Do-it-yourself winter greenhouse - heating options. How to build a greenhouse for growing vegetables in winter with your own hands: device, technology, heating and reviews

Winter greenhouses are most often designed for growing early greens and vegetables, which not only allows you to have your own products in the cold season, but also, with good organization, makes it possible to earn good money, since, as you know, the first vegetables have the highest price. However, before building such a greenhouse, you need to think carefully about heating it, especially in areas with cold and long winters. Although, of course, the choice of material, the location, and the size of the building itself affect the overall temperature in such a room.

Choosing materials for the greenhouse

The frame of the winter greenhouse can be made both wooden and metal. The first one is cheaper, but it less durable and not so durable, despite all sorts of modern impregnations that can cover it. Metal, although more expensive, but it withstands heavy loads and can last quite a long time.

For coverage, it is best to use cellular polycarbonate, because it has high thermal insulation and good light transmission. True, over time, its transparency decreases, but over the course of 6-7 years it demonstrates quite high light transmission. In addition, polycarbonate is durable and, at the same time, lightweight. It is very convenient to cut and mount on the frame.

Of course, glass is much more transparent, but its main drawback is fragility. In addition, it is a heavy material. For a winter greenhouse - glass is not the best option, because in a particularly snowy season it can can't stand the snow and simply crumble under its weight. However, if there is no particular choice, then a glass roof can also be used, but it must be installed under sharp slope, to avoid snow accumulation. In addition, when building a greenhouse, you can resort to different combinations, for example, make the walls glass, and the roof - film or polycarbonate.

How to choose a place for a greenhouse

The place for the greenhouse, if possible, is chosen calm and preferably on a hill- this to some extent will serve as an additional source of heating (in this case solar). If there is no natural elevation, then they often do artificial mounds. The foundation is not very deep: 50-70 cm. In addition, the greenhouse is equipped with special vents for ventilation.

In the event that the greenhouse will be exposed to the sun all day, care should also be taken to cover it with special mesh or blinds in order to prevent some sensitive plants from overheating. light and heat. This shelter should, if necessary, be easily raised and lowered.

In order for the heating of the greenhouse not to be very expensive, it is better to install it as close as possible to the house, and even better to install it near the wall of the dwelling. This will make it possible to use the heating of the dwelling to heat the greenhouse, which will reduces costs compared to installing a separate greenhouse heating system. When choosing a heating system, you need to proceed from the type that functions in the house.

Electric heating in the winter greenhouse

with electric heating, it is not advisable to use heaters, since the heating of the area will be uneven. In this case, it is better to lay cables in it when laying the foundation, which are used to install underfloor heating. In this way, it is possible to provide uniform heating of the whole room and provide additional soil heating;
however, if necessary, especially if there is no other heat source, heaters can be used, but it is better to install them under the racks with plants. In this way, seedlings will not fall under direct flow of hot air, and it will be the soil that will warm up, albeit slightly.

Convectors

you can also use convectors, several appliances with heating coils will heat evenly the whole room of the greenhouse;
in this manner soil does not heat up which is a disadvantage.

Water heating

when installing water heating, a pipe system is made through which warm water circulates;
pipes are laid inside the greenhouse along the walls or under the floor, which allows you to heat the soil;
for this heating system are used as metal, so plastic pipes;
plastic pipes are preferred because they are more affordable, do not rust and easier to install;
pipes are heated by gas boilers , can also be with electricity;
it is undesirable to use metal pipes for heating the soil, since they susceptible to corrosion damage;
This type of heating provides uniform heating and air and soil;
not always popular due to installation difficulties pipe systems and often high cost the heating itself;
such heating requires constant control.

Given the fact that energy carriers are an expensive pleasure, consumers have recently paid attention to infrared heating. Infrared lamps and heaters are used for greenhouses.

Infrared heating for greenhouses

they do not heat the air, but themselves plants and soil heat is transferred from the soil to the entire room;
if the heater is equipped with a thermostat, then it periodically turns off;
turns on only in order to maintain the desired temperature, which is significantly saves electricity;
infrared heaters and lamps are considered harmless for both humans and plants.

One of the most economical ways to heat a greenhouse can be wood heating using a Buleryan stove.

wood heating

the stove is best placed in a kind of hallway in front of the greenhouse, and the chimney pipes run throughout the room with access to the outside on the other side;
the greenhouse is heated in this way, and carbon monoxide exits through the chimney;
however, the downside may be the fact that the laying of firewood needs to be done on average every 4 hours which is not very convenient at night;
there are also wood-burning boilers for heating.

Air heating system

one of the most simple and affordable greenhouse heating methods;
with her help only the air is heated, and the soil remains at the same temperature, this type of heating is better to use in combination with others;
for air heating, it is necessary to lay pipes inside the greenhouse in such a way that its end goes outside, near the outer end of the pipe you need to light a fire so that warm air could flow through pipes into the greenhouse;
this type can be considered as alternative, because it requires regular monitoring and laying firewood.

It should also be borne in mind that for winter greenhouses it is recommended to install double layer polycarbonate, glass or film. This also serves as an additional method of warming.

Backup heat sources

In order to provide the greenhouse with constant heat, it is best to install several heat sources in case shutdown or breakdown one of the energy sources. The most suitable for this purpose may be boilers with a combined heating method.

For example, in addition to electricity, use heating with wood or coal. This will help avoid unforeseen circumstances and do not freeze plants. It is also possible, in addition to, say, a gas boiler, to build a brick stove in case of possible failures. In addition, for emergency heating of the greenhouse in the event of a failure of any heating method, you can light a fire in a metal barrel, and put the barrel itself near the greenhouse, directing heat into the pipe that goes outside. For rapid heating greenhouses can also be used and gas burners. However, it is undesirable to use them for a long time, since gas is not the best for plants.

As an additional heating, it is also used biofuel. In areas with cold winters, it is really used only as an additional source of heat. Most often, horse manure, fallen leaves with pig or cow waste, undecomposed peat, and urea are taken for biofuel. You can also use plant waste mixed with garbage. When this mixture rots, carbon dioxide, which warms and nourishes the plants.

There are craftsmen who use non-traditional heating methods, such as a solar oven. To do this, near the roof are installed special containers with stones. During the day, the sun heats the air in the greenhouse through glass or film. It rises and lingers on the stones, heating them. Further, the stones give off heat and heat the air in the greenhouse.

On particularly cold nights, greenhouses require additional insulation. To do this, you can use foam, bubble wrap, or, say, burlap or carpet to cover the walls or roof. You can insulate both from the inside and outside. However, you must remember to remove opaque materials during the day so that the plants do not suffer from insufficient lighting. It would also be nice to set signal device, which would give a sign in the event of a critical drop in temperature.

A greenhouse or even a small greenhouse on a personal plot allows you to get vitamins to the table earlier, grow a crop of plants with a long growing season. A winter greenhouse opens up much more opportunities for vegetable growers (or flower growers). A capital winter greenhouse, built with your own hands in the country, can provide the family with the necessary vitamins all year round, or can become an additional source of income. It is quite possible to build a capital greenhouse yourself for growing not only annual vegetables, but also for planting perennials there - flowers and fruits will delight the owners, and will also be in demand in the market.

Do-it-yourself winter greenhouse is a very relevant topic for everyone who wants to eat fresh vegetables in winter instead of canned ones. If you approach this issue thoroughly, study the best projects from existing ones, consider different ways of organizing heating and additional lighting, building materials from which greenhouses are built, then it is quite possible to build a greenhouse yourself, without resorting to the help of professionals.

The frame of the greenhouse is most often assembled from a metal profile or a wooden beam, although metal pipes or a plastic profile are also used. Metal is stronger and more durable, but wood creates the right microclimate and is easier to work with. Before deciding on the material, it is advisable to know for which plants this greenhouse needs to be built. Cucumbers, for example, require very high humidity, which will shorten the life of a wooden frame.

For walls and roofs, film, glass or polycarbonate is used. Given the possible very low temperatures, the weight of snow, which can fall a lot in winter, then with a film there is more trouble than savings. Glass has proven itself in any weather, but its weight, increased by the weight of snow falling in winter, must be taken into account when erecting a frame so that it does not collapse under the weight of a snow-covered roof.

Light and transparent multilayer polycarbonate shows itself well, it must be taken with a thickness of 10 - 16 mm. When choosing polycarbonate, it should be remembered that if the thickness is 10 mm, it is necessary to take sheets no wider than 105 cm, and if 16 mm, no wider than 140 cm to ensure sufficient strength.

Be sure to make a solid foundation for a winter greenhouse, then a frame is erected. After the installation is completed, the heating system is installed. If you build a shed greenhouse adjacent to a residential building, then its heating can be done simply as a continuation of the heating system of the house.

To calculate the required amount of heat, you need to find the difference between the thermal conductivity coefficient and the glazing area. The difference between heating a house and a greenhouse is significant - in a greenhouse, not only air temperature is important, but soil temperature. Biofuel polycarbonate greenhouses are considered very reliable. When choosing heaters, aluminum convectors are usually preferred, it is believed that they are able to distribute heat evenly throughout the greenhouse.

A layer of sand is laid at the bottom of the pit, then a layer of soddy soil (or just sod laid with roots up), then humus. After laying all the elements of the heat accumulator and installing pipes for its ventilation, it is necessary to lay a PVC film so that the soil does not interfere with its operation. Cuts are made in the pipe film, and it is attached to the walls using a construction stapler. After that, fertile soil for beds and infertile soil are poured into the greenhouses, which can then be covered with tiles - for paths. So that the backfilled soil does not push the boundaries of the beds, they are pulled together every meter with a special wire with a cross section of at least 8 mm. This wire must be wrapped with plastic tape (or better still, hidden in plastic pipes) so that it does not rot in the damp ground.

Video “How to build a heated greenhouse with your own hands”

Gable greenhouse

Gable greenhouses are very often erected from a metal corner or a profile pipe. The angle of inclination of the truss system is made from 20 to 30 degrees - such an inclination allows the snow to roll off the roof under its own weight. At the same time, this roof will not be too high so that the winds have to strengthen it.

But you can build such a greenhouse by building a frame from a wooden beam. It is desirable to arrange a foundation with a cross section of 40 cm - by 40 cm. The walls must be brought out one brick thick, bars should be placed in them, having previously made special grooves for greenhouse frames down. The beam must be taken with a section of at least 15 cm - by 15 cm. The rafter part can be made from beams with a smaller section, 10 cm - by 10 cm is suitable. The rafters must be connected with beams that are laid on the walls, it is better to take a beam for a ridge 12 cm - by 12 cm. There will inevitably be gaps between the frames, it is better to immediately sew them up with slats.

The coating for such a greenhouse can be combined - the walls can be covered with polycarbonate, and the roof can be glazed. It is not difficult to build such a greenhouse on your own. It can be useful for growing perennials or for getting several crops of annuals in one year. But it will definitely have to arrange heating. You can lay a warm floor and limit yourself to air heaters when the temperature column falls - this will depend on the climate and the degree of temperature drop in the street.

With earth filling

A very interesting option is a winter greenhouse with earthen filling. It can be built with a south-facing gable or shed roof. In fact, this is a greenhouse, completely buried in the ground, the sun enters it only through the roof. Of course, in winter there will be little light, especially given the cloudy weather, additional lighting will have to be organized. The roof can be covered with polycarbonate.

If we want to build a greenhouse with a usable area of 15 square meters, we need to dig a pit 80 cm deep with dimensions of 12 m - 3.5 m. m with a length of 10.60 m. If you leave 80 cm for the path, we get beds 1.47 m wide. This is the optimal width of the beds, if you make it larger, it will be difficult to take care of the plants.

Now we need to dig half a meter holes in which the posts will be installed, with a distance of 2.12 m between them. In total, you will need 18 pillars: 6 on the south side (1.65 m each), 6 on the north side (2.10 m) and 6 medium ones (2.30 m). The slope of the roof should be 20 - 25 degrees. The diameter of the pillars should be in the range of 10 to 20 cm. In order for the pillars not to rot, they must be treated with an antiseptic, some advise simply covering the lower parts with resin. Special spikes are made on the poles, and on the strapping of the beams - the corresponding nests, into which these spikes will enter. On the inside of the strapping, grooves are made into which the frames will then lie.

Then they make a slope - logs are stuffed on the racks and covered with earth. The planned length of 10.6 m is designed for 10 window frames. The entrance to such a greenhouse is planned from the end, the roof over the corridor (path) can be covered with boards, the ceiling can be hemmed with a board, and insulating material can be placed between them. The path can be deepened by another 30 cm, then it will be more convenient to walk (you don’t have to bend over) and take care of the plantings.

Such a greenhouse can be covered with glass or polycarbonate. Cellular polycarbonate is used at least 8 mm thick; for it, a crate is assembled from bars with a cross section of 5 cm - 5 cm. The bars are laid at least 1 m. And the glass is at least 4 mm thick, insert it into the frames, after lubricating the ends of the glasses and the grooves of the frames with liquid lubricant. The wooden part of the structure must be painted with oil paint, usually white or just light is used. In such greenhouses, stove heating is made.

Budget greenhouse

A winter greenhouse cannot be a cheap project just because it needs heating and, very often, additional lighting. Heating will be the most expensive part of the greenhouse, you can save on everything else. The most economical option would be to build a greenhouse from a wooden beam with a film coating.

The foundation must be made of expanded clay and concrete, with the help of formwork, make it so that it rises 30–50 cm above the ground, we assemble the frame from a wooden beam treated with an antiseptic. Sheathing can be done with two layers of film (on the inside and outside of the beam), a layer of air between them will help retain heat. And the roof can be covered with a hydrophilic film, from which condensate will not drain, and the walls are ordinary double. In the coldest time of winter, almost all windows should be closed with slats, and then gradually opened, increasing natural light.

It is good to arrange high warm beds. It all depends on how severe the winter is. If the thermometer does not drop too much, warm beds and air heating will be enough to grow vegetables in winter. And if in the conditions of Siberia the frosts are strong, and the earth freezes up to more than 2 meters, then warm beds are arranged not for plants, but in order to help the heating system laid under the fertile soil.

Video “Do-it-yourself super greenhouse: cheap and easy”

In the video, they will explain to you how to make a greenhouse with your own hands from improvised materials with minimal investment.

The place for the greenhouse is chosen even, preferably calm, so that it is not obscured by large trees or buildings, where groundwater does not come close to the surface. It is best to build rectangular rooms, oriented so that more sunlight falls on the wide side.

Usually a small vestibule is made in the greenhouse, where they store garden tools, utensils, all sorts of useful little things. This small room is also necessary because it protects the plants from cold air when the external doors are opened.

Whatever material you choose for construction, always follow the tightness of the room.

Plants should be watered with exceptionally warm water, it is best to establish a sprinkling system, and not drip irrigation.

To protect the greenhouse from freezing of the soil, you need to insulate it from the inside from below with foam, it can be wrapped with polyethylene for greater safety. For the foundation, it is good to use adobe or foam blocks, which, together with cement and polymer mastic, will retain heat well. Better than them can only be thick (twice as thick as foam blocks) brickwork, which will become significantly more expensive.

Plants require different temperature conditions, so you first need to determine which plants the greenhouse is being built to grow, and then install the heating system.

We invite you to familiarize yourself with the projects of greenhouses from the most advanced vegetable growers.

Growing fruits and vegetables all year round, even in winter, is the dream of many summer residents. In addition to the fact that the greenhouse brings a lot of joy to the owners in the form of fresh and healthy vegetables and fruits at any time of the year, growing crops is a profitable business.

A greenhouse with heating is a great business solution and the ability to diversify the table even in winter. Growing plants will require a special building. And for a winter building with heating, for example, made of polycarbonate with your own hands, you need to make a lot of effort. Let's take it in order.

What is the difference between winter and summer?

Material. The film will be inappropriate building material in the winter greenhouse. ;
The next obvious difference is that the thickness of polycarbonate for a winter greenhouse is much greater than the thickness of those sheets that are used in the construction of a summer one;
Everyone who is going to build a greenhouse for the winter should pay attention to the foundation. The quality of the foundation greatly affects the efficiency of heating, and how expensive it will be to maintain. ;
Heating system. . The soil in the cold season needs to warm up.

Where to start building?

With the differences and features, we figured out a little. Now let's move on to construction. The process begins with planning, with the drawing up of drawings. Before you start building a frame, laying a foundation and doing other work with your own hands, clearly imagine what you are going to do. To make it clear how construction takes place, in which the soil is warm, we present some algorithm of actions.

Design. At this stage, it is important to take into account the details, ranging from how the walls will be located and how the heating is arranged, ending with how to place the plants inside. This also includes the selection of materials for construction. Fortunately, modern advances provide building materials in abundance;
Foundation laying. What matters here is what material you are building from. In any case, the foundation must be reliable;
Heating work. Soil and bushes of fruits and vegetables need heating. Therefore, heating is arranged even before the installation of the frame;
Frame construction. Before building the walls, it is important to install the frame;
Wall installation. In this process, everything depends on the selected material.

Foundation

Laying the foundation is a simple matter, to build it, you do not need special skills and abilities. The main thing is to decide on the size of the future winter greenhouse for growing vegetables, as well as what depth and height will be needed for the heating system.

Heating

Heating is a complex process. However, modern technology makes it simple and affordable. :

Water heating. This is a traditional way to heat the ground, which is based on a boiler and heating pipes. A simple option, since the greenhouse is not heated from below, but, as a rule, from the side of the walls;
Electric heating. This option will be more difficult and interesting. You can heat with air fans, which is quite simple. And you can use cable heating or electric mats. In this case, the soil will be heated from below, which is much more difficult, but also more efficient;
Biofuel. This is perhaps the easiest, most economical and interesting way. The bottom line is laying natural fertilizers under the fertile soil, which give off heat as a result of decomposition. Such fuel can be, for example, straw or manure.

It is far from always possible to install heating in a winter greenhouse up to the frame and walls, but it must be chosen long before the start of the work described below.

Frame erection

Further, after we have decided on the heating system, we proceed to the frame. There is nothing complicated here. If you take a plastic or metal frame, then instructions are attached to it. If you choose a wooden frame, you will get sustainable growing and build almost any greenhouse for winter growing with your own hands. True, in this case, some parts will have to be periodically replaced with new ones, as the tree rots and becomes unusable.

Wall mounting

In the case of greenhouses, there are two options for wall materials: glass and polycarbonate. In both cases, everything is simple. We only note that the thickness of glass and polycarbonate sheets for winter should be appropriate. If you choose glass, you need to space it evenly into the frame windows. Of course, the frame under the glass will be different from the base under the polycarbonate.

In case you are building a polycarbonate greenhouse, you can simply bend the sheet in a way that suits you.

Why is it better to use polycarbonate?

We will stop here and talk in detail about why building polycarbonate greenhouses is a profitable business. Firstly, this material has low thermal conductivity, which is important for winter. In addition, it has good light transmission, which means that the sun will be enough for vegetables. Also, this material will ensure the environmental friendliness of growing vegetables and fruits. It is modern, economical and easy to build from.

In regions with a cold climate, growing vegetables is a serious problem. This is especially true in winter. But this problem can be completely solved. This will require a winter greenhouse - which a home master can create with his own hands.

The specifics of winter greenhouses

One of the most popular materials for creating. It is durable and highly resistant to negative environmental factors.

Winter greenhouses are no exception. In the process of their construction, this material is also used. The difference is that in this case their construction will be more difficult.

To grow vegetables in winter, you will have to comply with a number of special conditions:

the greenhouse must have increased strength so that it can withstand the snow load in winter;

the structure must be equipped with heating devices;

lighting will also be required, without which it will be impossible to do on short winter days;
self-built winter greenhouses require a strip foundation - only with it the building will be truly stable;
inside the greenhouse you will have to install boxes with soil - planting plants in the frozen soil of the garden will not work;
polycarbonate will have to be fixed in two layers, leaving an air gap between them - this will significantly improve the thermal insulation properties of the applied coating.

Creating a winter greenhouse

Preparatory work

Any construction begins with the preparation stage. It consists in developing a construction plan and purchasing the necessary materials.

When choosing a construction option, it is better to give preference to a greenhouse with straight walls and a gable roof - it is easier to manufacture. The drawn drawing should reflect the shape and dimensions of the future product.

Advice! It is desirable that the do-it-yourself drawings of the winter greenhouse reflect the required number of blanks. This will avoid the purchase of excess quantities of building materials.

Having done the above, it will be necessary to prepare the site for construction. It should be unshaded, clean and even.

Building a foundation

It is the basis of all future construction. In this case, you will have to make a tape base, 50 centimeters deep.

For it we need:

sand;
gravel;
reinforcing bars;
boards for crates;
nails, hammer and shovel.

First of all, we remove the fertile soil layer and set it aside. It is also useful for creating a planting mix for plants with your own hands.

Then we dig trenches to a depth of 75 centimeters. We dig them around the entire perimeter of the building. In this case, the width of the recesses should be at least 25 centimeters.

The bottom should be level. To do this, in the process of work, you need to check the horizontalness of the bottom of the trench using a spirit level.

Having prepared the ditches, we proceed to the creation of a sand cushion. For this purpose, we pour 15 cm of sand to the bottom.

Then we pour gravel. Its layer should be 10 cm.

Then we make the formwork for the foundation. To create it, we choose durable boards.

Advice! When creating winter greenhouses with your own hands, the formwork must be done about 20 cm above ground level. This will help install the supports outside. Spacers must also be inside. All this together will increase the strength of this product.

Now let's move on to creating a reinforcing mesh. We will collect it from rods having a cross section of 12 mm. These elements can be welded together or simply tied with wire.

Having carried out these works, we proceed to pouring concrete. But first, let's prepare a mixture consisting of 1 part of cement, 3 parts of sand and water.

Pour it slowly while stirring the mixture. This will reduce the possibility of the formation of air pockets, which will reduce the strength of our building. After waiting 3 - 4 days, you can continue construction work.

Installation of the frame and cover

The next step in our story about how to make a winter greenhouse with your own hands is to install the frame and cover.

Currently, various types of bases are used for greenhouses. It can be metal, plastic or wood. The latter option is preferable because it is easier to install and it is easier to attach a polycarbonate cover to it.

But there is one important point here. Before assembly, wooden parts must be treated with an antiseptic. This will extend their service life.

When deciding how to build a winter greenhouse with your own hands, it is better to take coniferous samples as wood for the frame. They are more durable than hardwoods. The best option would be larch, but it costs much more.

The general list of materials required in this case is as follows:

bars having a cross section of 100 * 100 mm;
timber - 50 * 50 mm;
boards for rafters;
building corners;
metal staples;
nails and a hammer - for convenience, instead of nails, you can use self-tapping screws.

First of all, we make the base. For it we use a bar 100 * 100 mm. We connect them by creating grooves at their ends and driving in building brackets.

For greater reliability, you can use building corners.

From a bar of the same thickness we make four corner posts. We fix them with corners. A do-it-yourself polycarbonate winter greenhouse, created in its end part, should have two additional elements made of thick timber. They will be required to install the front door.

After that, we put intermediate racks. They are made of timber 50*50 mm. They are placed every 100 centimeters.

In addition, horizontal piping is made from the same elements at a height of 1.5 meters above the base. For greater reliability, they can be made not one, but two.

The same bars are sewn over the vertical racks. In this case, metal corners are used to strengthen the fastening.

When creating winter polycarbonate greenhouses with your own hands, you must certainly arrange a solid roof for them. To do this, from the end sides of the greenhouse on the beams of the upper trim, we fasten one 40-centimeter rack. Then we attach to them a longitudinal beam, on which the roof rafters will rest.

We make them from boards and install them. We make the distance between these elements no more than 1.2 meters.

The next step is to install the cover. In our case, it will be polycarbonate. Since we need a thermos winter greenhouse with our own hands, we will have to install not one, but two layers of material. We attach one from the outside of the greenhouse, and the second from the inside.

Installation of polycarbonate is carried out in strict accordance with the instructions attached to it. It will not be difficult to do this, since you can screw a self-tapping screw into a tree anywhere.

Heating and lighting of the greenhouse

We turn to one of the most important issues in our case - to heating.

In a greenhouse, it can be organized in the following ways:

oven application- this method is used only for small greenhouses;
electric heating- such heating of a winter greenhouse - it is quite possible to do it yourself using fan heaters, infrared panels or heating cables laid in the ground;

water heating- it will be similar to those systems that are used in residential buildings;
biofuel use- this is the most modern and innovative way of heating. It uses manure, sawdust or straw as fuel.

In addition to solving the problem of heating, you will also have to deal with issues of artificial lighting. It is necessary for the normal development of plants, although it will lead to the fact that the cost of maintaining the greenhouse will increase.

For lighting it is worth using energy-saving lamps. They will allow you to use electricity more economically. Their number and location must be selected based on the parameters of your greenhouse.

Conclusion

Must meet a number of requirements:

strength,
thermal insulation,
availability of heating
additional lighting and more.

But, despite the apparent complexity, the construction of such a structure is quite within the power of a home craftsman.

The construction process described above is in many ways similar to the creation of a conventional greenhouse. The difference is that the winter construction requires a strip foundation, a double layer of polycarbonate and the installation of engineering systems. For heating it is worth using electric heaters, and for lighting - energy-saving lamps.

Feel free to watch the video in this article, it contains useful information for you on this issue.

Each land owner has his own motivation for building a winter greenhouse on the site. The general procedure for work (choosing a place and materials, drawing up a drawing, and so on) is not much different from building any other structure with your own hands - a private house, garage or summer kitchen. But since we are talking about a winter greenhouse, and even with heating, we should deal with all the nuances of its installation in more detail.

Further, only the features of such construction will be outlined and practical recommendations will be given. A reader who does not know what, for example, a foundation tape, grillage, should first familiarize themselves with this information in the "" section.

You should not be distracted by such details as the shape of the greenhouse (one-, two-, three-slope, arched, combined or otherwise), its dimensions (including height) and so on. All this is at the discretion of the owner, since a lot depends on what the greenhouse itself is being built for (growing something for yourself or for sale) and what crops are supposed to be planted in it. Therefore, it makes sense to consider only the nuances of the installation of its components - the foundation (foundation), frame structure, its coating, utilities (lighting + heating).

A feature of a greenhouse with heating is that such a building is mounted as a stationary, non-separable structure (unlike). Therefore, a correct approach is required to the choice of a place for a capital structure, which, if necessary, cannot be dismantled and transferred to another segment of the territory.

Light mode

The greenhouse should be positioned and oriented to the cardinal points so that during the day it is as naturally lit as possible.

wind rose

Heating is installed in greenhouses, which are operated, as a rule, year-round. Therefore, you should think about organizing a fence from the most problematic direction. You may have to put wind protection on several sides. If everything is carefully thought out, then it is possible to significantly reduce heat loss and save on heating, not to mention an increase in crop yields.

Do not forget about the turbulence of air flows. It is the higher, the smaller the interval between the fence and the wall of the greenhouse. Consequently, it will also be necessary to “heat” more intensively, since the selection of heat from the outside will increase. The dimensions of the building also matter. If we focus on the average indicator, then the optimal distance is a fence - a greenhouse of the order of 6 - 7 m (with a ridge height of 2 - 2.5 m).

Ease of access to the greenhouse

This will greatly facilitate both the construction process and the maintenance of vegetation. If possible, you should also take into account the specifics of laying communications - lighting, plumbing, heating (if it is not autonomous) - in order to minimize costs.

Heating option

From the scheme according to which the heating of the greenhouse is organized, its project (scheme) largely depends. This will be discussed in more detail below, but it should be noted that if the boiler is installed inside the building, it will be necessary to provide for the presence of not just a vestibule, but a separate room with the appropriate dimensions. The linear parameters (cubic capacity) of the mini-furnace must correspond to the power of the installed unit.

Features of the choice of materials and installation of the greenhouse

Foundation

Its depth depends on the characteristics of the soil, the configuration of the underground aquifers and the availability (efficiency) of the drainage system on the site.

Tape

This is the most popular type of foundation in the private sector. But given the cost of materials (primarily cement) and the low weight of the greenhouse, is it worth it to build this type of foundation is a big question. In addition, if the site is already planted, then it is highly undesirable to conduct volumetric earthworks (there is a high risk of damage to the root system of plantings) or not everywhere possible (due to engineering communications laid across the territory).

Conclusion - if local conditions allow, then it is advisable to use.

Columnar (pile)

Under the greenhouse - a more suitable option. And if pipes are used as supports, then excavation will be reduced to drilling pits at the designated points. With screw piles, it’s even easier.

You will need to mount the grillage. What is the point of heating a building, under the floor of which “the wind is walking”? By the way, in the space between its bottom and the ground, if necessary, you can put some kind of insulation, for example, fill expanded clay. But mineral wool is not suitable, because over time it will absorb moisture and begin to collapse.

frame

In general terms, the choice of materials for the "skeleton" of the greenhouse is large, but for capital construction it narrows somewhat. Building walls of brick or concrete blocks is not cheap. We will consider simpler technologies.

Wood

It should not be used explicitly. There are several reasons. Firstly, it dries out, which means that heat loss will increase. Secondly, the need for regular treatment with special preparations and coloring is an unattractive prospect. Plus, money and time. Thirdly, not all vegetable crops like "close proximity" to a tree. Experienced gardeners often cite cucumbers as an example. Fourthly, there will be problems with glazing, as well as ensuring its tightness during the entire life of the greenhouse.

Metal

If you use aluminum samples, then the weight of the structure will be negligible. The difficulty lies elsewhere - in its assembly. Not everyone can bend a metal profile correctly - experience is required here.

Plastic

For a small greenhouse with heating - the best option. Pipes withstand a significant load, easily change geometry, are inexpensive - there are enough pluses. The only question is how to securely fix such a frame on the foundation?

Tape - rods are embedded in it (from pipes of small diameter, a bar or something similar) according to a pre-compiled scheme, on which plastic is mounted.
The pillars are the same. In the supports, to ensure strength, a solution is poured. Here in it pieces of pipes of a smaller section or thick fittings are installed.

If a boiler is mounted in the vestibule of the greenhouse, then there must be a wall (partition) with a door between it and the main room. Part of the roof (above this utility room) is covered with an opaque material.

sheathing

It is not worth talking about materials such as polyethylene film or glass. In the first case - because of the short service life and large heat losses. In the second - due to the complexity of installation and high cost. Pay attention to polycarbonate. But since we are talking about heating, then you need to choose.

There are several advantages of such a greenhouse cover:

acceptable price;
light weight;
strength;
ease of fastening sheets with your own hands;
good light transmission and heat saving;
excellent maintainability.

Engineering systems

The arrangement of ventilation and lighting is not such a complicated matter. It is only necessary to provide for the possibility of controlling light and air flow. How to do this - manually or install automation - the owner decides for himself. The same is true for plumbing. Someone will make a diversion from the main highway and stretch a separate thread to the greenhouse, while someone will be completely satisfied with taking water in a bucket from a well located next to the building. But it is worth talking about heating in particular.

Greenhouse heating options

Actually, this is the most important moment of the entire process of building a winter greenhouse. It is the constancy of temperature and the uniformity of heating of the building that is the key to high productivity. What to choose as a source of thermal energy can only be decided by the owner himself, since even hypothetically it is impossible to take into account all the nuances of construction and the capabilities of the owner of the site, especially if the work is done by hand. But a small overview of the options would be appropriate.

Bake

These are not the only options for electronic devices. You can think about purchasing heaters (but they dry the air), oil coolers - there is a choice.

Biofuel heating

On many sites, this heating method is positioned as the most economical. But if you carefully read the technology, a number of questions arise. For example, where can a city dweller get manure, sawdust and the like? How long is one bookmark enough? Plus, there are stringent requirements for air humidity, aeration and a number of others. It turns out that such heating is a rather troublesome business. So - for an amateur.

Conclusion

There can be no specific recommendation for the construction of a winter greenhouse in principle. The information provided is quite enough for the reader to make a choice of the most suitable project and option for the interior arrangement of the premises. Everything can be done with your own hands, if you approach the issue thoughtfully, in a businesslike way.