carpentry help on lean to greenhouse

I got a wild hair this morning. I have a plan in my head and just drew it in MS paint crudely. The main problem is lack of experience.What I need to know is how to attach this thing to the existing fence. I planned on cutting the 2X4's off on the angle of the slope then butt up against a 2 X 6 and toenail those with screws. I'd rather use joist hangers but the angle of the cut 2 X 4 won't let them sit in those like they should. Are there some other kinds of hangers I could use to be sure those stay where I put them?

I'll show some pics of where it will be and the place it needs to attach to. The roof will have whatever slope the angle ends up being from there (where it attaches to the fence and out 12'. 10' 4X4 posts at the farthest and 12' 4X4's in the smaller section (to be safe 'cause it's closer and higher up). I'll cut those off when the rafters come down across them at whatever angle it ends up being.

Here's the plan looking at the roof from above. I'm using 2X4's on 24" centers on the rafters because we don't get snow and I plan on using the corrugated poly clear. All the way around the outside will be 2 X 6's



This message was edited Nov 18, 2006 5:41 PM

Here's where it'll be...

And here's what I need to attach to. It's a 2X6 on it's side,

We're setting the posts tomorrow so I won't be working on it for a day or two to let the concrete set. It's tall so that I can come down those stairs from the pool which is right behind that gate. All my plants (or most) are right there behind that gate.

There is also a rain gutter downspout on the house right there that I thought I could divert into a 55 gallon barrel to use for watering. And the gas meter and accessible plumbing is right there next to the house for a heater too!

On the right is a fence which will be one of the walls (partially) and on the other side is the house. In the front will be a door (in the small section) and a potting table on the other side of the stairs next to the house which will be under the eaves. No real wall on that side but it's protected by the house. Also I have a dog in that yard so I planned on using treated lumber (probably just fence boards) to close it in from the floor up to about 4 feet so she doesn't mess up my corrugated poly. The sun doesn't come from that direction anyway. That's stuff's 26 bucks for each 12' x 26" piece. I need 8 for the roof and a couple 8 footers for the triangular place above the fence on the right and above my closed in part on the front side. I get sun there from 10 am to 2pm maybe 3 pm before it goes over the house.

This message was edited Nov 18, 2006 6:04 PM

I think you just need to notch the 2x4 like this. Then you could toenail/screw it down, or use an angle brace to secure it if needed.

This message was edited Nov 18, 2006 6:50 PM

Thanks stressbaby. Then is screwing them to the 2 X 6 by toenailing the screws support enough to hang onto it on that end? My only other thought was to build it as a box on the ground then I could get to the back side of the 2 X 6 that they butt up against... then put the whole thing up there but it would take four people to lift that bugger up there assembled. Plus I want to be sure about all the angles...one at a time. The rest I can handle but I don't want it pulling away at that place where it attaches to the fence. I even thought about taking a board off of that cedar temporarily(above it that goes up at an angle on the other side of the fence) to get the the back side to screw them in thru the 2 X 6 just to be safe.

Now on the front side (lower end) I was going to notch out for each of the 2 X 4's to have a resting place on that 2 X 6... (so I don't have to cut angles on both ends truth be told) and have an overhang of about 8 inches. It would also give it a vent at the same time.







This message was edited Nov 18, 2006 7:19 PM

Coming right along... :^)

So many choices on the clear or tinted (several colors too) poly or fiberglass? Anyone had any experiences with either I should know about before I decide?

maidentheshade............ I am also building a lean-to greenhouse.........I cut the rafters to the same angle of my existing work shop wall I built a few years ago.........tonailed top, and bottom w/ 31/2" screws..............I hope this helps.......I also used a few joist hangers where I thought i needed them.........

This message was edited Nov 20, 2006 8:04 AM

Yes ! Thank you hornstrider. Your's looks great!

So far so good. I had bought the wrong hangers. I picked up 2 X 6 and I am using 2 X 4 for the rafters. No snow here and that corrugated poly is light. So I took those back and got the ones for 2 X 4's. Expense so far 130 bucks. I have a clear view storm door I will use and I only have one wall needing the polycarbonate panels so I figure another 175 - 200 for that. I even contemplated using contractors plastic for that wall but I may as well do it right. I'll get the good stuff. I've been doing some searching on ventilation. I really don't plan on using it much in the summer. All the plants have real spots they go. This is for winter storage. But I might start some seeds in the spring in there. The gate and the door should make a nice breezeway being straight in front of each other. I did notch out for the rafters on the front...one so far anyway :) And that will leave a gap under the panels for some air too.

Still haven't decided on clear or tinted. I might regret not getting the tinted and have to use shade cloth later. I am still trying to find out some info on the clear blue looking panels. What did you use hornstrider?

This message was edited Nov 20, 2006 8:33 AM

FWIW..............I bolted my 2X6 to existing studs w/ 5/16" lag screws..........I think that is very important...........you to might consider bolting your 2X6...........just a thought.......good luck!!

Fixing to go to the hardware store. Good idea. I'll get me some bolts while I'm there. Thanks. We're having close to freezing tonight. Gotta get some plastic wrap the patio to cover plants up till the greenhouse is ready. Some can't go in anyway.... but I sure wish I had started sooner! The patio has no room to walk right now! LOL

We've a roof!

My sweety came to help frame it up today. Thank Heavens ! I hadn't gotten any further since last weekend and had made a couple mistakes which he was able to fix.

One by fours across the top of the joists to hold the panels.

Screwing the panels to the top.

UniQue Treasures (my sister Janet) was there to help and brought her 10 foot ladder. She helped tremendously by gittin' in the way. LOL

I'm so glad I was able to git in the way. I am very good at that dontchaknow! I've had a bunch of years experience at that!

That photo wasn't of you attaching the panels, but of you putting the hangy brace things under the rafters. But dont' worry. I'll never tell Mom ..... that you stood on the TOP STEP OF THE LADDER! OMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMVVVVVVV I'll just send her a link to this thread! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Oh nooooooooooooooooo ! LOL


You're right Janet...Here is the correct pic.

We made a lean to greenhouse. Ours is made out of steel tubing and glass from sliding glass doors but we used lag screws to attach ours to the existing wall like Hornstrider did.

Tami

Oh ! Looks Great Tami ! I have a clear view storm door that I was considering putting on it's side on a hinge on the front for a "window" that would open for ventilation. It wont go where I wanted it to as the door because of the tree I left so I may as well make use of it. I have a glass man that I need to visit with to see if he has any used ones or patio doors. People replace and update those to atrium doors. I betcha he has a stack of those. Good idea!

I bought our glass used as well. Kingwood glass had replaced a bunch for someone. I think the glass for our GH was $200. We couldn't have bought plastic for that price. The only thing is that the light transmission is great and I didn't think of shade cloth in Febuary when we put the Plumerias in there when it was ready. I burnt the tips on many of them and didn't get blooms for another year. I found a big piece of material off the $1.00 rack at Walmart that has worked well for a shade cloth. I'm looking again because we just got the main part of our 20 X 30 hoop house up. When we get the ends done I'll need something very large to shade it as well. You are doing a great job. Remember to send pictures when its finished.

Tami

If I use glass I can tint it's windows. That's what I do for a living. LOL But I can't tint the poly.That's where I'd need the shade, on the roof. This had been on my mind naturally since I'm in the middle of it and want to do things so I don't have to redo later. I got to thinking I could make a big roll up shade out of the shade cloth and use pully's like on a roman shade (which I happen to have) and keep it rolled up on the top and let it roll down when I need it in the summer. It's own weight may be enough to roll on down the slope. I'd thought I may do a velcro tabbed one custom fit to the roof joists in my first trial run in my mind. Still thinking.
I will post pics as I go. Might have time this week to work on the sides a little bit. But I want pea gravel for the floor so I don't want to close that part in just yet so the wheel barrow can still get in there. Got to have a load delivered. Bags of it at HD were nearly 3 bucks for 50 lbs. I figured I need about 30 to give me a nice floor. So I'll get a truck to dump some instead. I had my coffee out there under the roof this morning contemplating. It feels nice. :) Like I'll be hanging out in there a bunch.

Not real sure how tint would work. You need full spectrim light coming through just not as much. Do you have some tint with little holes in it? :-)
I'll start a new thred with the new Greenhouse on it.


Tami

There is such a film but it's very expensive.
When we use solar film on a residence there is usually a little shock for the owners houseplants but they do adjust.

I'm more concerned about heat build up in there than too much sun. The area where I would use glass doors is not direct sunlight. Filtered thru trees. The roof is my main concern for the noon sun so I probably will wait and see when summer gets here if I even need to do anything. I probably won't do much in there in the summer anyway, this is for winter storage. ...or I may get into orchids or something exotic...maybe even mushrooms!

For the heat we put in one of those Master Flow
Power Gable Vents from Home Depot. Its temp controled and works great. When we finished our first greenhouse in Febuary of 2003 (i Think) we put all the plumeria in. It burnt all the tips and I got very few blooms that year. I couldn't believe it got that hot in there. I bought a piece of Nylon fabric from Wal-Mart that had holes in it and it keep them shaded enough but they still got full spectrum sun so they will grow and bloom. I'm looking for another piece big enough for the new GH. :-) Shade cloth is out of my budget for now.

Tami

Allrighty we have started on ventilation. :)

Janet helped me today get the window in. It was a door I found yesterday at an estate sale. Already stripped so it needs some polyurethane but it's in. Had three stained glass windows...two side by side which we used for the window and another section that will be over the door as a transom. I also got the fence side closed in with the poly panels. Two more small walls and the door to go. The door will also have a top section that opens up for ventilation blowing through to pool gate. I'm opening up the upper section of the pool fence directly in front of the new window for a breezeway too. It'll be on hinges so it can close in the winter.

Here it is open.

Here's the door before we cut it. The bottom was messed up so it was perfect to cut and use for this project.

How nice is that? Good job.

Tami

Thanks Tami ! Janet and I were grinning from ear to ear when we stood back to see it after we wrestled it up there and got it's hinges installed. I had bought removable pin hinges to make the job easier but to save our souls neither one of us could get the pins out to do it like it was intended. No instructions on the package either. So we did it the hard way.

The transom section (when we get to it) won't have to be on hinges because the swinging section of the door below it will provide air movement. We're anxious to get back out there working on it next opportunity I have.

We are gonna try to finish the ends of mine next weekend. Its just too cold outside right now. I want the normal Texas Winter weather back this is too cold. :-)

Tami

I know, me too. Poor Janet was shivering out there and her hands freezing. I must have thicker blood or else I was so nervous about cutting into my new door my blood was warmed up. :)
It's supposed to warm up tomorrow after one more freezing night.

I can't wait for the warmth again. Need to get to work outside but I can't take the cold. keep us updated.

Tami

Here's the latest.
Janet helped me make the gate and close in a lower wall till it got too dark to see earlier this week. Then it got COLD so I didn't venture out to work on it any more till today.

Got the last of the lower walls closed in. I'm Riley proof! yay! Today before the last lower wall was finished she grabbed a box of deck screws and took off with those. Strewn all over the yard before I got ahold of her. Stole my pen twice and chewed the cap off it before I discovered it missing. She sneaked off with the container the screws for the polycarbonate panels was in but fortunately they dumped right where she snatched those. AND she took a drink of my tea sitting on the steps!

All walls that are getting the polycarbonate panels are finished. My glass man was here yesterday to measure the openings beside and above the stained glass on the front for glass. I still need a window on top of the gate between it and the stained glass transom which I installed today. I need to get busy making that so the glass man can measure for it too. It'll be sand blasted with the same design of the stained glass just like the ones beside and above the stained glass window on the front.

Around the corner .

Still need to take down my little Chinese Plum tree in front of the gate opening. There's another one out in the yard already established and undisturbed by Riley so far.

Looks Great Connie! I know you're relieved to have it Riley Proof!

Got the front trimmed inside and out ready for the glass. :)

See ? Already got dog paw prints on the right side. Good thing I did the bottom with wood.

AND florescent shop lights so I can work in there at night. Still no real power but that shop light has a plug so I'm using the extension cord temporarily. Plugged it in so I could see to hang it last night close to midnight. Couldn't stand it...I just had to see!