I finally built the benches for my greenhouse. I used the material suggested by Bernie, galvanized metal studs and hat channel. http://davesgarden.com/t/375328/ The cost was about 1/3 the cost of cedar and 1/2 the cost of pine, a hundred pounds lighter per bench and very easy and fast to construct. I have started to move some items into the house even though there is a lot of work to do there yet. I need the space in my room and have to move things out!
Inside completed bench
I understand the metal studs; can see them there. But how did you make the legs? Are they also made out of metal studs?
Roy, it looks like you are making a lot of progress.
Keep those pictures coming when you have time.
I enjoy seeing them.
TLC
Looks great! You will enjoy them for a long time. Plants look great too!
ßernie
LOL Are you talking about MY legs or the bench legs :-)
The bench legs are 38" sections of studs with a cap of 24" long channel and a cross brace of 24" high hat. The 8' stringers across the top are 'high hat'. Everything is held together with 7/16" [edited value] drill-point self-tapping sheet metal screws. I use a high torque dry wall screw gun. Once the studs, channel and stringers are cut to length it takes about an hour to assemble one set of four legs and the completed bench. I will have six of the finished benches in the greenhouse.
Edit: The studs are 22 gauge. The Home Depot studs are a much lighter gauge and while they would support seed flats I think they would be stressed to support heavy pots.
This message was edited Tuesday, Mar 25th 8:21 AM
Padre, your legs are looking handsome, too. Grin..
I remember the first GH pictures you have sent to DG, without legs..
You did such a great work with this GH, it is a pleasant to see the pictures. Thank you for sharing.
I am "shure"(believe) the Lord will bless the work you did together with your friends.
I would like to see the flowers in the different yards this summer.
Take care
Ludger
Really nice looking benches. The plants look healthy too. You are lucky to have such a nice greenhouse. Linda
Thank you , Padre
You answered my question sufficiently.
As to YOUR legs . . . I know who made them.
TLC
You're really making great progress on the GH. I like those benches. Can't wait to see it when it's all finished and full of plants.
looking nice! greehouse and benches are great....
you must put some pics of the greenhouse on middlesummer.
Thank you for all your compliments and encouragement. I wish to thank all who gave me suggestions about how they made their benches in the other string on occupying the greenhouse. This is my first time using a greenhouse and I have a lot to learn. I hope I can learn more from your advice and less from my mistakes. I'm afraid that once the faculty of the Biology Department see how improved the greenhouse is they will want to use it for their plants. If that ever happens I'll send them a bill for the improvements. That will keep them at bay :-)
Padre, you are going about this so methodically and thoroughly ~ I don't see how you can fail! I too have learned so much from these wonderful people at DG.
Maybe you will have to install shades to drop when the Biology Dept. comes around so they can't see what a great job you are doing there! LOL
TLC
You are right about those shades. Not so much for the nosy visitors but for the bright sun. It was 100F when I went in there this morning. I had closed the top windows last night and that kept the hot air in. It came back down to 70F after I opened the place up. Has anyone made 'home made' shades or do I have to go commercial? If so, where?
Can you buy shade cloth at Home Depot and some how attach in the areas you want to cut the sun. Seems like that's what nurseries do.
Shades that fit the windows might be very expensive.
TLC
Padre, your shelving looks great and the plants too. I guess i missed out earlier on the location of your GH is it on the roof. Shade cloth should work there are various thinknesses of shade cloth, I have used 75%. I don't try to keep anything in my gh in the summer time, can't keep it cool enough. Donna
Charley's Greenhouse and Garden has some reflective shade cloth that keeps greenhouses cooler than the black kind I have heard. It is called Chill Out. It makes 60% shade but also reflects the heat. Padre, those are great benches!
What is on the top of the hat pieces? What are you using to set your plants on?
I suggested metal lathe,(used for plaster). Looks like that's what it is.
Our new,(used) greenhouse came with benches coverd 1 X 1 welded wire. That works good but is very expensive.
ßernie
Home Depot had some plastic coated wire (1/2 " square openings) 2' x 5'. I picked up several rolls of that. That's the green wire you see under the pots. I didn't reject using metal lath, just came upon this first and decided to try it.
