Polytunnel Polycarbonate on a budget. Winter proofing a budget tunnel.
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- Опубліковано 23 вер 2022
- How to convert a budget polytunnel to a polycarbonate tunnel. Step by step including parts required and cost of materials. Winter proofing a budget tunnel.
#diy #polytunnel #polycarbonate #homesteading #offgrid #ireland #ourkilkennyhomestead
Parts list: (varies depending on tunnel size)
1x Budget tunnel
3x polycarbonate sheets 6m x 2m
40m timber approx
200 tex screws
50 self tapping screws
2x clear silicone sealer
4x hinges
2x door latches - Навчання та стиль
Thanks for taking the time to do this. I’ve been contemplating putting up a poly tunnel on my very exposed allotment. After watching this I now know a poly tunnel will not work. Thanks again.
We have erected a 6ft green netting windbreak around the area where we have now erected a 4.5 x 2 metre Outsunny in an extremely exposed garden area where we experience gale force winds regularly and ferocious gusts of wind on occasion. Has reduced the wind force considerably and could work for you too.
Look brilliant Mike fair play 👏
Thanks nickoline, it's made a huge difference to the light coming in and will hopefully handle winter well.
Great job Im making a polycarb lean too and root cellar on my place this year. The greenhouse has to go up too. Thanks for this.
Excellent Information!!! Thank you very much for sharing!!!!
Thank you, glad you found it useful.
Great video Micheal,the tunnel looks great ,im well impressed.
Thanks a mil Damien, the compliment means a lot coming from a highly experienced and successful tunnel builder such as yourself 😊
Wow👍
Great video thanks, I’m just about to convert my old polytunnel into a polycarbonate tunnel, I just wanted to know what you did where the polycarbonate sheets joined together? Does some of your sheet overlap? Thanks for the tip on using washers and screws, if you buy the button fixings they are a fortune.
This was a very informative video and something I have considered doing myself, did you ever consider adding extra hoops to make the frame stronger or sliding a water pipe over the metal pipe for added strength as I added the blue water pipe for extra strength and did
The trick for a polythene covering.
Great video 👍.
Thank you very much, glad you found it useful. Hadn't considered adding water pipe over the metal frame, good idea if using polythene.
With the polycarbonate, the sheets add rigidity to the frame making it much stronger than if it were supporting vinyl or polythene. As long as braces are added to ends and midsections the budget frames can hold up much better than before.
Brilliant video , very helpful. One question, how do you join the sheets, Thanks 😊
Thank you very much. The sheets overlap to a tight fit on the roof and secured with screws. Silicone sealant is used around the edges of the arch on either end.
@@ourkilkennyhomestead2006 that is very helpful, thank you.
@@ourkilkennyhomestead2006just asked you a question but you’ve answered here thanks!
This looks great. Did you make the wooden door? Also are you drilling nails directly into the metal frame or are there holes to drill into? If so what type of nails are you using? Thanks.
Thank you very much. The doors were made from pallet wood. Tex screws were used to attach the sheeting directly to the metal frame.
The tunnel looks great 👍good job. Im also from Ireland if its not a secret where did you get the sheets from ?
Hello, we get our polycarbonate sheets from "my greenhouse. ie"
Hope you enjoyed the vid.
Looks great. What was the thickness of polycarbonate sheet you used?
Hey thanks. The sheeting used was 4mm thick.
Where did you get your polycarbonate and what thickness is it?
My greenhouse.ie, thickness 4mm on budget builds.
Thanks for posting this. I'm looking at doing the same using a 6mm sheet over a 2m wide frame, but I have a question that maybe you can answer.
I see that you bent the sheeting in a longitudinal plane (i.e. with the channels orientated vertically). Do you know the tightest bend radius the sheeting can take with that orientation? I've found one site quoting a minimum bend radius of 150 X the thickness, but can't find anything to verify this.
Also, did you tape the open ends of the channels before fitting the sheeting?
Hello and thank you. The sheets are incredibly flexible. Not sure about 6mm as we used 5mm on one tunnel and 4mm on the tunnel in the vid. The sheeting we used can curve to roughly 50cm before folding so you should have no issues on a 2m wide tunnel. We didn't bother taping the ends as in our wet climate we would have to re-apply it multiple times a year. The odd worm or earwig occasionally climb up inside the corrugations but never make it far and usually make their way back out within a few hours.
One other question. Did you drill slightly oversize screw holes in the polycarbonate to allow for expansion and contraction, or isn't that an issue on smaller tunnels?
Where did you get the original set? Before changing stuff
Hello, originally it was a green vinyl covered 3m x 4m eBay job, think it cost around €150 at the time.
@ourkilkennyhomestead2006 oh sweet! Whats the brand? I'm curious about the ground u dug, it looks like you built planks inside the front wall to hold the greenhouse?
I think the brand was "vida xl" . The ground it was built on was originally a large raised bed for potatoes which was built using 2x4's. It turned out handy to secure the frame of the tunnel on top of it.
Какой у вариант, теплица пережила зиму?
Yes, more than survived. still in perfect condition to this day.
@@ourkilkennyhomestead2006 Thanks! Very good news!