Heated traditional greenhouse and its innovative design. How to properly build a winter greenhouse with your own hands: advice from experts How to make winter greenhouses

Today, it is not a problem to enjoy a vegetable salad in the middle of winter: there is a rich assortment of plant products in stores all year round. But, besides the fact that the price for it is not the most affordable, and the taste leaves much to be desired, the benefits are also minimal, but it is quite possible to “enrich” the body with various chemicals. Therefore, despite the abundance in stores, winter greenhouses, which provide the opportunity to grow environmentally friendly and tasty vegetables or herbs for your family, have not lost their relevance. However, compared to summer greenhouses, winter greenhouses are more complex both in terms of construction and in terms of operation of the structure, and are more demanding in terms of materials. The participants of our portal are mainly engaged in seasonal greenhouses, but they also have experience in the construction and use of year-round greenhouses.

Consider:

• Structural features of winter greenhouses.
• Arrangement of winter greenhouses.
• What to grow in winter.

What should a winter greenhouse be like?

Winter greenhouses are permanent structures built on a foundation that can withstand both wind and snow loads. These can be either free-standing buildings or extensions with one blank wall. For example, to the utility block, if the orientation of the structure allows.

Foundation

The foundation of a greenhouse can be strip or made of separate blocks; columnar and slab foundations are less common. USPs are usually not made under free-standing greenhouses, but if this is a winter garden within a permanent building, then such a foundation is quite justified. In terms of cost, a slight expansion of the building area against the general background is not critical, and the heating circuit installed when pouring the slab will simplify the further arrangement of the greenhouse.

To prevent the outflow of far from free heat through the base of the greenhouse, extruded polystyrene foam can be used when building the foundation. The most effective is comprehensive insulation of both the foundation strip and the soil under the greenhouse, on the site of future beds. The use of insulation is especially important if soil heating is planned; EPS will prevent unnecessary consumption of thermal energy for heating the lower, unused layers of the soil. You can also use insulation to protect the north side.

Frame

Like seasonal, year-round greenhouses, mainly of the frame type, the frame comes in two types:

• metal;
• wood.

These materials are comparable in strength; In addition, wood does not overheat in summer and gives off much less heat to the outside in winter. Considering that winter greenhouses are built on a foundation, and there will be no direct contact with moisture at the racks, the service life of the wooden frame is quite decent. Naturally, when calculating the parameters of all elements, the expected loads must be taken into account.

Alla Ivanova

I prefer to build only wooden winter greenhouses - cheaper, simpler, and simple - I love wood. In our steppe there are such hurricane winds - don’t worry, mother, but nothing has ever been torn down, we always do it conscientiously.

A frame made of HDPE (low-density polyethylene) pipes is increasingly in demand for seasonal greenhouses; if used for winter ones, it is in regions where heavy snowfall is very rare.

The shape of the greenhouse largely depends on the frame material, climatic conditions and personal preferences. Most often they build:

• arched;
• single-pitched;
• gable.

Due to the shape, it is problematic to make a wooden frame for arched structures; technically this is possible, but it will require much more effort and time than rectangular options. Therefore, such greenhouses are usually on a metal frame, while a wooden one is more in demand for single-pitch or gable structures. Although some still prefer to combine wood with the arch.

Sheathing

As for the frame sheathing, the era of polyethylene film in several layers is gradually disappearing; today, in most cases, cellular polycarbonate (SP) is used. Glass, also used as cladding for winter greenhouses, is significantly inferior in thermal conductivity, although it is superior in durability (if treated with care) and light transmittance. From the point of view of heat conservation, the optimal greenhouse-thermos for cold regions is considered to be double cladding with SP sheets with an air gap, similar to double-glazed windows. In this case, the thickness of the outer layer is at least 6 mm; for the inner layer, a thickness of 4 mm is acceptable. But the thicker the sheets in the layers, the lower the thermal conductivity, therefore, when creating a sealed circuit (using end caps), the lower the heat outflow. In the summer months, the effect of a thermos will help prevent overheating without the need for partial dismantling of the casing.

Anchor Plus Moderator FORUMHOUSE

Possible combinations of layers (external plus internal, distance everywhere - from 20 to 50 mm):

• 6/4 – 1.8 W/(m ⁰С);
• 10/6 – 1.61 W/(m ⁰С);
• 16/6 – 1.42 W/(m ⁰С);
• 16/10 – 1.27 W/(m ⁰С);
• 20/6 – 1.19 W/(m ⁰С).

However, you should not get too carried away with thicknesses, especially when the greenhouse is of an arched type. The thicker the sheet, the greater the minimum permissible radius with which it can be bent without loss of characteristics. Yes, and problems may arise with the purchase of components, since for sheets thicker than 16 mm they are rarely found on sale, and if they are, the price is prohibitive. While for most regions, 10 mm on the top layer is sufficient for snow loads, the main thing is to correctly calculate the pitch of the racks.

One of the portal users has a winter garden (extension), on USP, with two layers of joint venture cladding.

Arkhipov I

I plan to install a greenhouse as an extension to the boiler room on one USHP - a wooden frame, polycarbonate walls in two layers, with an air gap. Height – 2.5 m, covering – single-pitched polycarbonate roofing.

Arrangement of winter greenhouses

In order to engage in crop production when nature does not provide for it, the winter greenhouse must maintain the temperature, light and humidity conditions necessary for the crops.

Heating

Even thermos greenhouses with two layers of SP as cladding for year-round operation in regions with temperate and cold climates, first of all, need an effective one. Another thing is that a sealed circuit with minimal heat losses will save on energy. With a lot of design options and types of fuel used, the heating itself comes in several types:

• Air - warm air is supplied through air ducts at different levels or heated and maintained directly by a furnace installed in the room itself.
• Contour - a thermal contour is created along the edges, and if necessary, along the middle part, pipes and radiators are used, the boiler can be installed both in the greenhouse and remotely.
• Subsoil - in regions with a mild climate, where severe frosts are rare, a thermos greenhouse will maintain heat with minimal heating. In this case, a water heated floor circuit or electric cables/mats designed for this specific application are laid in the ground.
• Combined - they combine air or contour heating with subsoil heating for growing crops that are demanding in terms of soil temperature.

Ruslan N

Subsoil heating is not suitable for all crops; in my greenhouse I made a hydraulic system (gravity) using coal with the possibility of attaching a subsoil circuit to it (for growing cucumbers), but for other crops a good subsoil heating system is sufficient.

Or for insurance.

Alla Ivanova

The main heating is contour, pipe, the subsoil circuit is deepened by 30 cm so that it is not damaged when processed with a walk-behind tractor. If the soil is loose, it works well. But for me it’s not so important for lettuce - 14⁰C heat in the soil is enough, but other crops need higher temperatures. I have subsurface heating as an insurance policy; there are very frosty winters.

Which energy carrier to use depends on many factors - cost-effectiveness, availability, and the possibility of automating the process.

• Electricity is one of the most expensive energy sources, but with minimal heat loss it can become the basis of the system. Especially if there is a night tariff and a TA (heat accumulator).
• Mains gas is cheaper than electricity and is not inferior to electrical equipment in terms of the possibility of automating the process, but it is not available in all areas.
• Solid fuel boilers - previously the biggest problem was the need for regular loading, today there are long-lasting models, including homemade ones.

DVAL

I heat a winter greenhouse (100 m²), covered with two layers of film, with a distance of 30-40 cm, with a homemade wood-burning boiler. The set temperature (+20⁰С) is maintained automatically. Adding firewood to the boiler lasted for a day when the temperature dropped to 20-25⁰С below zero, and on “warm days” (5-10⁰С below zero) it lasted up to two days or more if the firewood was oak or acacia. The boiler heats the air - a heat generator (without a water jacket). It’s not particularly annoying, just put it on and sleep peacefully (but the signal about the boiler going out or the wood burning is sent into the house). The cost of making the boiler is insignificant, I made it from what was lying around the yard, I spent only on electrodes (10 kg) and on circles for the grinder. I tried IR gas burners - they are ineffective, they require a lot of air, and when the windows are opened frequently, the heat evaporates.

As noted DVAL, you can drown it however you like and with whatever you want, everyone chooses their own option, which they settle on as the optimal one, based on the combination of costs and returns. Here viktor50 prefers the “” boiler, and although he has a seasonal greenhouse, such experience can be adopted.

Lighting and Humidity

Winter days are short, especially – in the northern regions, therefore, even with the correct orientation of the greenhouse, for full growth, most crops require additional lighting with special lamps that generate the required spectrum. HPS (sodium arc tube lamps) or LED lamps are used. This is one of the most consumable items in winter crop production, especially on a large scale.

Alla Ivanova

Heat is only one of the conditions, the main thing is light, photosynthesis, however. In the same Novosibirsk region in winter you can only do forcing. Or lamps - for 200 m², about 40 pieces of 400 W each, that’s 18 kW/hour and for 12-16 hours a day.

Of course, when we are talking not about two hundred, but about twenty squares for personal use, the costs are much lower, and many are willing to pay for the opportunity to eat fresh herbs all year round.

A winter greenhouse is a useful structure for a plot of land that allows you to grow garden crops all year round. It is used both for personal needs and for growing fruit plants for sale.

The most versatile material for constructing greenhouses is polycarbonate. It is this that allows the use of the latest construction technologies, design developments and technical equipment for greenhouses.

Polycarbonate retains heat well and allows enough sunlight to pass through Source plodogorod.com

Design differences between summer and winter greenhouses

The purpose of greenhouses is the same for any season - they are designed to protect plants and transfer them enough heat for growth and development. However, in terms of design, winter greenhouses differ significantly from summer buildings:

Materials used for cladding the frame are resistant to loads, temperature changes and weather conditions. As a rule, this is glass or polycarbonate. In summer greenhouses there is enough durable film.

Summer greenhouses warm up well during the day and the air does not have time to cool down overnight. In winter greenhouses, a heating system is required to maintain a comfortable temperature for growing.

Winter buildings require insulation to avoid drafts and loss of thermal energy from the heating system.

Summer greenhouses are often made in the form of arches; winter greenhouses require a gable roof so that snow does not accumulate on it.

Thus, summer greenhouses work exclusively due to natural factors - long daylight hours, solar heat, and a natural ventilation system. And in order to grow plants in winter, the necessary climatic conditions are artificially recreated in the greenhouse.

For light-loving plants it is necessary to create additional lighting Source tss.org.ru

Polycarbonate in the construction of winter greenhouses

The use of polycarbonate in the construction of winter greenhouses is due to its strength and light transmission qualities. The advantages of this material are the following:

resistance to mechanical damage;

good aesthetic characteristics;

light weight of the structure - suitable for any frame;

conducts sunlight well;

ease of processing and installation of sheets;

the material can withstand heavy loads - important when there is a lot of snow in winter;

tolerates strong heating and cooling, does not deteriorate under the influence of UV rays.

All these factors make polycarbonate an ideal material for the construction of winter greenhouses. It perfectly protects plants from snow and frost and allows you to maintain the correct microclimate in the building.

In a greenhouse, heat-loving plants are not afraid of early frosts Source neldekstop.ru

Greenhouse design options

The construction market offers a huge selection of shapes and sizes of greenhouses. Therefore, customers always have the opportunity to make it to suit their own needs. When choosing a design, it is worth considering the type and number of plants that you plan to grow in the greenhouse.

A heated winter greenhouse can be quite long or wide. For private land plots, there are standard dimensional grids for turnkey structures.

The base of the greenhouse is usually rectangular or square. The roof is made in various forms:

arcuate;

single slope;

gable;

multi-level.

The main condition for the roof of a winter greenhouse is the presence of a slope so that snow can slide off it under the weight of its own weight and not accumulate on the roof. It is also recommended to make vents in the roof to ventilate the structure.

Vents in greenhouses are most often located at the top point of the roof. Source oteplicah.com

Greenhouses, as a rule, consist of one “room”, but experts recommend organizing a heated dressing room. This is done so that with frequent use in winter, the plants do not suffer from the penetration of cold air from the street.

On our website you can get acquainted with the most from construction companies presented at the exhibition of houses “Low-Rise Country”.

Stages of construction of polycarbonate greenhouses

The construction of a winter greenhouse made of polycarbonate is a rather complex technological process. It consists of several stages that affect both the construction of the structure itself and its internal equipment. Therefore, it is better if a turnkey winter greenhouse with heating is built by experienced hands.

Foundation

A polycarbonate winter greenhouse has a heavy structure and will require laying a foundation to give it stability. It can be one of three types:

lumber;

stone;

brick;

tape

The latter option is most often used in the construction of permanent greenhouses. Laying a strip foundation is carried out in several stages:

marking the construction site, digging a trench approximately 1 m deep;

laying waterproofing at the bottom of the trench;

installation of reinforcement to strengthen the foundation;

filling the trench with gravel-sand-cement mortar;

laying heat-insulating material on a dried strip foundation.

After preparing the foundation, anchor bolts are installed into it for subsequent fastening of the frame. Sometimes a layer of brick is laid on the foundation, in which case the fasteners must pass through the masonry and penetrate into the foundation.

Arrangement of a strip foundation for a greenhouse Source arka-green.ru

On our website you can find contacts of construction companies that offer turnkey installation services for greenhouses and similar structures. You can communicate directly with representatives by visiting the “Low-Rise Country” exhibition of houses.

Frame installation

To build a frame under polycarbonate sheets, metal profiles, pipes and corners are most often used. This choice is due to the strength and durability of the metal base compared to wood.

Installation of the frame is carried out in several stages:

securing the bottom lining to the foundation using anchor bolts;

installation of vertical posts on the casing using bolts or welding;

connection of vertical profiles with horizontal lining at the top;

installation of a frame under a pitched roof.

The integrity and strength of the entire greenhouse structure depends on the correct installation of the base. Therefore, it is carried out exactly according to the planned plan and calculations.

The finished frame for the greenhouse remains to be sheathed with polycarbonate sheets Source homeli.ru

Sheathing the frame with polycarbonate

Polycarbonate sheets are selected and cut to fit the frame. They are attached to the profile using bolts. Installation begins from the bottom of the greenhouse from the corner joint. The sheets are constantly leveled using a building level so that there are no gaps or overlaps between them. The joints must be waterproofed from the room side so that moisture does not accumulate in them and fungus does not form. For this purpose, sealants and other building compounds are used.

Source oteplicah.ru

Heating

The heating system in a plant greenhouse can be solved in several ways. The most budget option is to install a stove with pipes in which hot smoke circulates. Heating occurs by heating air from the chimney pipe. The disadvantage of such a system is manual control, which does not allow leaving the greenhouse unattended.

Water heating is considered a more convenient option. It can be organized by installing a gas boiler in a greenhouse, or connecting a pipe from a residential building. The air is heated from conventional radiators installed along the wall of the greenhouse. In some cases, a kind of “warm floor” is made from polypropylene tubes underground, through which hot water circulates. This allows you to warm the soil and plant roots in winter.

Another type of heating system is combined. It includes the following elements:

Infrared lamps for lighting and heating plants from above;

Polypropylene tubes filled with coolant, buried in the soil.

The joint work of these system elements allows the air to be evenly heated in the upper and lower parts of the room. Another advantage is automatic control. The system is equipped with temperature and humidity sensors and can independently regulate the microclimate in the room.

Source homeli.ru

Lighting

In winter, daylight hours are short, so the plants in the greenhouse do not have time to receive enough UV rays. This slows down their growth and leads to various diseases.

To improve the efficiency of the greenhouse, additional lighting is installed in it. Its level is selected depending on the crops grown in the greenhouse - for greenery and seedlings a little light is required, for berry and fruit plants it should be strong enough.

For lighting, sodium lamps are used, which provide photosynthetic irradiation, that is, they produce ultraviolet rays that imitate sunlight. They are installed directly above beds or shelves with seedlings. Ordinary fluorescent lamps are sometimes used, but they are less efficient.

Source silksaree.co

All wiring of lighting fixtures must be equipped with moisture protection, since the air in greenhouses is very humid and water droplets can settle on all surfaces.

Watering

To organize watering of plants in a greenhouse that does not require manual control, it is equipped with irrigation systems. The most universal of them is drip irrigation. It consists of a reservoir with liquid and pipes stretched along the perimeter of the beds. Such a system is installed at the stage of constructing the greenhouse frame.

In some cases, sprinkler valves are mounted on top, above or to the side of plant beds. The irrigation option is selected depending on the needs of the crops grown in the greenhouse.

In order not to walk with a hose throughout the greenhouse, you can also make a water supply layout during design. Source notperfect.ru

Ventilation

A good winter greenhouse with heating is impossible without a greenhouse ventilation system; it is an important part of creating a comfortable microclimate for plants. Although a polycarbonate greenhouse is considered a winter greenhouse, it is usually used all year round. In the summer, it is very important to prevent overheating and over-humidification of the air - for this, a ventilation system is needed in the building.

In polycarbonate greenhouses, several opening window modules are made in the roof or upper part of the wall. They are equipped with automatic valves that open and close the windows depending on the air temperature. This allows you to ventilate the room and keep the plants fresh.

It is desirable that the ventilation provides for the possibility of strong and weak ventilation Source oteplicah.ru

Video description

How to choose the right greenhouse, watch the video:

Video description

A few more words about choosing high-quality polycarbonate:

Conclusion

Winter greenhouses made of polycarbonate with heating are widely used both in private households and on large farms and enterprises. This structure allows you to grow various crops throughout the year without fear of weather changes. Calculation and installation of a greenhouse is a complex process that should be trusted to professional construction companies.

A heated greenhouse will really enhance your yield. And its construction is simple and inexpensive. Therefore, its construction will not require special skill, but only the desire to enjoy the harvest, fresh salads and berries. Moreover, a year-round model would be ideal. However, a heated greenhouse is also a winning move.

It is only important to correctly determine the location of their placement. This will reward the owners with an early harvest and save on heating costs. Therefore, it is advisable to do it where it is as calm and sunny as possible. Often, prudent gardeners prefer to attach a greenhouse to the always warm wall of a heated house. At the same time, the costs of supplying heating to it are further reduced. Although this wall must be insulated from greenhouse moisture.

The biological method heats the greenhouse in winter through the exothermic reaction of biological fuel and air. For example, when rotting, horse manure retains +60ºС and retains it for up to six months. Sawdust, straw and their mixture with composted household waste are also used. This cheap way to heat a greenhouse is also the most beneficial for plants.

Technical heating is more diverse:

• stove;
• hot water;
• electricity;

They prefer to heat the greenhouse with electricity Installing heaters or cable circuits along the foundation is an option for heated floors. Although excessive humidity and the high cost of electricity are dangerous here.

You can arrange stove heating yourself. For example, lay a brick firebox in the vestibule and run the chimney along the greenhouse. Then a heated greenhouse with your own hands will always be heated by carbon monoxide rushing towards the chimney. At the same time, a safe distance from the chimney to plants and walls is maintained - at least half a meter.

Here, the water heating boiler and the pipes connected to it circulate heated water from above and along the walls, then again to the heater (gas, electric or stove). And the expansion tank at the highest point guarantees the required pressure.

After all, greenhouses heated with gas are heated by burning it in a boiler. Pros: uniform heating of the air, enriching it with carbon dioxide, which increases productivity.

A greenhouse heated by a home boiler is economical if it is attached to the wall of the house or near it. By the way, insulating external pipes will reduce heat loss. It is clear that the boiler’s power should be enough for this warm greenhouse.

Construction materials

1. To build a greenhouse structure, you will need coarse aggregate (crushed stone) and fine aggregate (sand). The cement will also ensure the strength of the foundation.Optimally, this is a strip foundation more than half a meter deep: after all, the structure itself is light. You also need to make a heat-insulating “cushion” of expanded clay and sand.
2. Ceramic (red) brick is needed for the plinth above the foundation. It is usually laid out in 3 rows. By the way, moisture-resistant brick is less susceptible to deformation from steam and temperature.
3. Film structures retain heat poorly and are broken by wind, snow, and icing. Then the crop will die. Therefore, they prefer to cover the winter greenhouse with more reliable material. For example, double coating with an elastic special film with a guarantee of more than 8 years.
4. Glass is a traditional coating. Moreover, double glazing is mandatory. After all, a layer of air between 2 glasses will save precious heat and money for heating. When thinking about how to build a winter greenhouse, you also need to design ventilation transoms.
5. Cellular polycarbonate is the latest coating for greenhouses. This year-round greenhouse is the most reliable. Factory samples are equipped with an improved, powerful design and are easy to assemble with your own hands.

This material retains heat better, so the problem of how to heat the greenhouse is simplified. After all, heating such a polycarbonate structure is less expensive: this polycarbonate will retain heat even at -40ºС. For greater protection of plants and saving money when insulating, an additional internal insulating layer can be made from film.

Heating a greenhouse in winter with a diesel gun (video)

Heated structure design

The frame for the winter greenhouse should also be durable: made of metal or wood.

Glass, cellular polycarbonate or film are attached to it. Pipes and a boiler heat the winter greenhouses.

Already when designing, we are guided by energy saving and expediency.

Therefore, projects with a pitched roof facing south are popular. Then the sun's rays hit it almost at a right angle and heat the greenhouse as much as possible. Let the northern vertical wall be opaque, and insulated from the inside with an insulator covered with foil, which ideally reflects heat and light onto the beds.

It is better to make the frame and its racks from thin pipes: they are light but reliable. Although high-strength plastic is also good. The correct shape of the frame will increase energy savings and yield. Therefore, when building a greenhouse with your own hands, make the roof slope more than 30 degrees. Then the snow will not linger, as, indeed, on the popular arched greenhouses. After all, a snow load can destroy a winter greenhouse. Nowadays, the most in demand are frames constructed from a profile pipe by welding. The arch is formed by bending pipes with a cross-section of 20x40 mm. But a year-round arched greenhouse will become stronger with corner posts made of 40x40 pipes.

Lighting affects the yield. And a winter day is 3-6 hours, and this is not enough for plants. Therefore, plant growers recommend taking care of artificial lighting that is comfortable for the crops being grown and beneficial for gardeners. The range of lamps is large: from ordinary light bulbs to LEDs. Their rational arrangement will especially increase the harvest of light-loving plants that will be close to light sources.

So, many are interested in how to build a heated greenhouse. It will increase the amount of harvest. After all, the goal is to build a winter greenhouse at a minimum cost, and the season for collecting vitamins will become endless.

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Gallery: heated greenhouse (15 photos)

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Almost every gardener, even a non-professional, has a greenhouse on his property. Here the gardener can grow seedlings or full-fledged vegetable crops. But in the cold season, such a culture room will definitely not save you. That is why many gardeners, especially those who grow crops for subsequent sale, are thinking about creating a winter greenhouse.

Features of greenhouses and their types

Greenhouses can be different: capital and seasonal, large and small, home-made and factory-made. The main goal for its creation is to obtain environmentally friendly vegetables and fruits as early as possible, and of the best quality possible.

Currently, there are many greenhouses of various designs. It is very difficult for a beginner to decide what to choose and where to start construction, how to calculate the area of ​​the greenhouse in order to get the planned harvest, whether it is necessary to create a foundation and what kind, how to carry out heating, and also which roof is best to install.

Main types of premises

Winter greenhouses differ from each other in many ways. For example:

You can also distinguish buildings by architectural features. All designs are divided into:

Whatever the configuration, you need to remember that a greenhouse in winter is a good structure with additional lighting and heating. It must be said that its construction costs quite a lot. On the other hand, having spent once your efforts and money, you will enjoy delicious and high-quality products for many years throughout the year, and not just in the summer.

The result of your work will directly depend not on the weather and soil on the site, but only on your efforts and skills.

Disadvantages and advantages of the structure

The thermos greenhouse is especially popular among domestic gardeners, primarily because it helps to obtain a high-quality harvest while minimizing maintenance costs (heating and lighting inside). The greenhouse received its name because it is a structure that is completely isolated not only from the weather outside, but also from the cool soil.

Main advantages:

The greenhouse also has its disadvantages. Main disadvantages:

• difficulty in construction and high financial costs;
• To do this, you need to have at least basic abilities and understanding of the heating system, communication lines and ventilation.

It should also be noted that this design has many more advantages than disadvantages, so today this option is considered the best for all-season growing of vegetables, fruits, and herbs, not only for the family, but also for sale.

Selecting a site for construction

When choosing a place to create a greenhouse, you must first of all take into account three features. These include:

If, to protect against strong winds, you decide to create an additional fence or hedge from a plant, then you must take into account that the fence should not be located too close to the building. For example, with a greenhouse ridge height of 2.5 meters, the distance from the fence to the building should not be less than 7-8 meters.

This is due to the fact that the wind flow, having encountered an obstacle, most often rises and simply goes around the fence. This means that as a result you will get an area of ​​turbulence that will constantly take away heat from the structure. The narrower the total distance from the building and the fence, the stronger the turbulence. The best option for protecting the building would be a hedge 15-20 meters from the greenhouse.

What material to use

Before you start building a winter greenhouse, you need to decide on the material for the covering and frame. A capital winter greenhouse with your own hands should be more durable, so when choosing material for the frame, you can limit yourself to scrap metal or wood. It is prohibited to use bars and profiles that cannot even support their own weight. Vertically, the supports and beams of the roof must be with a reserve, and also withstand snow masses.

If we talk about what is better to choose, wood or metal, then there is nothing complicated here. Metal lasts longer, but wood is easy to work with and can be quickly repaired. The main thing is that wood does not heat up in hot weather. The microclimate inside a wooden greenhouse is preserved much better than in a metal structure.

It is allowed to use film to cover a winter greenhouse, but it will have to be changed quite often. And although it costs less, it will require 2-3 times more than for a simple greenhouse. Eternal glass also has its disadvantages: heavy weight, increased fragility.

Start of construction

Everything is clear with the differences between winter buildings and their main features. Next comes the process of building the premises. It is quite obvious that construction begins with planning and drafting. Before you start building the main frame, laying the foundation and doing other work on your own, you need to have a clear idea of ​​what needs to be done. Modern technologies help to significantly simplify the construction process itself, but without drawing up the correct drawings it’s still impossible. To better understand how to build a winter greenhouse in which the soil will constantly warm up, you need to study the main stages of construction:

Building construction technology

A do-it-yourself winter greenhouse is a fairly pressing issue for those who want to eat fresh vegetables even in winter. If you approach this process consciously, study all the existing projects, the building materials from which the greenhouse is built, then you can build it yourself, without turning to professionals for help.

The frame of greenhouses is most often created from wooden beams or a metal profile, although it is also allowed to use metal pipes or a plastic profile for this. Metal is considered more durable and strong, but wood provides a good microclimate and makes construction much easier with it. Before you accurately decide on the material, it is best to know what crop the greenhouse is being created for. Cucumbers, for example, require high humidity, which reduces the use time of the wooden frame.

For walls and roofs, a special film, glass or polycarbonate is used. If we take into account the low temperatures outside, the pressure of snow, which falls a lot in winter, then using the film there are more difficulties than savings. Glass will be used well in any weather, but its weight, increased under the pressure of the snow mass, must also be taken into account when creating the frame to prevent snow cover.

Transparent and lightweight multilayer polycarbonate has also proven itself well; it should be taken with a thickness of 10-16 millimeters. When choosing polycarbonate, you must remember that if its thickness is 10 millimeters, you need to take sheets with a width of no more than 105 centimeters, and if 16 millimeters, then no wider than 140 centimeters, thereby ensuring normal structural strength.

Mandatory a solid foundation is being built for the winter greenhouse, then they create a frame. Upon completion of construction, a heating system is installed. If you create a lean-to greenhouse that will be adjacent to a country house, then its heating can be created as a continuation of the heating system.

To calculate the amount of heat, you need to find the total difference between the thermal conductivity index and the glazing area. The difference between heating a room and a greenhouse is significant - in a greenhouse it is important not only to set the optimal air temperature, but also the soil temperature. Polycarbonate greenhouses running on biofuel are considered very reliable. When choosing a heating device, aluminum convectors are most often used; it is believed that they can distribute heat evenly throughout the greenhouse.

At the bottom of the pit you need to lay layers of sand, and then turf soil (or simple turf laid with stones up), then humus. After laying all the main parts of the heat accumulator and installing pipes for the ventilation system, you need to lay down a polyvinyl chloride film so that the soil does not interfere with work. You need to make special holes in the film for pipes, and attach it to the walls using a construction stapler. After this, a fertile layer of soil for the beds, as well as an infertile one, is poured into the greenhouse, which can then be covered with tiles for the paths.

Winter greenhouses are designed primarily for growing plants throughout the year. As we know, in winter, vegetables, berries and herbs are very expensive, so many summer residents build structures on their site with their own hands in order to always have fresh salads and compotes on the table. But before starting construction work, it is necessary to carefully think through the design of the future greenhouse, its heating system and make an accurate drawing.

Construction device

Today, winter greenhouses can be built from various materials. Therefore, each owner of a summer cottage can choose the most suitable and cost-effective options for himself.

Shapes and sizes of greenhouses:

The design of a winter greenhouse must withstand severe frosts, snowfalls and other atmospheric phenomena. The most durable, reliable and environmentally friendly material for constructing a greenhouse frame is wood. But such a structure can last no more than 15 years, and then it will have to be updated.

The most durable and profitable design is considered to be a greenhouse with polycarbonate cladding, since this material is of high quality, long service life and affordable price.

Any winter greenhouse must have a foundation, frame and glass roof. It is best to build such a structure from north to south. The room must have a good ventilation system to regulate heat and air conditions for the proper functioning of plants.

Ventilation can be supply or exhaust. The tightness of the greenhouse is the main condition for its effective functioning. The temperature is maintained artificially.

The greenhouse can be racked, in which the plants are placed on shelves with sides, or rackless, where the plants are planted directly into the ground. The racks in the greenhouse should be approximately at a height of about 60–80 cm from the ground, and the passage between them should be at least 70 cm. The racks are made of wooden boards, plastic or reinforced concrete, depending on the design features of the greenhouse.

Photo gallery: selection of project options

Greenhouse drawing with dimensions
Scheme of a rack greenhouse
Winter greenhouse design option

Types of structures: advantages and disadvantages

Winter greenhouses come in several types depending on their design features, type of material used, type of lighting, heating system, and foundation design.

• Capital greenhouses are built on a strip foundation. A trench is dug in the center, which is designed to “collect” cold air, which should not reach the roots of the seedlings. Thanks to this design, the inside of the greenhouse warms up quickly enough and therefore seedlings can be planted several weeks earlier than usual.
• Capital types of conventional type greenhouses are collapsible structures that can be dismantled and moved around the site. To build such a greenhouse, a metal or plastic profile, polycarbonate, and bolted connections are used. Piles serve as the foundation.

The remaining types are prefabricated structures. Only in a permanent structure can a full-fledged heating and artificial lighting system be installed.

Greenhouses may differ in such parameters as:

• Functionality. They allow you to grow not only ordinary vegetables of a given region, but also exotic ones.
• Location in relation to the ground. There can be three types: recessed, surface and arranged in the upper part of a barn, garage, closet, etc.
• Architectural solution. They can be with a single-pitched, gable, three-pitched roof, as well as arched, wall-mounted and combined.

Greenhouses also differ:

• By type of building materials. They can be built from brick, wooden beams, metal profiles or PVC pipes. Polycarbonate or glass is used as a coating. Today, combined greenhouses, in which the walls are lined with polycarbonate and the roof is made of glass, are in great demand.
• According to the type of heating system. Winter greenhouses can operate on biofuel, solar panels, and also have stove, air, gas, water or electric heating.
• By type of planting seedlings and plants. They are planted in the ground or in specially knocked down boxes placed on shelves.

Depending on the design, greenhouses are divided into the following types:

1. The thermos greenhouse, or as it is called the “Patia greenhouse,” despite the complexity of its design, is one of the most popular among summer residents. Its main part is located underground, due to which the “thermos” effect is achieved. It can also be above ground, but it must be covered from the inside with any heat-insulating material. In such a greenhouse, it is recommended to install a water heating system, as it will allow warm air flows to be evenly distributed throughout the room.
2. A greenhouse with a gable roof is the most common design due to its convenience and versatility. The height of the greenhouse reaches 2-.5 meters to the ridge, so a person can walk in it without bending his head. Also, in it, seedlings can be grown not only on the ground, but also in special boxes on racks. The advantage of a gable design is that snow and rainwater do not accumulate on the roof surface, but quickly flow down. Disadvantages: high cost of materials, complexity of construction and large heat losses through the northern wall. Therefore, it must be additionally insulated with various heat-insulating materials.
3. An arched greenhouse is considered a complex structure, as it often causes problems with the construction of the frame and cladding. Without a special device, it is almost impossible to bend metal pipes to make a frame (but you can take PVC pipes). It is not possible to use glass to cover the frame, so all that remains is polycarbonate or various types of greenhouse films. The disadvantage of an arched greenhouse is the real danger of cracks in the polycarbonate during heavy snowfall, since if the layer is too large, the roof will not withstand the load. There is no possibility to place racks and shelves inside such a structure, so plants can only be grown on the ground.
4. Greenhouse with sloping walls. The design of such a greenhouse resembles an ordinary “house” in appearance, but only with walls built at a certain angle, extending outside the room. The advantage of such a greenhouse is the possibility of construction from wood, metal, and plastic. Glass, polycarbonate, film can serve as cladding. The biggest advantage is considered to be a “self-cleaning” gable roof. The downside is the restrictions on installing racks and shelves around the perimeter of the walls due to the sloping walls.
5. Greenhouse with mansard roof. A type of structure with vertical walls and a mansard roof, which copes well with mechanical loads such as snow. Thanks to the special roof, more space is created above your head, and a large number of multi-tiered racks and shelves can be placed on the walls.
6. Single slope greenhouse. The design of the walls is no different from a gable roof, but here the roof is installed at a certain angle so that snow falls off it and rainwater drains without getting inside the room. Glass and polycarbonate can be used for cladding. Polyethylene film is not suitable for a winter greenhouse. Along the walls you can install shelves and racks on top of each other for multi-tiered growing of plants. It is practically devoid of disadvantages, except for the complexity of construction and installation of a strip foundation.

Preparatory work: drawings and dimensions of the structure

We will consider the construction of a winter greenhouse 3.34 meters wide and 4.05 meters long. The total area of ​​the room for growing crops is 10 square meters. meters.

The greenhouse is a square room buried in the ground with shelves and a roof made of durable two-layer polycarbonate.

If there is groundwater on the site and it is close to the surface, then the greenhouse is built without deepening, and the outer sides of the structure are sprinkled with soil.

If necessary, the length of the structure can be increased by adding additional sections to the frame.

Structure of racks and their dimensions

Where the beam connects, a triangular-shaped support is built. The dimensions are shown below in the drawing.

Ridge posts are needed to support the timber at the connection point. Also, the support should not come into contact with the polycarbonate sheathing.

A strong support system will not interfere when a person moves around the greenhouse. It is necessary if the length of the greenhouse is more than 4 meters. If the length exceeds these parameters, then supports are installed every 4 meters.

Corner supports are made of 100x100 mm timber, intermediate supports are made of 50x100 mm boards.

Construction of walls and thermal insulation

The pillars will be covered with boards on both sides, and insulation will be placed in the interior space.

To save money, you can take round timber Ø 120–150 mm, hewn to 100 mm. The walls are covered with slabs.

To insulate walls, use slag, sawdust or fine expanded clay. Quicklime is added to sawdust as protection against small rodents.

When choosing timber and boards, it is necessary to take into account that this structure will be used throughout the year, so the lumber must be of high quality.

• For the construction of supports and other parts of the frame, it is recommended to purchase pine boards and timber (rounded or glued). This is the most accessible, durable and cost-effective material for the construction of greenhouses in our region.

You can also choose larch or oak, but such lumber is quite expensive and therefore it is irrational to use them in this case.

Polycarbonate has excellent heat and sound insulation characteristics. But the more complex its structure, the greater the mechanical loads it can withstand (snow and wind).

When choosing polycarbonate, you need to know its thickness.

• For cladding the walls of a greenhouse, it is best to take sheets with a thickness of 6 to 25 mm, depending on the intended design.
• For roofing, polycarbonate with a thickness of 16 to 32 mm is recommended, since this part of the greenhouse will bear the heaviest load.

Calculation of the required amount of material and tools

• Beam with a section of 100x100 mm;
• Board with a section of 50x100 mm;
• Gorbyl;
• Round timber Ø 120–150 mm;
• Boards for making shelving;
• Insulation;
• Foamed polyethylene (aluminum foil);
• Polycarbonate sheets;
• Self-tapping screws and thermal washers;
• Hardware;
• Screwdriver;
• Wood hacksaw or saw;

Step-by-step instructions for building an in-depth winter greenhouse with your own hands

We dig a pit 60 cm deep. Its length and width should be several centimeters larger than the perimeter of the future greenhouse. At the bottom we make markings for installing support pillars. We dig in the supports to a depth of about 50 cm.

At a height of one meter from the ground, stretch the construction rope and check the evenness using a level. We fill the supports with soil and compact them thoroughly.

We level the floor and cover the walls with boards outside and inside, starting from the bottom. We fill the space between them with the selected insulation. This is how we cover the opposite two walls.

After we have sheathed the walls, we need to saw off the excess ends of the boards that extend beyond the pillars. At the corners of the structure inside, we nail 50x50 mm bars onto the boards. Next, we will attach the sheathing to them on the front and back of the wall. This is how we sew up all the walls of the greenhouse. But we nail the boards to the vertical beams.

We compact the insulation inside the walls, adding the required amount of expanded clay, sawdust or slag to the top. Then we sew up the top of the walls with boards.

We also cover the inner surface of the walls with insulation made from special foil. We place the insulation so that it extends slightly at the top of the walls, and bend it so that it can cover the boards covering the upper part of the walls.

We make the roof separately from the main structure, and then install it on the greenhouse. We manufacture all other roofing elements according to the diagrams indicated in the drawing.

We connect the rafter parts into half a tree, and nail the lintel so that the distance at the bottom is 3 meters 45 centimeters. Since the jumper is temporary, we must nail it so that it can then be dismantled. The nails should not be driven in completely, but should be left 10 mm from the head so that they can be easily removed.

We assemble the rafters and nail them to the support as shown in the drawing below.

After we have nailed the rafters to the support, we remove the jumpers. We install the ridge beam under the rafters and place the front posts measuring 88 cm under it. We nail the outer rafters (20 cm) to the ridge beam. To do this, we pre-drill holes in the rafters. Then we install a jumper between the rafters, and install flashings on the side rafters, the ridge beam and on the front posts as shown in the drawing.

Reference. Strips are called wooden planks that are designed to cover various cracks.

We attach two-layer thick polycarbonate to the roof frame using self-tapping screws with thermal washers. To do this, we drill holes in the sheets larger than the diameter of the screws themselves.

After attaching the polycarbonate, we need to install a ridge corner from galvanized sheet metal. We fasten it with a gasket for insulation. We do not attach polycarbonate to the side ends of the roof until we have secured the roof to the main structure.

We install the roof on the walls and secure it with 4 metal brackets. They can be made from twenty-centimeter long nails. Then we install the side parts of the roof from polycarbonate triangles.

We install an insulated thick wooden door (thickness at least 5 cm).

After this, you can install wooden racks and shelves inside the greenhouse for future seedlings. They are installed on the sides of the walls at a distance of approximately 60 cm from the floor. A layer of earth is poured on them or boxes with soil are placed.

Heating selection

The choice of heating system depends on the size of the room. For winter greenhouses with an area of ​​more than 15 square meters. meters, stove heating is suitable. Large areas are usually heated with biofuel, electric heaters or a water loop.

Stove heating is an affordable and economical option for a greenhouse. In this case, a stove is installed in the room, which is heated with wood, coal, briquettes, pallets or gas. But since the walls of the oven become very hot, plants should not be planted near it.

Water heating requires a water heating boiler, pipes and a tank. The pipes are buried in the ground to a depth of about 40 cm or placed immediately under the shelves.

Electric heating can be of three types: air, cable and infrared. Cable is a “warm floor” system, air is installed using fan heaters, and infrared is produced by special heating devices that are mounted under the roof of the greenhouse.

Biofuel heating is the most cost-effective heating option. Here, the indoor air is warmed due to the heat generated during the decomposition of various organic substances.

The most used biomaterials are:

• Horse manure - capable of maintaining a temperature of 33 to 38°C for 2–3 months;
• Cow dung - can keep 20°C for about 3.5 months;
• Rotted tree bark - keeps at 25°C for about 4 months;
• Sawdust - maintain 20°C for only 2 weeks;
• Straw - can maintain a temperature of 45°C for up to 10 days.

Biofuel is placed in the ground under the top layer of fertile soil. When choosing a fuel type, it is necessary to take into account its acidity level, since it significantly affects the quality of the soil. Cow dung is considered the best as its acidity level is 6-7 pH. A more acidic environment is created by bark and sawdust, and an alkaline environment is created by horse manure. Biofuel after its use can be reused as humus.

The type of heating is selected individually for each specific case, based on parameters such as the climate of the region, planned expenses and type of plants.

• Before starting construction of the greenhouse, all wooden boards and beams must be treated with antifungal and antiseptic agents.
• Before installing the supports, after treating them with protective agents, the lower parts must be tightly wrapped with roofing material and secured with a stapler.
• It is also necessary to protect the external walls by securing roofing felt to them. And only then sprinkle them with soil.
• The roof frame, after applying a protective coating and primer, is covered with white paint intended for outdoor work.
• During the operation of the greenhouse, it is necessary to choose energy-saving lamps to create artificial lighting. They help you use electricity more economically. Their number and location depend on the dimensions of the internal space of the greenhouse.

Video: how to build a winter greenhouse with your own hands

If, when constructing a winter greenhouse, you strictly observe all technical standards and follow the drawn up diagrams and drawings, then such a design will delight you and your loved ones with excellent harvests of vegetables, berries and fresh herbs for decades.