Greenhouse #2 Construction

[Candace]

Update:
Hired some help and sure glad we did. I didn't lift a finger today but hubby worked his butt off. Really I tried to work and help, but there was only room for 3 bodies in area. A fourth wouldn't have been productive.

Added the rebar:

80 bags of 80lb concrete!!! And the pour is done:

It will set and on Monday we will start the 2 ft. block wall. So far a neigbors cat stepped on it and my dog fell in it and needed a bath. Got it all smoothed out, but wonder what critter will leave a mark tonight?

 

[P-chan]

Wow!! That's looking good! I hope that will be me in a couple of years!!! Nice job!!!

 

[Corbin]

Looking good. Keep the pictures coming.

 

[Candace]

I really wanted to write something naughty in the cement. But I didn't.

 

[Corbin]

I really wanted to write something naughty in the cement. But I didn't.

:rollhappy::rollhappy::rollhappy:

 

[JeanLux]

I really wanted to write something naughty in the cement. But I didn't.

not even your signature and the one of your co-workers?? !!
Good Work!!!
Jean

 

[NYEric]

Shhhhh, don't tell her hubby! :evil:

not even your signature and the one of your co-workers?? !!
Good Work!!!
Jean

 

[biothanasis]

Great!!! I would like to see it "evolving"!!!

 

[swamprad]

EXCITING! All the hard work will be worth it!

 

[NYEric]

Is that an orange tree? How cool!

 

[Candace]

 

[Candace]

First row out of 3 put down. This is the most time consuming one as it all has to be measured and squared. Row2 and maybe 3 tomorrow.

 

[swamprad]

Wow, you are really making some progress!

I love the idea of having citrus trees in the yard, and periodically try growing them in containers during summer -- they usually don't make it through the winter inside. At my farm down in Mississippi, I found a huge Poncirus trifoliata growing near an old home site. This is the Hardy Orange, and is used as rootstock for more typical citrus trees. It does have sweet smelling blooms and makes little fuzzy oranges that are very, very sour. But it doesn't mind the cold one bit.

 

[NYEric]

That's very cool! It sure will suck when you have to move! :evil:

 

[Candace]

It sure will suck when you have to move!

Not really, because I would only move up. Meaning, acreage where I could build as many g.h.'s as I'd want to. We've got at least 5 more years here.

 

[John D.]

Remember to put some change (money) in the corners of the bottom course. Old masons trick to bring wealth - the owners will always have money.

 

[biothanasis]

Great progress Candace!!! And you do a lot of work, too!!! Well done!!!

 

[Candace]

We spent all day yesterday until dark working on the knee wall. Got it all done and installed the pressure treated sill. Our mason friend did the block and hubby and I hand poured 80 more bags of concrete into the block. So far, 2 pallets of block, 160 bags of concrete and 20 bags of mortar, the pressure treated wood, a ton of rebar. This thing isn't going anywhere.

I was so exhausted last night my eyes couldn't focus properly. And it was too dark for a decent picture. It's a little foggy this morning, but you can see the end result. There's one problem I'm going to have to think creatively on. Because I bought this kit without directions we had to make our best guestimate on the block dimensions. Well, I wanted a couple inches of wiggle room and it looks like there will be 3.5 to 4 inches around the outer edge showing. In a perfect world the g.h. would sit on the outer edge of the block. In this case it will be sitting more on the middle of the block. So, I'll have to install flashing or angled tile, brick etc on the outside, top so water will run down and not sit. But, I'm happy the g.h. will fit and that was my main worry!

The g.h. will be 11ish ft. tall when complete.

 

[NYEric]

Did you, [unnecessary] fill all the cinderblocks w/ concrete; or just the structural [w/ rebar] ones? Paint the wood.

 

[Candace]

It is necessary to fill all the blocks here. We have winds upwards of 70 mph. so for code purposes, it's required. As is rebar along each block run. The wood is pressure treated so doesn't need painting.