Front and back ground bar on eBay poly

So, we're working on timber doors for an eBay polytunnel. We've placed them inside the tunnel up against the ground bar which was problematic. Now I'm just wondering whether we should have better just removed it. What have others done?

 

I replaced every single bolt supplied with longer bolts bought cheaply in 'pick and mix' packets from Wilkos, you can stuff loads into the supplied bags, shake them down, and the push matching (wing)nuts and washers amongst them until the bags are crammed full.

Once the tunnel frame was in position (complete with end ground bars) and the diagonal lengths confirmed as equal to check it was square, followed by a trial addition of the covering, the 5 intermediate hoops each side had a small pit dug underneath and L shaped brackets (roofing straps from Screwfix are probably cheapest) fixed at the base of each 10 hoops (on inside of tunnel) using the longer bolts from Wilko, then had concrete shovelled in around them. I chucked loads of broken brick, etc. In out to save money.

When they were set I removed the end bars and added brackets at straps as before at each corner. 7 of these along each side might be excessive, but I had a load of long roofing straps that I cut and bent to suit. You might get away 4 each side, at each corner plus another 2 each side at the base of every other hoop. As I also have 2 door posts at each end and 6 internal raking struts all bolted to preserved timber stakes driven in using a sledgehammer, that's a lot of points where the frame's fixed down to the ground.

Door frame heads were fixed to the frame at the junction of the 2 top rails with the end hoops, agsin using longer bolts to fix small metal brackets screwed to the door frame.

I'll try and locate the pics I took of the fixing details, or take a wander to my plot when I've finished some apple pressing.

 

Ok, so you did remove the end ground bars. I believe I will do similar... thanks for the post. Happy apple pressing. Cider?

 

I used the end of an old wooden greenhouse, will be updated later this year as was a late addition so only attached with string ( strong stuff and I'm good with pioneering )

 

Yes, both removed, but only after initially using them to ensure correct setting out (only finished my apple pressing about 3 mins ago, more again tommorow, but will take pics ehen picking more apples).


Your polytunnel location does appear rather shady with all those bushes along one one, are you sure it will get enough light? Where's north/south/east/west?

 

The long side faces south and it's well sheltered by the conifers breaking the fierce north winds. Hope it will be ok, we only want it for winter months.

 

White/reflective panels at the rear (north side) could be used to enhance illumination if required.

 

I drilled the door frame posts, then cut the base bar to fit in it once I had setup the final frame position to give extra stability to the otherwise unsupported end areas of the tunnel.



My door frame also sits partly under the end hoop (its cut and shaped to do so) so that the outside face of the door frame matches that of the hoop. Its then bolted to the tunnel frame at the top and the bottom bars are bolted to the door frame later.

Incidentally, the door frame extends another 12 inches or so under the soil, finished with another cross member joining both sides together.

So top and bottom of the end hoop are connected as it is also so, side to side.



Always best to over engineer such things especially if you get rough weather,

Steve...

 

Ah, interestingly we had also considered this option of fixing the ground pole to the frame! Yours looks much more heavy duty than ours. I think ours will be fine as it's a sheltered spot. My main worry is the weight of heavy snow fall, not of gusty winds.
Thanks for posting the pics, they say a thousand words, and yours in particular inspired my buying of an eBay poly as a good option a couple of years ago when I first joined this forum. ....took me a while but I got there in the end.

 

I have an old parraffin heater that I do not use but it is on standby if snow is forecast.

The idea is if snow is in the forecast I put it in the tunnel and light it, hopefully it will help melt the snow so it naturally slips off the tunnel, so no weight load.

Of course, as these things go...I've never needed to use it while it has been on standby.

Good to see your progress in photos...keep at it.

Steve...

 

Finished, photo evidence above! Spinach and coriander sowed! Well satisfied.

 

And so you should be, nice tidy job!

Happy growing..

Steve...