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Greenhouse base
John mcleod
Posts: 74
in Talkback
I have purchased myself a greenhouse (excited!) now thinking about what to lay it on. Should lay slabs and fix the greenhouse to this and have the slabs create a floor in the greenhouse. It should I create a base using blocks and fix the base to this and use gravel as the floor of the greenhouse. ?
0
Posts
It is easier if you use a wooden base to secure the GH to and secure the wooden base to the ground. Slabs work if the ground is dry and sunny as the slabs should retain some heat, gravel if the ground is naturally damp as it helps with drainage or a mix of both slabs and gravel!
Hi i have mine on 3x2 slabs
Mine is on breeze blocks laid edge on. Paving down the centre for a path and soil borders either side.
Blairs - wouldn't a wooden base rot?
Mine is on an aluminium base that was supplied with the greenhouse. It has fixations like big tent hooks and where each one is I had to dig a hole, fill it with concrete and put the big tent hook thingy into the concrete when it was wet so that it's set in. The aluminium greenhouse then screwed onto the base.
I have shelves and a potting bench on one side, wooden (treated) pavers up the middle and earth on the other side that I grow things in, tomatoes etc.
Heat treated outdoor wood last for decades...possibly longer than the GH will.
I've used new pressure treated sleepers on a recent greenhouse erection but that was on well drained stoney ground, wouldn't use wood on heavy clay, concrete slabs would be more suited to that. Having worked with a few domestic greenhouses I would lay slabs down the centre a bed on one side and gravel over membrane on the other for benches and staging.
When I get a new GH I will have aluminium and glass, on a brick foundation to add extra height and a concrete floor. Don't want soil in GH as don't want to replace / sterilise each year.
Going back to what my Dad had 30yrs ago and it's still in tip top condition, on clay.
Currently have a wooden/ glass one that has sloping in sides ( I mean wider at the base than the top) and an aluminium one which has glass, and perspex where it curves to join the roof. Both on flags as wasn't sure of them being in place permanently. Wooden one, if it lasts, will come down in spring as it's rotted at base & other was 2nd hand and a bit hotchpotch.
Don't tell OH but I want two
Mine is on concrete slabs with the frame drilled into them.
my first Greenhouse at home was new and fixed it to brick base
second one was secound hand at my allotment and I fixed to a wooden posts , however , in both cases I put a membrane down , covered with gravel and slabs down the middle