Pitched roof greenhouse with plastic film.

Watch Reply
More
Mark unread Print Skip to new
Doug9345 Durhamville, NY(Zone 5b) Dec 27, 2011

Has anyone built a greenhouse by using standard roof trusses covered with plastic film. I have access to a number of 24' 7/12 pitch steel trusses that I'd like to put up and then use plastic film as a covering. My concern is that the plastic will bow enough near the eaves that snow will hang and form puddles. We get somewhere between 100' and 200"+ inches of snow in a year. This year nothing but a dusting yet.

Post #8944013
Quote
WayneKY Cadiz, KY(Zone 6b) Dec 27, 2011

I don't think that plastic film is going to work with that much snow. Why not cover it with plastic film, then a rigid polycarbonate over that. It would give you more insulation.

Wayne

Post #8944056
Quote
postmandug Bardstown, KY(Zone 6a) Jan 19, 2012

If they're steel trusses how do plan to attach any kind of roofing/cover?

Post #8974209
Quote
Doug9345 Durhamville, NY(Zone 5b) Jan 20, 2012

Most likely wood furring strips screwed down. This was originally a bot house that we took down about 10 years ago. At that time it have corrugated steel roofing on frames that had some king of clip that held them on. We didn't salvage the roofing as usable because of its age(50+ year).

My biggest concern is how will plastic flm sag and develop pockets where snow can accumulate with disastrous results.

Post #8975829
Quote
Blueberry1264 McMinnville, TN(Zone 6b) Jan 20, 2012

Since you want to use steel trusses, you could purchase steel cattle panels at a local farm supply and attach those to the trusses and then cover with a strong 4 year greenhouse film.
By doing this I would think that it would support the snow. Just a thought.

Post #8975853
Quote
postmandug Bardstown, KY(Zone 6a) Jan 21, 2012

An excellent idea Blueberry! They could even be spot welded to the trusses for stability.

Doug

Post #8976181
Quote
niceguy2 Rochester, MN Mar 12, 2012

It is added expense, but using a double layer of plastic is probably your best bet. Then use several small squirrel cage blowers to inflate between the two layers. My parents had a similar width GH set up. They only used fir stripping to attach the plastic at ground level and on the ends. For wet heavy snows we had to sometimes beat the inside or scape the snow on the outside to get it sliding if it accumulated, but that was the only problem.

Post #9039669
Quote

Post a Reply to this Thread

Please or sign up to post.
Back to Forum Homepage

More Greenhouse Threads

Go to all Greenhouse threads
BACK TO TOP