# cabinet-gh construction....



## biothanasis (Oct 3, 2011)

Hi all,

This is now my new growing area!!! 

I bought the wooden poles, scrapped them with sandpaper, covered them with special oil for wood and then I layered a film (1-2 layers) of wood varnish, to make it impermable to water.

First I made the wooden skeleton. I made the base. Put the vertical columns and then added the top






then tried to strengthen the structure by putting diagonically some poles





after I put the door and the window and tried to make an inclination on the top, adding some more poles in the proper position. 

























then, I put the plastic sheeting from the outside of the structure, with a stapler





and then covered the inside with the bubble wrap, so that there is a ~3cm void in between the sheets





some pics from the interior









and the first added mounted plants...





It took me a lot of time to make, almost a month, as there was a big delay in the arrival of the wooden poles (initially and afterwards as I needed some more) and some days of rain. But the most difficult part was the scraping and coating with oil & varnish. Generally a better planning from the beginning would be great. But there are always things that pop up.

There should be a fogging system soon installed and also I will put a fan for better ventilation and cooling.


----------



## likespaphs (Oct 3, 2011)

looks good!


----------



## Yoyo_Jo (Oct 3, 2011)

That's cool! :clap: I wished I lived in a climate where I could have a greenhouse with walls of plastic sheeting and bubble wrap. :sob:


----------



## wojtek (Oct 3, 2011)

Solid construction :clap:


----------



## biothanasis (Oct 3, 2011)

Thank you!!


----------



## Clark (Oct 3, 2011)

I'm impressed with the diagonal cross bracing.


----------



## Shiva (Oct 3, 2011)

Very well done!:clap::clap::clap:

A first time project is always full of little surprises. On my Orchid Window, I had ordered a stainless steel pan to catch the water at the bottom. I measured extensively before ordering then, as I waited, i finished the front wood fittings. Then the pan arrived and I couldn't slide it in over the front plank that would mask the bottom. It turns out they had added a fold all around the steel pan to make it stronger. I had to pull the plank out, which was fixed in by a nail gun, and broke part of the side plank. Next I had to hammer in the steel pan using a hammer and a wood block, one side at a time, until it was fully in. This pan will only come out now when the house is torn down eventually. Then I had to glue back in the side piece that was broken and brace it with another plank and my nail gun. Then I hid the crack under aluminium tape painted white.
As you said, there are always surprises.


----------



## goldenrose (Oct 3, 2011)

Sorry to have to say - I see one problem -
It's too small, you'll fill it up in no time!!
What are the dimensions?


----------



## Paph_LdyMacBeth (Oct 3, 2011)

Very cool. I would love to have something like this in my basement.


----------



## NYEric (Oct 3, 2011)

Very good, thanks for sharing.


----------



## biothanasis (Oct 3, 2011)

Thank you for your comments...!

Rose, it is 2m x 2m x 1.4m (height x length x width)

Shiva, that was very annoying...! I am glad you made it through...


----------



## SlipperFan (Oct 3, 2011)

Clever guy! But I'll bet you will soom wish you had made it bigger.


----------



## JeanLux (Oct 4, 2011)

Bravo, great job you did there Thanasis :clap: !!!! Is this a sun blind (green) above the roof of the gh? Jean


----------



## biothanasis (Oct 4, 2011)

Thank you all!!!!

Dot, I am not allowed to make it bigger....  I will just have to change the content...hehehehe!!

Jean, yes it is a tent. I will roll it down at summer to help lower the temps...


----------



## Candace (Oct 4, 2011)

Good looking space.


----------



## koshki (Oct 4, 2011)

The mesh used for hanging your mounted orchids is a great idea!


----------



## Rick (Oct 4, 2011)

Very Good


Have you started monitoring the temperature and humidity inside?

I think you have a good insulation system with the bubble wrap.


----------



## biothanasis (Oct 4, 2011)

Thank you all for the comments... 

Rick, the first day I "operated" it, the morning-noon temp was 42oC and 30% humidity. One day later I put a shade cloth at one of the structure's corner and now the temp is around 32-5oC with the about the same humidity (around 40%). The door and window are also open for ventilation. At night, temps drop down to 20-22oC and humidity rises to 70% approx.

I am waiting for the fogging system to arrive soon, so the humidity will be up and also the temp might be lower. I will also install a fan in front of the window.


----------



## W. Beetus (Oct 4, 2011)

That looks great! I also wish I could just make something like that in my yard without worrying about the climate here.


----------



## biothanasis (Oct 5, 2011)

Thank's Nick...


----------



## Rick (Oct 5, 2011)

biothanasis said:


> Thank you all for the comments...
> 
> Rick, the first day I "operated" it, the morning-noon temp was 42oC and 30% humidity.



Yikes thats 107.6 in Farenheit!

It's amazing how much a good sealed GH will heat things up.

Yes, learning to work a GH is a whole new adventure in growing plants.


----------



## biothanasis (Oct 6, 2011)

Rick said:


> Yikes thats 107.6 in Farenheit!
> 
> It's amazing how much a good sealed GH will heat things up.
> 
> Yes, learning to work a GH is a whole new adventure in growing plants.



Let's say I like adventures...hehehe!!!!

Updated photo..... most epiphytes in their new position...







I must get more to cover the whole place...LOL...


----------



## SlipperFan (Oct 6, 2011)

biothanasis said:


> I must get more to cover the whole place...LOL...



You will. You will.

You will be surprised at how fast you will.


----------



## biothanasis (Oct 7, 2011)

SlipperFan said:


> You will. You will.
> 
> You will be surprised at how fast you will.



:evil:


----------



## Ozpaph (Oct 7, 2011)

Keeping it cool, especially if you grow paphs, will be a challenge.
A proper fogger and good air circulation will be a must.
Put them on a timer or humidistat/thermometer to automate it.


----------



## biothanasis (Oct 8, 2011)

Ozpaph said:


> A proper fogger and good air circulation will be a must.
> Put them on a timer or humidistat/thermometer to automate it.



Thanks for the tip Ozpaph.  It is in my intention to do this...


----------

