FREE LEAN TO GREENHOUSE PLANS
(attached to your home or garage)
The most practical of all greenhouses is one that becomes part of your house. Construction is easier and the structure is better braced because one wall of the greenhouse is actually your house wall. This 8- by 12-foot lean to is framed with 2 by 4 redwood or cedar and covered with rigid plastic panels ( Lexan). Once the foundation is constructed and all the supplies are on hand, two people can complete the greenhouse in a weekend. The construction can be built around a door or window that will connect the greenhouse to the home. Because this model is so light, a simple foundation was chosen: precast concrete piers spaced 4 feet apart. When the concrete blocks are put in place, with 2 inches showing above ground, tie them together with a 2 by 4 redwood sill.
Constructed in units the walls are nailed to the sill. The back wall is a house wall directly under an overhanging eave. One 2 by 6 ledger board, 12 feet long, is fastened to the house wall with lag screws driven into every other stud. To ensure a waterproof joint between the ledger board and the house, galvanized metal flashing is tucked under the siding and draped over the ledger. The bottom of the ledger board is set at 8 feet high and the front wall at 6 feet. The front wall of this greenhouse is vertical, but you can angle it as shown for the solar greenhouse on page 91. For a 6-foot-high vertical wall, cut the studs 5 feet 9 inches long; this allows 3 inches for the top and bottom plates. The plates, cut from 2 by 4s, are the horizontal members to which the side wall studs are attached at the top and bottom; the rafters lay across them at the top. To lay out the front wall, put the top and bottom plates side by side fiat on the ground. Mark off every 2 feet, using a framing square to make marks on both plates at the same time. One of the legs of the square is 11/2 inches wide, the same as a 2 by 4. Lay it over the center of the mark and pencil in lines on each side. Lay out the wall with plates and studs in place and then nail them together. Stand on one stud while nailing on the plate to keep the frame from shifting. Note that the on-center distance between the first stud and the second is only 231/4 inches. The extra 1/4 inch will be taken up outside by overlapping one extra ridge when putting on the corrugated plastic panels. You're now ready to stand up the first wall. With friends helping, place the wall on the foundation and nail and brace it. Use a level to make sure the studs are vertical. Now you're ready to attach the side walls. These go up essentially as the front wall did.
Allowing for the 3 1/2-inch width of the end studs on the front wall, the plates on the 8-foot end walls will be 7 feet 8 1/2 inches long. The studs for the end walls will be 5 feet 9 inches long, the same as the front wall and again 2 feet on center. Cut, mark, and assemble the end wall without the door the same way you did the front wall. Mark and construct the end wall with the door basically the same way as the other end wall, except leave a space in the center for the width of a 2-foot 6-inch door plus 1/4 inch. Frame the opening with studs and then nail in cross braces on each side to keep the wall from shivering every time you close the door. Note that the door is only 5 feet 9 inches high; you may have to duck a little to go through. The alternate door-wall layout is more difficult to build, but it will accommodate a standard 2-foot 6-inch by 6-foot 8-inch door. Nail the end walls into place as you did the front wall. Again, use a level to make sure they are vertical. With both end walls in place, you're ready to raise the roof. The roof will consist of 2 by 4 rafters, 2 feet on center, that will line up with the studs in the front wall. They will be attached with metal joist hangers to the ledger board on the back wall and nailed to the top plate of the front wall. Start by placing an uncut 2 by 4 rafter over the ledger board and the front wall, and with a pencil mark how the rafter must be cut to fit in the joist hanger and angle down to the front wall. When that rafter is cut and rechecked, use it as a pattern for the other rafters. If you have a vertical front wall 8 feet out from the house, you will have to buy standard 10-foot lengths of 2 by 4s and cut them to fit. At each end of the roof, put two 2 by 4 rafters together to make a 4 by 4. This makes it easy to nail the vertical pieces that fill in the angle between the top plate on the side wall and the rafters. These pieces are not needed for structural support, but rather for something on which to nail the covering. Put one against the house wall between the top plate and ledger board and one or two others as you see fit. Next, cut short lengths of 2 by 4s to fill in between the rafters. Nail the narrow part of the 2 by 4 flush with the top of the rafters just at the back edge. The 2 by 4 will form an angle of less than 90 degrees with the top plate.
On this greenhouse the vents are essentially frames to hold pieces of plastic paneling that fit between the studs or rafters. The following instructions are for a roof vent. The vent in the front wall is built in the same way but is covered with flat plastic panels to match the wall. Use 2 by 2s to construct a frame 24 inches long and 22 1/2 inches wide; this will fit exactly between the studs or rafters. Tack redwood corrugated molding or rubber molding on the top and bottom widths and attach a 28-inch length of rigid plastic roofing. The 4-inch overhang in front will prevent leaks. Since you cannot nail through plastic panels without breaking them, lay them in place and drill holes with a 5/32-inch bit, 12 inches apart down the rafters. Nail every third ridge on cross braces. The nail for attaching the plastic panels is called a screw nail. It has a waterproofing groinmet attached and a wide screw thread, but you hammer it in. The nail should always be put through a ridge in the plastic rather than a gutter to prevent leakage. Don't hammer the nail in too far--just so the head and grommet are snug and secure with the plastic. From the back of the roof frame, where the vent will hinge, measure down 2 feet and attach a cross brace. The vent frame should fit smoothly into this opening. With it in place, nail quarter-round molding to the rafters and braces right beneath the frame to support it. After the roofing panels are nailed in place with an allowance for the vent opening, install the vent and hinge it to the back plate. Use a hook and eyebolt to keep it from blowing open. With all the framing done and both vents completed, you are ready to complete the roof and cover the walls. At the top, along the ledger beard, and at the bottom, across the rafters and filler 2 by 4s, nail on corrugated molding. The molding, which follows the same waves as the corrugated plastic panels, prevents drafts. On each rafter place half-round molding strips to support the plastic. If you use rubber or redwood molding, lay a thin bond of sealant on the molding before you nail the plastic panels into place. Position the panels, leaving a 2-inch overhang in front for water runoff. Cut the panels to fit flush with the vent opening. Across the front, where there may be strong winds trying to pull the roof loose, drive a screw nail in every ridge for extra insurance. It is better to cover the walls with flat plastic panels. This makes a tighter fit under the roof line, and flat panels are easier to cut than corrugated ones. Measure and cut the front panels first and nail them in place only after you are sure each panel is square. Lay a bead of sealant over each joint and then cover the joints with strips of redwood or cedar lats.
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updated 10/2/10