Greenhouses?

[Ray]

I know you want to maximize bench space, but keep in mind that wide benches are difficult to reach across. Have you considered rolling benches?

With a 12' wide structure, if you have three, 30" aisles, sides and center, you end up with two, 27" benches. With two, 30" aisles, you get three benches, two outside at 21" wide and a center one at 42". With a rolling bench setup, you could have one aisle and two, 57" benches, each accessible from both sides.

 

[Linus_Cello]

A society member grower has rolling benches. Each section is divided in to 3, with the middle portion elevated, another consideration.

 

[Duck Slipper]

A society member grower has rolling benches. Each section is divided in to 3, with the middle portion elevated, another consideration.

I was actually thinking of rolling benches...later, when I started needing more space.

 

[Duck Slipper]

I know you want to maximize bench space, but keep in mind that wide benches are difficult to reach across. Have you considered rolling benches?

With a 12' wide structure, if you have three, 30" aisles, sides and center, you end up with two, 27" benches. With two, 30" aisles, you get three benches, two outside at 21" wide and a center one at 42". With a rolling bench setup, you could have one aisle and two, 57" benches, each accessible from both sides.

I’m actually drawing this out...rolling is probably what I will end up with. I can build the standard benches, tiered or otherwise. But the actual dimensions your giving...help. I’m sure when it is all done...I’ll say, the next one will be built like......

 

[richgarrison]

A society member grower has rolling benches. Each section is divided in to 3, with the middle portion elevated, another consideration.

Sam's benches are setup that way, with the center section high enough that the lower benches growing area isn't restricted at all.. plants in the middle are a stretch to reach... but the extra space is well worth it...

 

[Duck Slipper]

With the initial cost of this GH, foundation, heat, fans, plumbing and electrical...initially, wooden benches constructed out of treated lumber are probably what I will start with. I’m certain I will outgrow it/fill it up and then go to rolling benches.
While visiting Sam, I watched them in action. One surprising observation was the extreme narrowness of his aisles. Sam, entered an aisle and shuffled down each aisle sideways.

 

[richgarrison]

With the initial cost of this GH, foundation, heat, fans, plumbing and electrical...initially, wooden benches constructed out of treated lumber are probably what I will start with. I’m certain I will outgrow it/fill it up and then go to rolling benches.
While visiting Sam, I watched them in action. One surprising observation was the extreme narrowness of his aisles. Sam, entered an aisle and shuffled down each aisle sideways.

yup its all about growing capacity versus cost... can't make any money off aisle space, and you still need to heat it. the aisles at the orchid zone were very similarly sized.

i have another buddy locally that, as i was getting my first greenhouse setup, reminded me to leave some area to be able to sit out in the space and enjoy it... it's tough tradeoff... my greenhouse is 14 x 14 but 14' tall (as a lean to design) and i use all of the volume... and am glad it isn't bigger ... too many plants means either quitting my job and not having money to replace plants i kill or that turn out to suck, or having so many plants and too little time to care for them properly... at over 1k plants, this greenhouse happens to be the perfect size ;-) (cause it is what it is...)

btw, my 'sit and enjoy it space' ended up being the stairs down from the door at the house...

 

[monocotman]

Another option is to dig down and create a pit before installing your greenhouse. Have a look online for some ideas.
This is what quite a few old time greenhouses were like in the UK.
They are very thermally efficient, surrounded by all those earth walls.
David

 

[LWP]

General bench 2 sided is 5 or 6 ft. . . . 5 ft. is easiest to work. Side benches 2.5 to 3 ft. wide. Height app 30 inch general up to 60 in high for highest on tiered benches. walkways 30 to 36 wide.

 

[Duck Slipper]

A society member grower has rolling benches. Each section is divided in to 3, with the middle portion elevated, another consideration.

3 rolling benches? Each with and elevated portion? Is it 12 ft. wide?

 

[Linus_Cello]

I know you want to maximize bench space, but keep in mind that wide benches are difficult to reach across. Have you considered rolling benches?

With a 12' wide structure, if you have three, 30" aisles, sides and center, you end up with two, 27" benches. With two, 30" aisles, you get three benches, two outside at 21" wide and a center one at 42". With a rolling bench setup, you could have one aisle and two, 57" benches, each accessible from both sides.

3 rolling benches? Each with and elevated portion? Is it 12 ft. wide?

I think each rolling bench is about 6 feet wide, so 2 foot sections

 

[Duck Slipper]

Anyone have any experience with a Modine “Effinity” 93 heater compared to a Modine “Hot Dawg”? The Effinity is 93% efficient but considerably more expensive. The Hot Dawg claims 80% efficiency!

 

[KeysGuy]

I had a 10x12 shed GH on south gable end of my house in NH before I retired and sold it.
Had an empire propane heater that worked well but OMG was it expensive. Even to just keep it at 55 degrees. which BTW was too cold for what I was trying to grow. The propane choice was made because it still runs when the power fails.

 

[Ozpaph]

While visiting Sam, I watched them in action. One surprising observation was the extreme narrowness of his aisles. Sam, entered an aisle and shuffled down each aisle sideways.

Sam is not that big - so he can negotiate the aisles easily

 

[Ozpaph]

How do you make rolling benches? I assume the floor needs to concrete???

 

[Ray]

How do you make rolling benches? I assume the floor needs to concrete???

No. The legs are stationary, but there are horizontal pipes that run laterally, and they need to be level. Then more "roller pipes" sit on those, running the length of the bench, with the bench top sitting on top of them.

 

[Duck Slipper]

For those that haven't seen them before...for instance you would use two 5 foot wide rolling benches in a twelve foot house. The ability to roll each bench and have a two foot aisle on each side of each bench makes for excellent space utilization.

 

[richgarrison]

Anyone have any experience with a Modine “Effinity” 93 heater compared to a Modine “Hot Dawg”? The Effinity is 93% efficient but considerably more expensive. The Hot Dawg claims 80% efficiency!

Just to confuse the issue with more info... ;-)

I heat my 14 x 14 x 14 with fin tube hydronic heat ... source is a propane hot water heater and the gadgetry for pumping the hot water through the tubes... farmtek (as well as probably some others) sells the gadgetry in a single pre built panel that you can plumb up to any hot water source of your desire... just thought i'd throw that out there as a solution...depending on your greenhouse setup, you could have all of that except for the actual fin tube in some adjacent structure... Mine is in my basement directly on the other side of the wall from my greenhouse.

 

[Duck Slipper]

Just to confuse the issue with more info... ;-)

I heat my 14 x 14 x 14 with fin tube hydronic heat ... source is a propane hot water heater and the gadgetry for pumping the hot water through the tubes... farmtek (as well as probably some others) sells the gadgetry in a single pre built panel that you can plumb up to any hot water source of your desire... just thought i'd throw that out there as a solution...depending on your greenhouse setup, you could have all of that except for the actual fin tube in some adjacent structure... Mine is in my basement directly on the other side of the wall from my greenhouse.

I have seriously considered floor heat, Pex tubing in the concrete, boiler or tankless heater.
It just is going to be considerably more expensive than a Effinity or Hot Dawg...Probably is the most efficient source of heat.

 

[richgarrison]

you need a lot of floor to get enough heat via radiant... but that would certainly be comfy in the winter... ;-) the fin tube works great as its under the benches wrapping the external walls and the floor fans are naturally blowing the heat up under the root systems...