How To Build Greenhouses In Northern Ireland: Simple Tips

Greenhouses are becoming more popular as people’s desire to grow their own crops grows. Building a greenhouse, both for your personal consumption and for business purposes, is very practical. Even when you’ve got quite a small space, you can still build one. It may seem like a complicated idea but, once you actually get the hang of it, you’ll start to enjoy the benefits of having your own fresh crops the whole year round. This is a good start to a possible green lifestyle you may have always wanted to enjoy.

If you’ve long been interested in this pursuit, but only had confusion how to go about with it, you’ve come to the right place.

1. You Can Start with Old Materials You May Already Have

One of the most common misconceptions about building a greenhouse is that it’s costly. You can actually do so with any old materials that you may have around lying in your home. Making a greenhouse out of old windows is actually quite cheap and is a good way to recycle items and make something useful. You can also furnish it with old salvaged shelves or beds from throwaway bins, old plant pots or soil containers.

You can also find pre-fabricated greenhouses that are made with the same old windows but they come in plastic frames and not as attractive as the wooden ones. The materials used in building these are also cheaper than wooden ones and come in different designs. The frame of these frames can be of wood or aluminum or can also be made out of cement or PVC. They are commonly available online and at some gardening stores and shops.

2. Make Sure All Your Materials Are in Good Shape

You should ensure that the materials you choose are all in good shape before installing them in your greenhouse. Check for cracks in the frames as well as in the window screens. Make sure that the glass is clear of any scratches and that the glass is not chipped or cracked. If the frames are made out of wood, then you need to replace any broken pieces, or you may have to cut any broken glass in half, glue it back together and seal the joints.

If this sounds too complicated for you, or you don’t have all these materials lying around, you can opt for professional builders to help you out. For instance, South West Greenhouses deliver to Northern Ireland, so they’ve got you covered.

3. Construct Slant Angles, Just Like A Roof

When you go through the actual greenhouse building process, do have slanting angles for your roof. This allows good ventilation and makes the greenhouse cooler during the summer months. Having this kind of structure will make it easier for you to manage your plants as you don’t have to worry about the possible lack of ventilation. Remember, for plants to grow, light is just as important as water.

During the winter, when the temperature in the greenhouse is low, these windows can help to keep the inside warm and provide insulation, as well as allow sunlight in to increase the heat.

4. Be Particular About the Direction

Windows in your greenhouse should also be placed in the correct direction. If you wish to have a south facing window, then you should get the windows opposite the south east direction; if you wish to have a west facing window, then you should get the windows opposite the west north direction; and so on. This way, sun rays will hit the south-facing windows during the day and the western windows at night.

However, the best choice is a southern exposure. If this isn’t possible, western exposure is next. Here are two other factors for you to consider, regarding direction:

• Choose an area in your yard with good drainage;
• Keep your greenhouse protected from too much wind by a nearby fence or row of shrubs.

5. Make Sure All Corners Are Properly Sealed

Windows in your greenhouse should be sealed so that they do not leak even a little bit of water when the temperature is lower inside the greenhouse. When you are making a greenhouse out of old windows, you can use glass that has a certain amount of air flow from the windows. However, if you are using plastic windows or vinyl windows, then they will leak more.

Conclusion

As you can now see, installing a greenhouse isn’t as difficult as it may seem. All the work you put in today will be worth it later on once you start reaping all the rewards from your greenhouse. The tips above can give you that good start, particularly when you’re looking to do a little DIY project.