Dimensions of greenhouses for summer cottages. Optimal dimensions of the greenhouse and recommendations for self-manufacturing of polycarbonate structures. They can be

There are many options to choose from, since the classification of greenhouses is carried out according to several factors: by the method of heating, the minimum temperature in it, the frame material, the type of coating, location, shape. Yes, and it is necessary to decide for what purposes the greenhouse will be used. What will grow in it and in what volumes?

So, when choosing a greenhouse, you need to take into account the features of the site as much as possible, its location on the cardinal points, the placement of the greenhouse in relation to the house and the intensity of sunlight during the day.

The optimal dimensions of the greenhouse are: the height of the low wall is 1.5 m, its own height is 2.5 m, the width is 3 m. Such dimensions allow you to place two beds inside and take care of the plants, easily reaching the farthest ones. The length of the greenhouse depends on the preferences of gardeners and the size of the site itself. As a rule - up to 6 m. Greenhouses of greater length are recommended to be partitioned - for the best organization plant care.

It is important what is or grows next to the greenhouse - shading should be avoided.

Greenhouse with or without heating

Greenhouses and greenhouses are divided into unheated and heated. Unheated can be operated only with the onset of this spring. Their main advantage is low price.

Heated greenhouses can be heated with biofuels - this requires a large amount of fresh manure and compost. The mixture melts, releases heat and warms the space of the greenhouse. Such an "underground stove" works continuously, in addition to heating, it also provides fertilizer. But for some crops (the same tomatoes), such an amount of organic matter in the soil does not benefit.

You can use water heating in the greenhouse by installing a stove outside, and laying pipes inside along the walls. However, the arrangement of the pipeline system will require the investment of a considerable amount of funds, and a permanent presence is also necessary.

Another way is electricity. Summer residents for greenhouses have already adapted electric heaters, cables for underfloor heating, but for high-quality heating it is necessary to ensure good air circulation, which is very difficult in an enclosed space. In addition, the constant heating of the greenhouse in autumn and winter will be too expensive, unless you are growing products for sale in the distribution network.

Greenhouse frame - wood, plastic, metal?

The frame of the greenhouse can be made of wood, plastic and metal (steel or aluminum). Wood is the cheapest. It is environmentally friendly, easy to process, but short-lived. Under conditions of high humidity and temperature, it quickly begins to rot, and treatment with various protective agents often does not give the desired results.

Metal frames do not have this disadvantage, they are easy to mount and have an increased margin of safety - but they are much more expensive. And non-galvanized steel frames are also subject to corrosion. Another disadvantage of metal is its high thermal conductivity. The galvanized frame is well protected from corrosion, but has low strength indicators: thin sheets of steel are used here, which are easily deformed. Experts pay attention to a square steel profile made of galvanized steel - this is almost the best option for those who buy a greenhouse for a long time. Such a profile has high strength characteristics and, due to galvanization, is not subject to corrosion.

Plastic frames are still rare, their quality is high - however, the cost is also.

How to cover the greenhouse

The choice is film, glass and cellular polycarbonate. Polyethylene is inexpensive, transmits light well, and is easily attached to the frame. But it breaks easily, ultraviolet rays act destructively on it, it also suffers from frost. The reinforced film is more durable, but even it does not last more than two or three seasons, and even then with careful handling.

Glass is more durable and transmits much more light than film. But it needs to be dismantled for the winter - the glass roof can crack under the weight of snow. And another minus is the formation of a large amount of condensate, the cold drops of which can be detrimental to greenhouse plants.

Cellular polycarbonate: lightweight, durable, will allow you to forget about the problem of replacing the greenhouse cover for a long time. Perhaps the only drawback is the high cost.

Optimal greenhouse shape

According to the shape of the greenhouse, there are gable, Dutch greenhouses (unlike traditional greenhouses, they do not have vertical walls, but inclined ones, the greenhouse seems to expand towards the bottom), arched, domed and polygonal, as well as tunnel shelters. The most beautiful are polygonal and domed greenhouses, but such structures are too expensive, they are more often used in the construction of greenhouses or winter gardens. Tunnel shelters are suitable for growing low plants, such as seedlings, radishes, green crops.

The most popular are arched, Dutch and gable greenhouses. They are comfortable, well lit and effectively ventilated. For growing low crops (peppers, low-growing varieties of tomatoes), you can choose an arched greenhouse, and for high crops (cucumbers, tall varieties of tomatoes or flowers), a gable greenhouse is better.

More recently, only glass was used to cover greenhouses. But production building materials does not stand still. And the modern market can offer a material more perfect than fragile and heavy glass - polycarbonate. Polycarbonate has a lot of advantages: it is durable, lightweight, has a high light transmission, resistant to moisture, UV rays. Polycarbonate greenhouses look incredibly attractive and come in a variety of sizes. How to determine the size of the greenhouse - read below.

If you decide to build a greenhouse yourself, with your own hands, then you will need to decide on the size of the polycarbonate. Modern market roofing materials offers the following types of polycarbonate sheets: cellular and monolithic.

Cellular polycarbonate is characterized by high strength and thermal insulation properties, monolithic polycarbonate has a high light transmission capacity and is flexible.

Cellular polycarbonate, due to its cells, has a greater thickness than monolithic. So, sheets can be produced with a thickness in the range from 0.4 to 3.2 cm. At the same time, the difference in thickness between the models is 2 mm or more. The width of the sheet, while the standard for this type of polycarbonate is 2.1 m.

When calculating the number of honeycomb carbonate sheets to cover the greenhouse, the location of the material should be taken into account: honeycomb polycarbonate sheets should be positioned so that water that has entered the honeycomb can easily flow out.

Monolithic polycarbonate is available with a thickness ranging from 0.1 to 1.2 cm. The difference in thickness between the models is 1 mm. The standard width of monolithic polycarbonate is 2.05 m.

Sheets with a thickness of 6-8 mm are most suitable for greenhouses, thicker sheets are used to cover winter gardens and greenhouses.

When choosing sheet sizes, do not forget about their weight: the greater the thickness of the polycarbonate, the more it weighs. Accordingly, the frame of the greenhouse must be able to withstand the load of the material.

Greenhouse polycarbonate length

Cellular polycarbonate has a large the lineup and is available in lengths of 60 and 120 cm. Monolithic has a standard length of 605 cm.

When choosing between sizes, you should use the one that, after covering the greenhouse, will leave the least amount of residue and give the least number of joints.

So, for example, to cover a four-meter arched greenhouse, it will be possible to take three polycarbonate sheets 6 meters long and 2.1 meters wide. One sheet will go to cover the end sides, and the rest to cover the arch itself. Accordingly, for six-meter greenhouses, you should take one sheet more, and for eight-meter ones - one more.

What determines the size of polycarbonate greenhouses

The size polycarbonate greenhouses consists of the width, length and height of the building. In order to make it convenient to work in a greenhouse, it brought the expected result and was cost-effective, it is necessary, when choosing a design, to take into account many factors.

So, in order to choose the optimal size polycarbonate greenhouse, you must consider:

1. Purposes of cultivation. If you plan to grow plants for your own use, then the size of the greenhouse should be calculated by the manufacturer, taking into account the number of all family members.
2. Construction cost. The larger the greenhouse, the greater its cost. In addition, the price is also affected by the material from which the frame of the greenhouse is made. More affordable plastic is suitable for seasonal greenhouses, but winter ones require a strong frame that can withstand precipitation.
3. The shape of the greenhouse. The greenhouse can be arched, oval, one- and two-slope. With the same area of ​​greenhouses, it can be convenient to work in them in different ways.
4. Land area. The greenhouse should be placed at least 3 m away from large objects that can create a shadow. In addition, after installing the greenhouse, there should be room for open beds on the site.
5. Funds that you are ready to allocate for caring for plants. The larger the winter greenhouse, the more money you will need to spend on heating it. In addition, large greenhouses require the organization of a serious aeration system.

The optimal size of a polycarbonate greenhouse

The optimal size of a greenhouse for private use is determined by Appendix No. 85 of the Building Rules and Regulations dated 02.10.04. Based on this, the maximum greenhouse width is 260 cm, and the height of the building must be at least two meters. But in practice, these dimensions may differ.

As the experience of gardeners suggests, the most convenient are:

1. The minimum width of the greenhouse is 235-250 cm. These values ​​\u200b\u200bare obtained based on the fact that it is most convenient when two beds are a meter wide, and the passage between them is 35-50 cm. If it is planned to make more beds in the greenhouse, then the width of the structure must be increased. Greenhouses should no longer be made. Firstly, it will be inconvenient to work in them, and secondly, the width of the door should also be taken into account.
2. The height of the building is at least 160-180 cm. At the same time, the height of the building is measured not by the ridge of the greenhouse, but by the walls. This means that the skate must be removed from the ground at a distance of at least 2.2 meters. The height of the greenhouse should be convenient for the gardener (he should be able to work by straightening his back) and for plants (from plants to the ceiling should be at least 40-50 cm).
3. The length of the greenhouse should be a multiple of 6, since polycarbonate sheets are produced in sizes of 360 and 120 cm. Making a greenhouse of a different length would be impractical from the point of view of economy.

The length is also calculated based on the number of bushes that the gardener plans to plant in the greenhouse.

Do-it-yourself polycarbonate greenhouse (video)

A greenhouse is a convenient structure designed to create the most favorable conditions for the growth and development of plants, obtaining the highest quality and large yield. The dimensions of the greenhouse must comply with SNiP, the individual needs of the gardener: the greenhouse must be convenient for work and bring enough crops for sale or own use. When choosing or building greenhouses, be guided by the best sizes derived from the practice of experienced gardeners and SNiP, and enjoy convenient and efficient cultivation!

Own greenhouse on the site allows you to successfully grow greens, vegetables, mushrooms and even flowers. Do-it-yourself cultures are environmentally friendly and safe, which cannot be said about goods from a store or from the market. With proper organization of the process, the first harvest can be harvested in the first weeks of spring.

What is a greenhouse for?

The greenhouse will reliably protect the seedlings from frost, cold winds and hail. Artificial warm and humid microclimate allows you to extend the period of productivity. Moreover, the greenhouse gives the gardener the opportunity to grow exotic heat-loving plants that the usual climate is not suitable for. And large greenhouses are successfully used in farms.

Disadvantages of purchased models

Depending on the dimensions and selected materials, the cost of finished greenhouses varies greatly and can reach impressive amounts. Building them with the help of third-party specialists will also cost extra money. Meanwhile, self-installation of a greenhouse does not present any particular difficulties even for a novice amateur gardener, and savings can reach up to 20%. At the same time, there are no restrictions on the dimensions and shape of the structure. When buying a finished structure, usually only the dimensions of a standard greenhouse are available, which is not suitable for everyone. Some self-assembled structures are not inferior to factory ones, but in many ways surpass them, because they are more thought out.

Coating material

When starting the construction of a greenhouse, the first step is to determine the location of the structure, as well as select materials for coating. Most commonly used:

• polyethylene film;
• glass;
• polycarbonate.

Glass and film have long faded into the background when arranging greenhouses. The low cost allows you to buy any size film for greenhouses, but this is only an apparent advantage. The film is removed for the winter. In this connection, every season it has to be bought and re-tightened. It is rare when it is possible to carefully remove and then re-stretch the film without damage. Moreover, it quickly becomes cloudy and dirty, and it is difficult to wash it.

Glass is inconvenient to install, breaks easily and requires additional sealing. Large hail is dangerous for glass.

Polycarbonate has the best performance.

Benefits of polycarbonate

Polycarbonate is a modern material suitable for a greenhouse, the size of which can vary from very small to large farmhouses.

Its advantages:

• a light weight;
• high degree of transparency, not inferior to glass;
• transmission of the UV spectrum;
• significant strength (withstands hail impacts);
• thermal conductivity is better than that of glass;
• allows you to make arched structures;
• fireproof, because it does not support combustion;
• easy to clean with a hose.

Polycarbonate sheets are made up of honeycomb-shaped cells, due to which the light falling on their edges is reflected in different sides, which contributes to a more uniform illumination. In addition, the cellular structure gives additional strength to the sheet, which protects against hail or wind-blown rubble. Upon purchase, after the required size of a polycarbonate sheet for greenhouses is measured and cut, it is convenient to roll it into a roll for further transportation.

And although the price of polycarbonate is somewhat more expensive than other types of coatings, the absence of disadvantages and a number of advantages have made it popular with farmers and summer residents.

When purchasing polycarbonate, you should pay attention to its thickness, the optimal value is 6-8 mm. Polycarbonate sheets have two standards: 2.1x6 m and 2.1x12 m. Also, in a quality sheet, the inner layer will be covered with moisture protection.

Greenhouse construction

After the location is determined and the materials are selected, the dimensions of the greenhouse are specified. It is advisable to prepare a mini-project with a drawing, which will indicate all dimensions, methods of fastening, roof structure. The roof comes in a variety of shapes:

• flat;
• lean-to;
• gable;
• polygonal;
• arched.

Optimal - in the form of an arch. Due to the fact that polycarbonate is easily bent, it is easy to give it a bent shape. As glass is used less and less as a covering, there is no need to arrange complex roof shapes. When using polycarbonate, there is no need to tightly seal the numerous seams that are inevitable in the case of glass. The large size of the polycarbonate sheet contributes to a small number of joints. Nevertheless, they must be closed without fail, because otherwise heat will leave the greenhouse through them, and the greenhouse effect will be lost.

It is recommended to select the dimensions of the greenhouse in such a way as to fit into an integer number of polycarbonate sheets. Otherwise, a lot of material will be spent on trimming, and this is a waste of money. If the sheet still needs to be cut, then this is done easily with a mounting knife.

Foundation

The construction of a greenhouse should begin with the arrangement of the foundation. Depending on the type of soil and the purpose of the greenhouse, one of the following types of base is selected:

• monolithic;
• tape;
• point.

The most durable are monolithic or tape having high strength and reliability. However, polycarbonate greenhouses are fairly lightweight structures, and if winter use is not planned, then an inexpensive spot foundation can be completely dispensed with. In addition, attaching the frame to such a foundation is much easier.

wooden frame

The next step is the construction of the frame. When assembled, the dimensions in length and height are determined by the foundation, the optimal height is about 2.5 m.

But, before proceeding to installation work, you should decide on the material for the frame. Wooden beams are the most popular for the reason that they can be found for free. Other advantages of a wooden frame include ease of installation and environmental friendliness, since wood is a natural material. But there are also disadvantages: it should be remembered that the tree constantly needs care. Otherwise, in conditions of constant dampness, the slats will rot. Each season of operation of the greenhouse, the wooden frame must be re-painted or varnished.

Metal carcass

These shortcomings have led to the fact that recently metal has become an increasingly popular material for the frame. In this case, a profile or pipes are used. The second, although they are more expensive, but significantly exceed the profile in terms of strength characteristics. However, if you do not plan to use the greenhouse in winter, when a thick layer of snow is possible, you can limit yourself to a profile.

High strength is distinguished by the design of the arcs. They can be purchased ready-made or use a pipe bender. There are also cheap plastic bent pipes of various sizes on sale, but it is highly not recommended to buy them. Such structures are designed for a maximum of one season, after which such pipes bend and crack.

Depending on the size of the arched greenhouses, a different number of arcs will be required. The frequency of their location is selected individually depending on their thickness and the weight of the polycarbonate.

The disadvantage of metal is corrosion, so a primer and subsequent painting of all surfaces of the steel frame is required. If you apply galvanization, then there is no need for regular staining.

To prevent the greenhouse from being torn off by a strong gust of wind, it is necessary to provide for additional weighting of the frame, as well as to strengthen the attachment points of the frame to the foundation.

Coating installation

Polycarbonate sheets are fastened to the arcs using metal brackets. for greenhouses and the frequency with which the arcs follow, determine the number of brackets, and the more there are, the stronger the structure will be. It is forbidden to drill through holes in polycarbonate, since this violates the integrity of the surface, cracks appear that can destroy the coating over time.

Since polycarbonate is allowed to bend only in the transverse direction, to obtain an arch, sheets should be fastened across the greenhouse structure.

If you have not previously encountered roofing with polycarbonate, then it is recommended to choose material from the most well-known manufacturers. The ends of the structure must be sealed with a special tape that can protect the material from water and dirt.

Heating the greenhouse in winter

If you plan to use the greenhouse in winter, then even at the construction stage, you should think in advance about how to heat it so that it is economically justified. With a competent approach, the heating efficiency will be high, which means that energy costs will be covered by income from the sale of winter crops at traditionally high prices for this time of year.

Among the various methods of winter, infrared heating can be distinguished due to its high efficiency. Radiant energy is beneficial in that it does not heat the air, but plants and soil, which, in turn, giving off heat, are already warming the air. This allows you to significantly reduce the heat loss of the greenhouse, and consequently, reduce heating costs.

Another advantage of infrared heaters is the instant start and the absence of the need for a long preheating with a gradual increase in temperature. From the first minutes of operation, the emitters begin to heat at full power. During installation, heaters should be placed at the top, directing the work surface towards the floor. In this case, the heat will quickly warm the soil and, consequently, the roots of the seedlings too.

Depending on the size of the greenhouse, heaters of various capacities will be required. The larger the greenhouse, the more is needed to heat it.

beds

Having acquired a greenhouse and starting planting seedlings, many gardeners are faced with the question of how to properly arrange the beds. A large distance between the beds will not allow rational use of the space, but excessive crowding will also prevent the plants from growing and bearing fruit due to mutual darkening and interweaving of the roots, which threatens to lose the crop. When planning the size of the beds in the greenhouse and the distance between them, you should calculate everything in advance.

The beds can be classified into two types: soil and those on the shelves. The former are more widespread.

It is important to correctly orient the beds: the most sunlight will give the west-east direction.

Depending on the size of the greenhouse, you can arrange two or three beds. At the same time, it is not recommended to exceed the maximum allowable width of the beds of 120 cm. Otherwise, the likelihood of trampling when caring for plants increases. Dirt beds are recommended to be made high, for which you can use straw, a wooden frame or brick.

For a greenhouse whose vertical dimensions exceed two meters, it is convenient to use a system of shelf beds. At the same time, the location of the racks should be selected taking into account your height, otherwise caring for the plants will be too troublesome.

Conclusion

A well-designed and high-quality assembled greenhouse will please you with a long service life. A well-thought-out heating system will allow you to get a crop. If you follow the tips given in the article, building a greenhouse with your own hands will not be a difficult task. Moreover, useful experience will be gained. If there are difficulties with self-assembly of the greenhouse, photos, dimensions and instructions can be found in the special literature.

Greenhouses significantly extend the growing season of any plant. This is a serious reason for such objects to become common in all regions of a huge country. Important factors in the popularity of greenhouses are also the simplicity of design, its low cost. If you make a greenhouse "on the conscience" of high-quality materials, then it can serve for many years, and the costs of its creation pay off many times over. Polycarbonate is the material that is most in demand, it weighs little, is inexpensive and durable. Manufacturers give a guaranteed service life of at least five years.

Features and benefits of the material

Only a greenhouse can help protect the crop from cold weather, provide it with everything necessary at any time of the year. Before building such an object, you should carefully prepare and plan everything. If defects or errors occur in the design, then it will be difficult and expensive to eliminate them later. And also the imperfection of the design will inevitably affect the yield indicators.

Before starting work, you should be well acquainted with the various materials and drawings of greenhouses. Popular modern material to create a greenhouse is polycarbonate, it best meets the requirements. For many years, glass and PVC film served as the material for the greenhouse.

All of these coatings have advantages, but also significant disadvantages:

• glass is fragile and heavy, it is difficult to mount it;
• PVC film has little strength and quickly becomes unusable.

Cellular polycarbonate does not differ in transparency from glass, at the same time it is easy to install, weighs noticeably less. The material resists temperature and humidity fluctuations well.

The structure of polycarbonate is three layers.

• The top layer is a solid sheet in which there is a special UV film that protects against the harmful effects of ultraviolet rays.
• The middle row is empty cells in the form of honeycombs. They can be an excellent thermal insulator, while at the same time giving additional rigidity to the entire sheet.
• The bottom layer also provides overall structural strength.

Polycarbonate weighs a little, the foundation for it needs an unfounded one, so its cost is noticeably less.

On average, a polycarbonate greenhouse "works" for 5-8 years. Polycarbonate has good thermal insulation properties. It has an excellent light transmission coefficient, allowing you to grow a variety of plants. In the cold season, polycarbonate successfully withstands a significant snow load.

Standard and optimal dimensions

The dimensions of the greenhouse vary markedly, most often on summer cottages in 6 acres there are objects 3 by 4 meters, the length can also reach 6 m. These greenhouses meet all the requirements, at the same time they have acceptable dimensions that correspond to the format of the site.

But objects in formats are also in good demand:

• 2x3 m;
• 3x6 m;
• 3 by 8 meters;
• 2 by 4 meters;
• 6 by 12 meters;
• 3x4 m;
• 6x3 m;
• 2x4 m.

The width of greenhouses of 2 m is also popular, the area of ​​2x6 m is one of the most common.

Of the chamber formats, the Snail greenhouse (2x2 meters) is in demand, it is good to grow seedlings in it, it is easy to transfer it to different points of the site. Such an object has a small height, only 85 cm.

It is assembled in twenty minutes, the frame is hollow pipes, the foundation is:

• stones;
• small concrete blocks.

In commercial farms, you can find greenhouses 10 meters long, large greenhouses are very cost-effective, they can harvest four times a year.

Relationship with constituents

Consider the most important blocks that make up any greenhouse.

The length is usually a multiple of the dimensions of polycarbonate sheets:

• 61 cm;
• 121 cm.

It is also important to take into account the parameter of the racks that will be in the greenhouse, the number of pallets. It should be borne in mind that the use of solid sheets is more preferable, this reduces the cost of creating a greenhouse and is a significant factor in strengthening the frame.

The thickness of the sheets should fluctuate between 3.6 and 6.2 mm, these are the optimal parameters that will meet the following indicators:

• price;
• quality;
• transparency factor.

frame material

The configuration of the greenhouse and its dimensions are determined by the customer. The material of the supporting structures is most often wood or metal. All elements must be treated with antiseptics and primers, in our time there are effective compounds that make it possible to ensure the absence of any corrosion for a long time. It is necessary to do this, the microclimate of the greenhouse is humid, has a positive temperature; if you do not process the nodes of the structure, then in a few years it will hopelessly deteriorate.

PVC profiles have proven themselves well, they are not inferior in strength to steel, at the same time there is no risk that they will rust or rot. When making load-bearing structures from such profiles, it should be remembered that they must be located and mounted in such a way that it is possible to withstand heavy loads in the cold season. There are tested layout patterns PVC profiles where they realize their maximum potential.

Foundation

The massiveness of the foundation and its cost are interconnected with the weight of the structure. Often, for greenhouses of small mass, a foundation made of timber or logs is used. But the foundation on screw piles is also quite acceptable. Piles in their characteristics are not much inferior to strip foundations, at the same time they are installed quickly and are inexpensive.

The strip foundation is the most expensive and time-consuming, it is able to withstand heavy loads. A trench should be dug under it, poured with concrete and reinforced. It will also take 4-6 months for the foundation to “shrink”. If we analyze the practical side of the issue, then a strip foundation for greenhouses is not required. The weight of the greenhouse structure itself is small; this type of foundation is more suitable for a house.

Length and width of sheets

Polycarbonate sheets are 6 meters long and 2.1 meters wide. When creating a drawing, you should proceed from these parameters. The sheet can be cut into pieces of 3x2.1 meters. And also the working format is considered to be the sheet size of 1.5x2.1 meters. Dividing material by width is not easy, so you can rarely find such things.

The roofs of greenhouses, like those of houses, can be single-pitched and gable. Roof pitches vary, ranging from 19° to 32° or even up to 46°. The greater the degree of inclination, the less snow will accumulate, the probability of roof destruction under the weight of the snow cover is significantly reduced. Shed roofs often have various diagonal fasteners. Usually the material is a metal corner 40x40 mm. Shed roofs are most often made when the greenhouse is an extension to the main building.

The distance between such supporting structures is slightly more than a meter (1.1 m), and the same applies to rafters that are mounted flush with vertical wall structures.

Greenhouse shape

The configuration of the greenhouse is determined by the plants that grow in it.

An example would be:

• cylinder;
• semicircle;
• classic rectangular elongated shapes with different roofs.

The classic-style greenhouse has a standard layout: various agricultural crops grow along the sides, and there is a walkway in the center. This arrangement is considered the most rational and therefore very widespread. A standard polycarbonate sheet panel is six meters long and 2.1 meters wide, and it makes sense to take these parameters into account when designing.

In total, there are several main types of greenhouses, each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages.

• The greenhouse in the form of an arch has semicircular support units to which the beams are attached. Polycarbonate sheets are bent and screwed to the frame. The advantage of this design is that it experiences a minimum snow load in winter, it is not difficult to assemble it. Among the shortcomings, it can be noted that the height of such structures has its limitations, which often interferes with work. The classic version is an arched greenhouse with a gable roof. A little more material is needed to create it, but at the same time it is possible to solve the problem of eliminating the problem of the small height of the structure. On the basis of an arched greenhouse, you can make the so-called Mitlider's greenhouse, it is notable for the fact that it has good system air exchange.

• A shed roof greenhouse is the most acceptable option for a structure that is adjacent to the main house or fence. In technical terms, making such an object as easy as shelling pears, at the same time, the costs of additional communications are significantly reduced (if the greenhouse is part of the house).
• A greenhouse-bread box is an object of compact dimensions in which a sash opens. It really resembles a bread box in shape and is convenient, it is good to grow seedlings in it. The sashes in such a greenhouse are easy to adjust depending on the ambient temperature.

• Tent or dome greenhouses have proven themselves well. Creating spherical shapes is not an easy task, it requires some engineering skills. The semi-circular design compares favorably with the fact that it resists various loads (wind, snow). The illumination coefficient has a maximum. Looks aesthetic.
• Installation and assembly

The installation of a polycarbonate greenhouse begins with the selection of a location, followed by the determination of the material to be used. But the question also arises with the foundation, it can be on piles, as well as tape. The number of doors and windows is calculated, a diagram and a drawing are made. The more light, the better for plants, if during daylight hours the room is constantly present daylight then that would be the best option. It is not always possible to meet such criteria 100%, so at least 6 hours a day, natural light must be present in the greenhouse.

It is easiest to build a greenhouse on a flat plane, if there is a significant slope (in mountainous areas), then in this option it is most reasonable to make a terrace. The longitudinal walls of the greenhouse are usually turned to the south, respectively, the ends “look” to the west and east. Air ducts and ventilation openings are located from the southern front.

It is also not recommended to equip a greenhouse in lowlands and on peat soils, often the temperature on such surfaces is noticeably lower, which can affect the vegetation in the greenhouse. Greenhouses are predominantly rectangular in shape (except for greenhouses - "domes"). Along the edges of the object there are beds with plants, in the middle there is a walkway. Most often, the height of the greenhouse does not exceed two meters, the size of the base is not taken into account. With the help of a plinth, you can quite significantly lower or increase the height of an object. Often this opportunity is used in farms where the length of greenhouses is more than ten meters.

In the event that the greenhouse has a significant width, then it is necessary to make several paths and beds. On average, the width of the beds is one meter; the width of the track is 55 cm. The width of the greenhouse is summarized from the following parameters: the width of the tracks, beds and wall thickness are summed up. The width of greenhouses varies from 2.8 to 6.5 meters. All calculations are made taking into account the width of a standard polycarbonate sheet, that is, there must be a multiplicity of 2.05 meters. The step between the vertical supporting structures is no more than one meter.

Undoubtedly, vegetables grown on open field, tastier and healthier. However, their ripening period in our climatic conditions is postponed to the beginning of August, so the bulk of the crop has to be harvested in an unripe form, since the first autumn cold is just around the corner.

For example, tomatoes are left to ripen in room conditions, which negatively affects their taste and useful qualities.

What to be guided by when choosing the size of the greenhouse

So, what you need to know if you plan to build such a greenhouse with your own hands?

During its construction, you must follow the following recommendations:

1. Since it was noted above that the optimal size of a polycarbonate greenhouse is 3.5 m, sheets with a size of 12 m by 2.10 m are ideal for. In this case, solid sheets can be used for the roof.
2. The most optimal thickness of polycarbonate for a greenhouse is 4 mm. This is due to the fact that if we start from the price / quality ratio, then 3.5 mm is not enough, and the use of sheets with a thickness of 6.0 mm will greatly increase the cost of the greenhouse as a whole. In addition, the thicker the polycarbonate, the less its transparency, and this aspect is very important for the normal growth of plants.
3. For greenhouses, polycarbonate with a protective layer should be purchased.

1. In order to extend the service life of the structure, drains should be installed after the installation of the sheets. This will prevent moisture from entering the gaps between adjacent sheets, which in turn will prevent it from freezing. This aspect is very important, because although polycarbonate is frost-resistant, nevertheless, it tends to shrink at low temperatures, and frozen rainwater can cause cracks.
2. To seal gaps in a polycarbonate structure, it is better to use a soft elastic sealant.
   
3. In greenhouses made of this material, it is imperative to install ventilation holes, since it is characterized by poor air conductivity. Where the openings will be located should be thought out in advance. This will avoid buying extra material, which is not cheap, and thereby save the budget.

Conclusion

This instruction is only a small guide for building a polycarbonate greenhouse. We hope that it will help novice gardeners to correctly calculate the dimensions of the structure that will fit exactly your site. The video in this article will answer the remaining questions clearly.