Greenhouse

[soup]

I am about to install/build an Elite High Eaves green house (aluminium framed). Has anyone done similar or can think of any gotchas that may jump up and bite me?

[ALex]

What type of base are you using.

get yourself a good 10mm socket nut driver,then plug the socket with cotten wool so that the nut just sits inside the socket,will save hours of annoyance,with dropped,misthreaded nuts.

[soup]

Slabs on (thin)sand/cement mix (dry). These were laid by builders (neighbours over the back). Second guessing myself now though "should I have gone for a concrete slab?","should I have gone for a course(or two) of brick?"

[TMC]

This is the order that I used for mine

Prepare the ground Build the frame Site it Mark out the holes for the ground anchors Move the frame out of the way Dig out the holes for the ground anchors Put the frame back in place and double check for square and level Fit the ground anchors Glaze Fill the ground anchor holes with post mix

I note that you are siting on slabs I did not do this as I could not see an easy way of fitting the ground anchors

Tony

[John Rumm]

Depends on how high it is, and you are!

[chris French]

In message , TMC writes

I like a couple of courses of brick, or a course of concrete blocks.

I then screwed treated timbers to the top of them and then screwed the frame down to the timbers

[Tim Lamb]

In message , chris French writes

Not relevant to the slab flooring but if you plant tomatoes etc. directly into the ground you will import peat and manure to build up fertility. After a few years the soil level will be 6" up the glass.

Two courses of engineering brick delays this effect and gives better headroom.

regards

>

[R]

Build it onto some 6" high tannelised timber framework "nailed" to the earth using 18" long steel rods and save a few quid. Screw to the wood and bobs yer aunties husband

[Dave Gordon]

framed). Has anyone done

using 18" long steel

Make sure the timbers of the framework are secured to each other, otherwise they will move over time, even when nailed into the earth. Simple butt joints with screws.

12 years ago I did not, and they have, and the greenhouse racked and broke some panes.. Looks like I will have to dismantle the whole damn greenhouse, build a proper base and rebuild it again, after buying a few replacement panes.

[soup]

Thanks for the input. However we already have the slab base laid so can't flaff with the type of base

[soup]

they will move over time,

some panes.. Looks like I

rebuild it again, after

Sorry to hear that. However we already have the slabs laid so shan't be fixing the green house (directly) to the earth, or rather to timber that is attached to the earth.

[soup]

Doing something along the same lines with a nut driver in a rechargable drill/driver this driver also fits in a hand held screwdriver "handle".

How important do you feel the cotton wool is? I was intending to hand start the nuts (to avoid cross threading) using the drill/driver to to the majority of the twisting (to save time and effort) and put the last quarter turn on with the "handle" (for the control).

Regarding this last quarter turn, I will wait until the whole structure is up as if you tighten three (say) bolts fully the fourth may not go in the hole and also the final tightening should be left until the structure is checked for square (easier to do if the whole structure is up).

[soup]

I already have a slab base so can't alter that. Did the Frame throw up any issues or was it just a case of folowing the instructions exactly?

Instructions I have is to just cut them flush (they are only aluminium so should be fairly easily cut).