Greenhouse foundation
Content:
Any reliable greenhouse must have a solid foundation. In case of poor-quality work, the structure will be unstable, young crops will freeze slightly.
What is the foundation for
A greenhouse is a home for plants, which protects them from all the hardships of the environment. The greenhouse must have a solid foundation to be a good crop protection.
How to make the right choice
There are gardeners who are thinking about building a greenhouse without a foundation, but it is important to know that a structure with a foundation is much stronger and has positive aspects:
- The foundation is in contact with the soil, tightly adhering to it, so strong windy weather will not be terrible for the structure;
- Since the greenhouse will be located above the ground, this helps to store 10% more heat;
- Pests and parasites will not get on the planting material;
- The crops are protected from bad weather conditions.
The most important thing is that the base in the greenhouse is strong and stable.
- The building must be reliable... This issue is especially relevant in February - early March, when the snow masses begin to melt, this phenomenon can spoil the structure.
- Resistance to negative environmental phenomena. The fact that the foundation is made of poor quality material can adversely affect the greenhouse. The structure can suffer from sudden changes in temperature and being in the vicinity of groundwater.
- The ratio of shape and size. If the dimensions of the foundation differ from the dimensions of the greenhouse, then the structure may collapse.
Types of foundation
It is worth choosing a foundation, paying attention to the greenhouse material, financial capabilities and climate conditions. The base can be made slightly recessed or, for example, not recessed. It is best to use timber for the structure, which is able to withstand significant loads.
| A kind of foundation | Advantages | Flaws |
| Made of wood | Keeps warm well. Reasonable cost, there are no problems with construction. Transportable. | Suitable for lightweight structures such as polycarbonate greenhouses. Susceptible to moisture damage, resulting in rot. Will not last long. |
| Concrete and brick | The best option for the warmth of greenhouses. Easy to install, lightweight. Does not deform over time. | When the temperature drops, insulation is required. The material quickly collapses and accumulates moisture. |
| Concrete tape | The structure will stand for a long time. Moisture resistant, does not lend itself to negative environmental factors. | Large weight, significant financial costs, poor heat retention.
|
| From blocks | Easy to construct, cheap, highly resistant to negative factors. | Poor strength, low thermal insulation.
|
| Columnar | Minor investments are required, will last a long time. | It will be necessary to insulate the base and make a rigid strapping. |
| From the piles | Transportable, easy to install. Can be installed on moving ground and in areas with difficult terrain. | Similar problems as above. Plus, piles tend to rust over time. |
| From slabs | The construction is stable on any soil. High strength. No parasites enter the greenhouse. Resistant to negative environmental factors. | High cost, heavy weight, additional thermal insulation is required.The soil will have to be drained, as well as regularly monitor the climatic atmosphere in the greenhouse. |
Selection rules
To make the right choice of foundation, you need to follow the following guidelines:
- It is not worth deepening the greenhouse into the ground, since the structure may collapse when the soil swells.
- The foundation should not have a greater specific gravity than the greenhouse itself, otherwise warping or deformation will occur.
- If you plan to plant something in a greenhouse in winter, then you need to insulate it with expanded polystyrene or expanded clay, with the material you need to close up the distance between the trench and the foundation.
The insulated base is able to protect the plant crops from frost throughout the winter period.
- In cold climates, it is better not to use concrete and bricks when building the base of a greenhouse. Materials do not retain heat well, and therefore it will be necessary to insulate the structure so that the plants do not freeze out.
- When building a greenhouse next to other structures, different materials are selected for the foundation, otherwise the soil will begin to crack.
- If it often happens that the soil freezes deeply, then it is better to make the base slightly deepened or use piles for the structure.
- Most structures require a solid foundation, so it is best to make a monolithic, slab or strip foundation.
Advice: To make a solid foundation that will stand for many years, you need to follow the recommendations given in the article and do the work in accordance with all building codes and regulations.
Foundation action plan
The first thing to do is to correctly measure the dimensions of the greenhouse. After the site, if necessary, level and remove all unnecessary trash. It should be borne in mind that certain types of foundations are laid using different technologies.
What is useful for work
The material for the manufacture of the base must be chosen in advance, sensibly assessing your financial capabilities.
Always have the following accessories close at hand when working:
- Fishing line;
- Rope;
- Construction level;
- Shovel;
- Nails;
- A hammer;
- Roulette;
- Wooden stakes;
- Fastening anchors;
- Hacksaw.
This list can still be supplemented depending on the choice of material for the base, for example, for a foundation from piles, you can take a manual drill or for the base of a strip formwork.
Laying the base from beams
The base of a bar is suitable for planting in the warm season. This option is considered to be economical and simple.
The indicators for the tree should be no more than 25%. The bars must be free of rot and traces of mechanical damage. For different greenhouses, beams with different sections are chosen. It is best to purchase a larch bar, which is treated with an antiseptic in advance. If the processing was not carried out during the purchase, then you will have to do it yourself, otherwise the base will quickly succumb to the negative influence of rot.
Advice: Before purchasing, the timber is carefully examined, checking the conformity of quality and grade. Bars of the 4th grade in the manufacture of the base will not work, since the logs will be knotty, and this will lead to the rapid appearance of rot. To make a very solid foundation, it is best to buy glued laminated timber, which has little effect on high humidity. There is a more economical, but practical option - this is to purchase linden bars.
A simple step-by-step way to make a base from a bar
In order for a timber foundation, it is worth adhering to the following action plan:
- Mark the area using pegs made of wood and rope, all corners at the markings should be straight.
- Cleans the topsoil, which can be used in the garden in the future.
- A hole is digging along the markings, you need to deepen it, depending on the section of the bar. With a section of 1x1 cm, the trench deepens by 1.5 cm.
- Roofing material is placed at the bottom of the pit, which has the property of waterproofing. They put it overlapping.
- The bars are laid on the material and the corners are held together.
- It is necessary to connect the metal corners to the building.
- The base is aligned to the spirit level using wood wedges or scraps. In case of deviations, you can add gravel or sand.
Tip: Anchor bolts with washers are connected to keep the base frame together. It is best to take 2 bolts for work.
Conclusion
A timber foundation is suitable for simple soil. If the soil is excessively wet, then a small frame will need to be made. To greenhouse was strong, a solid foundation will need to be made for it.