Greenhouse made from soda pop bottles

[Earl]

You guys may find this interesting.

http://www.reapscotland.org.uk/repor...house%20v1.pdf

[Frog]

Superb. truly great project.

However, 140x6' canes will cost a penny or two. I have access to family copice so I can obtain sticks that way instead. Now I need to do is lay my hands on 1500 pop bottles!

The plastic bubbles created by the bottle tubes would trap a lot of heat, round here a lot of people line their greenhouses with bubble wrap in winter, I suspect this woul eliminate this need.

[Mischka]

Posting the file here for any of our members that might want to take advantage of it and build their own.

[stormymater]

REALLY, REALLY LIKE THIS!

[John3]

Earl that is really cool

After reading the plans thinking could get some extra heat into the green house during the winter using something like this.

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[amideutch]

That is too cool. Ami

[dcarch]

1. The problem with soda bottle greenhouse is that the bottles are not UV proof. Imagine you have to replace the bottles.

2. The problem with soda can solar heat collector is that the soda cans do not do much. If you have really black paint. The same amount of heat will be collected based on the area of the heat collector, about 200 BTU per sq. ft. with or without the cans.

Don't mean to pour cold water on seemingly hot ideas.

dcarch

[John3]

dcarch
How would a uv coat work on the bottles?

GOLDEN Gel Topcoats w/UVLS are thick acrylic gel mediums containing Ultra Violet Light Filters and Stabilizers (UVLS) to protect materials from fading and deterioration caused by exposure to UV radiation.
http://www.goldenpaints.com/technicaldata/geltop.php

[amideutch]

It's obvious it was a school project done by kids using recyclable materials. First you could seal the joints between the rows of bottles with RTV clear silicon. Secondly you could wipe down the bottles with Armor All
to protect against UV or use the product John3 mentioned. Ami

[Frog]

Originally Posted by dcarch

2. The problem with soda can solar heat collector is that the soda cans do not do much. If you have really black paint. The same amount of heat will be collected based on the area of the heat collector, about 200 BTU per sq. ft. with or without the cans.

Haven't watched the video, but isn't the idea that the heat is released more slowly than it would be from just a black box, so that the heat is released through the colder hours.

Though personally I would have thought ceramics, glass or water would operate as a better heat sink.

[dcarch]

Silicone sealant is very expensive, and GOLDEN Gel Topcoats w/UVLS is close to $200.00 a gallon.

It is inspiring to encourage kids to think recycle, but it is very discouraging for them to fail.

I agree it is a very interesting project.

dcarch

[stormymater]

Ah darch, that "failure" (after how many seasons in overcast Scotland?) could be the nidus of the next great idea from one of those lads or lassies.

Rmemember that wonderful blessing to the newborn - "May your life be filled with interesting problems".

[Worth1]

Though it is nice for kids to get out and do something it would take me over 100 years to make the green house if I only collected the bottles from my own use.
I don't buy sodas in plastic bottles.
Just about my only soda use is I buy the Mexican cokes made with cane sugar in the old school glass bottles.

WORTH

[Frog]

I don't see much potential for 'failure' here, the school in question is a primary school and most of those children will be off to the secondary school a long time before the plastic gives up its fight against the sun.. If the bottles fail, you just replace them. Pop bottles are quite thick plastic. I don't think they'll fail particularly quickly at all, especially in light of the fact Scotland is not Arizona.

[Frog]

Originally Posted by Worth1

Though it is nice for kids to get out and do something it would take me over 100 years to make the green house if I only collected the bottles from my own use.

This is my position too, but it is the sort of thing that could be accomplished in a community garden.