Low Cost PVC Commercial

Greenhouse Construction

Farmer to Farmer
Jamaica W. I.
Land O’ Lakes International Division
&
 PVC FACTORS
• PVC (polyvinylchloride) plastic pipe is a
cheap material for hoop frames.
• It is a lower cost material, lightweight & easy
to use.
• It is a weaker material than metal frames.
• PVC hoops are vulnerable to wind uplift.
• PVC expands and contracts with temperature
changes.
 Polyethylene Factors
Greenhouse-grade polyethylene, a
plastic film, is the cover material for
hooped greenhouses.  
• "Poly" is sold by thickness in mils (1
mil = 1/1000 of an inch) and rated for
longevity in years.
• A single layer of greenhouse grade 6-
mil poly rated for 5 years is used.
Design of Hoop Tunnel
Basic Hoop Greenhouse Structure:
A. Hoop
B. Ridgepole
C. End Wall  
D. Hip Board
E. Side Wall
F. Baseboard
PVC Greenhouse Illustration
PVC Pipe frame covered with
polyethylene sheeting.
Completed PVC Greenhouse
Low Hoop Row Cover
Site and soil selection are important.
 Site Location Factors
• Sunlight and shade.
• Well drained soil.
• Good drainage improves plant quality.
• Avoids water logging and flooding.
• Level interior with slope to the exterior.
• Convenient to the grower.
• Accessible entrance and exit to roads.
• Adequate water source.
Sloped mountainsides can be made
suitable sites with proper drainage.
 Wind Direction Ventilation
• Air flow moderates temperature and
relative humidity .
• End ventilation gives maximum air
flow.
• Roll-up sides can increase air flow.
• High wind loads are worse against the
side walls.
• High winds can cause the house to lift
out of the ground.
Use Water Pipe Grade PVC Pipe for the
hoops and the anchor pipe.
Do not use electrical grade PVC. It is too
thin.
Select 20 ft length ( cm) of 1.5 in ( cm)
diameter water pipe grade pvc for the
hoops.
Use ft ( cm) diameter) water pipe
grade pvc for the anchor pipe.
Use stakes and a string to layout the
greenhouse corners. Put stakes in the
ground.
Pull the string tight and tie it onto the stakes to
square the foundation.
Measure each hoop pipe 6 in ( cm) from
each end and mark the pipe with a felt
marker.
Select a pipe as the roof ridge pipe. Mark
off on the pipe every ft ( cm).
(Later the erected hoops are attached at
each mark with wire.)
Measure and cut the anchor pipe into 18 in
( cm) pieces. Cut 2 anchor pipes for each
hoop.
(Later each end of the hoop pipe is placed
inside the anchor pipe.)
Cut one anchor pipe.
Use that anchor pipe to measure the
length for the rest of the pipes.
Place the anchor pipes at each of the four
corners inside the foundation string line.
Drive the anchor into the ground.
Clear away any rock before you drive in the
anchor pipe.
Secure the anchor pipes in the ground.
Cut off any excess anchor pipe above the
string.
The space between the anchor pipes
depends on the space between each
hoop pipe.
For more strength put the hoop pipes closer
together at equal distances.
For less strength put the hoops farther apart.
The length between the anchor pipes in
the ground and the center ridge pipe
marks must be the same.
Carefully bend the hoop pipe and insert it
into the 2 anchor pipes across from
each other.
Put the ends of the hoops into the anchor
pipes up to the 6 in ( cm) mark.
Carefully drill a hole into the anchor pipe and
hoop pipe. Attach each together with wire.
Secure the rest of the hoop pipes into the
anchor pipes.
Place the center ridge pipe down the
middle of the hoops.
Locate the marks on the center ridge
pipe.
Place the center ridge pipe inside the hoops.
Tie each hoop with wire to the center ridge pipe
at the mark on the center ridge pipe.
Secure each hoop pipe to the center ridge pipe.
Twist wire around each hoop pipe.
Make sure all wire ends are pointed down.
Next attach with wire along the inside bottom
of the anchor pipes a straight pipe.
This inside bottom pipe holds the anchor pipes
and hoop pipes upright and straight.
Place and secure with wire a crosswise a pipe
inside the greenhouse.
This pipe keeps the hoops straight and erect.
Secure each upright hoop pipe with wire to the
crosswise pipe. Twist the wire around each.
Make sure the wire ends face inside.
Do not drill holes in the bend of the hoop pipe.
Drill holes weaken the pipe and can cause
them to break.
Dig a trench along the outside of the
greenhouse. Place the dirt along the sides
to use to hold down the greenhouse cover.
Roll out the plastic greenhouse cover and
measure enough cover to be placed from
side-to-side over the hoops.
Add 2 ft ( cm) to the measurement.
 Side Anchor Options
Sandwich the sides of the plastic with
lumber planks, fastened together.
To prevent the plastic from sagging tie the
fishing line from end to end about every 6 to
12 in ( cm) over the exterior of the hoops
under the plastic cover.
Use fishing line on the exterior of the
hoop between the plastic.
Make sure that the fishing line is tight
enough to hold the plastic cover firm
without any sags.
Carefully place the plastic greenhouse cover
over the hoops from side-to-side.
Leave 1 ft ( cm) over lap on the ground to be
covered with dirt to anchor the plastic.
Allow about 3 to 4 ft ( cm) overhang of
plastic over the front of the house.
Pull the plastic cover into position and make
sure it is level on both sides. Shovel some
dirt on the overhang on each side to secure
the sides.
Make sure that both sides are pulled snugly
into position over the hoop frame.
Place the second sheet of plastic on the
hoop frame. Overlap the plastic 36 in ( 1
meter) at the plastic seam.
 End Wall Options
• To increase ventilation in the summer,
use removable end walls.
• If end walls are removable, sufficient
structural support must be maintained. 
• Large screen sections, windows, and
winged panels can also be installed in
end walls for ventilation.
Complete the greenhouse by closing the 2 ends
with plastic cover, add a wooden door frame
and door or add screening to the front and back.
 WIND RESISTANCE
• Strong winds put stress on the sides of
the house.
• The anchors stress at ground level.
• One option is to insert Rebar inside the
anchors.
• Thicker walled 3/4" PVC is stronger but
less flexible to bend.
 List of materials
• Item quantity needed depends on the
size of the greenhouse you want.
• Two 2 inch ( cm) PVC water pipe
• 8 1.5 inch ( cm) PVC water pipe 20 ft
( cm)
• 1 roll bailing wire
• 1 roll fishing line
• 1 roll plastic cover
 List of Tools
• Tape measure
• Saw
• Hammer or mallet
• Drill and small drill bit
• Tube cutter
• Pliers
• Wire cutter
• Knife
• Shovel
• Felt Marker
• String
 Acknowledgements
For more detailed information see:
• High Tunnels
www.hightunnels.org
• Penn State University
http://plasticulture.cas.psu.edu/H-tunne
ls.htm

• American Society for Plasticulture

www.plasticulture.org
 Project Contacts
Dr. Thomas S. Handweker
Small Farm Institute
tshanwerker@umes.edu

Mr. Daniel S. Kuennen

Rural Development Center
dskuennen@umes.edu

University of Maryland
Eastern Shore