Greenhouse advice

Joolz, how does the green colour stand up to the use, does it chip off at all?

 

I'm also going for a Rhino, not sure on size though either 12*10 or 12*12. I like the completeness of the package on offer.
@HarryS
I've put up two 8*10 greenhouses by myself. A couple of things where help might be needed or advised. Preparing the base and getting it level, especially if a lot of soil has to be moved. Putting the long apex roof beam would be easier with a mate to hold the other end. Glazing especially the roof someone to pass the glass up would help and be safer in case of accidents. However the Rhino with large panes of toughened glass might be easier to glaze than the traditional 2*2 thin horticultural glass.
In my current 8*10 I can hardly move for tomato plants etc just about manage to keep a walkway open but often have to move the water cans out so I can work in there.

 

Not sure @HarryS My 20x6 was put up single handed BUT the guy has built greenhouses for years and years. The toughened glass panes for the sides and roof are 2ftx6ft I think and are B heavy. An 8x8 might even have bigger panes. How easy it would be to get them in situ I wouldn't know. If you like I could ask the person who built mine if he thinks 1 person could build the size you are talking about single handed. Years ago I did build my own being A LOT stronger and was only dealing with 2x2 glass, but didn't even consider it now. To be honest the ones I built were not remotely as well built as the 1 I have now. It just doesn't seem to move at all and despite having been through 3 winters and a couple of severe gales when we lost substantial trees I didn't even lose a pane of glass, so for me it was money well spent getting it done well and probably false economy to DIY it as I'd imagine replacement glass could be quite expensive.Pity you don't live closer as the guy that fitted mine does a great job and not that difficult to pay either!

 

It's great @burnie No chippings and can't see any issues with it at all. I do need to give mine a thorough clean over the winter, but I haven't had any problems with the framework or glass at all.

 

I live a mile from the North Sea and in the winter we can get some fierce gales, the strength of the Rhino is what first drew me to it, I did look at a Keder as well, but decided on glass rather than bubble plastic, though I'm sure the Keder would be warmer.

 

You could always line the inside with bubble wrap, to give it some extra warmth during the winter months. If I have seedlings going on through the winter, I have the small Stewart propagating trays which I cover with fleece during the night.

 

I have tried to line a greenhouse before and it wasn't overly successful , but I do have one of those free standing mini green house things, that I was planning on using inside the g/house with heat in it after the worst of the winters gone(which could be March before I try growing much in there). I have the conservatory, that is if SWMBO doesn't ban to the garden lol.

 

I've done that too!! Works well in my past experiences. I need to get new covers for mine as the originals have gone the way of the wind.

 

Don't know if this is helpful to anyone, but I bought large builders thick expanded polystyrene sheets for insulating inside the bottom half of my greenhouse (since not much light actually comes through low down). It stays there all year round, and for the winter I line the rest of it with the big bubble UV stabilised plastic. Allows me to keep a section above freezing through the winter without costing too much.

 

I`d recommend extruded polystyrene (XPS) which has a slightly higher insulation value than expanded (EPS) and better moisture resistance. Make sure the EPS is protected from direct sun as the UV will degrade it over time. I used 50mm XPS for perimeter insulation (installed 2ft deep vertically), its been in the ground for 7 years. I use giant bubble insulation, the bubbles are over 5ft across and 14" deep

 

Well I am now armed with some excellent knowledge of things Rhino courtesy of the most generous Silu. As Cambridge(Rhinos showroom) is tad too far to pop down to, seeing this excellent looking product in the flesh has sealed the deal. I shalln't be going quite as large as 20 feet as I'm struggling for room, but I have decided to go a bit bigger and aim to order the 8 x 12 asap.
Thanks Silu, your lovely garden has given us a few ideas for ours in the future.

 

I built the frame and fitted the glass in the Robinson's greenhouse on my own. The glass is similar in size to the Rhino (4mm thick and 24" x 54"). They were easy to fit on the roof, slide them up then fix down. My son was on hand for the sides but simply to hold it in place whist I fixed it in position - Robinson have a screw-in fixing which makes it awkward for one person - don't know about the Rhino fixing if it is similar. The sides were assembled in about 1 hour, it was so simple but as I say probably need two people for this part to be on the safe side.

 

Excellent information Shiney, I've not had a greenhouse for a while(though my Dad did make me my first one back in the late 1950's). I hope to have the "usual" tommies, peppers, chillies and a cuke for my wife(I can't eat them they give me indigestion), but I have grown Melons in the past(or to be more accurate a Melon) and thought I'd try again along with some flowers for the house. I used to have a lot of cacti and succulents, might find room for them.

 

Has anybody raised the height of a greenhouse by putting it on top of a wooden wall. Just something I'm thinking of doing. I bought a second hand aluminium greenhouse and I'm thinking of raising it a foot or 18 inches. I was thinking of building an insulated stud wall around the base and fixing the greenhouse to this. And possibly building steps into it.
Has anybody done this and have any hints or pointers


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