Interesting hoophouse construction

I came acroos this site while reading some old posts from Ohiorganic, who used to be a regular on the Market Growers Forum.

It looks like a great way to make a secure hoophouse.
http://www.americansurvivalist.com/articles/lghoophse.asp

Darius, can't seem to view this link. Shame as I am really interested in this posting.

Sue

Sue, it just now came up for me. Try it again?

Darius - it comes up with 'Not authorised to use this site' - any suggestions?

Sue

it says the same thing to me. even at the homepage

Darius -- we wanna see it......

How very interesting! I cannot open the link either in Internet Explorer, but it does open in my regular browser, Safari (Mac).

Here's the text, but it won't let me enlarge the photos. (I get the same unauthorized message.) I'm also having computer problems, so the photos won't even download in thumbnail form.

Boulder Belt Hoophouse

What you will need is 10' or 20' metal 1" conduit (or larger), connectors if using 10', 2 u-bolts for every section needed, 18" pieces of rebar, Greenhouse plastic that is 20' wide and how ever long you want it. We use Tufflite IV in 100' rolls.

Tools include wrench, flathead screw driver, mallet to hammer in rebar, pipe bender or a stout tree crotch (make sure it is stable - we took apart a cedar doing this) to bend conduit.

In a nut shell you bend the metal so it forms an arch. If using 10' pieces (This is what we use because this is all we can find at the hardware stores in our area) bend knowing you will be connecting them at the apex. If using 20' pieces bend to form a 8' arch.

Each section is made of 2 arches clamped together on each side with u-bolts. The sections are anchored to the ground by placing over the rebar pieces that are set not connected to each other. There are no purlins.

The frame set up. Note that each section is independent of each other

After a row of sections is set up to what ever length you want (We have been doing these in 50' lengths) it is time to dig a trench on either side of the house. We do this by hand but if you have a machine to do the work so much the better. on as well.

f you are using the house for tomatoes and are using stakes put those in before the plastic goes on. Be sure any plastic mulch is down before you put the plastic on as well.

When the sections are set and the trenches dug it is time to cover the house with plastic and dig in the edges leaving the ends open. Use large rocks to secure the ends.

This house has taken 80mph winds with no damage but if the edges are not well dug in you may lose your plastic in strong winds. But since the plastic is not attached to the house you will not have damage to the structure itself. All that happens is the plastic blows off and plastic with no structure does not generally go far.

The drawbacks to this house are the entry ways. Since there is no rigid door way on the ends it can be hard to keep the ends open in warm weather. One thing we have done that works pretty well is to have an additional section of conduit at either end that the plastic ends can be draped over and clamped to using spring clamps (I do not have a picture of this set up, sorry). You can also fold the plastic back on itself over the frame and secure it somehow so it does not come off the frame and close again.

We spend about $300 on each 100' of hoophouse including plastic. If you hang around construction sites you could probably get the materials needed for nothing and I am sure there are cheaper ways of getting conduit than going through a place like Lowe's or Home Depot.

I don't see where they used the 18" pcs. of rebar. The 2 arches are connected at what looks about about waist level on each side, and about 3' apart at the apex and the ground.

When I get back from the computer shop tomorrow afternoon, I'll try again with photos.

Interestingly enough... I got my computer repaired today, and the link will not even open for me now. Guess it was a fluke that I got there at all.

Nonetheless, I think it's a great way to build a hoophouse. Each "set" of 2 hoops is independent of all the others, so you can make it any length you want.

I figured out that the 18" rebar must go in the base of each piece of conduit to help anchor it.

it opened today, don't know if this will help anyone, but opened up easy with no problems

worked for me too today! weird that it did that. thats interesting how they cross the pipes like that.

This is great! I've been looking for cheap green houses. With a few 2x4s on the ends a door is easy. Thanks for the link.