Greenhse poly/plexi/glass: which is optimal?

Nick, when you're ready to "throw plastic" over that GH, let me know. I can give you a few ideas to make it easier....or if you want I could make a list of the steps we followed....give me a couple days....if you make that a double co-poly house it will be amazing! You will have a real nice GH!
 
I looked up copoly and says it's good for only one season. Our local tree nursery (PRT) sells off its poly after one seasons' use, but this stuff I got from them seems to have lots of life left within. Partic if I double layer it and keep what's yet to be used out of the elements. If by copoly you mean 2 layers, my plan was to tack a poly layer on the inside as well as outside, as much for winter insulation as I don't know why else. I didn't actually look at the sites, just read what's displayed on the search engine page, so haven't seen pics. It does seem copoly is a type of plastic, translucent rather than transparent. At least that's what I've seen on a few other greenhouses.

I was waiting to get thin long pieces of wood to hold the plastic on with big staples. But since learned I can just use old real estate signs or the like cut into thin strips. Today was digging a root cellar. Electricity for refrigeration is expensive in BC. I think more in rural than in urban. Will pass on progress as it happs. Just hope I dont leave it embarrassingly long :)
 
I Was getting 6+ years out of it single layer...until we had 50+mph winds...:rolleyes: and I didn't have it as secure as it should have been either.....
Strips of wood of some kind yes, about 1-1 1/2" wide. have a bunch pre cut. I used roofing tacks, wide head, (not too short), easy to hammer in, pry off whole strip if need to reposition.

Here's a couple things might help....you'll need some rope. Enough to throw over the GH, tie off at both ends, every 10-15' or so down the length of the house.
Pick a non windy day. Gentle breeze fine, windy not good.
Unroll (if it's new or in a roll) plastic and lay lengthwise along the base of the greenhouse on the side any breeze IS coming from. You want to pull it over the top with its help, not fighting it.
About every 10-15' double the plastic over, about 12" or so, then fold in again over a smallish object like a tennis ball. Something not sharp. Then take a good length of rope, a good size to throw and pull the plastic with, and wrap and tie it around the object. What you're doing is making a pull point on the plastic without hurting the plastic. Throw all the ropes over before pulling any. If you have someone to help it easier to unhook snags, have a long stick handy. Pull the rope at one end ONLY until you feel resistance, then tie it off and go to the next one. This way you don't lose it if the wind does come up, but you're putting the least stress on the plastic.
After you've worked it all over the top, adjust your sides so you have enough to fasten, or attach to a pole you can use to roll up the side like a curtain in the summer for extra ventilation.
Throw all those ropes you used back over the top and fasten at both ends to hold the plastic down while you work on the wood strips.
To make the inflated part, pull the second plastic over the first (remove the ropes first) and replace the ropes over the top. At the top of the sidewall on the outside, you'll want to nail strips of wood end to end lengthwise down the whole side of the GH. I wouldn't inflate the sides unless you can shut off the air to them for summer so you can roll the sides up. You will need an electric squirrel fan and a collar to hold the plastic to it, to keep them inflated, insert that from the inside cutting only into the innermost layer of plastic. They (the fan) don't take much power, maybe solar would work????

How soon you thinking of starting this, this weekend? There's more, but I thought this would get you started......
Questions welcome

Rereading what you said, if you tack the first one that's fine unless you lose power to the squirrel fan and the outer one chafes over the tacking mechanism of the inner one. I've never lost power on a windless warm day......;)
 
I'd better start while good weather holds cuz the old poly is just sitting on the grass very messily rolled up under that green tarp in the picture. I need to air that out a little and actually give it a little UV damage before starting. Doing that first will give me time to cut the support strips and make any repairs to structure like that fallen door come unhinged. But my plan was to tack a layer from the inside first, as awkward as that sounds. This way will give me space between that and one tacked from outside. I hear it's this space that gives insulation. Then I'm gonna dump one of my compost piles in there, starting with all those grasses etc grown up in there. I need help. I should be working on getting WWOOFer help and/or invite friends for a work party. I'm planning on doing the inside of the chicken tractor/cold frame first too. Nice to hear I've got a few years with one round of the poly. I wouldn't want to be doing this year in & out. It wouldn't be that popular as is if had to anyway. However the tree nursery I hear has a few, uncertain how many, layers and takes off the outside one to change every season. They're growing trees for the tree planting market.

I'll look into squirrel fans I've never heard of before. Hopefully can get a start tomorrow. Thanks for help & encouragement. Nick
 
Started today. Connected like 3 extension cords to work the shop vac way out there to get up the ancient plastic that responded to being picked up by disintegrating further. The raised beds were deep with plastic starter containers, plastic tags and a deep strong tangle of grass roots. It stressed the mattock I used to break up the root masses. Kinda hurt my back some doing it too. After clearing up garbage I first cut the long grasses and dropped them to the also grass covered ground to start a compost pile there for free warmth over winter (in the Canadian Rockies here). Upon suggesting to the family my idea of tacking from the inside and seeing for myself what it would take, we opt now to go your route. The two layers will have like 1/2" strips of wood between leaving ample breathing space. Thanks Again, Nick
 
Do what you can. You want to enjoy this homesteading right? Sounds like you made a great start. I love natural compost heat too, great idea! Don't you guys have natural gas up there? I always envied the hot house growers with the cheap heat!

(Edited, the correct term is) "pulling (not throwing) plastic" can easily start to look like an overwhelming and frustrating step. And as you found today, it's the prepping it all that makes it take so much longer than you thought it would.....
For myself it is about the least favorite thing to do of all in the nursery business. But having skipped the essentials too many times because I didn't feel good, I was tired, it was raining.....meant I didn't get a good tight cover. Inevitably, around midnight in a driving wind/rain storm, let's say around Christmas for good measure....off she'd sail. Talk about learning the hard way! :lol:

Here's the size and style of fan I was talking about.....you can maybe find it local up there...with all those big greenhouse growers up there either the hardware stores or the GH supply stores should have something similar. Probably you could salvage one out of an old appliance too.....( I didn't use the hose part, just inserted it and clamped it over the plastic)

http://www.greenhousemegastore.com/...fan-kit/polyethylene-film-install-accessories

Just in case I'm not paying attention when you start, here's a few more tips, things to have handy.....

Work belt with hammer, nails, pocket knife, flat screwdriver or/and wirecutters, big "hog?" Staples- those 3" curved things that you can nail in at the bottom both sides to temporarily tie off the rope to....
Um, duct tape for that wood splinter snaggy section....
Ah, scissors and a big sharp knife for the plastic...
Gloves...

Leave enough plastic at the bottom to make the roll up sides, and extra foot or two....I'll give you a link later for that....

What a beautiful greenhouse that will be again... :yiipchick
 
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