# Greenhouse construction



## Nickp (Feb 9, 2019)

If anyone is thinking about building a greenhouse for their collection, I just wrote a blog post about my experiences doing the same.

https://sweetgumandpines.wordpress.com/2019/02/08/hobby-greenhouse-how-and-why/


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## Duck Slipper (Feb 9, 2019)

Good job Nick!


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## Ozpaph (Feb 10, 2019)

nice write up.
why not have a fan in the peak to blow the warm air down in winter?


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## Tony (Feb 10, 2019)

How much fuel did your southern burner use? I'm planning a new greenhouse and I was considering one but I couldn't find a straight answer on what it costs to run. I'm in Columbia SC so our winters are probably similar, maybe a bit shorter and warmer for me.


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## Ray (Feb 10, 2019)

An excellent write-up, Nick.

A tip for future builders or folks outfitting grow rooms: instead if silvery reflective surfaces, use bright, eggshell white. The closer the surface is to being mirror-like, the more the incoming light is simply reflected to the floor. If it's white, the light is absorbed and reradiated in all directions, allowing more of it to reach the plants.


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## Nickp (Feb 10, 2019)

Tony said:


> How much fuel did your southern burner use? I'm planning a new greenhouse and I was considering one but I couldn't find a straight answer on what it costs to run. I'm in Columbia SC so our winters are probably similar, maybe a bit shorter and warmer for me.



That’s a really difficult question to answer. Will you be burning propane or do you have natural gas at your house? The vented southern burner is rated at 25,000 BTU, so it will burn just over 1 liter of propane per hour running non-stop. Of course, how much it actually burns will depend on the outside temperature, thermostat setting, and how well insulated the greenhouse is. Also, since the venter southern burner has an open combustion chamber, you have to have outside air constantly entering the greenhouse, so you can’t make the greenhouse really “tight.”

For what its worth, with my current setup using the direct-vent Empire (which I really like), I have a 250 gallon (946 liter) propane tank that is filled two or three times each winter Last winter was cold—three fills. This winter, I have only had one delivery so far. The tank is usually filled when it is down to about 25% full and is filled to 80-85%.

Very roughly, I think my fuel costs are $50-100/month averaged across the year. I guess that’s high, but it’s less than a lot of people pay for their cable TV package or other entertainment.


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## Nickp (Feb 10, 2019)

Ray said:


> An excellent write-up, Nick.
> 
> A tip for future builders or folks outfitting grow rooms: instead if silvery reflective surfaces, use bright, eggshell white. The closer the surface is to being mirror-like, the more the incoming light is simply reflected to the floor. If it's white, the light is absorbed and reradiated in all directions, allowing more of it to reach the plants.



Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind for future renovations.


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## Nickp (Feb 10, 2019)

Ozpaph said:


> nice write up.
> why not have a fan in the peak to blow the warm air down in winter?



That’s a good idea, and I should probably do it. Putting up a step ladder requires moving a bunch of plants and benches, so laziness has won so far. However, I need to replace a couple of fluorescent tubes way up in the peak, so maybe I’ll add a fan at the same time.


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## Tony (Feb 10, 2019)

Nickp said:


> That’s a really difficult question to answer. Will you be burning propane or do you have natural gas at your house? The vented southern burner is rated at 25,000 BTU, so it will burn just over 1 liter of propane per hour running non-stop. Of course, how much it actually burns will depend on the outside temperature, thermostat setting, and how well insulated the greenhouse is. Also, since the venter southern burner has an open combustion chamber, you have to have outside air constantly entering the greenhouse, so you can’t make the greenhouse really “tight.”
> 
> For what its worth, with my current setup using the direct-vent Empire (which I really like), I have a 250 gallon (946 liter) propane tank that is filled two or three times each winter Last winter was cold—three fills. This winter, I have only had one delivery so far. The tank is usually filled when it is down to about 25% full and is filled to 80-85%.
> 
> Very roughly, I think my fuel costs are $50-100/month averaged across the year. I guess that’s high, but it’s less than a lot of people pay for their cable TV package or other entertainment.



Thank you


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## jaybird1582 (May 23, 2019)

Nick, great write up, what kind of swamp cooler are you running?


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