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Build Your Own Greenhouse – Gothic Arch Greenhouses

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If you want to build a greenhouse, you should be careful planning, the final choice of the greenhouse will depend on the growing space desired, Home architecture, available sites, and costs.

Backyards, rooftops, crop production fields, from the Arctic Circle to the equator almost every climate and environment can benefit from some kind of greenhouse. Controlling the environment in these greenhouses can mean more heat, more shade, supplemental lights, insect screens, etc. Lets look at some commonsense approaches and basic deciding factors one can use in site planning for a greenhouse:

Light Just as in planning a garden, greenhouse growers should be very aware of changing light patterns throughout the seasons. Even in an open field, one needs to be aware of orientation to the direction of sun. Intelligent site planning in a backyard can save a lot of energy and may allow growers the edge that will make their plants thrive.

Look for deciduous trees cover from deciduous trees can give the much needed shading in the summer, which is probably the most difficult time of year to keep anything thriving in the average backyard greenhouse. Also, remember that the angle of light changes from winter to summer, as well as the rise to fall points on the horizon. This will help with orientation to other buildings, high fences, etc.

Foundation and site drainage – Consider the type of foundation on which the greenhouse will be installed and consider the drainage and elevation of the site. The drainage of the site is crucial. Always, factor in what foundation requirements are for each model and type of greenhouse.

Energy Input issues – Your greenhouse will need energy input to power fans, heaters, etc. Thinking out the distance from your power and water source is a very necessary first step in a friction free greenhouse building process.

Once your power is there, you will need it for a variety of environmental controls. Fans (both ventilation and circulation), motorized controls for vent windows, evaporative cooling pumps, heaters (if electric), etc.

Ventilation is probably the most important issue in a greenhouse, without it the greenhouse quickly turns into a solar oven in which no plant can survive. Ventilation in the greenhouse is maintained through passive vent windows on the sides and ridge of the greenhouse and/or through fans and shutters mounted on opposing ends of the greenhouse.

Circulation fans are important to distribute heat and agitate plants preventing soft growth and stretchy internodes.

Evaporative coolers work by pushing or pulling air through a water-saturated pad and into the greenhouse. They are most efficient in dry climates, but work in humid tropical climates as well. Misting systems with natural ventilation are also a viable option for cooling the greenhouse in some climates.

Coverings, Insulation, and Light Transmission

Im going to break down greenhouse coverings into three basic material groups: polyethylene film, polycarbonate, and glass. Each has advantages and disadvantages.

Polyethylene film, or poly film, is the film plastic sheeting commonly seen on commercial greenhouse ranges and inexpensive hoop style Greenhouses. The typical lifespan of the material is about 4 years, after which it will need to be removed and replaced. For some, this is the nature of the business and is budgeted into the equation of growing in a greenhouse. For others, its a maintenance inconvenience that isnt worth the headache and they prefer (and can afford) a more permanent and expensive greenhouse covering material.

Many growers use a double layer of poly film with a blower fan to maintain a pillow of insulating air between them. This setup actually provides some of the best insulation possible. Light transmission levels are normally in the high 80% range for a single layer of clear poly film. White opaque poly film is a good option for growers in really bright and/or tropical locations. Light
transmission for the white poly film is about 55%.

Polycarbonate panels are the rigid greenhouses Greenhouses covering of choice for many greenhouse owners. Panels will last indefinitely though they will start to show signs of UV degradation after about 10 years. There are two main types of polycarbonate panels: single wall corrugated and multi-wall insulate.

Typically not recommend single-wall panels except in areas and for applications where insulating value is of no consequence The multi-wall panels are almost always going to be an advantageous choice. The multi-wall panels help with energy-efficiency whether your goal is to keep cool or keep warm. Light transmissions range throughout the 80% percent range.

Glass is great! I love the feeling of being inside a perfectly transparent climate controlled green space. However, single pane glass is going to be hot in the summer and cold in the winter. The greenhouse frame will also need to be much more substantial to support the weight of all that heavy glass. Shipping costs also reflect the weight of glass.

Many greenhouse growers choose glass despite its expense and fragility because its unique attributes is quite precious: Glass gives near 100% light transmission of all spectrums. Glass last forever and is not subject to degradation from ultraviolet rays. Last but not least is the huge aesthetic advantage of being in a glass structure.

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Constructing A Home Wine Cellar

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If you have a growing assortment of wine, it may be time to think about constructing a wine cellar. Some time ago the custom wine cellar was scarce; today more and more wine lovers are learning about wine cellar construction or contracting the work out to those who know how to do the job precisely.

Wine rooms are more than a dark, cool place to hold an assortment of wine bottles. Todays custom wine cellar is a controlled environment where humidity and temperature are regulated to allow wine to properly age without harm to corks, labels or the wine itself.

There are two types of wine cellars. One is a room that has been mainly made to stock wine in the right environment and the other is a stand-alone unit that mirrors those conditions. A stand-alone wine cellar is not as effective as a custom-built version, but some people like the aesthetics of a small cooled refrigerator over a custom wine cellar. Those who do choose a custom cellar have three simple considerations for proper creation.

Temperature Control and Venting

A wine cellar room is used to hold and age the wine in the bottle rather than preserving it at a serving temperature. (A stand-alone wine refrigerator is best for transporting wine out of the cellar to maintain at serving temperatures.) Aging wine is a balance of time, temperature and the chemical reactions that happen as a result of the two.

Wine should be aged in conditions ranging between 55 and 65 percent humidity and a steady 55 degrees Fahrenheit, give or take one degree. Wine held at higher temperatures will mature quicker and wine experiences chemical reactions at higher temperatures that destroy the notes of the wine over time.

In some locations of the country, property holders with basements often find that the environment is right for basic wine storage, but seasonal temperature and humidity variations should be avoided. The perfect storage solution is a custom-built or DIY-construction wine cellar with climate and humidity control using a wine cooling unit to keep the temperature at a steady 55 degrees.

These units are available in a range of sizes and the dimensions of your wine cellar room will control what size you need to purchase. By no means buy a wine cellar cooling system too small for your room; you most likely will never get a steady, optimal storage temperature and the cooling unit will become overtaxed trying to keep up.

Wine cooling units require proper venting, and your wine cellar construction plan demands either a hole in the wall to allow venting outdoors or enough vent space to move warm air out of the room. Check the specs of your wine cooling system; most require a venting space at least two times as large as the wine cellar space itself.

Electrical power is also an issue. Custom wine cellar builders suggest a dedicated power source to run a wine cooling system. Those who choose to use a common power source frequently find the system overloading with blown fuses and other electrical problems.

Insulation and Vapor Barriers

The wine cooling unit is only part of your climate control plan for a custom wine cellar; you also need a vapor barrier made of plastic sheeting used on the hot side of the wall. Some people wrap the interior of the wine cellar previous to inserting the insulation, keeping the plastic loose so that insulation can be positioned between the studs in the wall. Wrap the ceiling and the walls, or your vapor barrier will be imperfect. After the barrier is installed, the insulation comes next.

Good wine cellar building requires the right kind of insulation for your walls and ceiling. For instance, if you are building a 2×6 wall, R19 insulation is recommended, but if you have a smaller wall of 2×4, R13 may be your best bet. (The R designation represents the heat resistance of the insulation.) Ceilings need R30. Custom wine cellar builders should never put in the insulation loose without filling the material into the sections, as this decreases the insulations effectiveness.

The next step is to install a type of drywall called green board, which is moisture-resistant, making it a bit more expensive than regular drywall. Install an exterior-grade door to the wine cellar and your climate control plan is complete.

Lighting and UV Exposure Control

Wine is damaged by UV exposure, which is why the bottles are normally constructed out of dark glass. Avoid installing fluorescent bulbs in the wine cellar room, as they give off UV radiation. Control the intensity by using recessed lighting on a dimmer and avoid shining light directly on your wine bottles for long periods of time. Some wine racks are created with compartments that hide bottles from the light which can help lessen the exposure, but if your bottles are kept in plain view, try to avoid the spotlight effect on your bottles.

Other Concerns

Almost any kind of flooring can be used in your custom wine cellar. If your home is large enough for a tasting room to complement your cellar, you may wish to give them both a matching look, but never use carpet and rugs in the cellar area. They simply cant hold up to the required humidity levels without surrendering to mold. Mold growth will ruin your wine, as can any strong odor from chemicals or cheeses. A wine cellar should be used only to hold wine; store food in a separate space.

Constantly watch the temperature and humidity in your wine cellar with an external sensor or gauge. Never assume that the wine cooling system will always function accurately. A quick glimpse at the external gauge can offer you early notice if the wine cooling unit is having difficulties, or if the unit is showing a faulty readout because of a bad sensor or other technical troubles.

Building a custom wine cellar may require some attention to the design demands of proper wine cellar storage, however once correctly built, you may realize that your collection grows quickly; its simple to invest more money in wine when you realize it will be stored securely for maximum pleasure.

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