RPJLTdw6sVIKqvEMxTWollITT24XdiGz_1zRZPz/s1600-h/shelves+south+sitting+on+brace+11-11.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131834276751029282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEDPZghWKdQ9NROorU81-TMs9KaLrvTvPhtfyr9UjXDsuSL9ylWk7CruSDh94JdF89AaQOv4IOaGGoW28GRCp2hknUbP1mq44eQID-0RPJLTdw6sVIKqvEMxTWollITT24XdiGz_1zRZPz/s320/shelves+south+sitting+on+brace+11-11.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a><br />
We were concerned the ClosetMaid shelves and braces would not support large numbers of heavy clay pots (especially on a 16” deep shelf.)<br />
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So, we used a combination of ClosetMaid braces (the thin white diagonal braces barely visible in the photo above) and wooden support posts.<br />
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First, we positioned the shelf so it sat directly on top of the horizontal wall braces (Part 30) and secured it to the top of the hollow brace with screws.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTVoBtWjnFvuZRAVwZzcdwpFW2v2YG0z3su5zwOuaR55_r9PZzfSFUt8fhNJsEYXo9wX8PiWpkSec0Ln3EJSn8WmOuKWEI5qmPxYyT2Nwuh2GQyL6RBg7hJFG93sDjUaEEIUsE8nNQYpw4/s1600-h/shelves+notched+post+top+11-11.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131835290363311154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTVoBtWjnFvuZRAVwZzcdwpFW2v2YG0z3su5zwOuaR55_r9PZzfSFUt8fhNJsEYXo9wX8PiWpkSec0Ln3EJSn8WmOuKWEI5qmPxYyT2Nwuh2GQyL6RBg7hJFG93sDjUaEEIUsE8nNQYpw4/s320/shelves+notched+post+top+11-11.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a><br />
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We added a 1”x2” piece of wood behind the front shelf edge to strengthen the outer edge, and to give the posts something to support.<br />
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The vertical 2x2" posts were notched at the top so the shelf weight sits directly on the post. Screws go through the post front, through the shelf front, and into the 1x2 wood, tying all three parts together.<br />
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The bottom of each vertical post is also screwed to the top of our wooden benches.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRTugnT6dGo5HQOqDuoUeHAxFpXUnXOGG43vxWlNFaan_UCAFADDeuS9m4DKujA8lddSHqzz8jS3w6qsTjuHK2nNv6yOKKibrjkkyeVTVTtJKbdUZUJlG9IuE5ebCxFFyS8VG6zuSwvGon/s1600-h/shelves+south+cut+for+diagonal+11-11.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131836583148467266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRTugnT6dGo5HQOqDuoUeHAxFpXUnXOGG43vxWlNFaan_UCAFADDeuS9m4DKujA8lddSHqzz8jS3w6qsTjuHK2nNv6yOKKibrjkkyeVTVTtJKbdUZUJlG9IuE5ebCxFFyS8VG6zuSwvGon/s320/shelves+south+cut+for+diagonal+11-11.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a><br />
There were a few spots requiring the use of bolt cutters to notch out some of the wires, to avoid diagonal wall braces.<br />
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In one corner we were able to also support the side of the shelf by resting it on the horizontal braces of the back wall, but we also added a wooden post as well.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4lhuldcwTJSkFlh64dG-Qlb6GbhtCmZJDK1-jvJEH8i3Tm6RlRRTMG2aczHAjV9EyyMrCotPtmJdzbXEE1qGAI9nptVSvg2GsWHbf7T1SjFzpsLMflSQ1k7Yxl51ManOslY3SW5wPXgYo/s1600-h/plants+in+south+side+10-23-07.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131837403487220818" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4lhuldcwTJSkFlh64dG-Qlb6GbhtCmZJDK1-jvJEH8i3Tm6RlRRTMG2aczHAjV9EyyMrCotPtmJdzbXEE1qGAI9nptVSvg2GsWHbf7T1SjFzpsLMflSQ1k7Yxl51ManOslY3SW5wPXgYo/s400/plants+in+south+side+10-23-07.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a><br />
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This is how it looked after I moved the plants onto the south benches and south shelf.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijoiTg46pTlUaygakVM_-PPSYnay-fWF6X-OpWo0MHJR2qBnv42kG-WWj4HhSDrNvrofS5lzv-Ztltue3A9DRQ7VQKv6sZnaBwfF3fIqUDsDLrs4BNhMH__9uZZwLa78j_GxG_LeJrpTqC/s1600-h/shelves+north+wall+bolts+in+foam+10-3.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131838094976955490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijoiTg46pTlUaygakVM_-PPSYnay-fWF6X-OpWo0MHJR2qBnv42kG-WWj4HhSDrNvrofS5lzv-Ztltue3A9DRQ7VQKv6sZnaBwfF3fIqUDsDLrs4BNhMH__9uZZwLa78j_GxG_LeJrpTqC/s200/shelves+north+wall+bolts+in+foam+10-3.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a><br />
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Installing shelves on the north wall was much more difficult because of the ¾” polyisocyanurate insulation I’ve installed on that entire wall (more about that soon.)<br />
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We had to locate the wall studs behind the foam insulation, and cut small holes through the insulation to insert T-bolts into the studs. We found we had to use bolts that varied from 2 ½” to 3”, depending on where they were in the wall.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM-P-E1m-QKFfMOaFyTfgbSeNPs5InU0gBUygpeoZElEGG5qejrjyzgTexElwvQJbe_HToWLDEx7E9FrsNG-vCNbo7kP6yDrqdCB4JPfveuMmYCRZ-DjtJtAqd0FSngWUOWNyHNnuscYbm/s1600-h/shelves+north+wall+board+in+place+10-3.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131839104294270082" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM-P-E1m-QKFfMOaFyTfgbSeNPs5InU0gBUygpeoZElEGG5qejrjyzgTexElwvQJbe_HToWLDEx7E9FrsNG-vCNbo7kP6yDrqdCB4JPfveuMmYCRZ-DjtJtAqd0FSngWUOWNyHNnuscYbm/s320/shelves+north+wall+board+in+place+10-3.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a><br />
Once the bolts were in place and firmly secured, we could attach 1x6 boards to the bolts, which gave us a broader surface area to mount shelves. More washers and nuts to secure the boards...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwgP5qQMnhEtTZV98VF_aK9PNS90Kqo7iLAuiIDMPwdiTazkPRkRBhIAkQ-aHbFRoyQKntmp6w_wyYO2oeh_8mZhkblHJZI_95Kgn-1uQQhpJrrwsiY5Z-1EOSQ4_jj5W07om22mWyDd5F/s1600-h/shelves+north+wall+board+under+shelf+10-07.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131839658345051282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwgP5qQMnhEtTZV98VF_aK9PNS90Kqo7iLAuiIDMPwdiTazkPRkRBhIAkQ-aHbFRoyQKntmp6w_wyYO2oeh_8mZhkblHJZI_95Kgn-1uQQhpJrrwsiY5Z-1EOSQ4_jj5W07om22mWyDd5F/s320/shelves+north+wall+board+under+shelf+10-07.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a><br />
The back of the 16” ClosetMaid shelf rests on the top edge of the 1x6”, and is attached with screws into the top edge of the wooden board.<br />
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Then we attached a wooden1x2 to the front of the shelf, just as we did on the south side shelving.<br />
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Finally, we added three notched wooden 2x2" posts to support the shelf weight, and screwed them to the wooden benches below.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnhNbzjcquNEw16ayHBhx73RkYvidrBaZogMbENSTIxyRpkDS3KHFXy5xdFiS0HXlTP8_Z3Ff_Ysb1Mb4F6qW6xP27nEjWjuNeuROD7rT6IB4sGTG_vCWBfF8gz2PrgmALtlGGihhUCK-u/s1600-h/plants+in+north+side+10-23-07.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131840238165636258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnhNbzjcquNEw16ayHBhx73RkYvidrBaZogMbENSTIxyRpkDS3KHFXy5xdFiS0HXlTP8_Z3Ff_Ysb1Mb4F6qW6xP27nEjWjuNeuROD7rT6IB4sGTG_vCWBfF8gz2PrgmALtlGGihhUCK-u/s400/plants+in+north+side+10-23-07.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a><br />
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This is how the north side looked after moving the plants in.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6d8rZnqCYT2L1JMRG0uOJlfZqhzdpY7Fgm-PPGXH6DU00W5r1iMFvWw8Ef6rSfclQh-2CmFqQ1NPtOrGhXNLF_003b1Zqlfq5ksMl61XwE9RpyR6j_m-nr73-_GIS_cMr39icJe8Vwbjq/s1600-h/countertop+in+progress+10-07.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131840929655370946" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6d8rZnqCYT2L1JMRG0uOJlfZqhzdpY7Fgm-PPGXH6DU00W5r1iMFvWw8Ef6rSfclQh-2CmFqQ1NPtOrGhXNLF_003b1Zqlfq5ksMl61XwE9RpyR6j_m-nr73-_GIS_cMr39icJe8Vwbjq/s400/countertop+in+progress+10-07.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a>We also planned a potting area with sink on the north wall.<br />
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I decided to try my hand at a mosaic countertop. I had a lot of floor tile pieces left over from our house, and other odd tile scraps.<br />
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I had fun doing it (and I learned a lot about what a challenge it can be to keep the tiles of varying thicknesses even and smooth on a countertop!) Here is the countertop in progress in my work room.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOO68hg0s44wt4j39dSrYe-6suiYXPfJQukxbp_cVPVhcD_7H6vn7BnBZR7d1zKelsUKjr3Pc3mHnPRsdJG0SDtbDKVpK8Q_NsOJv-Q24KGlg7pv4CELGBjlYGWOrC2hJKCRPoRnpZsm4U/s1600-h/countertop+installed2+11-9.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131841711339418834" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOO68hg0s44wt4j39dSrYe-6suiYXPfJQukxbp_cVPVhcD_7H6vn7BnBZR7d1zKelsUKjr3Pc3mHnPRsdJG0SDtbDKVpK8Q_NsOJv-Q24KGlg7pv4CELGBjlYGWOrC2hJKCRPoRnpZsm4U/s400/countertop+installed2+11-9.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a> The finished countertop and sink installed.<br />
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The sink drain isn’t connected to our house plumbing. It drains into a gravel pit we dug in the floor, and the soil beneath the gravel is the coarse sand of our yard. Another option for the future would be to route the drain water through the wall of the greenhouse and outdoors, to water a planting bed.<br />
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In addition to the sink, I also have a faucet under the bench where I can attach a hose.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeNOgeHsMGy_OyJv74tTy7z7dKHaoMFB0eiSBDibwSYB9-JsoSJAmxzXQiV2OuCMxXcntGBD7tEmfxKkWuvPFTARJ0Bh3g7i6be5IZ3P3m0ejZrqDe785ihSzz3paBas3jMO7-OaVQ7QcQ/s1600-h/countertop+hole+11-8.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131842256800265442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeNOgeHsMGy_OyJv74tTy7z7dKHaoMFB0eiSBDibwSYB9-JsoSJAmxzXQiV2OuCMxXcntGBD7tEmfxKkWuvPFTARJ0Bh3g7i6be5IZ3P3m0ejZrqDe785ihSzz3paBas3jMO7-OaVQ7QcQ/s400/countertop+hole+11-8.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a><br />
I can brush potting soil into the hole in the center, where it falls into a plastic bin below. I keep the hole covered by a removable grill. It's actually a cheap metal trivet I bought at Hobby Lobby, painted it with acrylic paints to blend in a bit with the tile color.<br />
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That's the benches/shelves/sink to date...I have a feeling I'll eventually add another tier of low shelves under the benches for shade-loving plants.<br />
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There's never enough room for plants.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #3333ff; font-size: 130%;">____________________________________________________</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgybonFaMgTzdJ6rklmbV6Ubp2ZkxSwW2U9kzzc8hhRWw3F4uAg8R3V8X96ykdY7aanEqvutwXfs7f9xFl_W_LffTVd4Lm0NFFXgSSh8-iG0C3UAj6RBlbetdkOnMoJ4BXWOqFGjVMKcoWf/s1600-h/foil+insulation+dry+fit+9-2.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5105856173071976370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgybonFaMgTzdJ6rklmbV6Ubp2ZkxSwW2U9kzzc8hhRWw3F4uAg8R3V8X96ykdY7aanEqvutwXfs7f9xFl_W_LffTVd4Lm0NFFXgSSh8-iG0C3UAj6RBlbetdkOnMoJ4BXWOqFGjVMKcoWf/s400/foil+insulation+dry+fit+9-2.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a><b><span style="color: #3333ff; font-size: 130%;">Insulating the North Wall</span></b><br />
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The north wall of my greenhouse allows very little light because it faces our house. I decided to install insulation on that wall to reduce the square footage of walls that would easily lose heat in the winter. Many folks install opaque insulation on the north wall, the lower half of the north roof, and partial sections of the other walls, but for this year I'm starting with the north wall only.<br />
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Let's pause here for an Embarrassing Newbie Admission. I'm having a bit of a hard time with the looks of all the best insulating and heat-reflecting materials. Sometimes I worry my greenhouse will look more like a NASA laboratory than a pretty gardening space. (No offense, NASA.) I figure one winter of high heating bills will cure that; come Spring, I'll be slapping reflective foil insulation and bubble wrap everywhere. OK, back to more serious details.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #3333ff;">Tip:</span></b> <b>Before installing the insulation, now would be a good time to do any last-minute checking</b> for loose bolts, or gaps that need caulking. Our first rain did reveal some gaps in the frame (especially at the top of all four corner posts, and at the seam in the center of one gutter, which allowed some water to run a central wall stud.) I'm using a gray silicone caulk made for caulking aluminum.<br />
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We used <b>polyisocyanurate foil-faced foam sheeting.</b> I couldn’t find 1” thick, so we used ¾” thick, which has an R-value of 5. I purchased three 4’x8’ sheets at Lowe’s for about $12 each. Mine had foil on one side, facing the interior. My plan was to install three pieces vertically, but I found they couldn’t be maneuvered into place because of our EMT braces overhead, and our bench supports below. (These insulation panels don't flex, and they're brittle.) Instead of unbolting the bench supports, I cut the pieces differently.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH6RaE0bi8a5YMXVZpGIW3X0QokEx5aRnnXrvVh2mpUwYOOQ3LPWoDGgE0je30lsBKTH6If-2ESMmkfQccRqHLIqpM5Q7bR9uk_0X420rUUR9CqTkbpKMFXqFVhqI2_L0_d8YKVqk_8ZAL/s1600-h/foil+insulation+cut+out+9-2.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5105857452972230594" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH6RaE0bi8a5YMXVZpGIW3X0QokEx5aRnnXrvVh2mpUwYOOQ3LPWoDGgE0je30lsBKTH6If-2ESMmkfQccRqHLIqpM5Q7bR9uk_0X420rUUR9CqTkbpKMFXqFVhqI2_L0_d8YKVqk_8ZAL/s320/foil+insulation+cut+out+9-2.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a><br />
This stuff cuts easily with a box knife. I put the pieces in place for a dry fit, and found they would sit nicely on the ledge of our pressure treated wood base (dumb luck, not good planning.)<br />
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I used an X-acto knife to notch around a few of the EMT braces at the top of the wall.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj49jIYXhYIiOICCT5o_-kH65ef1X-ZnwXIHQNHLECmJGtm2TPHYj7zW5PQ4-qgf2ieOwpYvpJnX4Bmj-v6Yr7nhQcOSxCVk9LL-U-CYGAzh4RSVjwtXbsU7neq-KVen0SGPoh1NZv0_xqO/s1600-h/foil+insulation+detail+9-10.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5108776072228423650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj49jIYXhYIiOICCT5o_-kH65ef1X-ZnwXIHQNHLECmJGtm2TPHYj7zW5PQ4-qgf2ieOwpYvpJnX4Bmj-v6Yr7nhQcOSxCVk9LL-U-CYGAzh4RSVjwtXbsU7neq-KVen0SGPoh1NZv0_xqO/s320/foil+insulation+detail+9-10.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a>After I had the panels cut to fit, I removed them and covered all the raw edges with aluminum tape. (I read this helps for insulation purposes, but don’t look to me for a scientific explanation.)<br />
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The inside surface is foil, but the outer side is a plastic/paper sheet with big blue lettering that looked awful on the outside of the greenhouse. So, I rolled a coat of white paint on the outside of the panels to cover the lettering.<br />
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When the panels were back in place, I covered the seams with aluminum tape. I hoped the fit would be so perfect the panels would just wedge into place, but no luck. I found I needed to add a few screws with washers to keep the wall of insulation snugged up to the frame. We aimed for the hollow horizontal braces, pre-drilled a hole through the foam and the brace, and inserted a screw and washers in a few spots.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcSfU9Yd-8k_tIdrvLVqurf4PLEmjo3iyMkjwKat_Qe8Ljn8tQGWLeP-y7L3hAsVeYOHhh9E3vLDJKgO6EBiJST8_Jx3YmQVOZVLzgske7zsKh3Ppu6rEiqG2Ya8wGPQMCATwMeWIOeM9c/s1600-h/foil+insulation+completed+9-10.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5108776750833256434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcSfU9Yd-8k_tIdrvLVqurf4PLEmjo3iyMkjwKat_Qe8Ljn8tQGWLeP-y7L3hAsVeYOHhh9E3vLDJKgO6EBiJST8_Jx3YmQVOZVLzgske7zsKh3Ppu6rEiqG2Ya8wGPQMCATwMeWIOeM9c/s400/foil+insulation+completed+9-10.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a><br />
North wall taped and completed (for this season, anyway.)<br />
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Update: I later needed access to the greenhouse wall studs to hang shelves on this wall. It was tricky to work through the foam insulation to do so, but possible. We were able to locate the wall studs and cut small holes to insert long T-bolts into the channel. Then we installed 1 x 6 boards to equalize the pressure on the foam over a larger area, and we attached the shelves to those boards. Not easy, but I don't think trying to fit this foam insulation around shelves would have been easy either.<br />
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One more note about this foil-faced insulation. The foil acts as a radiant barrier, and I've read you defeat the purpose of this barrier if you put anything directly on top of the foil (touching it.) I'm not in love with the look, as I've said, but I've determined that I could cover it with another material if I used some sort of spacers to preserve the air space in front of the foil. If I find the reflective surface increases temperatures in the summer (yet to be determined) I could simply hang a fabric drape in front of it, removing it for winter when I'll probably enjoy the light it reflects back into the greenhouse.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnCCGkoZN5enSsSQdEwnxLvS5AMxyV52ld-7-sWI_Dv6eMA_mcn2KTXcHaXGk6v8FxzhP20t-uEuCv2IF_KzcjVFi0CQslNujAMeDmkKi4v8dUUjSWHVmt7W0aN6RwYk5c8gCtMTt_41-P/s1600-h/electrical,+in+use+cover+9-24.jpg"><b><span style="color: #3333ff;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5122158439493877074" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnCCGkoZN5enSsSQdEwnxLvS5AMxyV52ld-7-sWI_Dv6eMA_mcn2KTXcHaXGk6v8FxzhP20t-uEuCv2IF_KzcjVFi0CQslNujAMeDmkKi4v8dUUjSWHVmt7W0aN6RwYk5c8gCtMTt_41-P/s320/electrical,+in+use+cover+9-24.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></span></b></a><b><span style="color: #3333ff; font-size: 130%;">Electrical Outlets</span></b><br />
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We added three GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) outlets, because they’re recommended for greenhouse use.<br />
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Outlet location is tricky. I knew I didn't want them too low so I'd have to crawl under benches to reach them, but if you put them too high you have to be careful about the length of your electric heater cords (assuming your electric heater sits on the ground like mine.)<br />
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Also, I accidentally had one outlet installed against a panel that was later replaced with a screen, which potentially exposes the outlet to rain. That outlet will now have to live in a plastic bag when the screen is in place. Moral: think ahead as much as possible!<br />
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We installed in-use outlet covers; these have a hinged lid, and an opening for the cords to pass through, so the outlet is protected from water even while being used. I wondered if the in-use covers were necessary in a greenhouse full of cacti (no misting or spraying in my plans) but then I realized my plans to add screens would allow rain in the greenhouse. Also, one of my outlets ended up under a shelf of plants, and the outlet cover ensures that no water splashes from watering my plants will end up in that outlet.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBgmJaGiHsVS4l03g_ncpyg8Nv7isjJR-Fj6PdhaQqqYULv5KHeAifxJ_PqkI-13jQWDc2_ColU9_3cBgIWhoBZqBfWMlsFIP_bbPRJdGMZLVVGb_btwP9-KoxyRVdPCQJ2aciItPhhC1n/s1600-h/exhaust+fan+outlet+cover+problem+10-9.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130693151185122034" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBgmJaGiHsVS4l03g_ncpyg8Nv7isjJR-Fj6PdhaQqqYULv5KHeAifxJ_PqkI-13jQWDc2_ColU9_3cBgIWhoBZqBfWMlsFIP_bbPRJdGMZLVVGb_btwP9-KoxyRVdPCQJ2aciItPhhC1n/s320/exhaust+fan+outlet+cover+problem+10-9.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a> The only problem I've encountered with these in-use outlet covers is that they will only close over normal standard plugs. I didn't plan on using anything else, but I later bought thermostats that utilize a piggy-back plug system (the heater plug goes in the back of the thermostat plug, which results in a very long combined plug!) As a result, the covers won't close, as shown to the right. That's something to keep in mind.<br />
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¾” PVC conduit was used to protect the wiring. The conduit was attached at the ground level by screwing into the wood of the foundation. We secured it above by putting screws into some of the horizontal wall braces.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #3333ff;">____________________________________________________________________<br /></span></b><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhudZ5Aljqf-5tQdhH5X6wFWTD6IiQBvDad_StmjTweW3MThiZqTCaCby86lwlfI-YxXB1MQmFnO9FYFRPm8eCGzA0PZBtVtxNQaBfGauImoFVPxAMy2dAxCkVA7RnC2Oi66rRT8pV9z87A/s1600-h/screen+panels,+materials+9-24.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5122161922712354194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhudZ5Aljqf-5tQdhH5X6wFWTD6IiQBvDad_StmjTweW3MThiZqTCaCby86lwlfI-YxXB1MQmFnO9FYFRPm8eCGzA0PZBtVtxNQaBfGauImoFVPxAMy2dAxCkVA7RnC2Oi66rRT8pV9z87A/s320/screen+panels,+materials+9-24.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a> <b><span style="color: #3333ff; font-size: 130%;">Aluminet Shade Cloth Screen Panels</span></b><br />
The soaring temps in the new greenhouse (130° with the doors and roof vents open) told me I’d be needing shadecloth (and more) to lower the heat.<br />
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I ordered Aluminet reflective shadecloth from <a href="http://www.greenhousemegastore.com/">IGC</a>. It comes in different densities, and I chose 40%. I agonized over the choice, but I read that 40% was used by several cactus and succulent greenhouses, and I was worried that a heavier density might block too much of the light my plants need. Time will tell.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #3366ff;">(Update:</span></b> Time did tell, and the strong summer sun proved too intense for the health of my plants. I kept the 40% Aluminet as an interior drape just inside my greenhouse roof, and added a second layer of 60% Aluminet to go on the outside of my roof. During most of the year, I need both layers. In addition, I'm sure adding the Aluminet to the outside of my roof has been helpful in extending the life of my (questionable) Harbor Freight polycarbonate panels.)<br />
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Aluminet is woven from tiny reflective fibers of high-density polyethylene. It stretches perpendicular to the lines in the fabric, and diagonally. It can tear on a sharp object, but tears can be sewn up by hand. It doesn’t unravel, and it’s very lightweight. I’ve read the fibers attract dust like a magnet, but it’s supposed to rinse right off. <a href="http://www.ae-zone.org/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=aluminetfaq">This article</a> says that Aluminet comes either shiny on both sides, or double-sided with one shiny side and one colored side. Mine came with both sides shiny. I had several ideas for the Aluminet, so I ordered mine as raw fabric (no seamed edges or grommets.)<br />
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Some people make screen panels to replace the regular polycarbonate panels in hot weather. I wanted to try screens using Aluminet shade cloth as the fabric (for shade and air ventilation at the same time.) I used do-it-yourself window screen components (Home Depot or Lowes) as shown in the photo above. You cut the metal frame to length with a hack saw, and plug plastic corners into the ends. The fabric is attached with plastic spline pushed into the groove, using a spline tool.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp-WQzXd-HcRCRMA46JgZYWqD_7q85dMxLpH6H08CS6N9qgz7GUoZSru18SswLJi6xyHSusTunzVWvJ4f65LLfPoRtZcxQ3x_O6E1ESL5OVGsr7Gc1oOhAU_uIA2Pk3SG2xAURG8-rqnyG/s1600-h/screen+panels+cut+cloth+9-24.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5122164920599526834" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp-WQzXd-HcRCRMA46JgZYWqD_7q85dMxLpH6H08CS6N9qgz7GUoZSru18SswLJi6xyHSusTunzVWvJ4f65LLfPoRtZcxQ3x_O6E1ESL5OVGsr7Gc1oOhAU_uIA2Pk3SG2xAURG8-rqnyG/s320/screen+panels+cut+cloth+9-24.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a>I wanted to use the same spring glazing clips to secure the screen panels in the greenhouse frame, so I chose the thinner <b>5/16”</b> screen bars (instead of 7/16”.)<br />
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<b>Brace Tip:</b> I had to build two cross braces into each panel frame. Without the cross braces, the stretchiness of the Aluminet bowed in the long sides of the frame …over 1” on each side. The cross braces are attached with small metal clips purchased separately. In my kits, they didn’t stay in place until I added the fabric and spline.<br />
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<b>Measuring Tip:</b> The plastic corners add ¾” to the length of each side, but my directions said to “subtract 1 ¾” from your desired length” to compensate for both corners. That didn’t make sense ( ¾” plus ¾” equals 1 ½”) but I followed the directions. Sure enough, my first screen was ¼” too short and ¼” too narrow to fit well. So, just determine the final screen length, subtract 1 ½” for the length added by the plastic corners, and cut the metal to size.<br />
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<b>Density Tip:</b> I now have Aluminet stretched in screens in some parts of my greenhouse, and draped loosely in other parts. The Aluminet installed in screens lets through a bit more sunlight, since the stretching opens the weave a bit. You might keep this in mind when deciding which density to order, if you're planning to use it in screens.<br />
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I cut the cloth so it was roughly 1” larger than the size of the screen frame.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr7EBzK2uh75v0XmcXvrvb9RGIbr7yC9UiwkafwYvFbuJZXNZZtiRic4IMhVIEDkxKaY0qh-bJ9yVo3iW1DG8t1qD8uxudNip2LgkDIXQXNBWfmFWOLVnbn10bqhTmTqqECdJwfo2YnAM3/s1600-h/screen+panels+spline+tool+9-24.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130694280761520898" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr7EBzK2uh75v0XmcXvrvb9RGIbr7yC9UiwkafwYvFbuJZXNZZtiRic4IMhVIEDkxKaY0qh-bJ9yVo3iW1DG8t1qD8uxudNip2LgkDIXQXNBWfmFWOLVnbn10bqhTmTqqECdJwfo2YnAM3/s320/screen+panels+spline+tool+9-24.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a>The 40% Aluminet was easy to secure with .140 size spline. I’m sure higher densities of Aluminet are thicker, but this material is so soft I think they’d still work. If it seemed too thick to fit into the groove, you could try smaller spline.<br />
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I secured one long side first, top to bottom. Then I did the other long side, but this side involved pulling and securing a few inches at a time (stretchy stuff) so I started in the center and worked towards both ends. The top and bottom were last.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwIgt5-ELJwM45sJhUthz_tqAqGxDM4Dzt8zJE54DFvU_IIHk9s_ypt_RJviAayJI81Yz9si_UUrIULMODcbsZnh655TzpQ-Yy0FwstkHejMbUOBWlCQSiOr7cQjvmMydR-ROlX0AdjSsE/s1600-h/screen+panels+from+inside+9-27.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130695019495895826" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwIgt5-ELJwM45sJhUthz_tqAqGxDM4Dzt8zJE54DFvU_IIHk9s_ypt_RJviAayJI81Yz9si_UUrIULMODcbsZnh655TzpQ-Yy0FwstkHejMbUOBWlCQSiOr7cQjvmMydR-ROlX0AdjSsE/s320/screen+panels+from+inside+9-27.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a><br />
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Aluminet has lines in the weave, and it stretches in the direction that’s perpendicular to the lines. In my screens the Aluminet lines ran vertically (the least stretchy way) but I think it would work in the other direction as well. It’s possible the cross braces wouldn’t be as critical if you installed the fabric so the most stretchy direction went lengthwise, instead of installing it like I did.<br />
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Also, Aluminet has a seam every 7 feet, and one of my panels includes the seam. It didn't cause any problems, so you don't need to design around the seams in the fabric.<br />
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I trimmed the excess fabric with scissors, leaving about ½” edge (thought it might pull out if I trimmed it close.) The photo to the right shows how it looks inside the greenhouse.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFvqIpRA6RcfsuaFRvGqFXYUccRCsGt8cxdwbsONn1MN__v4q12BHN7QtcmInZJZViTuu774YDQomejvPOMK9f0MzYn9SaEl1nz7BfcUoH5hSVdNs9Polu14oY7NJgxPGRsYlZB_J_GUVd/s1600-h/screen+panels+clip+9-24.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130696071762883362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFvqIpRA6RcfsuaFRvGqFXYUccRCsGt8cxdwbsONn1MN__v4q12BHN7QtcmInZJZViTuu774YDQomejvPOMK9f0MzYn9SaEl1nz7BfcUoH5hSVdNs9Polu14oY7NJgxPGRsYlZB_J_GUVd/s320/screen+panels+clip+9-24.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a><br />
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I attached the Aluminet panels with the same glazing clips that secure the polycarbonate panels.<br />
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When I made the screens, I was careful to position the cross braces so they would line up with the horizontal braces inside the greenhouse. I thought I might need to attach the screens to the braces with screws, using the same screw holes I use to attach the poly panels. However, I found the clips worked great by themselves.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFMmBYgYG_Pe-ouXPm7cDqKr7ZbaxtWb9nn9vpwKgCbwFg0aBLBSr27XwOYMmYgLk4rUEPCgRAwNU53oIFjllwRlCxGsROOsRrJ0EyXDb-IchjlJiKZismVHZOoPbROp6lk6d4AKzE1fqe/s1600-h/screen+panels+four+9-27.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130697416087647026" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFMmBYgYG_Pe-ouXPm7cDqKr7ZbaxtWb9nn9vpwKgCbwFg0aBLBSr27XwOYMmYgLk4rUEPCgRAwNU53oIFjllwRlCxGsROOsRrJ0EyXDb-IchjlJiKZismVHZOoPbROp6lk6d4AKzE1fqe/s400/screen+panels+four+9-27.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a><br />
<b><span style="color: #3333ff;">Tip:</span></b> I numbered each polycarbonate panel with a permanent marker before removing them. We didn't center the self-piercing screws carefully when we attached the panels, so now I have to put each panel back in the same place to make sure it lines up with the drilled hole in the horizontal braces.<br />
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Okay, two-thirds of my south greenhouse wall is now Aluminet panels. I love the clean appearance and the increased ventilation! Before installing these, the temperature in my greenhouse was at least 130° with the doors and all four vents open; with these panels in place, it’s closer to the outside temperature. Installing the roof shade cloth and exhaust fan should help even more.<br />
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I'm tickled pink with how these turned out!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRt-n0oQw2bV_sZUfl5svK72Iej5cQ6LETXoBabyh-3Q5Fl_w_B228PjuV6sDgyDnoR-crF4Ezlm5xfp-fem4uX5lC6X2nPeyij4mpJJuCkVH8cMkImKjOJp8W9pFEQqn-B4MfzWmwUlsq/s1600-h/screen+panels,+outlet+problem+9-24.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130698318030779202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRt-n0oQw2bV_sZUfl5svK72Iej5cQ6LETXoBabyh-3Q5Fl_w_B228PjuV6sDgyDnoR-crF4Ezlm5xfp-fem4uX5lC6X2nPeyij4mpJJuCkVH8cMkImKjOJp8W9pFEQqn-B4MfzWmwUlsq/s320/screen+panels,+outlet+problem+9-24.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a>Of course, summer rains will easily penetrate the screens, so I’m aware of what I put on that side of the greenhouse. Annually, we have lots of heat and little rain, so it should be a worthwhile trade-off for me. I’ve thought about a clear plastic curtain on the inside of the south wall to be pulled into place during heavy rains.<br />
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Here’s what happens when you don’t consider screen placement when doing your electrical. Although we used GFIC outlets and in-use outlet covers, I didn’t plan on the back of the outlet being exposed to rain. I’ll have to figure out how to weatherproof the back, or live with a baggie over that outlet in the summer. Darn.<br />
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When the fall night temps get too cool, I’ll remove the screens and replace the polycarbonate panels. I tried leaving the screens in and putting the poly panels on top, but the combined thickness of the two layers won’t allow the glazing clips to fit in the channels.<br />
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Later I discovered I could put the polycarbonate panel back in place, with clips and screws as usual, for protection from cool night temps. And, if I still need a bit of shade for a while longer in the season, I can put the screens back on TOP of the poly panel, and I can make them stay in place by inserting clips into the gap backwards (photo soon.) Yes, it looks odd, but hey, it works. After I get a bit deeper into the winter season, I'll take the screens off again so I can have all the sun possible.<br />
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The cost for each 6 ½’ tall frame was about $12 (not including the cost of the Aluminet.) Of course, once you have the screens, you'd be able to swap out the Aluminet for different densities, or even replace it with regular screen material, bird netting, or whatever you wanted to be creative with.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #3333ff;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130700547118805842" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDeE1iMHbAMXZstb47aX2lXdLORys2mGGrm8VruNCW_gHKyN8WhvK1EPrFMXmBKxCYAc8iOlgL-bkbmBK3DxwW0WPXvdASRDTZU0AN0n91_3G_KtdZZfYUhcRV27HgNllzoluW9qlPiKPR/s320/exhaust+fan+panel+removed+10-2.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></span></b><span style="color: #3333ff; font-size: 130%;"><b>Adding an Exhaust Fan</b></span><br />
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We used this <a href="http://www.littlegreenhouse.com/fan-calc.shtml" rel="nofollow" target="_1194582033">fan calculator</a> to determine that our greenhouse would require a fan capable of exchanging roughly 1500 CFM (cubic feet per minute.) I ordered a 16” three-speed louvered exhaust fan from <a href="http://www.littlegreenhouse.com/accessory/vent.shtml." rel="nofollow" target="_1194582033">ACF Greenhouses</a>. The three speeds are capable of 2950, 2050, and 1200 CFM, so at the highest setting it should exchange the air in the greenhouse about every 30 seconds. I wanted at least one air exchange per minute, so I’m glad to have the extra cooling capacity.<br />
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Normally people install an exhaust fan in one side of the greenhouse, and a shuttered vent in the opposite side, so there's a way to let air in (the vent) and a way to pull air out (the fan.) We're going to try using screen doors instead of the shuttered vent for air intake, so we only ordered the fan.<br />
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We installed the fan in the high part of the back wall. First we removed the Rear Center Panel (part 57.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRgkUauNE_AT4Nt5S8T6H8yoIvX2mbCvKTc7eJ4cxbWLgT1A1Pxr_C-nx2eXkBDE_26MxXcaFjO9-c0VKPnyNgSVhuMqoyWCNFYrbRX58imvOCBAlLo2MdihH1yx3BZCJEAdsjFrkZSHsV/s1600-h/exhaust+fan+cutting+brace+10-2.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130703244358267746" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRgkUauNE_AT4Nt5S8T6H8yoIvX2mbCvKTc7eJ4cxbWLgT1A1Pxr_C-nx2eXkBDE_26MxXcaFjO9-c0VKPnyNgSVhuMqoyWCNFYrbRX58imvOCBAlLo2MdihH1yx3BZCJEAdsjFrkZSHsV/s320/exhaust+fan+cutting+brace+10-2.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a><br />
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One of the modifications we made to the back wall was the addition of a ½” x ½” aluminum angle (so we could screw the upper polycarbonate panels to something for strength in winds.) Now, we had to cut part of the brace away to install the fan.<br />
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This is called Lack of Planning.<br />
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<a href="http://davesgarden.com/tools/blog/viewimage.php?did=36434"></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvUaF2gp2MDb9X7eTA3cXRSmA5Rbk9aiNbV9ggtfp_ssGMiXCoVfOHWrZuqJoLEVlA3wIRdTC98yDL9YJMTASlD0RGkWgD9rnueNUtK06Pgt9g4NXmLtgUF2AImdRjrHngYordQPA6uwue/s1600-h/exhaust+fan+alum+angles+on+10-2.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130703910078198642" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvUaF2gp2MDb9X7eTA3cXRSmA5Rbk9aiNbV9ggtfp_ssGMiXCoVfOHWrZuqJoLEVlA3wIRdTC98yDL9YJMTASlD0RGkWgD9rnueNUtK06Pgt9g4NXmLtgUF2AImdRjrHngYordQPA6uwue/s320/exhaust+fan+alum+angles+on+10-2.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a><br />
The fan came prewired with a 9’ cord, and four mounting holes (two on the top, two on the bottom.)<br />
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We bought a 4’ length of 1/8” thick 1” x 1” aluminum angle from Lowe’s, and cut it in half.<br />
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We drilled four holes in each piece of aluminum angle; the two center holes were used to bolt the angle to the fan.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0YK_BQBpA2QeZy-0uHTenxhm80CsViS5ASbyPZwh7bbSt_5XbjBXtyFRpvZ5v77VpEubNdYwxU7oQL3YIQ70iheoFiwOIXfVNrHpckk8IAsJ-pnqyZ63lNmYAQhY5MSzdleb1cGXL3ocN/s1600-h/exhaust+fan+in+10-2.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130704575798129538" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0YK_BQBpA2QeZy-0uHTenxhm80CsViS5ASbyPZwh7bbSt_5XbjBXtyFRpvZ5v77VpEubNdYwxU7oQL3YIQ70iheoFiwOIXfVNrHpckk8IAsJ-pnqyZ63lNmYAQhY5MSzdleb1cGXL3ocN/s320/exhaust+fan+in+10-2.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a><br />
Here’s the fan in place, attached by putting bolts into the track and through the holes we drilled in each end of the aluminum angle.<br />
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Putting this in place and securing the four bolts is one of those times when four hands are a lot better than two.<br />
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Yes, that sky is getting threatening. (The best way to get it to rain in the desert is to start a project that is best accomplished dry.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9nMkSUZl3hHOBCvliiEe_d1-g-eh4R-lNFDfynLEogHM94kRKjuiF7mW_TK6d2o_fNSsMvueWbyz_L-QA8wmuUqOf45gxC3WeKJSzzf8hCHafvEjRwdw22ihbI4LNHe8FR4_0fY7UpVmf/s1600-h/exhaust+fan+box+knife+10-2.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130705516395967378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9nMkSUZl3hHOBCvliiEe_d1-g-eh4R-lNFDfynLEogHM94kRKjuiF7mW_TK6d2o_fNSsMvueWbyz_L-QA8wmuUqOf45gxC3WeKJSzzf8hCHafvEjRwdw22ihbI4LNHe8FR4_0fY7UpVmf/s320/exhaust+fan+box+knife+10-2.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a><br />
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Time to cut the hole in the polycarbonate panel. No pressure; just ignore the rumbling thunderstorm approaching.<br />
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I measured the outside part of the fan, and the space on each side of the fan, and marked the hole on the panel using a permanent black marker.<br />
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The poly was actually much easier to cut than I thought it would be, making several passes with a good sharp box knife and a metal straightedge on cardboard. Phew.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmKV4tw57LnuxHUNlDWPKCmMGgpPGpqSetSJZAXaiRRPGMJm7VVlgK0E97B3rv9bb0ABTFSSgYFHYHqZk-kj_qbRNqWubsOLUaTSv7a9jQ1dT7vzbOJLFQzmD5UOFT4jzPXBJ2i7m3tpo_/s1600-h/exhaust+fan+panel+cut+out+10-2.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130706164936029090" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmKV4tw57LnuxHUNlDWPKCmMGgpPGpqSetSJZAXaiRRPGMJm7VVlgK0E97B3rv9bb0ABTFSSgYFHYHqZk-kj_qbRNqWubsOLUaTSv7a9jQ1dT7vzbOJLFQzmD5UOFT4jzPXBJ2i7m3tpo_/s320/exhaust+fan+panel+cut+out+10-2.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a><br />
The completed panel ready to be reinstalled, with the hole to fit over the outside portion of the exhaust fan.<br />
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I won't be afraid to cut more holes in my polycarbonate panels if I need to...it's quite easy.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiYYSsO8aV24O0S7Cm4eaj_DKsELpeCwEW6wIlhu8LouX4Fr94qlwOosIARkTFnPNueCCN6DVYbJc6Wp6c-6T6kakKKkTauTeCFWPkt0EB_kETlyB6q10mcYAna8eTXNC0tak6JSkNR4B_/s1600-h/exhaust+fan+outside+10-2.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130707032519422898" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiYYSsO8aV24O0S7Cm4eaj_DKsELpeCwEW6wIlhu8LouX4Fr94qlwOosIARkTFnPNueCCN6DVYbJc6Wp6c-6T6kakKKkTauTeCFWPkt0EB_kETlyB6q10mcYAna8eTXNC0tak6JSkNR4B_/s320/exhaust+fan+outside+10-2.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a><br />
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Here’s the panel reinstalled over the fan.<br />
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I later caulked around all four sides of the fan with clear silicone caulk, to keep rain and cold air out. I'll have to build some sort of cold weather cover for the fan for the coldest part of the winter...I can see small gaps between the louvers.<br />
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Is that a black sky or what?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii2W2Zfm-yJ_tQbZB2dMWAig7Bshc6xjUG3HWbMQdw2-Z-qXfDmkpELFrZZn5jIQVkKZ_F6T-iE5Xhw9e2WjUXtVTxhRnwxzBBOkRs0r6PSaK6bdusdQCLf-ogKUtLXdYCxqJ1mRfa9a4V/s1600-h/exhaust+fan+long+shot+inside+10-2.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130708033246802882" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii2W2Zfm-yJ_tQbZB2dMWAig7Bshc6xjUG3HWbMQdw2-Z-qXfDmkpELFrZZn5jIQVkKZ_F6T-iE5Xhw9e2WjUXtVTxhRnwxzBBOkRs0r6PSaK6bdusdQCLf-ogKUtLXdYCxqJ1mRfa9a4V/s400/exhaust+fan+long+shot+inside+10-2.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a>The installed fan from inside the greenhouse. It works! At the highest speed it's noiser than I'd like, but I'm getting used to it.<br />
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Without this fan I wouldn't be able to keep plants in the greenhouse year round...our summers would be far too hot. With this fan in place, as well as some additional small fans for HAF (Horizontal Air Flow), and generous amounts of shade cloth, I'll have a fighting chance.<br />
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It never rained a drop. All that bluster and no moisture. Welcome to the desert!<br />
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<span style="color: #3333ff;">____________________________________________________________________</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFH1AsyMMziyAp11KBx9w6O6dvS-J3VvbM1aIY0w4L604RPPLGToO9JKPiXDroDUg8N7otOISPFHSF11lrdHI9Si0KGzcejKCLmdQJQ7wYE5_bM847vAwJPXsMe4S4X509r6Ffqhk4oaS1/s1600-h/exhaust+fan+thermostat+10-9.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130727270405321746" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFH1AsyMMziyAp11KBx9w6O6dvS-J3VvbM1aIY0w4L604RPPLGToO9JKPiXDroDUg8N7otOISPFHSF11lrdHI9Si0KGzcejKCLmdQJQ7wYE5_bM847vAwJPXsMe4S4X509r6Ffqhk4oaS1/s320/exhaust+fan+thermostat+10-9.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a> <b><span style="color: #3333ff;"><span style="font-size: 130%;">Adding Thermostats</span></span></b><br />
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I needed a way to have my heaters and exhaust fan turn on and off automatically, depending on temperature. I purchased thermostats from <a href="http://www.kkontrols.com/poth20co.html" rel="nofollow" target="_1194588443">http://www.kkontrols.com/poth20co.html</a>. Their price was good and their shipping was lightning fast.<br />
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I needed three thermostats (one for the exhaust fan, and one for each of my two 1500w electric heaters.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5eKGswMsr_8UxMjiHOVf4SpcPsrcdG4d49E3oJG8EuFA-O6RPShw0ULs6uh0Cr2A-TWfvrMLBNMEOUPtKJBSMg9jeoGFmN1hioX7gCvQnaXZavVFjfBA4SsW3x1vw1_Vaj7DlpxY9NpEZ/s1600-h/thermostat+detail+plug+10-16.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130720325443204066" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5eKGswMsr_8UxMjiHOVf4SpcPsrcdG4d49E3oJG8EuFA-O6RPShw0ULs6uh0Cr2A-TWfvrMLBNMEOUPtKJBSMg9jeoGFmN1hioX7gCvQnaXZavVFjfBA4SsW3x1vw1_Vaj7DlpxY9NpEZ/s320/thermostat+detail+plug+10-16.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a><br />
Some thermostats are designed to be wired directly into the heating or cooling appliance, but this pre-wired portable thermostat plugs into the wall outlet. The fan (or heater) plugs into the back of the thermostat plug.<br />
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The thermostats from kkontrols.com come wired to use with heating appliances. To use it with a fan, you make a simple adjustment inside (moving two wires) as explained in directions they send with the thermostat.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHS3UX85nYfmYFf-As0_SNgyqch3Qmc4zQUZ_HCuc3Vrw_O-ilihwhl2fJW1uvkzbNaZOKxytVxXPXMR5jBmPx7nj5jxdiab5slNjMfHgeSTAdA9afhypnxV-re5jWrF2_K1s3zjANf3oM/s1600-h/thermostat+box+painted+white+11-8.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130720832249345010" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHS3UX85nYfmYFf-As0_SNgyqch3Qmc4zQUZ_HCuc3Vrw_O-ilihwhl2fJW1uvkzbNaZOKxytVxXPXMR5jBmPx7nj5jxdiab5slNjMfHgeSTAdA9afhypnxV-re5jWrF2_K1s3zjANf3oM/s320/thermostat+box+painted+white+11-8.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a>The location of your thermostats affects how often the fans or heaters will kick on. If the thermostats are located in full hot sun (or right in front of a heater) they won’t give an accurate reading of the real temperatures in the greenhouse.<br />
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Some people build small wooden boxes, painted white, to shield the thermostats from sun. These can be open on the front and bottom, and solid on the back, top and sides. I’ve even seen pics of vented thermostat boxes that were cooled by tiny fans installed in the box. (That's not gonna happen.)<br />
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I bought an unfinished slatted craft box at Hobby Lobby. I pulled the slats off the bottom, and pulled one off on the top, to make room for my three thermostats. I used a dremel tool to make the cut outs for the tops of the thermostats, and I painted it white.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNmLLmImEgbAPpdBoAeHPf4AC0DEB1xs2R0R5_ubwSEl3LT09tfQv-4ftdOiTI9iFwclMbKAnDPS69NOCUDn30EgQ_IIWk7xPDzFuHwZenmY9aFt-zaoL8jdAWJM4l6pVJ_a4-0JYbDGM7/s1600-h/thermostat+box+in+aluminet+11-8.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130721656883065858" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNmLLmImEgbAPpdBoAeHPf4AC0DEB1xs2R0R5_ubwSEl3LT09tfQv-4ftdOiTI9iFwclMbKAnDPS69NOCUDn30EgQ_IIWk7xPDzFuHwZenmY9aFt-zaoL8jdAWJM4l6pVJ_a4-0JYbDGM7/s320/thermostat+box+in+aluminet+11-8.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a><br />
Then I covered the outside of the box with a few layers of scraps of Aluminet shadecloth, secured with aluminum tape. (A further continuation of my favorite Nasa space shuttle decorating scheme.)<br />
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My hope is the slats and fabric will allow air to pass through for ventilation, and the shiny Aluminet surface will also reflect sun away. I'm really not sure this will provide enough shade for the thermostats...we'll see.<br />
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I tried keeping the thermostats in the shade under my benches. This worked well, but I knew it would only be a matter of time before I accidentally poured water on them while happily watering plants.<br />
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I decided I needed them in one location, protected from sun, centrally located, with good air flow, roughly at plant level, and where they wouldn’t hit me in the head. I spent a lot of time staring at my small greenhouse, trying to find a spot that would work. I finally hung the box from the EMT braces we installed at the top of the walls, over a bench. The back of the box faces the sunny south wall, and the open front faces the north wall.<br />
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Visually, it's not the lovliest addition to the greenhouse, but if it will keep my heating and cooling systems working well, and keep my plants happy, I'll put up with it. It's annoyingly visible, but it's easy for me to access, and it's out of the way of plant tending.<br />
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To get all the thermostats to the center of the greenhouse (from various outlets on different walls) I ordered them with 20’ cords, instead of the usual 8’ cords. This cost me about $5 extra per thermostat.<br />
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photos soon...mudhousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14797472938550347719noreply@blogger.com147tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4563487586017212080.post-51604888129544126592007-08-16T14:06:00.002-06:002013-03-17T17:56:30.394-06:00Part Six: Adding the Panels<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgHJrZOPz3NZc-dEBdr3XVvvYT9q_tJs7dhJsp-FaoT5XtQxt25t1HeT_of2mDE-U6EImbRMDJnLkwGUm2YdE1f8N-an6xFU7dhMgcOSaFRVdrQjI2lTUl1RLu_J78Iw4LItlqNICsXXnu/s1600-h/poly+panel+detail+8-8.jpg"><b><span style="color: #3333ff;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100134937331287362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgHJrZOPz3NZc-dEBdr3XVvvYT9q_tJs7dhJsp-FaoT5XtQxt25t1HeT_of2mDE-U6EImbRMDJnLkwGUm2YdE1f8N-an6xFU7dhMgcOSaFRVdrQjI2lTUl1RLu_J78Iw4LItlqNICsXXnu/s320/poly+panel+detail+8-8.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></span></b></a><b><span style="color: #3333ff;"> (A little nagging reminder...)</span></b>Before you put the panels into the frame, it's really best (in my opinion) to modify the frame for strength (see previous section of this blog.) It's tempting to plan to make the modifications for strength later, but I know several people who had damage to their structure before they got around to adding the additional bracing. Once the panels are in, the wind resistance begins, and you're at risk. My advice is to strengthen the frame BEFORE you add the panels. (It's a lot cooler working on an open frame anyway...once the panels go up, so does the interior temperature!)<br />
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On we go. The panels are 2 ply 4mm polycarbonate (about .165 inches thick.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqYcWaJ8NNWGHqNjN0kTVNYszohSpCLGZ-UxONiJ4KoTLqLvS3qDpRhewNeHHPxG-BZaIoWfLKoAFflRktPOKEDHEhPdY_i5sThC7GKx6zAJv9i9T1G-Z4omkNGnWRkfwNcgf3NELsElrb/s1600-h/poly+panel+taped+edge.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100135349648147794" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqYcWaJ8NNWGHqNjN0kTVNYszohSpCLGZ-UxONiJ4KoTLqLvS3qDpRhewNeHHPxG-BZaIoWfLKoAFflRktPOKEDHEhPdY_i5sThC7GKx6zAJv9i9T1G-Z4omkNGnWRkfwNcgf3NELsElrb/s320/poly+panel+taped+edge.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a>I sealed the ends of each panel with aluminum tape to help keep dirt, condensation, and bugs out of the channels. I bought one roll of 1 ½” wide aluminum tape (not duct tape) at Lowes, and cut it into thirds, so I only have a small taped rim visible on the panels. You can also buy polycarbonate tape from greenhouse supply sites.<br />
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The panels have clear plastic on both sides that you remove before installation. If you remove the plastic you also remove the part number stickers, so I just peeled back the plastic several inches to tape the edges. Taping the panel edges isn’t hard but it’s a fairly tedious process. I brought mine indoors and worked on them in the evenings, laid out on the dining room table. The top edge of each panel is completely sealed, as shown in the photo above.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK4vx7igbEumLMoLYirjfho9ee4uccyjeu1TGVF-dnGpsG4aDHB8Bm59j6QQqe9CW0PEbDBnf2-iIsEB50lg6eq_7vzzJLIvam0gf1n2WZipKWXWJ9zIiA7mHALJvpHWnu3GlaMuiUm0Vm/s1600-h/poly+panel+perforations+8-8.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100135882224092514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK4vx7igbEumLMoLYirjfho9ee4uccyjeu1TGVF-dnGpsG4aDHB8Bm59j6QQqe9CW0PEbDBnf2-iIsEB50lg6eq_7vzzJLIvam0gf1n2WZipKWXWJ9zIiA7mHALJvpHWnu3GlaMuiUm0Vm/s320/poly+panel+perforations+8-8.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a> On the bottom edge, it’s apparently good to have small holes in the tape to allow moisture to escape. You can buy special breathable tape from greenhouse supply websites for this purpose, but others have mentioned using a large pin to poke holes in the tape in each chamber on the bottom edge of each panel. (The holes need to be large enough to allow drainage.)<br />
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I used a tool designed to mark leather for stitching. When I ran this tool along the bottom edge it did a nice job of perforating the tape for me, and it was fast. I think a tracing wheel with teeth (used for marking fabric for sewing) might work in the same manner.<br />
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<span style="color: #3333ff;"><b>Tip:</b> </span><b><span style="color: black;">Don’t tape the edges of the door panels</span></b> (Part 64.) All the other panels are fine to tape, including the panels for the roof vent windows, if you want to. The eight door panels fit into tracks with a tight tolerance (especially if the poly panels have any kind of a burr on the cut edge.) The edges of these panels aren't exposed to the elements anyway, and if you tape them, they can be hard to fit into the tracks. I taped my door panels before I knew how the doors were constructed, and it was quite a battle to get them to fit into the door frame.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #3333ff;">Another BIG Tip:</span></b> <b>Store your panels in a cool place</b> while they're waiting for installation. If you store the panels in the sun, the plastic protective covering can actually fuse to the polycarbonate surface, and it's very hard to remove. I stored my panels in the house while we built the frame, but it was about 98° when we started installing them. I found that even a half hour in direct hot sun made the plastic harder to peel off the polycarbonate, so be careful!<br />
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<b><span style="color: #3333ff;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100136887246439794" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0isiLf5jTXAMU0a8lmGqmVs7uvO_tO3aUE9ivKjGxYUvH6eEZ2A_l1c9rzF6qAzrIYXosDbYKtkG3SGDeYys8lOjGitzT_87iySrQw511_pTcuX2EpTPHcOBZm_e8cJSgjm7yiP44Q3Pe/s320/glazing+clip+8-8.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" />Modifying the Panel Attachment</span></b><br />
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If your greenhouse is exposed to wind, <b>a major problem with this kit is that the panels are only held in place with these small spring glazing clips.</b><br />
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In a big wind, even if you’ve modified the aluminum frame to prevent flexing (you DID read that stuff in the previous section about frame modifications for strength, right?) these clips aren’t enough to prevent the polycarbonate panels from flexing in their openings in the frame. When the panels flex, wind gets inside the structure and blows the panels out (or worse.)<br />
As a first step, many people recommend ordering extra clips. We ordered extra clips from Harbor Freight, by calling the 800 number on our manual (1-800-444-3353.) They seem to keep these in stock in the Harbor Freight warehouses, so in my experience they ship pretty quickly. (But it never hurts to order early.) We ordered one bag of 130 extra clips, and I used all of them, in addition to those that shipped with my kit.<br />
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As of March 2013: If you are ordering extra clips for the Harbor Freight 10x12, the part number for the clip is 53, and <b>the SKU number for a bag of 130 clips is 29457</b>, price $15.99.<br />
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If you are ordering extra clips for the smaller Harbor Freight 6x8 greenhouse, the part number for the clip is 46, and <b>the SKU number for a bag of 72 clips is 27339</b>, price $9.99.<br />
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<b><span style="color: black;"></span></b><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #3333ff; font-size: 130%;"><b>Super Important Modification Alert!</b></span> Extra clips are good, but this step is even more important: <b>screw the panels to the aluminum frame. </b></span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">So far, I haven’t read about any panels being lost to winds after being secured with screws. In my humble opinion, I would not attempt to build this greenhouse without attaching the polycarbonate panels with glazing clips <b>and screws.</b> I'm convinced this is important!</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Some people put one screw in the center of any brace crossing the panel, and some put one screw in the top and bottom of each panel. Some do both.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">We put one screw in the center of any brace crossing a panel. We tried to put screws in the top and bottom of the panels as well, but installing screws in those spots balled up the foam weather stripping I installed under the panels. (More about weather stripping below.) I'll probably decide to add screws to the top and bottom later, and I’ll need to cut out the weather stripping in the area where the screw needs to go. </span><span style="color: black;"><br /></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqAQFC5rkLtm7q9ArXJlVMJOFeDFmHWVGgGo1K6THEXujHakYwzaTaNxIBWyvFNxHD_2Qv7dSFo26W_1YkP7s-9SJ2X3FuA7MIfXHNfazGuTuFv5XudgKIg3nvI-pVpKCPl01dqkmjGKbk/s1600-h/screw+boxes+8-31.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5105452051009160834" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqAQFC5rkLtm7q9ArXJlVMJOFeDFmHWVGgGo1K6THEXujHakYwzaTaNxIBWyvFNxHD_2Qv7dSFo26W_1YkP7s-9SJ2X3FuA7MIfXHNfazGuTuFv5XudgKIg3nvI-pVpKCPl01dqkmjGKbk/s320/screw+boxes+8-31.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a><br />
<b><span style="color: #3333ff;">What Type Screws?</span></b><br />
People have used many types with success. <br />
Self-tapping screws with integral neoprene washers, lath screws, or hex-head screws with aluminum washers all seem to work fine. We used No. 8 self-drilling hex head screws, and we installed a No. 8 neoprene washer with each screw. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAEg9DkKTzqBQFrweZQRU_JD5HxFK-UIwfrWIpkONlU0NKzEFoDj9KnQf0CdkKe3zQDtDm1Pv7vza3ZRuq2GBMcxO9MYklb-y5SjNyEiKYAEnsljK6z2cS-w2TPFuD66gcsXPgcsRKfwVb/s1600-h/screw+detail+outside+8-31.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5105452871347914386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAEg9DkKTzqBQFrweZQRU_JD5HxFK-UIwfrWIpkONlU0NKzEFoDj9KnQf0CdkKe3zQDtDm1Pv7vza3ZRuq2GBMcxO9MYklb-y5SjNyEiKYAEnsljK6z2cS-w2TPFuD66gcsXPgcsRKfwVb/s320/screw+detail+outside+8-31.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a> <br />
This is how the screw and washer look on the outside of the greenhouse.<br />
<b><span style="color: #3333ff;">What Length Screws?</span></b><br />
Most folks use screws from 1/2" to 3/4" long. <br />
We used ¾” screws, but they tend to go through both layers of the hollow brace, leaving a sharp tip exposed on the inside of the greenhouse. I didn’t like that.<br />
We also found that screwing the panels to the braces resulted in a slight bowing-in of the panel. This is mainly a cosmetic issue; I just thought the panels looked better when they were flat, before we screwed them tight to the braces.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJL1RimlGE0HNB6YcYhKGgOjebIPzCNyYVL_oCcBEp17C3hbsh3FKsx-3SQSiXMRRMhYdW3MA6OhN3t8E2BLh-vfYh5sVO7l7WqouCqKICc15x2DUafXFRxRl88Rs9IEOvR2VPpeRGZXDd/s1600-h/screw+spacer+detail+8-31.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5105454215672678050" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJL1RimlGE0HNB6YcYhKGgOjebIPzCNyYVL_oCcBEp17C3hbsh3FKsx-3SQSiXMRRMhYdW3MA6OhN3t8E2BLh-vfYh5sVO7l7WqouCqKICc15x2DUafXFRxRl88Rs9IEOvR2VPpeRGZXDd/s320/screw+spacer+detail+8-31.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a><br />
To solve this, my husband used two of our neoprene washers, back-to-back, <b>as a spacer between the polycarbonate panel and the aluminum brace inside the greenhouse.</b> This spacer allowed the panel to remain flat, and it also made ¾” screws the perfect length. They secured the panel to the brace without poking through. <br />
Here’s a close up of the spacer made from two neoprene washers, but a nut or other washers would work just as well. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXI9KSCsYMcM3GBxVnQn-ybmTqdt4mqVUj5Mv_MB9yW86lImivxRtJLeY0yRH_DZCrID7tH8DjeFeXOqKMUCCX2W4AMssSsPArUuEfoG0mEJ2HezfIIBMGpehwqXSJz8mUghWaKG9MTsEK/s1600-h/screw+spacer+wall+8-31.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5105454954407052978" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXI9KSCsYMcM3GBxVnQn-ybmTqdt4mqVUj5Mv_MB9yW86lImivxRtJLeY0yRH_DZCrID7tH8DjeFeXOqKMUCCX2W4AMssSsPArUuEfoG0mEJ2HezfIIBMGpehwqXSJz8mUghWaKG9MTsEK/s400/screw+spacer+wall+8-31.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a><br />
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On the outside of the greenhouse, my husband started the screw through the polycarbonate. On the inside of the greenhouse, I threaded the "spacer" on to the screw threads before it was screwed into the brace.<br />
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Here's a photo of the interior wall, using the spacers to keep the panels from being pulled tight to the braces. Red arrows indicate the spacers.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaHhkkTkj-niNN9X-NFjHVXJfdohP3YhcbzUPNoeMfSb8WFfQruJm82NjUI6Lt9PnyfrL23pCyhhMVp2BcOAIKS5t71MGVI1PUeqJ-NZUbNR1uD_JrY5tyRKJuFPfkHav7cGWqr1OvIc-v/s1600-h/screws+full+wall+9-1.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5105455658781689538" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaHhkkTkj-niNN9X-NFjHVXJfdohP3YhcbzUPNoeMfSb8WFfQruJm82NjUI6Lt9PnyfrL23pCyhhMVp2BcOAIKS5t71MGVI1PUeqJ-NZUbNR1uD_JrY5tyRKJuFPfkHav7cGWqr1OvIc-v/s400/screws+full+wall+9-1.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a><br />
For the panels on the side walls of the greenhouse, I used ten glazing clips for each panel (five on each side) and two screws (one in the center of each brace.)<br />
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On each of the roof panels, I used ten glazing clips (five on each side) and one screw (in the center of the brace.)<br />
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Generally, I always used more clips for each panel than the manual directed (even on the small gable peak panels.) The kit comes with 260 clips, and I ordered 130 extra. By aiming for a total of ten clips on each of the side wall and roof panels, and adding a few extras to each smaller panel, I ended up with a couple left over. (I may actually order more to be able to add them as needed, if I see any places where the panels tend to move in winds.) The clips aren't hard to reposition, and you can fine tune them as you need to.<br />
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Don't forget to put the clips on the door panels too (I almost did.) I used one on each side of the door panel as per the manual.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTO4G16g0YhyxyJDkoWhL0edaygKe7p2caKmTerWcXEPxzIenQhoB5Ecff8ZMYsDEX-08xHhCRro1_YrcF8h1fqSOijO8OxH4_SSmTxCp6P77NYe5AAQQeMIUN5EJ6j2vCgNVGzBtdJY70/s1600-h/weatherstripping+package+8-31.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5105456350271424210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTO4G16g0YhyxyJDkoWhL0edaygKe7p2caKmTerWcXEPxzIenQhoB5Ecff8ZMYsDEX-08xHhCRro1_YrcF8h1fqSOijO8OxH4_SSmTxCp6P77NYe5AAQQeMIUN5EJ6j2vCgNVGzBtdJY70/s320/weatherstripping+package+8-31.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a><br />
<b><span style="color: #3333ff;">Caulk or Weather Strip?</span></b><br />
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Some people also caulk the panels in place. This does seem to attach them securely and also closes down air gaps. I didn’t caulk because I’m hoping to replace some of the polycarbonate panels with fabricated screen panels in the summer, so I wanted mine to be removable. However, I did end up using <b>silicone caulk</b> to fill gaps in various places on the aluminum frame, especially at the top of all four corner posts.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #3333ff;">Weather Stripping</span></b><br />
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Instead of caulk, I used <b>3/16” thick closed cell foam weather stripping</b> in each panel opening. Closed cell foam is waterproof so rain can’t soak in; look for "waterproof", "weatherproof", or "closed cell" on the package.<br />
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The biggest air gap is at the top and bottom of each poly panel; the panel touches the aluminum frame on the sides, but not on the top and bottom. One approach would be to only weatherstrip the top and bottom of each panel. I was worried about heating costs for the winter, so I decided to use weatherstripping along all four sides of each panel. This does provide a nice seal all the way around the panel, but it also dramatically increases the amount of material needed.<br />
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I calculated the 10 x 12 greenhouse needed at least 560 feet of weather stripping. (That’s about 32 packages of 17’ weather stripping, each over $3 at Lowes.) I found some packages of ¾” wide weather stripping on eBay for about 1/3 that price. I used that, <b>cutting each strip in half with scissors, so it was 3/8” wide.</b> It worked fine, and turned out to be a soft gray color that was hardly visible under the panels after installation.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEm8Q_wHKI2MoTDAY4E9ZZRyiURu2qwGLQmqWJu8qyRnbfm7HsC6OEzJKiPlDmmTBBikbYFliUx-mrosfb7cIQ9XZGIr8BGsM0lPzJIu4kAmpsW9y3EKTB7TbENQBBq16-jRbhI4SogLZh/s1600-h/weatherstripping+apply+8-31.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5105457385358542562" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEm8Q_wHKI2MoTDAY4E9ZZRyiURu2qwGLQmqWJu8qyRnbfm7HsC6OEzJKiPlDmmTBBikbYFliUx-mrosfb7cIQ9XZGIr8BGsM0lPzJIu4kAmpsW9y3EKTB7TbENQBBq16-jRbhI4SogLZh/s320/weatherstripping+apply+8-31.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a><br />
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People either apply the weather stripping to the polycarbonate panels or to the aluminum greenhouse frame. I didn't know how long the weatherstripping would last in our heat, and I thought it might be easier to remove and replace it on the aluminum frame than on the poly panels, so I put it on the greenhouse frame instead of on the panels themselves.<br />
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This frame wasn’t really designed for weather stripping, and the panel openings don’t always have nice flat places to easily stick the foam tape. Sometimes I had to sort of balance the stripping on the high part of a ridge. I found the tape adhered very well, however, and once it was under the pressure of the panel, it formed a very good seal.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTdI9FXohdVsUKdx3TKXr6zRx5Cmz6XHQPh2_sXFsHvIUKj0bJPE-0olqkuSv-hitZuh4GProvVRtDa7ZQ-teV95VB09tLJ_dzZeWlj6-YqkZ40Xl4hJkOYOjyGkGh7v2bH_XLdPXV3F5s/s1600-h/weatherstripping+fat+at+bottom+8-31.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130687829720642258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTdI9FXohdVsUKdx3TKXr6zRx5Cmz6XHQPh2_sXFsHvIUKj0bJPE-0olqkuSv-hitZuh4GProvVRtDa7ZQ-teV95VB09tLJ_dzZeWlj6-YqkZ40Xl4hJkOYOjyGkGh7v2bH_XLdPXV3F5s/s320/weatherstripping+fat+at+bottom+8-31.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a><br />
If you put weatherstripping on all four sides, you will find you need to use two thicknesses of weatherstripping on the tops and bottoms of the panels (where the gap is larger to start with.)<br />
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I used two layers of 3/16" thick insulation, or one piece 1/2" thick, at the tops and bottoms of the wall panels, and at the bottom of the roof panels, as shown in the photo to the right.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8clBC4ilXnOlB1-x2ilBu1qb9cDSSaMleE4AAUVhzXCxIUpSJOvq6RjZRH1-JjCAR04blrQ3tEUBMryOXm9f37csT_AqV750zQJQQOPDHRgg_Z6wnrZ5qsT_X57yt_8XWgo926UJpNtBL/s1600-h/weatherstrip+roof+peak+9-2.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5105831472715056914" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8clBC4ilXnOlB1-x2ilBu1qb9cDSSaMleE4AAUVhzXCxIUpSJOvq6RjZRH1-JjCAR04blrQ3tEUBMryOXm9f37csT_AqV750zQJQQOPDHRgg_Z6wnrZ5qsT_X57yt_8XWgo926UJpNtBL/s320/weatherstrip+roof+peak+9-2.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a><br />
We found it was better <b>not</b> to apply weather stripping to the frame at the top of the roof panels, at the roof peak. The roof panels fit into a groove at the peak, and having weather stripping in place made it too difficult to slide the panel in.<br />
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Instead, I later tucked <b>½” foam backer rod</b> into the spaces at the peak. This closes the air gap and presses the panel up tight against the frame. It was just the right size to tuck firmly in place.<br />
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Overall, I’m glad I weather-stripped the greenhouse. I think it will make a difference in the cold air infiltration in winter, and I think it also makes the panel clips grip better. However, it took longer for me to weatherstrip each opening than it did to attach the panel, so it does take time. Also, as mentioned above, the foam weather stripping might complicate adding screws to the top and bottom edges of the panel.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #3333ff;">Steps to Attach the Panels</span></b><br />
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We live in a windy place. Sudden breezes are the norm; windstorms are common. Until now, the empty greenhouse frame didn’t present any wind resistance. In our windy location, however, adding the panels changes everything. <b>I didn’t want to take any chances by putting the panels all in place one day and then screwing them down later.</b> So, we generally followed this order for each panel:<br />
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<b><span style="color: #3333ff;">1. </span></b>Apply weather stripping to greenhouse frame opening.<br />
<span style="color: #3333ff;"><b>2.</b></span> Remove protective clear plastic from panel.<br />
<b><span style="color: #3333ff;">3.</span></b> Attach panel with clips<br />
<span style="color: #3333ff;"><b>4.</b></span> Add screws to panel<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhirPVcSYqsqND3lMcdD2ZBD0MI00uutZ6md3HVVEIljSzrCFH2GZGjLCSHDb4cxPvOTs43qCTWtOlxuwnF_uvuuYhmDfSWUc_EgcgMTUoUfO2OMeCcZZ0BhNrBSpka_Szx_AIiMOAC3UQ/s1600-h/roof+panel+problem+9-2.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5105833555774195490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhirPVcSYqsqND3lMcdD2ZBD0MI00uutZ6md3HVVEIljSzrCFH2GZGjLCSHDb4cxPvOTs43qCTWtOlxuwnF_uvuuYhmDfSWUc_EgcgMTUoUfO2OMeCcZZ0BhNrBSpka_Szx_AIiMOAC3UQ/s320/roof+panel+problem+9-2.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a><b><span style="color: #3333ff;">The Roof Panel Length Problem</span></b><br />
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Mysteriously, some people report having this problem, and others don’t. We did.<br />
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On page 16, the diagrams direct you to make sure the top of the roof panel (part 60) is tucked under the edge of the roof crown (parts 10,11) in the designated gap. And, it tells you to make sure the bottom of the panel extends past the edge of the gutter. Our panels weren’t long enough to do this.<br />
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If we extended them past the edge of the gutter, they wouldn’t stay in place at the roof crown. If we tucked them securely into place at the roof crown, they fell short of the gutter, by as much as ¼” in some cases.<br />
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In fact, this whole "extending over the gutter" directive doesn't make sense to us, since the gutter is a bit higher than the aluminum ridge that the panel sits on. If we did slide it down to extend over the gutter, the panel would have to actually turn up a bit, at the end, instead of laying flat. The way ours fit, falling just short of the gutter, they laid nicely flat and in place, as you can see in the photo above. (You can also see a bit of morning condensation in the panel channels, but that evaporates pretty quickly.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgviCG1DyWggFCVd4VNvsGkdhahIjM078moItO6FrhzgQV1DmFqnYkyt3FHNCvZ0hqwBLcKnjYWycpuV-7MnhFI-wPaWXY-MF5CKrC0QKnmyCb9_S_LT65n-J5DgP2tpXKtW4EQ1_KafNyj/s1600-h/roof+panel+problem+taped+9-2.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5105834638105954098" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgviCG1DyWggFCVd4VNvsGkdhahIjM078moItO6FrhzgQV1DmFqnYkyt3FHNCvZ0hqwBLcKnjYWycpuV-7MnhFI-wPaWXY-MF5CKrC0QKnmyCb9_S_LT65n-J5DgP2tpXKtW4EQ1_KafNyj/s320/roof+panel+problem+taped+9-2.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a><br />
If the way the panel fits above is truly incorrect, we've wondered if there was some tiny final adjustment at some point during the roof assembly that we missed. We really have no idea. Maybe they just ship out short roof panels on occasion! The mystery continues.<br />
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I noticed others used aluminum tape to cover the gap at the bottom of the panel, to direct the rain water into the gutter. I did the same, as shown to the right. I think it will work fine.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #3333ff;">(Update, May 2008.)</span></b> <i>After 7 months in our hot sun, the aluminum tape is still adhering beautifilly to the tops and bottoms of my polycarbonate panels (where I used it to keep moisture, bugs, and dirt out of the poly channels.) However, the aluminum tape I used to guide rainwater into my gutters (above photo) is no longer adhering to the roof, so I'm replacing it. Some kind of tape with UV protection might last longer, but I can't find anything like that locally. I'm using clear duct tape (Lowes) to bridge the gap between the bottoms of my too-short roof panels, and the gutters, and we'll see how long that lasts.</i><br />
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I also used aluminum tape to cover the seams of the tall polycarbonate panels on the back wall. The tallest panels on the back wall are joined together by two (VERY tiny) s-shaped clips. After these panels were secured, I covered the seam between the two panels with some aluminum tape to keep my winter heat from escaping.<br />
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However, here's one thought: if you're going to be adding an exhaust fan to any of the tall panels in the back wall, as I did, don't tape these panels together until after you do that. You may want to remove the panel to cut the hole for the exhaust fan, and if you've taped it all in place, you'll be annoyed.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY8z_B7Zmo6FZ7NVIUuU73J4tud0k4QWc5gvYkce7tf5PiFto2W5kSD6liGRoX8jql0biP2Z8WzPJui-_ZpN8DQ5hCJk_YxgAyoM_Ez5TyY2bxTkc0rqBpRcsY5NL45Iqow5WWpPVjR2pF/s1600-h/panels+in+roof+and+NS+walls+8-29.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130689929959650018" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY8z_B7Zmo6FZ7NVIUuU73J4tud0k4QWc5gvYkce7tf5PiFto2W5kSD6liGRoX8jql0biP2Z8WzPJui-_ZpN8DQ5hCJk_YxgAyoM_Ez5TyY2bxTkc0rqBpRcsY5NL45Iqow5WWpPVjR2pF/s400/panels+in+roof+and+NS+walls+8-29.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a> Here’s a photo with the roof panels completed, and both of the long walls. Because of the added time spent weatherstripping, we didn't finish installing all of the panels in one day. We decided to leave both ends of the greenhouse open overnight, instead of building a "box" closed on one end that might catch the wind. (Did I mention it's windy here?)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfLwHXexZew7Ck-Z7636AQX1rYvoIDUzlLhZZGoPtNin-r-IxFSjk_OPmHF7EJY3YzAZIFJBPHQd0RmsmXhl2bJwAqdMpEa-N1kiRmm6ZGrToz2OwBB4nFhfnUs26mbelY-W6xCITlhdTb/s1600-h/panels+complete+8-31+copyright+notice.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306552704402043938" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfLwHXexZew7Ck-Z7636AQX1rYvoIDUzlLhZZGoPtNin-r-IxFSjk_OPmHF7EJY3YzAZIFJBPHQd0RmsmXhl2bJwAqdMpEa-N1kiRmm6ZGrToz2OwBB4nFhfnUs26mbelY-W6xCITlhdTb/s400/panels+complete+8-31+copyright+notice.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; height: 362px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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Next day, panels are all complete. And, it looks like a greenhouse!<br />
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Remember that old joke defining a boat as a hole in the water into which you pour money? Turns out greenhouses are the same thing, but they don't float.<br />
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If you'd like to see how we continued to spend money on further enhancements, click <a href="http://hfgh10x12.blogspot.com/2017/08/part-seven-greenhouse-enhancements.html"><b>here</b></a> to go to Part Seven: <b>Greenhouse Enhancements.</b>mudhousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14797472938550347719noreply@blogger.com46tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4563487586017212080.post-52546797900623565542007-08-13T12:17:00.000-06:002007-09-01T23:40:17.651-06:00Part Five: Modifying the Frame for Strength<strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">Making Modifications to Improve the Frame Strength</span></strong><br /><br />At this point, our greenhouse frame has been constructed as per the manual. It really feels fairly sturdy at this point, but then again, <strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">there are still no panels in it</span></strong>, and we’re not standing in a windstorm. ;-)<br /><br />Now’s the time to make a few additions to stop the frame from flexing. I’ve read many of the changes made by folks putting up this greenhouse. Methods vary, but they seem to fall into these general categories:<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;"><span style="color:#000000;">1.</span> Prevent the two side walls from pulling away from each other</span></strong>, by adding horizontal braces that go from side to side, at the tops of the walls.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;"><span style="color:#000000;">2.</span> Stiffen the back wall</span></strong>, by bolting one or more pieces of solid material all the way across the wall. Some creative folks have tied this solid bracing material into the design of sturdy benches.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;"><span style="color:#000000;">3.</span> Stiffen the front wall</span></strong>, bolting a piece of solid material over the doorway.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;"><span style="color:#000000;">4.</span> Prevent the C-shaped steel base from flexing.</span></strong> This can be done by bolting small plates of some type to the top and bottom lip of the base at regular intervals, or by covering the inside of the base entirely with wood that's also attached to the top and bottom lip of the base.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#000000;">5.</span></strong> <strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">Strengthen the corner posts</span></strong>, by adding reinforcements at the bottom of the posts.<br /><br />Of course, everyone decides which modifications they think are the most critical, and then finds their own ways to complete them, using the tools and materials they prefer. You should also consider the placement of your own greenhouse, and how exposed it will be to winds. (Mine will sit in a very windy spot.)<br /><br />This is where some reading on the internet is time well spent. It's really helpful to look at photos of other HF 10 x 12 greenhouses shared by posters on the <a href="http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/strucs/">GardenWeb forum</a>. They’re each worth considering for their good ideas.<br /><br />We decided the first four modifications above were the most important for us.<br /><br />If aluminum comes in contact with steel, a corrosive reaction occurs that causes the steel to rust. So, regular steel angle iron isn’t a good choice for bracing. Aluminum angle stock is one solution, but it can be hard to find in long lengths, and fairly expensive. Another solution is to use EMT (electrical metal tubing) since it’s galvanized, fairly easy to bend and cut, easy to find and cheap.<br /><br />We started with the side-to-side wall braces. People usually use either ½” EMT or ¾” EMT for these, and they usually add two or three braces. We decided on three braces made from ¾” EMT.<br /><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;"><strong>TIP: Stop and check for squareness again. </strong></span><span style="color:#000000;">The more braces you add to the structure, the harder it is to correct if it's out of square. If it's out of square, the panels may not fit into the frame correctly later. We measured diagonally from corner to corner inside, and we used a level on each corner post. Better safe now than sorry later!</span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC8Eu7XWaUpFnuS0NK8FqpyHV25xokEdSyd9VUb5sI8FJmsoBbw53GaydVj0FfO1uv2a9jFALg0yRhhIrcWssO6wJKrSW5WVCvgRLLfZ5U1SzS0frnU6pIXgGzi5eV6j6KTn7yE2Zxtur6/s1600-h/L+bracket+other+studs+8-7.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100111061608088610" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC8Eu7XWaUpFnuS0NK8FqpyHV25xokEdSyd9VUb5sI8FJmsoBbw53GaydVj0FfO1uv2a9jFALg0yRhhIrcWssO6wJKrSW5WVCvgRLLfZ5U1SzS0frnU6pIXgGzi5eV6j6KTn7yE2Zxtur6/s320/L+bracket+other+studs+8-7.jpg" border="0" /></a><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">Making Our Wall-to-Wall Braces</span></strong><br /><br />A good basic way to attach EMT braces is to flatten the ends for several inches, bend the ends 90°, drill for bolts, and attach them to the greenhouse wall studs. There are many good photos of this attachment method on the Garden Web greenhouse forum.<br /><br />We tried something different, using 2" plated L brackets and bolts. First, L brackets were attached to the top of the stud.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">Tip:</span></strong> We didn’t have T bolts on hand to add to the stud tracks, so we used 3/16” carriage bolts, clipping off part of the flange on the head with bolt cutters. This left a rather jagged head that slipped into the track, and grabbed the inside of the track nicely when turned.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPSaTU9JGd6sZhvGJjhDymyVfEsy_T5C1fTcNj3AevGNsQ3HndLN4eiQmJQLB0tXhzYQHAJ1C2s9zIthJjaeYRlIR4hkaPolC2YuM2zVckaFisVRdU-c4Hf0MsmqD1WUzaWM6Zb5bfFoyK/s1600-h/L+bracket+center+stud+8-7.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100112092400239666" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPSaTU9JGd6sZhvGJjhDymyVfEsy_T5C1fTcNj3AevGNsQ3HndLN4eiQmJQLB0tXhzYQHAJ1C2s9zIthJjaeYRlIR4hkaPolC2YuM2zVckaFisVRdU-c4Hf0MsmqD1WUzaWM6Zb5bfFoyK/s320/L+bracket+center+stud+8-7.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Here’s an L bracket attached to the central stud (had to add a few washers behind the L bracket, because of the connection plate at that stud.)<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSll1CZeaZkU8uXqs3Km8Iqw1MOefnEg6sAmVACcO0Z87obGomctLFtIyrKIKt8ryVZHsTZ92Co6nHgt-G3SlqMgZ_7oYv3SODDnO0obuGsjXNdk-Snmw8DdrONYn9jnKChwEEVXIJ2Lii/s1600-h/EMT+drilled+two+holes+8-7.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100113458199839826" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSll1CZeaZkU8uXqs3Km8Iqw1MOefnEg6sAmVACcO0Z87obGomctLFtIyrKIKt8ryVZHsTZ92Co6nHgt-G3SlqMgZ_7oYv3SODDnO0obuGsjXNdk-Snmw8DdrONYn9jnKChwEEVXIJ2Lii/s320/EMT+drilled+two+holes+8-7.jpg" border="0" /></a> We held up each length of EMT to make sure the length was right before cutting. We wanted a snug fit to keep the side walls parallel and stable during wind. Our braces turned out to be a bit over 116", but (of course) you should measure your own structure carefully to determine the length you need.<br /><br />Each ¾” EMT brace was drilled all the way through on one end, to accept two bolts.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4c7Oi-k7amo8qgT6UWIc5qkiFVprd4NNUnU9kTWRaCpWxUPw6f0mqvCt3MZsRGSSZl3zUOP0-eElFUoZ-vBT2X4PLFcL4A0KEw5HustHw4rzFeoD9XNJovSoOuR29wzdQluZpf0r5JuRX/s1600-h/EMT+slotted+8-7.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100114050905326690" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4c7Oi-k7amo8qgT6UWIc5qkiFVprd4NNUnU9kTWRaCpWxUPw6f0mqvCt3MZsRGSSZl3zUOP0-eElFUoZ-vBT2X4PLFcL4A0KEw5HustHw4rzFeoD9XNJovSoOuR29wzdQluZpf0r5JuRX/s320/EMT+slotted+8-7.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />The other end of the EMT brace was also drilled for two bolts, and we cut a slot in <strong>one side</strong> of the brace, using an abrasive saw (or chop saw, used for cutting steel.)<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOIgsbbVgWSj1ygI0WQLbSpJtNl7iQCXVA1SZIKbm1wK6WLG6Op_dDQ0nVAkvV4abFhJGi3UzcYmC-qIHirGVB7zJ_mVyNrzx51ZKcrzvXPugip19vj3StA5-cvSm4Jw70DeorSUo6H2eT/s1600-h/EMT+over+reg+bracket.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100114656495715442" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOIgsbbVgWSj1ygI0WQLbSpJtNl7iQCXVA1SZIKbm1wK6WLG6Op_dDQ0nVAkvV4abFhJGi3UzcYmC-qIHirGVB7zJ_mVyNrzx51ZKcrzvXPugip19vj3StA5-cvSm4Jw70DeorSUo6H2eT/s320/EMT+over+reg+bracket.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />One end of the brace goes over the L bracket, and is secured it with bolts. Slipping the bolts through can be a little fiddly because you're working around the nuts already in place (tight quarters.) We found it best to install the bolts first on both ends, then go back and add the nuts and washers last.<br /><a href="http://davesgarden.com/tools/blog/viewimage.php?did=33719"></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj4_aXdJB1v945MlqcRg6xHgatmQ9AmLQ5XSZ5vsJqFZkBDX5EPUYUd7Xfzn1wyYs1aL0pBq1ofx4mAM_o7MJn3qul_-6VEzv_3e8KvZ6IvSm8jsc5-7bWgU_bAr7O4AuwWW_sT3NsRW0Z/s1600-h/EMT+over+slot+bracket+8-7.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100115219136431234" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj4_aXdJB1v945MlqcRg6xHgatmQ9AmLQ5XSZ5vsJqFZkBDX5EPUYUd7Xfzn1wyYs1aL0pBq1ofx4mAM_o7MJn3qul_-6VEzv_3e8KvZ6IvSm8jsc5-7bWgU_bAr7O4AuwWW_sT3NsRW0Z/s320/EMT+over+slot+bracket+8-7.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The slot allows the other end of the brace to slip sideways onto the L bracket, and it’s also secured with two bolts.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9FOB9dHiTbZ-_0br3j2nAg_nRHm7ks75SS9ut-HNYbNGOWriLzhVxjZ6p95PPcDuNrXn5NpjUpvuBhXVt2QOOWYrytTHbb9E3HS0NtGxl5hnbxJx1atyEkDKEK0VCQFtm7shrzlLnoIv3/s1600-h/three+central+slotted+braces+8-7.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100115867676492946" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9FOB9dHiTbZ-_0br3j2nAg_nRHm7ks75SS9ut-HNYbNGOWriLzhVxjZ6p95PPcDuNrXn5NpjUpvuBhXVt2QOOWYrytTHbb9E3HS0NtGxl5hnbxJx1atyEkDKEK0VCQFtm7shrzlLnoIv3/s400/three+central+slotted+braces+8-7.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Three EMT braces now connect the three central studs of each wall.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3hAo0DQDe0pmnVG59wc4F51ledrt98n6mtUs4EGUs0aI90cG0ebeKfu9OpnpAAvu8VFE0VAyRMOa0Zh1mgM2dqsEOWvEAZmdTvuHiLMImSQzQdUKQ296yPqaxCDBUeRmU8qvc4mHdnrcf/s1600-h/three+central+braces+wide+8-7.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100116468971914402" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3hAo0DQDe0pmnVG59wc4F51ledrt98n6mtUs4EGUs0aI90cG0ebeKfu9OpnpAAvu8VFE0VAyRMOa0Zh1mgM2dqsEOWvEAZmdTvuHiLMImSQzQdUKQ296yPqaxCDBUeRmU8qvc4mHdnrcf/s400/three+central+braces+wide+8-7.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />The three wall-to-wall braces should prevent the two walls from moving in and out during strong winds. They’re strictly for side-to-side bracing purposes, and we won’t be adding any extra weight to them (hanging plants, for example.)<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiQTgud-yG8dzhT-8MS367Aim4Kq7-IgBy8fyi_dFBCoktskWjQRiKXjY5ZrWOgr34CpE0DzXywn9BsdJcw9SGlPnlq-I-Ng7PW4tDOn4pAQcKuQDhNQPW1I1QkOL46KVTVXxRV44D8OcS/s1600-h/back+emt+detail+of+bolts+8-9.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100116984367989938" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiQTgud-yG8dzhT-8MS367Aim4Kq7-IgBy8fyi_dFBCoktskWjQRiKXjY5ZrWOgr34CpE0DzXywn9BsdJcw9SGlPnlq-I-Ng7PW4tDOn4pAQcKuQDhNQPW1I1QkOL46KVTVXxRV44D8OcS/s320/back+emt+detail+of+bolts+8-9.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="color:#3333ff;"><strong>Adding a Brace to the Back Wall</strong></span><br /><br />To stiffen the back wall, we used another piece of ¾” EMT, running corner to corner, snugged up against the bottom of the central Part 31 braces. Once again, we drilled holes in the EMT and used our modified carriage bolts in the tracks.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIPk_1ZfMsMzevGZiia6PRbr-Tj2UhlsDFj8MaQE6vVqOqMRwlbjGGF0_Xx_6Y93o3-z7hU-ZBSkWXtEUohEWJmf0WDs0DJyP7z78GfTsDzs9xf-RcjalnNP1bipCjmXFdBHR8f3cxdVv9/s1600-h/back+emt+inside+corner+8-9.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100117688742626498" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIPk_1ZfMsMzevGZiia6PRbr-Tj2UhlsDFj8MaQE6vVqOqMRwlbjGGF0_Xx_6Y93o3-z7hU-ZBSkWXtEUohEWJmf0WDs0DJyP7z78GfTsDzs9xf-RcjalnNP1bipCjmXFdBHR8f3cxdVv9/s320/back+emt+inside+corner+8-9.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />We butted the round EMT brace right into the inside corner, as shown here…<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Qb41DJFTjzVTbDXstT-4nS6tmGmfUULUFZqWWsAWoKernSpK5yw65w2R250FQNCeX0Iefuw7dLHL8cMrS2ZrVrN486rNHnvw533cd84G6Sz3ccUwH2Ld6D_kN5xqRm-CTLH7jgQ-B2em/s1600-h/back+emt+outside+corner+8-9.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100118088174585042" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Qb41DJFTjzVTbDXstT-4nS6tmGmfUULUFZqWWsAWoKernSpK5yw65w2R250FQNCeX0Iefuw7dLHL8cMrS2ZrVrN486rNHnvw533cd84G6Sz3ccUwH2Ld6D_kN5xqRm-CTLH7jgQ-B2em/s320/back+emt+outside+corner+8-9.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />…and we secured it with one sheet metal screw from the outside of the greenhouse, as shown here. We used a sheet metal screw because the head needs to be flat enough to not obstruct the polycarbonate panel, which will cover this area entirely.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL2BtFEWmzdazfkhNthvFxdAyEWO_jGO08kuW9ORPfJnXpeeYdcvee9eIHPvFboyCYJ9QYDegSkVx919ikVNsFlr5OfeyqpGaARmTWujZPwHSAy8X4a4vBEag_ILQDnu0U9IKPao_uqkAx/s1600-h/back+emt+full+view+8-9+fixed.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100119093196932322" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL2BtFEWmzdazfkhNthvFxdAyEWO_jGO08kuW9ORPfJnXpeeYdcvee9eIHPvFboyCYJ9QYDegSkVx919ikVNsFlr5OfeyqpGaARmTWujZPwHSAy8X4a4vBEag_ILQDnu0U9IKPao_uqkAx/s400/back+emt+full+view+8-9+fixed.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />So, here’s the back wall with the EMT brace in place, right under the center Part 31 braces. This single EMT brace makes a big improvement in the stiffness of the back wall, and it would be easy to another later if we feel it’s necessary.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW8569iGc0r3fZ4fztqIu6fcuuXtquYmNubk1DKQVWXvIAy7NavM1fJknPVJJpFBOueTtvgwSxkL6r7Jt7vFsb6Djveouk0q6ffsbBkPGJXZ3XWyZNkGsfhtDzwwQDXIJuy3j3xs66Mo4E/s1600-h/wood+door+brace+interior+8-13.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100120772529145090" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW8569iGc0r3fZ4fztqIu6fcuuXtquYmNubk1DKQVWXvIAy7NavM1fJknPVJJpFBOueTtvgwSxkL6r7Jt7vFsb6Djveouk0q6ffsbBkPGJXZ3XWyZNkGsfhtDzwwQDXIJuy3j3xs66Mo4E/s400/wood+door+brace+interior+8-13.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">Adding a Brace to the Front Wall</span></strong><br /><br />The frame over the door also benefits from stiffening; it prevents the front wall from flexing, and it also helps the sliding doors to work more smoothly.<br /><br />We could have figured out a way to use EMT or aluminum angle here, but we got creative and used a 1” by 2” piece of oak instead. We’re planning on building sliding screen doors for the greenhouse later, and the wood will allow us to attach the track for the screen doors more easily.<br /><br />A piece long enough to go corner to corner would have been better, but we used what we had, which was 8’ long. Even so, adding this piece made a big difference in the front wall strength.<br /><br />There was a row of bolt nuts where we wanted to affix the wood, so we drilled out the wood on the back to sit over the nuts. Then it fit flush against the aluminum trim on the inside of the greenhouse...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv1e7G6-3zlQK4rVtCogHm1o2xKhUTqo4qImMB82E0fsW1dyx7Q2hEC-CPOjF2VlbdhB1mvU8a8Cg5qmilfqJbwOpxf2JV80YHaxX_J3Uj-vb-S-bOzZ2VvgalMuQJ_mkjECyYw3U2_LgK/s1600-h/wood+door+brace+exterior+8-12.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100121515558487330" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv1e7G6-3zlQK4rVtCogHm1o2xKhUTqo4qImMB82E0fsW1dyx7Q2hEC-CPOjF2VlbdhB1mvU8a8Cg5qmilfqJbwOpxf2JV80YHaxX_J3Uj-vb-S-bOzZ2VvgalMuQJ_mkjECyYw3U2_LgK/s400/wood+door+brace+exterior+8-12.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />…and we secured it at close intervals with wood screws and washers on the outside of the greenhouse.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkJsZiLrjK_q5KozlmkbNArm60kl4sIDg0j3j3Qrsl1vxARyuQ-hRtMoEkPon6JQS9AC01tGzA46gEY7PEt4bG7NEuNdp5EYpLJKVCCUkf8Qx22CbPHYPxizxgNN9_S4JDbb4L1lNId6gN/s1600-h/tiny+gable+brace+8-10.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100122022364628274" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkJsZiLrjK_q5KozlmkbNArm60kl4sIDg0j3j3Qrsl1vxARyuQ-hRtMoEkPon6JQS9AC01tGzA46gEY7PEt4bG7NEuNdp5EYpLJKVCCUkf8Qx22CbPHYPxizxgNN9_S4JDbb4L1lNId6gN/s400/tiny+gable+brace+8-10.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">Adding Lightweight Braces to the Gable Ends</span></strong><br /><br />In addition, we decided to add a lightweight horizontal brace to the upper part of each gable end of the greenhouse.<br /><br />The addition of this brace will allow us to add screws to the polycarbonate panels that insert here, and will help keep them in place during strong winds (as explained in the next section, Adding the Panels.)<br /><br />We used 6’ lengths of aluminum angle, ½” by ½” by 1/16” thick. That's pretty thin, but we were surprised how even this small brace helped stiffen everything up. Once again, they were secured to the wall studs using modified carriage bolts. At the ends of the pieces, we drilled holes in the frame and added sheet metal screws.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJsPXOzGgGTs3f9wljWTDmtdwr42W7iVyomKHCnARY4HyfO-_lmN9KC0j9C_4yUzu3skc6sO235d-YXkOze3ah3o0-qNWqdZ17luIubUfhbyG3AzIYoES14DDaRvNHcEqDnAyGbGlzVwRX/s1600-h/base,+styrofoam+insulation+8-27.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5104344533562344978" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJsPXOzGgGTs3f9wljWTDmtdwr42W7iVyomKHCnARY4HyfO-_lmN9KC0j9C_4yUzu3skc6sO235d-YXkOze3ah3o0-qNWqdZ17luIubUfhbyG3AzIYoES14DDaRvNHcEqDnAyGbGlzVwRX/s320/base,+styrofoam+insulation+8-27.jpg" border="0" /></a> <strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">Insulating and Stiffening the Steel Base</span></strong><br /><br />The last modification we made was to prevent the c-shaped steel base from flexing when wind pushes on the greenhouse walls. It also gave us a chance to add some insulation.<br /><br />We used ¾” thick expanded polystyrene (styrofoam) insulation, cut into strips about 4 ¼” wide. We also stuffed some foam sill insulation in there first, to remove as many air pockets as possible.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Mhibv9ZpuFktAXgeFg9RSP14c66IDwV6IJf5I2r6dNMU8oZlkRmZnsap-ItlKAidwdOw5-OhcRMplsuNxcfLKBn44uv1eery8gD_HGUuk1D9QGKO-oD-flDpM5-bE_MQbhl7MPX3kDLC/s1600-h/base,+notches+in+board+8-27.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5104345242231948834" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Mhibv9ZpuFktAXgeFg9RSP14c66IDwV6IJf5I2r6dNMU8oZlkRmZnsap-ItlKAidwdOw5-OhcRMplsuNxcfLKBn44uv1eery8gD_HGUuk1D9QGKO-oD-flDpM5-bE_MQbhl7MPX3kDLC/s320/base,+notches+in+board+8-27.jpg" border="0" /></a>To stiffen the base (and protect the insulation) we attached boards made from 1” x 6” red cedar fence pickets. Before attaching them, I stained the boards with a redwood stain I was also using on the benches.<br /><br />Since the boards were actually 5 ½” tall, we notched out areas around the nuts and bolts. This wasn’t fun, but the soft cedar cut pretty easily with a box knife. In this photo you can still see the top and bottom lips of the steel base, which is where we'll put the screws, through the board and into the steel.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSoBDyEE4c93rVxe8taIh_zzqsoZUS9I2nuT0HZbd1ViRBRIspeuI80UkXijTUzN2D2Z0BbuZWk3leVYwgSqjhsdPI2MxcrTw9NyXdzFdPLuqVk_ThSEox-ZyixHWOaoKn_9c0pqPkv_AJ/s1600-h/base,+sheet+metal+screws+in+board+8-27.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5104345856412272178" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSoBDyEE4c93rVxe8taIh_zzqsoZUS9I2nuT0HZbd1ViRBRIspeuI80UkXijTUzN2D2Z0BbuZWk3leVYwgSqjhsdPI2MxcrTw9NyXdzFdPLuqVk_ThSEox-ZyixHWOaoKn_9c0pqPkv_AJ/s320/base,+sheet+metal+screws+in+board+8-27.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />We drilled pilot holes through the board into the top and bottom lip of the steel base, and secured the boards with sheet metal screws, about every 18” around the greenhouse perimeter.<br /><br />Now the base is insulated, and stiffened by the attached board...and it looks a little dressier, too.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtdldeN2RXu8YI5VfkGz707j-Z89eH4v_oyDQfQwIEnPqJOgl78tQChpV9BljOk0AGZLdo5lz0Ph448muJ7BXqstz4DVJoaQ7gGRFGJaBI3YneMJTU1rNcMzdFBGFencKYY-nTV-ClpL5e/s1600-h/ready+for+panels+(floor+done)+8-27.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5104346393283184194" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtdldeN2RXu8YI5VfkGz707j-Z89eH4v_oyDQfQwIEnPqJOgl78tQChpV9BljOk0AGZLdo5lz0Ph448muJ7BXqstz4DVJoaQ7gGRFGJaBI3YneMJTU1rNcMzdFBGFencKYY-nTV-ClpL5e/s400/ready+for+panels+(floor+done)+8-27.jpg" border="0" /></a><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">Voila, the floor's done!</span></strong><br /><br />We took a break at this point to do some work while we could still enjoy the open breeze in the greenhouse frame.<br /><br />We stubbed in the electric and water lines, and concreted in the supports for our benches to come. (More about our benches in the Greenhouse Enhancements section.) We also added concrete pavers in the walkways, and gravel under the bench areas.<br /><br />So, now our greenhouse looks like this. Click <a href="http://hfgh10x12.blogspot.com/2007/08/part-six-adding-panels.html"><b>here</b></a> to go to <b>Part Six: Adding the Panels.</b>mudhousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14797472938550347719noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4563487586017212080.post-50369647810115768212007-08-10T11:43:00.004-06:002008-12-16T14:19:27.656-07:00Part Four: Assembling the Roof, Windows, and DoorsThere are two ways to build the roof frame. The manual tells you to assemble the roof frame on the ground, and then (using assistance) lift it up and place it on top of your walls. I’ve read this actually isn’t as difficult as it sounds. However, there were only two of us building this, so we decided to assemble the roof on top of the walls, piece by piece. It’s actually quite easy also.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100098309850186642" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU77myFacEjP1S2PdRAclzc475T5ijrX90kk6mET5oOaciNn2bmrxjCOFtX49qiK4ge_wmUxbgoC79U3wqNY4xkafChTJ1_NGKPAs1QnmlC65q1yypEf_BZSgN2qiVtMF9lFbkKYfHwDaw/s400/starting+roof+frame+8-4.jpg" border="0" />First, we attached Parts 8 and 9 on each end of the greenhouse, to form the gables.<br /><br /><br /><p>Second, we attached Parts 10 and 11 on the ground to make the Crown.</p><p>Third, using two ladders, we fastened the Crown to the top. </p><p>At this point it’s easy to lay the Roof Studs (part 15) on top of the roof in place. Using a tall ladder inside the greenhouse, we attached the top of each roof stud to the holes in the Crown. That leaves the ends of the roof studs resting loosely on the wall tops, so you can (oh goody!) slide more bolts in the tracks. </p><p>In the photo above, the roof ends (parts 8, 9) are in place, the roof crown is up, and we’re starting to lay out the roof studs on top. </p><p><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvAWoQvheyLYQNpFunE2H-z2tfJu6aj2JI4C5kXG17eoUuFNCDLrGG4c4OPuqUX8FhypjuMNcVOevUOmnKtJVPk7G3ZiC6suU4_aSoB5FygdKgfkuJ49touDVxR8MVNd3LcLB7coM7DQQO/s1600-h/roof+frame+complete+8-4.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100098997044954018" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvAWoQvheyLYQNpFunE2H-z2tfJu6aj2JI4C5kXG17eoUuFNCDLrGG4c4OPuqUX8FhypjuMNcVOevUOmnKtJVPk7G3ZiC6suU4_aSoB5FygdKgfkuJ49touDVxR8MVNd3LcLB7coM7DQQO/s400/roof+frame+complete+8-4.jpg" border="0" /></a>Good news, the manual is correct on page 13 when it tells you how to install the bolts in the roof studs. But, <strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">those counts are only correct if you plan on installing the roof vent windows in the positions shown in the manual. </span></strong>We decided to put all four of our vents on one side of the greenhouse, so I had to refigure which bolts to stack in each stud.</p><p>It’s really not hard. Figure out where you want your roof vents, and look at the illustration on page 13. To start with, each roof stud is attached with a short bolt at the top. Then, if the roof stud is crossed by one Horizontal brace, you need one long bolt floating. If the roof stud is crossed by two Horizontal braces, you need two long bolts floating. If the roof stud attaches to either side of a window vent, you need a short bolt floating, ABOVE the long bolts used to secure the braces. And finally, you’ll need a short bolt at the bottom of the stud, to attach it to the top of the wall frame. If you just study the drawing and think about what each stud needs, you can figure it out.</p><p>As with the Part 30 braces for the walls, be sure you’re pointing the arrow stickers on the roof braces into the corners. The photo above shows the roof frame complete. </p><p><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCmhxF0BnLCDZYJLxOckVukfUKhCP_dtyV7X0vGgEzozGYJ1xANEWM7eO82oHQQ145DnNL61DkkfkEou4oOuyc4nH1-cxGFaDK8Ba37bb8mWEtnfBXyP1DP2C5bycnwLSONX1jCpV7nMPC/s1600-h/part+42+window+support+beams+8-28.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5104004569720997314" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCmhxF0BnLCDZYJLxOckVukfUKhCP_dtyV7X0vGgEzozGYJ1xANEWM7eO82oHQQ145DnNL61DkkfkEou4oOuyc4nH1-cxGFaDK8Ba37bb8mWEtnfBXyP1DP2C5bycnwLSONX1jCpV7nMPC/s400/part+42+window+support+beams+8-28.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;"><strong>A Note About Part 42, </strong><strong>Window Support Beams</strong></span></p><p>Page 13, step 5 has you sliding the window support beam (part 42) onto the roof studs where you want to position your window. This piece will eventually snug up against the bottom of the window. I managed to put these on upside down the first time; the correct orientation is shown in the photo to the right, with the U-shaped openings for the bolts pointing down towards the ground, and the flat part (with the part 42 stickers) facing inside the greenhouse.</p><p>Also, see those two tiny drilled holes in Part 42? Those are to attach Part 50, which is the little tab that will catch in the holes of your window handles when you prop the vents open. For some reason, the manual doesn't have you attach Part 50 to Part 42 until after you've installed the windows. At that point, you're up on a ladder, squinting in the sun, and trying to screw very tiny screws in place, one of which will most certainly fall in the dirt. And no, they don't include extras.</p><p><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">Tip: </span></strong>You might as well <span style="color:#3333ff;"><strong>attach those little Part 50 tabs to Part 42 right now</strong></span>, while you're standing on Good Mother Earth. Then they will look like the picture above, and you can go ahead and install them in the roof frame.<br /><br /><br /></p><p></p><p></p><p><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG51SehhLTIAmO6qz0ogcOvJFMr1nqFr-aLKF7t_kC8KH438DrJfJl-QbhoHfwWeW57ctmeTxHYynhJsNBEhMojx1CJujbyxtyMKxg8D3zuFkzjBYvoLmXP_v3AB2GJNTusGzHyukYDZ-0/s1600-h/window+vent+and+handle+8-5.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100099954822661042" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG51SehhLTIAmO6qz0ogcOvJFMr1nqFr-aLKF7t_kC8KH438DrJfJl-QbhoHfwWeW57ctmeTxHYynhJsNBEhMojx1CJujbyxtyMKxg8D3zuFkzjBYvoLmXP_v3AB2GJNTusGzHyukYDZ-0/s320/window+vent+and+handle+8-5.jpg" border="0" /></a><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">Assembling the Roof Vent Windows</span></strong></p><p>For each window frame, you attach two side pieces to the top piece, slide in the polycarbonate window, and attach the bottom piece of the frame. It wasn't clear to me how to orient the handle from the instructions, so here’s a photo of the bottom edge of an assembled window. This side of the window will face inside the greenhouse (the handle will hang down inside the greenhouse so you can open and close the window.)</p><p>I'm not impressed with the quality of the handles. One handle had a rough edge that prevented it from moving easily, but the aluminum is very soft, and it just took a second to smooth it out with a small file. </p><p><span style="color:#3333ff;"><strong>The Loose Window Panel Problem:</strong></span></p><p>This problem apparently only occurs in some kits. It did occur in my kit. When I assembled the windows, I noticed the polycarbonate window panels fit tightly in the frame from side to side, but they could move up and down in the frame by nearly 1/2". </p><p>I decided not to worry about it, and installed the windows anyway. Several months later, this caused a problem. During a very strong wind, one of the window poly panels actually blew part way out of the window frame (the poly panel slid up enough to expose the bottom edge, and the wind caught it.) </p><p>We ended up taking down all four windows and <strong>caulking each poly panel in place with clear caulk, on the outside of the window</strong>. If I build another Harbor Freight greenhouse, I'll check to see if the window panels fit snugly in the window frame. If they don't, I'll caulk them in place from the start, before I ever install the windows in the roof. (Be sure your frames are nice and square before you apply any caulk.) Since I caulked the poly panels in, I've had no more problems with the panels moving in the window frames.</p><p>One more note...if you ever do have to take down the windows, <em>after</em> your greenhouse is all assembled, as we did, please <strong>take note of the order you remove them</strong>, <strong>and put them back in the same order. </strong>We didn't do this, assuming the fit was the same for each window opening. Apparently it's not, and once the roof panels are in place, it's very hard to make any adjustments to the window openings. My windows have not fit as well since we took them down (and put them back in a different order.) Rats!</p><p><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-JttpLBmF585oXY9VbENI4voeBQMgWX7cvGtgzxalGBZhc_ELxaVDfLqgkNtlsvC7D2hNF_UWn53HspCHq_TNgIIKvU-fWAS4-bjSrVRyzRZ1a9Ai_wHOD5yHJUyA55sViiXk5G4FHnIJ/s1600-h/slide+windows+here+8-28.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5104005471664129490" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-JttpLBmF585oXY9VbENI4voeBQMgWX7cvGtgzxalGBZhc_ELxaVDfLqgkNtlsvC7D2hNF_UWn53HspCHq_TNgIIKvU-fWAS4-bjSrVRyzRZ1a9Ai_wHOD5yHJUyA55sViiXk5G4FHnIJ/s400/slide+windows+here+8-28.jpg" border="0" /></a><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">Installing the Windows in the Roof</span></strong></p><p>Amazingly, I found the directions for installing the windows confusing!</p><p>The highest part of the roof (the roof crown) is made of parts 10 and 11. The very top of the roof crown forms a groove or track that runs the entire length of the roof on both sides (where the red arrow is pointing in the photo to the right.)</p><p>To install the windows, take them one a time to the peak of the roof, at the end where the track starts, and slide the top of the window into the track on the side of the roof where you want your windows. (You can put your windows on both sides of the roof, or all on one side.) Holding the bottom of the window, you can now slide it to wherever you want it in the roof. Then lay it down in position, and it will hang in place.</p><p>You can also look at the bottom drawing on page 14, which shows a cross section view of the window frame top (part 38) sliding into the track in the roof crown (parts 10/11.)</p><p><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi68SFfkWmytWR2Kbcvmsczm6crxhBQb86NegGTwFgvHHGJdH64zo4bL5s1wMoF5SaLpPC4tNiHKKGFPUXMeB9mRHETNbtTFPe_WurTEJnjOJVAmc0fP7udIf2pixtysnyu42qumWvOSCcx/s1600-h/window+install+detail+8-27.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5104008375062021634" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi68SFfkWmytWR2Kbcvmsczm6crxhBQb86NegGTwFgvHHGJdH64zo4bL5s1wMoF5SaLpPC4tNiHKKGFPUXMeB9mRHETNbtTFPe_WurTEJnjOJVAmc0fP7udIf2pixtysnyu42qumWvOSCcx/s400/window+install+detail+8-27.jpg" border="0" /></a> When the windows are where you want them, you snug part 42 up to the bottom of your window.<br /></p><p>If you’re ganging windows together, as I did, the Parts 42 just overlap each other, and share the same bolt in the track, as you can see in the far right of this photo.</p><p>I ganged all four windows together on one side, and I had to do a bit of adjusting and wiggling to get all the windows to open smoothly.<br /></p><p><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0JHfpmzsj_D4WZSWyvCfKMrHhALoBw7YnrQXS7fShiQ8Dmu2R8-P-EWxm6pHmhxrRiosbPY3D9Wvj6D7VzInSWG0YMm2y1RKbMvMdXIoEFivK2LA2wq-i2jACkrOyfClx5Q-lI2QK1Krt/s1600-h/four+windows+installed+8-27.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5105443173311759954" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0JHfpmzsj_D4WZSWyvCfKMrHhALoBw7YnrQXS7fShiQ8Dmu2R8-P-EWxm6pHmhxrRiosbPY3D9Wvj6D7VzInSWG0YMm2y1RKbMvMdXIoEFivK2LA2wq-i2jACkrOyfClx5Q-lI2QK1Krt/s400/four+windows+installed+8-27.jpg" border="0" /></a>All four windows are now installed.</p><p><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">Tip:</span></strong> In this photo, see how all four of the window vent handles are just hanging straight down? Don't do that. Here's why.</p><p>Instead of locking the handles into the (part 50) peg on the window frame, I left those handles hanging down while we were installing panels. Suddenly (did I mention it's windy here?) an odd wind came up under one vent window, popped it wide open, and then bent it backwards until it popped out of the track and flew about 8 feet. Landed on the roof of our house. Very exciting.</p><p>Nothing was broken, and we just slid it back into the track. <strong>This would not have happened if I had fastened the window handles onto the peg on the frame, into any one of the holes.</strong> In the right wind, the vents can still open up a bit, even in the tightest (lock down) position on the handle. But, it sure won't flip over backwards and land on your roof. Keep 'em secured!</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100100702146970562" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_vHJRsjQAefX9V0HUOEm-haDDvjsA5L4JlhiyFEmZFIjMO_5QeSqubfvB5SjtwGX7TEux0Lrg3NzpGefTlAVrD6tHOEQdGiA-X6Ok3b0Ffb4-1sR5CKX-wicScVtBssvkQx4abOFRENlw/s320/door,+finished+8-7.jpg" border="0" /><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">Assembling the Sliding Doors</span></strong></p><p>The door has also been redesigned along the way. The newer version (mine) has tracks to hold the poly panels in place, and the old version had small pegs to hold the panels in place. </p><p>Frankly, I could not make heads or tails out of the drawings or instructions on page 15 for assembling the doors. I think it may be the worst page in the manual, and I wonder if the instructions have gotten a bit muddled during the design change. The two lower illustrations are important, but for the general fitting-together-of-pieces I found photos online to be much more helpful, so I've included a lot of pics here.</p><p>A picnic table is a good work height for assembling the doors.</p><p>Here’s a completed door, front side up. The top and bottom of the door has wheels that slide on the tracks in the door frame. The black rubber gasket will face the greenhouse. If your rubber gaskets are sticking out beyond the frame end, just wiggle them in the track until they’re flush.</p><p><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">Note:</span></strong> Each poly panel in the door slides into a fairly tight groove in the cross braces. If you’re sealing the edges of your panels with aluminum tape (see the section on Adding the Panels) you should <strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">just skip taping these panels</span></strong>; the edges won’t be open to the elements anyway, and it can make it really hard to get the panels in (especially if the poly panel has any kind of a burr on the cut edge.) I taped all eight door poly panels before I understood how the door was assembled, and it caused me grief! </p><p>If you find that some of your door poly panels will not slide into the grooves in the door parts, they may have a cutting burr on the edge of the poly panel, making the edge just a bit too fat to slip into the groove. I found I could take a pair of wide-jaw pliers, and working along the panel edge, just squeeze the edge gently to compress it a bit. Not much...a snug fit is better to decrease air leaks, but you can do this if the poly panels seem too fat to go into the grooves.</p><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5R4oR3hxn-O9N-zUKHZhf28sWeX6UuFQ8FngONtgsIJs96KH9IzVIRymB4VGvekulORgp1Fq79ogY5ZsazBrofV8LzOTsQJUWggQHVDxyV67eI6S_0IcgTV-EPynVJPjAlRpwihZnF8ml/s1600-h/door,+screws+in+slot+holes+8-7.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100101797363631058" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5R4oR3hxn-O9N-zUKHZhf28sWeX6UuFQ8FngONtgsIJs96KH9IzVIRymB4VGvekulORgp1Fq79ogY5ZsazBrofV8LzOTsQJUWggQHVDxyV67eI6S_0IcgTV-EPynVJPjAlRpwihZnF8ml/s320/door,+screws+in+slot+holes+8-7.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />All of the horizontal parts are attached by putting screws through the slotted holes in the side pieces (part 33). Be sure the arrow stickers on the central braces (part 36) point up as you install them.<br /><br />I attached all the horizontal pieces (top, bottom, central braces) to one side piece (part 33) first, fitting the polycarbonate panels (part 64) in place as I worked down the door. Then I attached the other side piece (part 33.) Generally the whole process takes a bit of fiddling and sliding parts around to hold all four of the poly panels tight. I believe you could assemble the parts with the rubber gasket up (viewing the back of the door) or with the rubber gasket down (viewing the front)...whatever works for you.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEOKQU8H1CaMJZ5kaQ-5q1ULGd23U0ySHJxPYr8FA_Amr2iXNxVlOTq0AzoPgqIoOF4lypa4cwdpyAzicnBr8jixuyPdAadhxRCPKM85QGw1j07SIEHVsgl9fZPC9xmidGik5NCXXLM0U9/s1600-h/door,+little+black+clip+8-31.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5105444676550313570" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEOKQU8H1CaMJZ5kaQ-5q1ULGd23U0ySHJxPYr8FA_Amr2iXNxVlOTq0AzoPgqIoOF4lypa4cwdpyAzicnBr8jixuyPdAadhxRCPKM85QGw1j07SIEHVsgl9fZPC9xmidGik5NCXXLM0U9/s320/door,+little+black+clip+8-31.jpg" border="0" /></a>There are two small black plastic pieces (part 51) that get inserted in each end of the bottom rail (part 37) before you attach it.<br /><br />Because the holes for the screws are slotted, you can adjust this part to either be high or low. When we installed the doors, we found the small black pieces (part 51) had to be adjusted <strong>as low as possible</strong> so they would fit over the floor plate.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">Tip:</span></strong> After we installed the doors, I also found that some fiddling/adjusting of this part controlled how easily the door would slide over the bottom rail. You might need to play with it.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPsCji-2QaTyhGUT6LafauVdsBzcUrP8Qw1PZzxee8UGJ4bNtTaundJwEOdKwJ5BwnoNt2KpQ3DvMpi4zP3QfrqbeEy2PeKZmouT5UYShC0Aljjk9tKGWLdcNt9S4LD3UPYzT4_U-TonTy/s1600-h/door,+bottom+corner+back+8-7.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100102909760160754" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPsCji-2QaTyhGUT6LafauVdsBzcUrP8Qw1PZzxee8UGJ4bNtTaundJwEOdKwJ5BwnoNt2KpQ3DvMpi4zP3QfrqbeEy2PeKZmouT5UYShC0Aljjk9tKGWLdcNt9S4LD3UPYzT4_U-TonTy/s320/door,+bottom+corner+back+8-7.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Here’s the bottom door corner, shown from the back of the door:<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUptm8nY3eb-JQIcsw5NG_gm7Cy8uVRp_Cfx9aLoGiukvT5_aXXtMXBm-Q-qUQQAw-hZEHX9hJ-TdmMyYG7P1bWDMUD1j4Jbvxzwqf-Vq9m9vn0HseF_tfVmMyX5ZFPwmBGOJnlLn9e1a9/s1600-h/door,+top+corner+front+8-7.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100103532530418690" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUptm8nY3eb-JQIcsw5NG_gm7Cy8uVRp_Cfx9aLoGiukvT5_aXXtMXBm-Q-qUQQAw-hZEHX9hJ-TdmMyYG7P1bWDMUD1j4Jbvxzwqf-Vq9m9vn0HseF_tfVmMyX5ZFPwmBGOJnlLn9e1a9/s320/door,+top+corner+front+8-7.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Here’s a front top door corner. You bolt the top door frame (part 35) to the Door Slider (part 34, which has the wheels that slide on the track.) This is how it looks from the front.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEJOMHOYrKT6Qe1iaVESIgnC8dZVsoOl0q6JcUYB9Hnjz28AXaR1edsd7A-NI6kUymMRf9jSNmF7KVMchtwOK1GRW8kAV7r-vKO-dk2J_Mr-1i9r8gh_jcJ01EvdXmvUFo99dykUzgi5Il/s1600-h/door+top+corner+back.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100104004976821266" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEJOMHOYrKT6Qe1iaVESIgnC8dZVsoOl0q6JcUYB9Hnjz28AXaR1edsd7A-NI6kUymMRf9jSNmF7KVMchtwOK1GRW8kAV7r-vKO-dk2J_Mr-1i9r8gh_jcJ01EvdXmvUFo99dykUzgi5Il/s320/door+top+corner+back.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Here's how a top corner looks from the back.<br />This is one of the wheels that slides on the track at the top of the door, and the black rubber gasket will be touching the front of the greenhouse.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">Installing the Sliding Doors</span></strong><br /><br />One of us slid the top wheel on the track at the top, and the other guided the bottom onto the bottom track. This is fiddly because of the small black plastic clip that has to be threaded onto the bottom track, and I pretty much had my ear in the dirt to see that it was lined up correctly.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJTMymTVK9oejlziNMGz-ogdgQet9Y748n_yuRAs_XEuJJ5Nl1r3NdeJg-hDJprhXQbrNECT59vdY8jVbUkvhMhVVIf4IfMZmSpRIi9f5TF5P6IcVaEB1ULX-z1hnn5WEQ_cQuX_UoWj0G/s1600-h/door+clip+illustration.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5177846010787328738" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJTMymTVK9oejlziNMGz-ogdgQet9Y748n_yuRAs_XEuJJ5Nl1r3NdeJg-hDJprhXQbrNECT59vdY8jVbUkvhMhVVIf4IfMZmSpRIi9f5TF5P6IcVaEB1ULX-z1hnn5WEQ_cQuX_UoWj0G/s320/door+clip+illustration.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;"><strong>VERY Important Tip: </strong></span><span style="color:#330033;">There's a very important small illustration at the bottom of page 15, labelled Side View. It's shown to the right. This shows you that the small black plastic clip Part 51 has to be guided onto the bottom door track so the small vertical part of the aluminum track is actually threaded up into the vertical gap in the center of black plastic part 51. If you do it right, the bottom leg of the black plastic "L shape" goes down the front and <strong>under</strong> the L-shaped aluminum door track, as the illustration shows.</span><br /><p><span style="color:#330033;"><span style="color:#3333ff;"><strong>Note:</strong></span> It's actually possible to install the doors incorrectly at the bottom, so that the black plastic part 51 is just sitting <strong>on top of</strong> the door track, sliding along in the small valley there. </span><span style="color:#330033;"><strong>This is not right. </strong>Although your doors can function (sort of) this way, they can also fall off, since they're not truly captured at the bottom in the manner the kit intends. This also means your doors could more easily blow out in a big wind, so be sure you've installed that bottom part correctly. When they're installed right, the doors are firmly captured at the top and the bottom. </span></p><p>There’s one joint in the floor plate that was difficult to get the left door over. Once you get it over the joint, you’re home free, but it was hard. We had to adjust that black plastic part 51 down as far down as we could, using the screw closest to it, and even then it took a lot of gentle tugging and bad words. </p><p><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwhfgupBYAmOn3Tgcw56yXfu-Ym-X73YNhiGRKuknfQjviXIPF6ZtWD1i0-yTQUFHI_d-Dnmjqq0HcpvwSE5jdesa84VijmZ1uXnbAXUnHc1LLXC8h5Zkwe8ExwZYQ19QAB6VfTUGgxPsD/s1600-h/door+gap+8-31.jpg"><span style="color:#3333ff;"><strong><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5105446489026512498" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwhfgupBYAmOn3Tgcw56yXfu-Ym-X73YNhiGRKuknfQjviXIPF6ZtWD1i0-yTQUFHI_d-Dnmjqq0HcpvwSE5jdesa84VijmZ1uXnbAXUnHc1LLXC8h5Zkwe8ExwZYQ19QAB6VfTUGgxPsD/s320/door+gap+8-31.jpg" border="0" /></strong></span></a><span style="color:#3333ff;"></span><span style="color:#3333ff;"><strong>Fine-Tuning the Doors</strong></span></p><p>You'll want to come back and deal with this part much later, when the rest of your greenhouse is completed, but I'll include it here since we're talking about doors in this section. </p><p>When I was done with the doors, and had adjusted every screw I could find of to get them sliding freely, I was very happy with how easily they moved. But I still had a gap between the two doors; a good quarter inch at the bottom, and slightly less at the top. Some people have reported that their doors have a uniform gap between them; others (like me) have a gap slightly larger at the bottom. Either way, it's annoying, and no good for holding in the heat during the winter. See photo to right.<br /><br />I first tried to fix this gap by buying some high quality 1/4" rubber door gasket, and attaching it with screws to both doors. This didn't work; the doors slide so freely that they just moved the same distance apart, and so I had the same gap, but nicely lined with $7 worth of pretty white door gasket. Crud.<br /><br />Even worse, if you use more weather stripping than you need to close the space between the two doors, you also create NEW gaps at the far edges of the doors, because you're now moving the black rubber door gasket further away from the metal greenhouse frame than the kit intended. To see what I mean, just open up your doors so there's a very small gap between them, and then feel the outer edge of the door, where the black gasket is. You'll feel the gap where warm air could escape.<br /><br />So, first lesson is, I found that plain foam weather stripping (the closed cell type, so it won't soak up rain water) worked better on my door gap than rigid rubber door gasket. I needed something that would close down the gap, but would compress easily under pressure. You may need to experiment to determine what works best for your own door gap situation.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6zgeOJc9S0Oc6lXRdf4XR97fa7rn8_nl9xa0p4RxUbJXMSC5IVFO6SHHc6C1lRUMzp99hDCv1etpWTU513bjnH9x26J4jCthUhR6EE6xQxFf9SakU1S8d2rDYlwA0acNpOv4nGnvJl5qH/s1600-h/door+weatherstrip+behind+gasket+11-07.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5177842385834930898" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6zgeOJc9S0Oc6lXRdf4XR97fa7rn8_nl9xa0p4RxUbJXMSC5IVFO6SHHc6C1lRUMzp99hDCv1etpWTU513bjnH9x26J4jCthUhR6EE6xQxFf9SakU1S8d2rDYlwA0acNpOv4nGnvJl5qH/s320/door+weatherstrip+behind+gasket+11-07.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />After I'd changed out the weatherstripping in the gap between the doors, I found I still needed to apply a strip of foam weatherstripping to the <strong>outer edges</strong> of the doors, under the black rubber door gasket, to really close down any potential air leaks around the doors. </p><p>This photo shows how I just held the black rubber door gasket out of the way, so I could affix the self-adhesive foam weatherstripping to the frame right under the gasket. This allows the rubber gasket to hit against the foam stripping, and to make good contact the whole length of the door. Now I have a good tight seal around the outer edges of my doors when they are closed, and a good seal in the center between the two doors. </p><p></p><p></p><p><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPGFefNNOG32TtdKcomWoFFOuzbcncnSjwkfBJe3ATzZipU6heZnXbXwq8_AxQfEjrItE7kOSnCImkz4t2f73aMLpiBz-ulWsvNpuudNjfT603uKylAAL6ZvAbiT3wKPeitTJ89aUiZzuw/s1600-h/door+clamped+shut+11-07.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5177839198969197250" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPGFefNNOG32TtdKcomWoFFOuzbcncnSjwkfBJe3ATzZipU6heZnXbXwq8_AxQfEjrItE7kOSnCImkz4t2f73aMLpiBz-ulWsvNpuudNjfT603uKylAAL6ZvAbiT3wKPeitTJ89aUiZzuw/s320/door+clamped+shut+11-07.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></p><p>Now, on to the question of keeping the doors closed. Since my doors slide so easily, they can actually be opened by a strong wind blowing directly on them. Someday we may figure out a way to build a special latch, but in the meanwhile I'm happy with my unlovely but functional clamp. The clamp has a lot of strength (takes both hands for me to open it) so I don't worry about it popping off, and it thoroughly compresses my weather stripping between the two doors. Recently we had about nine hours of winds in the 30-40mph range, blowing directly on my greenhouse doors. Since they were actually predicting gusts over 60mph, I added an additional two clamps (top and bottom.) Normally, I just use one. If the GH doors are closed, the clamp is on. I know Martha Stewart would have a prettier solution, but she's not here.</p><p><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">A side note about doors in cold climates</span> </strong>(added 12-16-08.) Although not a problem for me, some Harbor Freight owners have posted that the sliding doors have a nasty habit of freezing closed in cold wet weather. Some say this is made worse by the addition of a rubber gasket (as I applied on mine, above.) Others say the ice accumulates in the lower track. If you live in a cold climate, it's not a bad idea to think which side panel you might remove for emergency access to the greenhouse interior, if the doors freeze shut in a bad storm. </p><p>Several people have eventually removed the sliding doors and modified the front of the greenhouse to accept a hinged storm door, which seems to solve the problem. To see photos of what others have done, you can visit these threads from the Gardenweb greenhouse forum:</p><p><a href="http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/strucs/msg0208100815422.html">Modifying sliding doors to a hinged door</a><br /><a href="http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/strucs/msg0420133819956.html">Modifying sliding doors to a hinged door</a> </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Okay, enough door fiddling. Now you can click <a href="http://hfgh10x12.blogspot.com/2007/08/part-five-modifying-frame-for-strength.html"><b>here</b></a> to go to the really important section, Part Five<strong>, Modifying the Greenhouse Frame for Strength!</strong></p>mudhousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14797472938550347719noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4563487586017212080.post-60412721481620491692007-08-07T21:48:00.003-06:002009-08-08T22:19:25.813-06:00Part Three: Assembling the Walls<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8byU1zhjZmEjUzLzE1wLIO0JoMcvwlYKmFyRSl_NIKt_hlUSlQyhf-FpVVneMN4Ky4EHZdMVXIKxcex2Xv8PgVbrpPH6qfjG-OVTdTcV9G_7sXoSBZ68zgxr0vIq6vvJ38xPfWY_2JorF/s1600-h/outside+corner+post+bottom+7-31.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5099883540010549634" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8byU1zhjZmEjUzLzE1wLIO0JoMcvwlYKmFyRSl_NIKt_hlUSlQyhf-FpVVneMN4Ky4EHZdMVXIKxcex2Xv8PgVbrpPH6qfjG-OVTdTcV9G_7sXoSBZ68zgxr0vIq6vvJ38xPfWY_2JorF/s400/outside+corner+post+bottom+7-31.jpg" border="0" /></a>I won't cover every step in the manual, but I'll try to hit spots that give folks a rough time.<br /><br />First, it's best to assemble this frame on a day <strong>without wind. </strong><br /><p>Second, throughout the kit, <strong>the bolts are inserted so the head is on the outside of the greenhouse, and the nut is on the inside of the greenhouse. </strong>This allows the panels to lay flat against the bolt heads on the outside of the greenhouse.</p>The floor plates (Parts 1,2,3,4,5,6) get assembled and sit on top of the steel base. It seems like they should get bolted down somehow, but they don't. They're basically "clamped" to the steel base by the small Hold Down Connectors (part 47) that you'll use at the bottoms of the corner posts and wall studs.<br /><br />It's easy to get confused about how to orient the four corner posts (part 7). Each post has a <strong>total of two holes</strong> drilled in one end, and a <strong>total of four holes</strong> drilled in the other end. The end with <strong>two holes goes down</strong>, and the end with <strong>four holes goes up.</strong><br /><br />Each post is oriented so the two <strong>flat flanges point towards</strong> the greenhouse<strong>,</strong> and the two <strong>flanges with folded-over edges point away</strong> from the greenhouse. The photo above shows a corner post from the outside.<br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5099899212346212898" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiycFOoXj1QbF_1CzXRigjEDag1mBAfznKaIwibkHowoKgDCQTENxqlEmULMvma7dShFWQROSVSqVdUR3B7-K9y_oXNy16oesrvmPCmliElD5lHptLLFOeby0nYqp3QpPFaienPoB4tCGZ8/s320/frame+anchored+to+rafters+7-30.jpg" border="0" />Now comes a case of "do as we say, not as we did."<br /><br />When the corner posts went up, they were wobbly. They got even more wobbly when we added the weight of the ceiling plates to the top, which is the next step in the manual. Then a breeze sprang up, and the structure got very unstable. Running, yelling, grabbing of posts. To prevent damage to the frame, we anchored the structure to our nearby house rafters with scrap wood and wire.<br /><br />I found out later what smart people do to avoid this problem:<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">TIP:</span> As you put the corner posts up, temporarily attach the diagonal braces (parts 79 and 80) for stability.</strong><br />Have a look ahead at page 11 of your manual. See how the diagonal parts 79 and 80 are attached to the top of the corner post, and to the base? Put them in place now; attach a part 79 AND a part 80 to each of the four corner posts. The aluminum this kit is made from is quite soft (softer than the stock aluminum the box stores sell, for example.) It's possible to for the posts to bend if they're allowed to fall over under stress.<br /><br />This is just a temporary trick to give you stability at this point, and you’ll have to remove these diagonals when it’s time to add some of the vertical wall studs. Until then, you’ll have the support you need to add the top (ceiling) plates all around the structure. If you’re assembling this out in the open and a breeze springs up, you’ll be glad those diagonal braces are in place. This is also extremely helpful if you're building this greenhouse by yourself. It's easy to bolt and unbolt these pieces as needed, so go for the stability and peace of mind (trust me.)<br /><br />That way you won't have to do anything that looks as silly as our baling wire solution above.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn5-TA_Hj7DPTsmQvqjmKY5FvBBQIsBefewLwhkw7MJ0RpE2_CZtzY_xAR545FK7jH3osWqVYeoYcjy-lVjzngGAoiCrdjSBI2JLmRqbAkZegCRmdjTPpPoBYVG7MvmPrldoqb914f9GpE/s1600-h/front+ceiling+plate+installed+7-31.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5099898795734385170" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn5-TA_Hj7DPTsmQvqjmKY5FvBBQIsBefewLwhkw7MJ0RpE2_CZtzY_xAR545FK7jH3osWqVYeoYcjy-lVjzngGAoiCrdjSBI2JLmRqbAkZegCRmdjTPpPoBYVG7MvmPrldoqb914f9GpE/s320/front+ceiling+plate+installed+7-31.jpg" border="0" /></a> <strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">The Front Ceiling Plate </span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">(Parts 24,25,26,27)</span></strong><br /><br />On page 7, assembling the pieces for the front ceiling plate (over the door) is confusing. You assemble them on the ground first. To figure out which side is up for each piece, it helps to look at the drawings in the parts list on page 19. If you orient the pieces like they look in the parts list, the directions make (a little) more sense.<br /><br /><span style="color:#000000;">In my manual, on</span> Page 8, step 7, it said to “attach the Front Ceiling Plate to the <strong>inside</strong> of the two Corner Studs.” This is impossible; the ceiling plate can only be attached on the <strong>outside</strong> of the two corner studs. I've been told this error has been corrected in more recent manuals (although it still shows this error in the PDF file manual on the Harbor Freight website.)<br /><br />The photo above shows how the ceiling plate looks installed.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEt4CpZOjE-IeTlO9nasWtZzGCfDuMuvL-jgW17-HwaexVsgQJ9X_HNnGqQsKaafxPdZT1w9Fm2j3i_0trPx3UgLsjnfB4tEHjqQ0pPrknImR8JbU3hHNwNhY02W6aZothYBz9clET08hP/s1600-h/rear+braces+7-31.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5099901046297248306" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEt4CpZOjE-IeTlO9nasWtZzGCfDuMuvL-jgW17-HwaexVsgQJ9X_HNnGqQsKaafxPdZT1w9Fm2j3i_0trPx3UgLsjnfB4tEHjqQ0pPrknImR8JbU3hHNwNhY02W6aZothYBz9clET08hP/s320/rear+braces+7-31.jpg" border="0" /></a> <strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">The Very Annoying Two Rear Wall Braces (Parts 31 and 48)</span></strong><br /><br />Everyone seems to agree this is a bad spot in the assembly. Page 8, Step 10. You’re joining two Rear Braces (part 31) together into one 10’ wide piece to be installed at the top of the back wall. The two Rear Braces are positioned parallel to each other, partially overlapping, and connected by two Stud Connectors (part 48.)<br /><br /><strong>The flat side of part 48 will be against the rear braces, and part 48 will be on the outside of the greenhouse. </strong><br /><br />Use <strong>long bolts</strong> in the holes of the Stud Connectors to attach the Rear Braces together, and use a <strong>strut bolt</strong> (part 78) in each end of this long assembly. When it’s assembled and installed, it looks like this (standing inside the greenhouse.) But there's a problem…let's call it a <strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">Bad Design Alert!<br /><br /></span></strong><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2VRlbwIFxyNZ9A6etdv-X2lRw4uNGzAked7h9ZZphCBkmecZpNcLQ1GFCpifcg-s0xcgCL8pozxmbjauJodlw1U7OSrfW-qrmziDnZ59BT-8Aks2QZIIwyV3YrqSL4Q0z54uiLpgZnBY_/s1600-h/rear+brace+in+bottom+hole+8-1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5099902854478479938" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2VRlbwIFxyNZ9A6etdv-X2lRw4uNGzAked7h9ZZphCBkmecZpNcLQ1GFCpifcg-s0xcgCL8pozxmbjauJodlw1U7OSrfW-qrmziDnZ59BT-8Aks2QZIIwyV3YrqSL4Q0z54uiLpgZnBY_/s320/rear+brace+in+bottom+hole+8-1.jpg" border="0" /></a> The instructions tell you to fasten both ends of this Rear Brace assembly to the bottom hole of the triangular Corner Bracket (49) at the corner posts, as shown to the right.<br /><br />This doesn’t work well. One end of this newly assembled bar is higher than the other, so to keep things level, the attachment point on one side should be slightly higher than the attachment point on the other side. That’s logical, right?<br /><br />Well, unfortunately, you can't attach this in a logical way. You do need to use the bottom hole on the Corner Bracket, just as the instructions say, on both sides. This means that the whole assembly is be rather unlevel. It looks a bit odd, but it does work.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitOFZhpoovVPohMSQp3dna3cQrL8kuKHpbN94KsBOGEWRUiwgyB8k122_SaGsCYaLHAaf2sYOH9rizB4gWWBUIdinXeXCa-rj_8zsEWymPUtCirS4jDRSvjO75mbWcybXzyX9KQZVAdjr-/s1600-h/rear+brace+in+second+hole+8-1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5099905306904805970" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitOFZhpoovVPohMSQp3dna3cQrL8kuKHpbN94KsBOGEWRUiwgyB8k122_SaGsCYaLHAaf2sYOH9rizB4gWWBUIdinXeXCa-rj_8zsEWymPUtCirS4jDRSvjO75mbWcybXzyX9KQZVAdjr-/s320/rear+brace+in+second+hole+8-1.jpg" border="0" /></a> In case you're as stubborn as I am, let me save you some time. We tried to correct this dumb design by attaching one end of the assembly to the <strong>bottom hole</strong> of the Corner Bracket, as in the photo above. On the other end, we thought we were being brilliant by ignoring the directions, and attaching it to the corner bracket using the <strong>second hole up</strong> from the bottom, so it looked like the photo to the right.<br /><br />Great! This makes everything nice and level all across the back wall. But it won't work. The problem is, a few steps later you’re attaching Side Diagonal Strut (part 80) onto the same corner bracket area, and it simply won’t fit if you use the second hole for part 31 as we did to the right.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHv8Izyxpo5PuwoatA7Qe1tSiZD_YtRIcoShAt03NU5qBbfapkn4_63BwXyzUykmBCjnFt54swZv2egNaFgKWKT7Go3quP-Ne4Vtr-7ftflu7-I07dbPcDj9PhB5lSqdq23ssAYaZhO_8x/s1600-h/rear+brace+BACK+in+bottom+hole+left+8-4.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5099917470252188322" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHv8Izyxpo5PuwoatA7Qe1tSiZD_YtRIcoShAt03NU5qBbfapkn4_63BwXyzUykmBCjnFt54swZv2egNaFgKWKT7Go3quP-Ne4Vtr-7ftflu7-I07dbPcDj9PhB5lSqdq23ssAYaZhO_8x/s320/rear+brace+BACK+in+bottom+hole+left+8-4.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />So, defeated, we had to attach both ends to the bottom hole on the Corner Brace, as shown in the photo to the right, just as the instructions directed. So, <strong>this is how the back left corner is supposed to look</strong>, even though it does make the rear brace assembly look unlevel.<br /><br />Once you get this assembly attached at both ends, using the bottom hole in the Corner Brackets, you can loosen the bolts and wiggle things around so they look more level. The aluminum bracing has enough flexibility to be a little forgiving.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikrhUXDaNLQOogHpRNhm97AN2ts307Idy0A0AZM_3uP6daEj5oj8xPOeHtpAfFYLHFfB19BkJd18GXsFuSryFuox2CpyM5eHN2oe8yfvArQyw3e3MJEpTzAvm7qX0eWZsqBnJU6lY4iWih/s1600-h/stud+connector+2+open+holes+8-1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5099918543994012338" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikrhUXDaNLQOogHpRNhm97AN2ts307Idy0A0AZM_3uP6daEj5oj8xPOeHtpAfFYLHFfB19BkJd18GXsFuSryFuox2CpyM5eHN2oe8yfvArQyw3e3MJEpTzAvm7qX0eWZsqBnJU6lY4iWih/s320/stud+connector+2+open+holes+8-1.jpg" border="0" /></a><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">One more tip about this pesky area:</span></strong> when you start attaching the back wall studs to this Rear Brace assembly, the studs slide into the Stud Connector (47). One stud slides up from the bottom, and a short stud slides down from the top. The Stud Connector joins the two studs into one. When you slide the bottom stud into place, <strong>position it so it only covers up (roughly) the bottom two holes of the Stud Connector. </strong>You’ll need the top half of the Stud Connector clear to accept the other stud. Here’s what it looks like after the bottom stud is in place, standing outside of the greenhouse.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5099919329973027522" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd9DbTZ5N6ijpzIk6zI4zNnyenLvMeBXHqLkGRk0PeErLqEwp7CRaSX1WwMeDduTsJEUleeHsgzZ6nX3NdBC8pDjg5fuvjLH3ak6rMClDYWfzIQZMCs9VhhdWK9aj_dgAzpPyDarR2pvhp/s320/stud+connector+final+position+of+gap+8-4.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br />By the we had this Rear Brace assembly all assembled and wiggled around so it didn’t look as obviously crooked, the joint between the two studs actually ended up a bit higher than halfway on the stud connector, as you can see in the photo to the right.<br /><br />One person I read about decided to discard this whole Rear Brace assembly and bought a 10 foot wide piece of aluminum angle iron to use across the back wall instead. After wrestling with the design problems of this back wall area, I can see the benefits of that idea.<br /><br />However, it is possible to get the pieces together so they'll do their job...it just looks kind of funny.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;"><span style="color:#000000;">Now, on to</span> Assembling the Wall Studs (page 9) </span></strong>And <strong>The Famous Bolt Quantity Error</strong>!<br />Page 9 contains an error that's caused much aggravation. This page explains how you attach the wall studs to the top and bottom of the frame. As you attach each wall stud, you include extra bolts in the track that “float” until they’re used to secure braces you add later.<br /><br />The error is in the bold note marked “IMPORTANT:” by the Figure D illustration. It tells you how many of these extra bolts to insert in each wall stud, but <strong>the quantities are wrong.</strong><br />Basically, the instructions tell you to insert fewer long bolts than you'll really need. If you follow the instructions as shown in the manual, you will have to take things apart later to add more bolts to many wall studs. Arrgghh!<br /><br />In earlier kits, they didn't even include enough long bolts to complete the construction. People had to go buy more. In my kit, I had exactly enough long bolts to complete the construction, so they've probably started correcting the number of long bolts shipped in the kit. However, if you have the 05/06 manual, they have NOT corrected the <strong>instructions</strong> that tell you where to use them. Nice, huh?<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXbq75EGkcXHI41jOkuUSQB1LDP5hVtBIIIzYSjq-jH5MiVzdkI_B-f_3iAT10Hl-ItFSjR17mJYtqKpo5Tv2Ms1Gc1nkGXKhSkHGMHKnzZzdPz6yTC1VEHAkRR_H6wUTF0MwfYbzUF4-7/s1600-h/drawing+of+bolts+for+wall+studs+CORRECTED+08-09.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367813321658839266" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 362px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXbq75EGkcXHI41jOkuUSQB1LDP5hVtBIIIzYSjq-jH5MiVzdkI_B-f_3iAT10Hl-ItFSjR17mJYtqKpo5Tv2Ms1Gc1nkGXKhSkHGMHKnzZzdPz6yTC1VEHAkRR_H6wUTF0MwfYbzUF4-7/s400/drawing+of+bolts+for+wall+studs+CORRECTED+08-09.jpg" border="0" /></a> So, I made a list of the correct number of bolts needed to install with each wall stud, referring to the illustration on page 9. I kept that list with me as I put up the wall studs.<br /><br />That list is shown to the right, and you're welcome to copy or print it. It's pretty ugly, but it should prevent you from needing to take things apart later to add more bolts to the wall studs.<br /><br />I wrote these bolt lists to read from the <strong>top</strong> of the stud to the <strong>bottom</strong>. In this list, (SH,L,L,L,L,SH ) means a short bolt attaching the <strong>top</strong> of the stud, with four long bolts floating, and a short bolt attaching <strong>bottom</strong> of the stud.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">TIP:</span></strong> Since you’re sliding bolts into the tracks in the wall studs at this point, <strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">you could also include extra bolts that will remain free-floating in the track. </span></strong>If you plan a bit, you could use these to attach brackets for shelves or other things. Frankly, my brain cells were dying by this point, and I decided just to get the walls up and use T-bolts for greenhouse enhancements later. But, it really is a good idea, and lots of people have been bright enough to take advantage of it.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQl2mCKZxjWaB0Ja2w3WhV6BaovZnxMH09c8Ju8uxXCydCmdeWWz9FFRyVOGqtLTH_LQqYxIqESjy3dOFHlkCc9qokwpHq_es4u8HacM9JxY94HnqXfd7TDmJfxpTPe4ppBpQG77mOcD1w/s1600-h/floating+bolts+in+stud+7-31.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100085497962742498" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQl2mCKZxjWaB0Ja2w3WhV6BaovZnxMH09c8Ju8uxXCydCmdeWWz9FFRyVOGqtLTH_LQqYxIqESjy3dOFHlkCc9qokwpHq_es4u8HacM9JxY94HnqXfd7TDmJfxpTPe4ppBpQG77mOcD1w/s320/floating+bolts+in+stud+7-31.jpg" border="0" /></a> <strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">TIP:</span></strong> As you install each wall stud, <strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">you can also install the small Hold Down Connector (part 47) at the bottom of the stud.</span></strong> Oddly, the manual has you go back and add these parts later in the process (unscrew the bottom nut, add the part, screw it back). This is silly. There’s no reason not to do it now, and it saves you a step later.<br /><br /><br /><br />The photo to the right shows how you attach the bottom bolt through the Hold Down Connector (part 47) and leave various additional bolts "floating" in the groove above. The additional bolts (of varying lengths, depending on which stud you're working on) are ready to be slid up the track to install braces later.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvNi_MPY-Jw2MUJwyLYKBr9_A625iHli9gaxdtcn2HStv1pHkXLFGWOEnHbdCGFmhBM5iEbme-ajgeKjB9nzlegDfEEyQu2cVwJZ0ENylPJXSaayWSGns7FzAAcc4uQRJ9S5E6aWH7K_tL/s1600-h/outside+front+top+corner+7-31.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100087087100642050" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvNi_MPY-Jw2MUJwyLYKBr9_A625iHli9gaxdtcn2HStv1pHkXLFGWOEnHbdCGFmhBM5iEbme-ajgeKjB9nzlegDfEEyQu2cVwJZ0ENylPJXSaayWSGns7FzAAcc4uQRJ9S5E6aWH7K_tL/s320/outside+front+top+corner+7-31.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />For general information, here's what the OUTSIDE of a top FRONT corner looks like at this point:<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD8IQ7-zDchHIwugp57Qqg8ZGV7o5vCwQpn_5sCKaBs58XBXXhHZ4UFwRzlAnBVwpqPzyDhQHQdU5nBrKbaYM50sKce-VmR-yHNlohXiBIUB8mr1owztQf9JOHmv7BS875W-rFDJjRleEp/s1600-h/inside+front+top+corner+7-31.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100096145186669442" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD8IQ7-zDchHIwugp57Qqg8ZGV7o5vCwQpn_5sCKaBs58XBXXhHZ4UFwRzlAnBVwpqPzyDhQHQdU5nBrKbaYM50sKce-VmR-yHNlohXiBIUB8mr1owztQf9JOHmv7BS875W-rFDJjRleEp/s320/inside+front+top+corner+7-31.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And, here's what the INSIDE of a top FRONT corner looks like at this point:<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbN5YNx6lttJoyFALU0Lfi1_W2ki0ws10_xp8Kfi4C87M7JbwaPAlXLtiJgy6LL-SSYFMDkg4VOPP89P_iC62o8LP4lqyDwrcROHRDQk-7nD0yy6ez-vMbYU304hLGqsu4ffw4HiAX3b4o/s1600-h/walls+studs+up+7-31.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100089329073570610" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbN5YNx6lttJoyFALU0Lfi1_W2ki0ws10_xp8Kfi4C87M7JbwaPAlXLtiJgy6LL-SSYFMDkg4VOPP89P_iC62o8LP4lqyDwrcROHRDQk-7nD0yy6ez-vMbYU304hLGqsu4ffw4HiAX3b4o/s400/walls+studs+up+7-31.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />The wall studs are up, and the front diagonal braces are in place, on either side of the door area.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">Tip:</span></strong> Before you start adding the horizontal wall braces (parts 30,31) it's a good idea to <strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">stop and check again for squareness.</span></strong> You can measure diagonally from corner to corner inside (hopefully the measurements are equal.) We also used a level on each corner post. You can loosen bolts to make adjustments as needed. Frankly, you can't check for squareness too often. It's much easier to correct a bit as you go.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibcSTNokI6W55gR7Ze3MzezWfUWnCMGoXXvQkBcAiUD-d8kbuMa7XjaPIIccJeK0M3bQq28SFoBdAwJK3FJgvOdj1fgytN5K2finwMsiwg4c3GUD-b6SW7O27lHPQd1cM85DMz7icKnQ6k/s1600-h/hollow+braces+8-4.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130677560453837506" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibcSTNokI6W55gR7Ze3MzezWfUWnCMGoXXvQkBcAiUD-d8kbuMa7XjaPIIccJeK0M3bQq28SFoBdAwJK3FJgvOdj1fgytN5K2finwMsiwg4c3GUD-b6SW7O27lHPQd1cM85DMz7icKnQ6k/s320/hollow+braces+8-4.jpg" border="0" /></a><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">Struts and Braces </span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">(Oh joy, different types in different kits!)</span></strong><br /><br />Remember when I mentioned that Harbor Freight keeps making changes to this kit? Here's one.<br /><br />Apparently there are older kits out there with Diagonal Struts (parts 79 and 80) and Horizontal Braces (parts 30, 31, 32) that are shaped like like angle iron, with one large flat side and a small flange on one edge. And, there are newer kits out there with Struts and Braces that are made of hollow stock that's rectangular in cross section, with little plastic caps on the ends. I have the newer type, as shown above.<br /><br />Who cares? Well, the angle type is thinner, so it can be fastened with short bolts, but the thicker hollow type (like mine) requires a long bolt. This means I have to use longer bolts than the manual states, at every point where a Diagonal Strut is attached. Joy!<br /><br />In my drawing of which bolts to use for the wall studs, I assumed you have hollow Diagonal Struts shaped like mine. If you have the thinner angle type instead, it should still work; you'll just have some bolts a bit longer than you really need, at the bottom of a few studs.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">TIP:</span></strong> See the little sticker with an arrow on Part 30 below? When you assemble the Part 30 braces, <strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">point the arrows into the corners</span></strong> of the greenhouse. If you don't, the holes won't line up correctly.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS3LLpJwW84ixIuVg0ynmEITTOSiZUr4beVKkmtV2bMM865dEck0dlYLxxIJUTzb1lnERdWFAdvNDJdzAmHlNQv3prEjxv8hSTHyeJgtY7D_tIxavuxRECyc6xGAh-Y4xbbUbqqPZIaBDN/s1600-h/gutter+caps+7-31.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100091094305129314" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS3LLpJwW84ixIuVg0ynmEITTOSiZUr4beVKkmtV2bMM865dEck0dlYLxxIJUTzb1lnERdWFAdvNDJdzAmHlNQv3prEjxv8hSTHyeJgtY7D_tIxavuxRECyc6xGAh-Y4xbbUbqqPZIaBDN/s320/gutter+caps+7-31.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">Gutter Caps</span></strong><br /><br />Page 10, step 8. The black plastic Gutter End Caps (part 73) snap on the ends of side ceiling plates, leaving a small gap for the water to flow out.<br /><br />I see other people have used these, but on my kit, the gutter walls on the ceiling plates are spread too wide to fit the dinky plastic pieces. The plastic pieces keep popping off. We could probably bend the gutters to fit, but I think the small water gap in the plastic caps would probably get quickly clogged anyway. Fearing standing water in the gutters, we just left them off.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFUjfoyqmwqpEUaqpYhTWG0Ub4GeQec4inQG0EC7ZPQkyzyLy4SL8fG2Bn3Blt8_hjZhreYyJqtIbHxcpwwN1NeXlqNBRjlrP6QwYHBfss104y_UYSyQVspRu_AKTQ3I4hffc1xbRAoPfr/s1600-h/ready+for+roof+frame+to+start+8-4.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100091824449569650" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFUjfoyqmwqpEUaqpYhTWG0Ub4GeQec4inQG0EC7ZPQkyzyLy4SL8fG2Bn3Blt8_hjZhreYyJqtIbHxcpwwN1NeXlqNBRjlrP6QwYHBfss104y_UYSyQVspRu_AKTQ3I4hffc1xbRAoPfr/s400/ready+for+roof+frame+to+start+8-4.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Here’s how the structure looks with the walls up, and wall struts and braces in place.<br /><br />Click <a href="http://hfgh10x12.blogspot.com/2007/08/part-four-assembling-roof-windows-and.html"><b>here</b></a> to go to Part Four: <strong>Assembling the Roof, Windows, and Doors.</strong>mudhousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14797472938550347719noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4563487586017212080.post-59418874347128722732007-08-04T22:09:00.000-06:002007-11-08T20:05:53.671-07:00Part Two: The Foundation<div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgji9LHCDKwiH32ncGAZDiO-bcFFUd2Jm1yqQadZxWfjTDAvMe7zEuSWZ2T4WatFdYD6rkCE3bM13qBVcUysmgMjhVeizJmKTLTGrKd_IYG8MGQrUz1BBOnoSC7kkzA345czMmT_qnh1pXt/s1600-h/4x6+foundation+laid+out+7-24.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5099888324604117394" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgji9LHCDKwiH32ncGAZDiO-bcFFUd2Jm1yqQadZxWfjTDAvMe7zEuSWZ2T4WatFdYD6rkCE3bM13qBVcUysmgMjhVeizJmKTLTGrKd_IYG8MGQrUz1BBOnoSC7kkzA345czMmT_qnh1pXt/s320/4x6+foundation+laid+out+7-24.jpg" border="0" /></a>The Harbor Freight 10 x 12 greenhouse kit supplies a steel base to be placed directly in the ground. It's a rectangular C-shaped piece, the idea being that the hollow inside of the base gets filled with the earth and gravel of your greenhouse floor, and that anchors the greenhouse. The instructions don't mention using metal stakes, concrete piers, or anything driven into the ground for extra anchoring. Most folks believe this greenhouse needs <strong>much </strong>better anchoring, and would rather not bury a steel foundation in wet ground.<br /><br />The popular solution is to build a wooden foundation, anchor it into the ground somehow, and mount the steel base on top. Everyone finds their own way to do this, but most use at least 4 x 4 sized timbers for the base.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#000099;">Tip:</span></strong> <strong>Lay out the steel base pieces on the ground and measure them before you assemble your wooden base.</strong> The measurements listed in the manual are for a trench in the ground, not the actual size of the steel base.<br /><br />We live in a warm desert climate, and our area was flat, so we kept our foundation simple. We used pressure-treated 4 x 6 timbers on edge, set into a shallow trench, levelled and squared. Temporaried with long screws, then drilled and bolted at corners. General Omar Bradley (large hairy dog in center) holds down the dirt.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3WS5ACKFvHV-xObZ4Soq6u6CxET8nFvtQImT_mRLv8LWydA0nac4IUNzFL4nukjBuV0JWW1F02HKjDCJNo3QgLiZwzhbbetB47r4jW8A4B1LEc1lBe7K7rRwk6VD2i2FZrOMDFNDTB_X6/s1600-h/24+inch+rebar+stakes+7-24.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5099888535057514914" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3WS5ACKFvHV-xObZ4Soq6u6CxET8nFvtQImT_mRLv8LWydA0nac4IUNzFL4nukjBuV0JWW1F02HKjDCJNo3QgLiZwzhbbetB47r4jW8A4B1LEc1lBe7K7rRwk6VD2i2FZrOMDFNDTB_X6/s200/24+inch+rebar+stakes+7-24.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />24" long rebar stakes, 5/8" diameter, are driven into ground inside the foundation. Two on each side, and three on the west side (where we get the most wind.)<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvd2jrTraUXneUtrYnn-mPBkBzY09YWU9WFzbvG3U0Kf7WPpKKqAqkNEydoW0TqmzafwUOKVZOGjIjaTI1_U4tZY2DoAcUm7y2MRwU-8JZb0XfMzZe5GjYfamaStqUpaDDu8XTZbpowM9e/s1600-h/straps+for+rebar+7-24.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5102682445643302290" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvd2jrTraUXneUtrYnn-mPBkBzY09YWU9WFzbvG3U0Kf7WPpKKqAqkNEydoW0TqmzafwUOKVZOGjIjaTI1_U4tZY2DoAcUm7y2MRwU-8JZb0XfMzZe5GjYfamaStqUpaDDu8XTZbpowM9e/s200/straps+for+rebar+7-24.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />After driving into ground, stakes were anchored to timbers with strapping and bolts. Not very fancy, but we think the aluminum frame of the greenhouse will fail before this foundation goes anywhere.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhHymdJn6tvW-SGCUP-4xaRIfLtOYMK34CO4HNhPNixm_YKoJ_HhHvyhH_rRdwxaxrqXwXSk69T45XI26sbbNAaaVomrlSLwC_3ypGfyKDUi5OifknPhBex2U4Q0JVu5W12VxX8pz9-1PU/s1600-h/diagonal+foundation+brace+7-24.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5099891820707496418" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhHymdJn6tvW-SGCUP-4xaRIfLtOYMK34CO4HNhPNixm_YKoJ_HhHvyhH_rRdwxaxrqXwXSk69T45XI26sbbNAaaVomrlSLwC_3ypGfyKDUi5OifknPhBex2U4Q0JVu5W12VxX8pz9-1PU/s200/diagonal+foundation+brace+7-24.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Pressure treated 4 x 4 timbers are cut to fit diagonally inside the corners of the 4 x 6 foundation. This should help keep the foundation frame square (especially as the wood dries.) We set these a bit lower than the 4 x 6 timbers, and they should be covered up by the gravel floor later.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbTyasF61PhyphenhyphenuPUp610dIchdP2A3GxQWRAGmxEaiV5WSgokbFE1TTePzdaDzBj02cZ_LvzpIoei1tfB49VY7C-N48Jo4uHdZjGWSXuofcKiyO8WjudiVStgiMWmmkSaWLYLZ0ErEtmRL6y/s1600-h/four+diagonal+foundation+braces+7-24.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5099889703288619474" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbTyasF61PhyphenhyphenuPUp610dIchdP2A3GxQWRAGmxEaiV5WSgokbFE1TTePzdaDzBj02cZ_LvzpIoei1tfB49VY7C-N48Jo4uHdZjGWSXuofcKiyO8WjudiVStgiMWmmkSaWLYLZ0ErEtmRL6y/s400/four+diagonal+foundation+braces+7-24.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Four corner braces in place. Bradley holds down the interior dirt.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5MyUfQXb4Exw4uMNlIciIco6fMyp9XwTrhjrO-p__HsCugaJ3_veMr7jDBFOMewZdG3vzwF0oNdBF8wUxhTiOd-2BI6_ZRkBxp3W09J8RjWgEQYvXKHYpWwPpqnlBVJbmbVlz5g4NEYZX/s1600-h/base+with+sill+insulation+7-27.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5102682986809181602" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5MyUfQXb4Exw4uMNlIciIco6fMyp9XwTrhjrO-p__HsCugaJ3_veMr7jDBFOMewZdG3vzwF0oNdBF8wUxhTiOd-2BI6_ZRkBxp3W09J8RjWgEQYvXKHYpWwPpqnlBVJbmbVlz5g4NEYZX/s320/base+with+sill+insulation+7-27.jpg" border="0" /></a> The steel base that comes with the Harbor Freight 10x12 kit looks to be powder-coated, in a silver color. It's not as flimsy as we thought it would be, but the shape of it does allow flex, which we'll deal with later.<br /><br />Before we bolted the base pieces together, we drilled holes about 18" apart in the bottom of each piece (closer in the corners) with a cordless drill. Then we bolted them together as per the kit, sitting the base on top of our wooden 4 x 6 foundation.<br /><br />As a barrier between the steel base and the pressure treated wood, we used polyethylene foam sill insulation (Lowes, 50' roll, 3 1/2" wide, for under $5.00.) I cut it in half since I didn't need the full width, and slid it under the metal base. We <strong>checked for squareness</strong> and screwed the base to the wood. Later, I trimmed off the extra insulation with a box knife, inside and outside.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">You can check squareness by simply measuring diagonally from corner to corner, and hopefully the two measurements will be the same. If not, slide the pieces around until they are, and then screw them down. Squareness is important throughout this kit!</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#3333ff;"><strong>Update: </strong><span style="color:#000000;">I had hopes the sill insulation would compress with the weight of the structure and form a seal to keep out water, but no luck. I had to go back later and caulk the seam between the wood and the steel base, inside and out, with clear silicone caulk. That stopped rain water from seeping in under the steel base. </span><br /></span><br />Now it's time to start using the manual. We'll assemble the greenhouse as per the manual, and then, <strong>before we attach any of the polycarbonate panels,</strong> we'll add some important bracing to modify the frame for strength.<br /><br />Click <a href="http://hfgh10x12.blogspot.com/2007/08/part-three-assembling-greenhouse-walls.html"><b>here</b></a> to go to Part Three: <b>Assembling the Greenhouse Walls</b>.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><p><br /></p><p></p><p></p>mudhousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14797472938550347719noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4563487586017212080.post-49486409934314449952007-08-01T18:08:00.011-06:002011-10-09T22:50:51.731-06:00Part One: Basic Info, Harbor Freight 10' by 12'<div align="left">
Welcome to my blog about my Harbor Freight 10x12 Greenhouse, most of which was written in the last half of 2007. </div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: 130%;">Update, October 2011:</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">In May of 2008, some new problems began to surface on internet greenhouse forums, regarding the polycarbonate panels supplied with this kit.</span> Although the Harbor Freight website has advertised this greenhouse with the following phrase:<br />
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<em>"UV coated polycarbonate panels, nearly indestructible"</em><br />
...several Harbor Freight greenhouse owners in warm climates began reporting early deterioration of the polycarbonate panels. After contacting Harbor Freight with questions about this new issue, and receiving some email replies from them, my <em>personal</em> <em>opinion</em> is there's <em>a good chance</em> the polycarbonate panels supplied with this kit do not have the critical UV <em>coating</em> as advertised on the Harbor Freight website. Or, if there is a UV coating applied to the panels, it's inadequate to protect the polycarbonate from damage when exposed to strong sun/high temperatures. Some variation in manufacturing quality may also exist, since some Harbor Freight owners don't report this problem.<br />
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Here's part of an email I received from Harbor Freight customer support, May 5, 2008:<br />
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<span style="color: #3333ff;"><strong>"Our panels are constructed to resist the higher ambient temperatures but<br />that may differ depending on what state the customers are in. Places like Arizona, Las Vegas, and Texas may cause them to deteriorate faster. Unfortunately our warranty on the parts for this item is only 90 days and we take case by case in determining how we replace the panels for each customer. We know that the panels last longer than that but from a company stand point that is the warranty."</strong></span></div>
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I started seeing some yellowing of my greenhouse panels as early as May 2008 (after about 9 months of exposure to our strong desert sun.) It's now October 2011, and almost all my panels need replacing. The roof is the worst, with holes a few inches apart in the outer wall of the twinwall polycarbonate. Wall panels have fewer holes, but are quite yellowed and brittle. I'll be replacing them soon, and I'll update this blog with photos when I do so.<br />
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I thought it best to post about my own experiences with the Harbor Freight panels, so you can take this into consideration. Even with this setback, I still think the Harbor Freight is a great value, since the frame is sound...but I am disappointed about the next (expensive) step I'll need to take as I buy new panels elsewhere. If you're interested, here's a link to a 2008 thread at GardenWeb, which documents this problem first coming to light: <a href="http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/strucs/msg0410080322640.html?39">http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/strucs/msg0410080322640.html?39</a> <br />
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<strong>mudhouse</strong><br />
<strong>October 2011</strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: red;"><br /></span>Okay, back to business, and the start of my 2007 blog!</strong><br />
Click <a href="http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93358">here</a> to see the greenhouse we bought from Harbor Freight.<br />
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It has an aluminum frame, a sliding double door, four roof vents, and 2 ply 4mm polycarbonate panels. It’s 10’ wide, 12’ deep, and stands about 10’3” tall at the peak (taller if you put it on a wooden foundation.) It comes in one box that weighs about 200 pounds. If you're wondering if it will fit in your vehicle, the box is 8 ft long, 25 in wide and 13 inches deep.<br />
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Harbor Freight currently sells it for $799, but they put it on sale occasionally. The price makes it attractive; at this time, I don't know of another 120 square foot greenhouse with twinwall polycarbonate glazing in this price range. If you sign up for Harbor Freight's mailing list, they'll mail you flyers, and occasionally these have coupons for up to 15% off. Sometimes you can buy Harbor Freight coupons on eBay. My local HF store kindly honored the internet sale price (even though it wasn't on sale in the store) and they applied a discount coupon on top of that. Nice!<br />
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After putting ours up in August of 2007, I think this greenhouse is a fit for people who aren't ready to spend thousands of dollars on a greenhouse kit, <strong>and who <span style="color: #3366ff;"><span style="color: black;">also</span> </span>have</strong> <strong>the time, skills, and patience to make the necessary modifications to it.</strong><br />
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If you do much reading on the internet, you'll find the HF 10x12 has a reputation among some for being lightweight and unstable in winds, if built only as the manual specifies. (In a very sheltered location it might not require all the modifications we made, but personally I wouldn't take that risk.) When the unmodified structures are exposed to high winds, some people have lost their greenhouses entirely, and others had damage. People who’ve taken the time to share their stories about these heartbreaking failures have helped others pinpoint weaknesses in the kit.<br />
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Since its introduction (early 2006, I believe) creative folks have been working on ways to modify the Harbor Freight 10 x 12 kit and defeat the weaknesses. The people who post in the greenhouse forum on <a href="http://www.gardenweb.com/">Garden Web</a> have been especially helpful, blazing a trail through the murky confusion of the Harbor Freight greenhouse manual, and freely sharing ideas for critical changes to the kit. They have been absolute lifesavers for us, and I highly recommend some reading there. To find these posts, just go to <a href="http://www.gardenweb.com/">Garden Web</a> and enter "HFGH 10x12" in the search engine box.<br />
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Our experience has been that the Harbor Freight 10x12 can be successfully modified to correct the kit weaknesses, with some patience, a little extra work, and a few extra materials. We've never had a greenhouse before, but I'll show you what we did, and you can probably do even better.<br />
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Here are some commonly discussed issues with the kit:<br />
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<strong><span style="color: #000099; font-size: 130%;">Aggravating Assembly Instructions:</span></strong> We think the manufacturing quality of the Harbor Freight 10x12 is actually quite good. We've been pleasantly surprised by the quality of most of the parts, which seem to be well made. There were no misdrilled or ill-fitting parts in our kit. However, the instructions are even worse that we thought (and that's bad!) No photos, tiny drawings, missing info and errors make assembly harder than it needs to be. This is a shame!<br />
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Sometimes it’s easier to just look at the parts and figure out how they logically go together, or look at photos of other HF 10x12 greenhouses online. I've included many photos for this reason. You still need the manual, but hopefully our photos will help.<br />
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Here’s a <a href="http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/manuals.taf?f=form&ItemID=93358">link to a PDF file of the manual</a> on the Harbor Freight website. As I write this, the manual in this link is the same as the one in my kit (dated 05/06 on the manual cover.)<br />
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<span style="color: #000099; font-size: 130%;"><strong>Missing Parts:</strong></span> It's a very good idea to check your kit early against the parts list. Some people report missing parts, and this can be a major setback. People report that Harbor Freight says they'll ship the missing part in 6-8 weeks, but I know several people who have waited over a year. This seems to be the biggest customer service problem with Harbor Freight (incredibly slow shipping of parts.) If you find a part missing, and you bought your kit at a local store, you might consider taking the whole kit back and requesting a new one. Or, see if you can convince your local store to pull the missing part from another kit (some people have been able to do that.) Our kit was complete.<br />
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Harbor Freight says they're aware of this problem, but they don't foresee the ability to stock all the parts for quick shipping anytime in the near future. (Moral: check your kit.) I think the need for aftermarket replacement parts will increase as more of these units are sold, so I'm hoping they'll focus on this as an area of opportunity for future sales. (Come on, guys!)<br />
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<span style="color: #000099; font-size: 130%;"><strong>Order Extra Panel Glazing Clips Early.</strong></span> They do keep glazing clips in stock, so you can usually receive them in a reasonable time frame. To find out why you need them, you can skip ahead to the "Adding the Panels" section.<br />
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<strong><span style="color: #000099; font-size: 130%;">Questionable Bolt Quality:</span></strong> The bolts supplied with the kit look like aluminum, but they do stick to magnets, and seem to actually be plated mild steel. They're not great quality, and sometimes the nuts wouldn't thread easily on the bolts without force. On the plus side, they have square heads that bind nicely in the stud tracks, which helps when you're tightening them. Also, the heads are quite flat, so they lay low under the polycarbonate panels on the outside of the greenhouse.<br />
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Some people use the kit bolts; others toss them and go buy stainless steel (or other) bolts and nuts instead. We used the kit bolts and bought a few extras as we needed them.<br />
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<span style="color: #000099; font-size: 130%;"><strong>Wrong Bolt Quantity:</strong></span> A really annoying error in this manual lists wrong quantities and lengths of bolts to insert at key points. This means you have to take things apart later to add more bolts. The manual dated 05/06 contains these errors (I'll point it out when we get there.) Earlier kits did not even include enough long bolts to complete the construction, but recent kits seem to be shipping with closer to the right number of bolts. Still, you may well need to buy at least a few that aren't supplied.<br />
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If you buy bolts, the heads need to fit in the track of the posts. Some bolt heads are too large. We took a wall stud to the store with us. One kind person posted this specific info for Fastenal bolts that fit:<br />
Bolts: hex head 6mm-1.0x35mm zinc, Fastenal part#1138568, $17.95 for 100<br />
Nuts: 6mm Fastenal Part #1140305 $3.40 for 100<br />
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You can also add bolts after assembly by using T bolts (from Fastenal or Charley’s Greenhouse Supply.) Or, some people just take a grinder to a regular bolt head to make it fit. In a pinch, we also used 3/16" carriage bolts, clipping off part of the head with a bolt cutter.<br />
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<span style="color: #000099; font-size: 130%;"><strong>Changes To The Kit:</strong></span> To their credit, Harbor Freight has revised the manual several times to correct some errors (mine is dated 05/06.) Also, some parts have been changed or improved from one kit to the next, so they may not exactly match the manual. This makes it harder to be helpful in this blog, since your kit might be slightly different from ours. Some of the errors mentioned here will probably be corrected in future manuals and kits.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXW8SPtFpEGVIFePj0SoPdVLQLDZB3dOmjY8F2p03-o9D6Iy2fXqIkVDkhzZ9YVj-J2xtuCM_IGje1q1wYA03Wno1iBkSHE7LoDblmNAFUzb3jGakghZlGPfeXE8kIoiFuXeuPBWm7v3Hd/s1600-h/bolts,+nutdriver+10-07.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130667243942392466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXW8SPtFpEGVIFePj0SoPdVLQLDZB3dOmjY8F2p03-o9D6Iy2fXqIkVDkhzZ9YVj-J2xtuCM_IGje1q1wYA03Wno1iBkSHE7LoDblmNAFUzb3jGakghZlGPfeXE8kIoiFuXeuPBWm7v3Hd/s320/bolts,+nutdriver+10-07.jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a><br />
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The photo to the right shows the tool we found the most useful for tightening the bolts...a 10mm nutdriver.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf6SMphb7ckN7zO2NQ6N_H_j7P3aw7w9hQs5S-kWkGln03XPJV1BMjBWTO6eNZ7v5OS5o6lqji4XwVBISH_FQ8uTd5CUGOQGbA6jF043RqoUin_3i1uTz71ZnZ8J8tLBsOYu1p_a_VeVUM/s1600-h/wrench+hf+10-07.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130668317684216498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf6SMphb7ckN7zO2NQ6N_H_j7P3aw7w9hQs5S-kWkGln03XPJV1BMjBWTO6eNZ7v5OS5o6lqji4XwVBISH_FQ8uTd5CUGOQGbA6jF043RqoUin_3i1uTz71ZnZ8J8tLBsOYu1p_a_VeVUM/s200/wrench+hf+10-07.jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a><br />
And here's a photo of the little wrench that Harbor Freight includes with the kit. Other than making you smile, it's not helpful. (I'm pretty sure the Chinese manufacturer only includes these to prove they have a sense of humor.) Actually there were two in our kit, but that did not convince my husband and I to use them.<br />
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Click <a href="http://hfgh10x12.blogspot.com/2007/08/part-two-foundation-two.html"><b>here</b></a> to go to Part Two: <strong>The Foundation</strong>, the first modification we made to the kit.</div>
mudhousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14797472938550347719noreply@blogger.com139