Consider fabricating your own. You can build one a whole lot bigger, for a
whole lot less money. I've got a 12'x20' greenhouse type shed that cost about
$20 to make. It's a greenhouse like structure.
First, visit this web site to get a good idea as a starting point.
http://www.rainyside.com/resources/hoophouse.html
also look at
http://agsyst.wsu.edu/Buildhp.HTM
Now I took this idea and used 1/2" metal conduit to form a shape more suitable
imo. I'd put a 60 degree bend 4.5' up the conduit, and then a 20 degree bend
at the tip. This allowed me to build a structure that had nearly vertical
walls, 4' tall on the sides, 6' tall in the center, 12' wide. I joined the
conduit with a stub section of 1/2" pvc pipe jammed over the ends. For
covering, I discovered at Lowes (a mega home store) 6 mil thick plastic
sheeting in a 20'x100' roll for $40. Strong stuff, and uv stable.
I trial built the structure very crudely. I simply jammed the conduit pieces
into the ground. I spaced them 2' apart. When I'd gone 20', I stopped. I
then took some bailing twine, and tied the pieces together, tensioning them by
tying the pieces of twine to rebar stakes I'd jammed in the ground beyond the
hoops. Crude but effective.
To secure the plastic I first merely piled some scrap bricks around the
edges. Later, I added some pieces of pvc conduit over the end metal conduit
pieces, to hold the plastic sheeting more securely.
That was about nine months ago. Since then I've had severe thunderstorms,
hail, heavy rains, snow, ice, falling tree limbs and other attacks on the
structure. It's standing just fine. When the winds really kick up (50 mph and
up), the plastic always pulls out from under the bricks on the windward side,
but it never blows off. The string tensioning holds, but it needs regular
tensioning. The plastic sheeting is holding up just fine. Some minor poke
holes where the twigs on limbs have poked it, but no tears.
Eventually, I'll re-do it. But I'll do it more like the first link I gave you
describes. That produces a more professional looking structure. It'll be
uniform, evenly tensioned, and portable if I want.
Very cheap, very effective.
Fred Thomas wrote:
> Listers, just received a small order form "Harbor Freight" enclosed is a ad
> for a portable canopy garage as some have been asking about, pull it up on
> their site
> Item # 42211-5WPA $259.99, free shipping, listed size, 16' 3/4" X 8' 3/4" X
> 7' 1/2" "FT"
|