How a novice builds a "Hoop House".

Indyartist · March 13, 2011

Here are the photos of my week-end "Hoop House" construction project. My construction materials included stuff I already had plus a small budget. I used treated 2" x 4"s for the frame and had them cut at the hardware store to create my 4" by 8" frame. I already had a roll of 1/2" Pex plumbing tubing so I used that to create my hoops. Overall my methods were crude but hopefully it might inspire someone to create something using whatever they have with simple methods. One things the photos do not show, as I became too lazy to create one more photo, is that underneath my makeshift clips to hold the plastic sheeting to the hoops I placed some clear duct tape. this addition came as an after thought to help keep the rough made clips from tearing the plastic sheeting. I'm not sure how this design will hold up to the elements but I'm hoping for the best. If possible you would use a more rigid tubing for the hoops and thicker plastic sheeting plus you might take time to sand the edges of your homemade clips to avoid tearing the plastic.

Here are the photos:
https://picasaweb.google.com/hopkins...ctionPictures#

RayR · March 13, 2011

Now you can weather test your design.
Good idea on the duct tape. All it takes is a small tear in that plastic and some strong winds and you end up with a gaping hole.

b54red · March 15, 2011

That looks kinda like what I do in the winter to protect my plants in my raised beds when the temps dip into the 20s. I just push the pipe down into the dirt on the inside edge of the bed and firmly staple one side of the plastic to the wooden frame then just pull it over and staple lightly on the other side. When I need to remove it I just pull on the plastic and roll it back over. It is a great way to get plants started early. I now only use the plastic for one year because it becomes brittle and tears too easily the second year.

erlyberd · January 28, 2012

Try stepping up the pvc (would 1 1/4" gray pvc pipe be over kill?), a nice ridge pole and two side rails. Get some smaller 3/4" pvc pipe to roll the film onto for manual ventilation and your on the right track.

With what you have one snow fall and your going to be done. That is what the prototype is for! That would work nicely over squash, broccoli etc for keep the bugs at bay with mesh.

Indyartist · January 30, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by erlyberd

Try stepping up the pvc (would 1 1/4" gray pvc pipe be over kill?), a nice ridge pole and two side rails. Get some smaller 3/4" pvc pipe to roll the film onto for manual ventilation and your on the right track.

With what you have one snow fall and your going to be done. That is what the prototype is for! That would work nicely over squash, broccoli etc for keep the bugs at bay with mesh.

This hoop house worked fine all Spring of last year. I did find though when I tried to set it back up in the fall that the Pex tubing I had used in the Spring had lost too much of it's rigidity to hold the plastic upright. I will experiment with new tubing this Spring to find an answer that is flexible enough to bend without being likely to knock me unconscious if were to spring loose and not to flimsy to falter.

March 13, 2011	#1
Indyartist Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Indiana Posts: 229	How a novice builds a "Hoop House". Here are the photos of my week-end "Hoop House" construction project. My construction materials included stuff I already had plus a small budget. I used treated 2" x 4"s for the frame and had them cut at the hardware store to create my 4" by 8" frame. I already had a roll of 1/2" Pex plumbing tubing so I used that to create my hoops. Overall my methods were crude but hopefully it might inspire someone to create something using whatever they have with simple methods. One things the photos do not show, as I became too lazy to create one more photo, is that underneath my makeshift clips to hold the plastic sheeting to the hoops I placed some clear duct tape. this addition came as an after thought to help keep the rough made clips from tearing the plastic sheeting. I'm not sure how this design will hold up to the elements but I'm hoping for the best. If possible you would use a more rigid tubing for the hoops and thicker plastic sheeting plus you might take time to sand the edges of your homemade clips to avoid tearing the plastic. Here are the photos: https://picasaweb.google.com/hopkins...ctionPictures# __________________ Indyartist Zone 5b, NE Indiana -------------------------- “Men should stop fighting among themselves and start fighting insects” Luther Burbank

March 13, 2011	#2
RayR Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Cheektowaga, NY Posts: 2,466	Now you can weather test your design. Good idea on the duct tape. All it takes is a small tear in that plastic and some strong winds and you end up with a gaping hole.

March 15, 2011	#3
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	That looks kinda like what I do in the winter to protect my plants in my raised beds when the temps dip into the 20s. I just push the pipe down into the dirt on the inside edge of the bed and firmly staple one side of the plastic to the wooden frame then just pull it over and staple lightly on the other side. When I need to remove it I just pull on the plastic and roll it back over. It is a great way to get plants started early. I now only use the plastic for one year because it becomes brittle and tears too easily the second year.

January 28, 2012	#4
erlyberd Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: CT Zone 5 Posts: 186	Try stepping up the pvc (would 1 1/4" gray pvc pipe be over kill?), a nice ridge pole and two side rails. Get some smaller 3/4" pvc pipe to roll the film onto for manual ventilation and your on the right track. With what you have one snow fall and your going to be done. That is what the prototype is for! That would work nicely over squash, broccoli etc for keep the bugs at bay with mesh.