DIY: Build your own backyard greenhouse

Are you having trouble keeping the flowers and veggies in your backyard alive during the change of seasons? Building a DIY greenhouse in your backyard is an excellent idea. A DIY greenhouse owner can provide many important benefits, such as light, water and temperature control. You can make your own small greenhouse in your yard and allow your plants to thrive all year round. Keep reading for some easy homemade greenhouse ideas. 

What is a greenhouse?

Greenhouses are enclosed structures with a roof and walls of plastic, polyethylene, polycarbonate, or glass panels. They keep plants warm enough to grow all year round despite the temperature outside. You can learn how to build a greenhouse cheaply and keep it at the optimal temperature specific types of plants need to grow. Greenhouses can vary in size from small sheds to large industrial-sized buildings. If you want to learn how to build your own greenhouse, keep reading!.

What to grow in a greenhouse

In greenhouses, you can grow a variety of vegetables, fruits and flowers. You can sow seeds in trays and pots and transplant them outdoors later on. Some of the things people grow in greenhouses in Australia include:

• Vegetables: Eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, lettuces, radishes and many other vegetables grow well in greenhouses.
• Fruit: Greenhouses are also great for growing strawberries, cherries, grapes, pears, apples, melons and countless other fruits.
• Flowers: Roses, lilies, violets, petunias orchids and hibiscus are some quality flowers that do well in greenhouses with proper soil, watering and sunlight.

Preparation for building a DIY greenhouse

There are several important steps you should take in preparation for learning how to build a greenhouse in your backyard. Here are a few key steps for building a small greenhouse either using greenhouse kits or making a homemade greenhouse.

Take note of sun exposure and direction

The orientation and sitting of a greenhouse are significant. Typically greenhouses are oriented north-south to maximize light interception. Be aware of how shadows cast by equipment, gutters and trusses can lead to the crops getting uneven light exposure as that can impact their growth.

Pick a spot with good drainage

Ensure the spot you choose for your greenhouse is level, moist and well-drained. This allows for the cultivation of a wide array of plants and will prevent root rot. 

Option to purchase a kit

If you want a high-quality greenhouse, but don’t have the skills or expertise to build one from scratch, you have the option to purchase affordable greenhouse kits. You can use kits to build strong and durable greenhouses quickly. 

What tools and materials you will need

The process for how to build a greenhouse out of wood or metal framing in your backyard requires several types of tools and materials. 

Tools

• Spirit level: To ensure all flooring, shelves, work areas and roofing is level.
• Tape measure: To accurately measure the greenhouse area, framing, flooring, shelving, roofing and wall materials.
• Large carpenter’s square: For ensuring right-angle legs are perpendicular to the base, angles from labelled pivot point are accurate. Additionally, this determines roof pitch, plot angles for roofs, and ensures walls are joined together at right angles.
• Electric drill-driver: To insert screws in flooring, walls and roof.
• Phillips head screwdriver: To insert or remove Phillips head screws.
• Shovel or spade: To dig, holes and shallow trenches to make positioning bearers easier. 
• Framing gun: Used to attach the parts of the frame to each other.
• Staple gun: Used to connect plastic sheeting to the frame.
• Foil fixers: Place between the staples and the plastic sheeting to prevent tearing.

Materials

• Lightweight aluminium, steel, plastic tubing or treated pine: Used to build the framing
• Clear polyethylene film, glass, acrylic, polycarbonate, fibreglass or plastic sheeting: Used for the walls and roof
• Screws
• Treated pine planks, gravel or cement: Used for flooring and shelving
• Framing studs
• Lengths of wood or metal: Cut to the height of the greenhouse walls. 
• Sleepers or bearers
• Gate/door hinges: To attach the door to the greenhouse structure
• Lengths of timber or metal: Laid directly on the ground and used to support the flooring structure

How to build a greenhouse

1. Cut timber: Cut the timber to be used for the frame and flooring or get precut metal for the frame.
2. Build and secure the floor frame: Make a rectangle the size of the floor you want using sleepers or bearers on the level area. Fix them together using screws. Attach timber planks to the bearers using bugle screws to complete the floor frame. 
3. Build the front frame: Join the measured and precut lengths of wood or metal together in a rectangular using screws to connect them and hold them in place to make the front frame. Lay out the door frame and fix it to the front frame using the framing gun. 
4. Secure the studs: Put studs 45 centimetres apart and attach them securely to the outside of the frame.
5. Build back and side frames: Using precut lengths of wood or metal, build the frames for the greenhouse’s back and sidewalls. 
6. Secure plastic sheets to the frames: Wrap plastic sheeting over the frames. Pull it tight to each frame. Use staple gun and foil fixers to attach the plastic sheets to the frames. 
7. Attach the door: Attach the door hinges to the side studs on the front frame using screws. Put a bolt on the door and a bolt pad on the adjacent front frame stud.
8. Secure frames in place: Attach the front, sides and back to the base frame using screws or framing gun.
9. Build and attach the roof: Build a roof frame using precut wood or metal. Attach the roof to the frame with screws or framing gun. Connect plastic sheeting or polycarbonate roofing to the roof frame with roofing screws. Make sure it’s smooth and firmly in place and your homemade greenhouse is complete!

How to hire a builder

If you find that making your own DIY greenhouse is more of a challenge than you though, you can always hire a builder to help get the job done. When finding the right professional for your job, always do prior research on the following before making any decisions:

• Licencing and qualifications
• Experience
• Reviews and references