Harbor Freight 10 x 12 Greenhouse Modifications
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- Опубліковано 25 гру 2013
- After buying the Harbor Freight 10 x 12 Greenhouse, it became apparent it needed many modifications to make it even usable. These are the changes I made.
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I attached the panels to metal with silicone, never had one blow out again. Love mine, 5 years and still working out great. I do put 40% shade clothe over the top in the summer to lower the temp.
I like the crossbrace idea, although I would connect them where they cross eachother, perhaps with wraps of safety wire, just to give them that much more rigidity.
they make special strap clamps for conduit. Do a Google on conduit clamps
I did the conduit thing too. I upgraded my version a bit though and where the two conduit pieces cross, I drilled holes all the way through and used a nut and bolt to tie them together, making things even more rigid.
I also ran a couple of small gauge chains from the peak of the roof down to the left and right conduits to support them from the center of the roof. I can hang an insane amount of stuff from my conduits. :)
Such a Great and Helpful video - thank you for helping make this affordable greenhouse more functional for all of us :)
This video was great, man. Thanks so much. Much more confident about buying a greenhouse like this.
Thank you for sharing these ideas. I have been struggling as I plan to set up greenhouses, and was looking at much more expensive greenhouses because the Harbor Freight Greenhouses did not look sturdy. Adding these modifications makes this product more attractive to me. Well done video!!!!
Mark Prescott You're welcome. I just would not expect too much from these greenhouse though. It is very cheap.
Yeah, it like those Arrow Aluminum sheds. Cheap and only works after you fix all the incorrectly built parts. You are better off building one yourself. Just frame the walls using the garage floor which should be relatively flat. You can then do the same for a wood foundation. Then take the sections outside and have a partner help hold them in place while you drill and screw everything together.
seems like a nice simple answer to a not so simple problem. I have had my harbor freight green house (I got for my birthday) for about 6 years and have never had it put up because I am afraid of the issues it has had. I am so glad I saw your video. I will definitely give this a try.
I ran my two front to back12' pieces (made from two 6' pieces joined with conduit couplers) from the center 2 supports, where you ran yours from the outside ones. The 10' side to side ones I have coming off the same as yours. Where they cross, I drilled a 1/4" hole through both sections and joined them together with a nut and bolt to give it extra rigidity.
I used a fairly long bolt for that, with the threads pointed up so I can attach a chain from the corner mounting plate where the walls meet the roof to that bolt and put tension on that to pull all 4 corners together for even more rigidity. Nothing fancy to attach the chain, I just sandwiched one of the links between the conduit and the nut. This way I can adjust the tension by twisting the chain and holding it all down with the nut.
My 10' cross sections are made up of two 5' chunks of conduit, joined together in the middle with those conduit couplers. Attached to one of those bolts on the coupler I have a chain that runs all the way up to the roof support where I drilled a hole for an s-hook to hang the chain from. That helps hold up the entire conduit framework to help with the whole basket hanging thing. It also keeps the conduits from flopping up and down.
I got one on order, thanks for the insights!
Great ideas. Thanks.
I used a high quality silicone for the panels. So far none have flown out. It even withstood the blizzard we had with high winds here in ohio this past Christmas.
I would use a high grade silicone to help hold the panels.
Thanks for the tips! We are just now putting ours together in windy New Mexico. I will know who to ask if I have any questions!
Thanks for the tips. BTW, you could do voice over work for Louis C.K.
I caulked my panels with a tub and window caulk,seems to be working very well.
use silicone when that rots
Two problems with using caulk of any kind. First and foremost it will interfere with expansion and contraction of the panel that occurs naturally with changes in temperature. Whatever caulking is used will not expand and contract at the same rate and in the same direction as the panel. Any interference with expansion/contraction of the panel will lead to premature failure. Secondly, adhering the panel to the frame will make removal and replacement difficult.
Thanks! great tips
Thank you! We have one also. Thanksgiving day most of it blew away. We put it all back together and then this early this morning it started blowing away again. Your video will solve our problems!
Yeah, I had problems for quite a while. Since the modifications 5 years ago, It hasn't moved an inch even in 60mph winds
Thanks for sharing these tips. :)
Tie the perpendicular conduit pieces together and it would really tighten things up.
That is good to know. If I ever get the opportunity to do a greenhouse I think the glass will be what I look at! Thanks for sharing your experiences my friend!
You can also buy proper corrugated panels. I need to redo the deck before building a greenhouse but it is on my list.
What's the temp difference you're seeing between inside the green house and outside on cold days?
Also thanks for posting this video, I love videos like these that show what problems people have encountered with a product VS just showing how they built something new.
Good ideas. Some have suggested putting a bead of silicone around the edges. That may make for greater security, but it would interfere with panel expansion/contraction leading to premature failure as well as making it difficult to remove and replace. One thing I would suggest is to put caps on the ends of the self tapping screws to keep from getting nicked knuckles and torn clothing when working in the greenhouse and inadvertantly brushing up against one.
Great Stuff! I am thinking of buying one of these Greenhouses from Harbor Freight or a different brand from Home Depot but in all the reviews I've read most the negative stuff is how these get blown around in high winds so I'm glad I came across your video.
To be perfectly honest. If I had to do it again, I probably would not buy this greenhouse. It took me a lot of trial and error to get it to the point it is at. I lost a lot of panels and the metal got twisted until I figured it out. Out of the box, this thing will collapse in any moderate wind. It's not made well at all. And the panels do not hold up to the UV light. They break down after about 5 years. The cost to replace the panels is more than the GH is worth. If you're looking for a labor intensive project, then this is a fine GH for the price. But it takes a LOT of work to get it stable. Mine is perfectly fine now but it caused a lot of frustration and gray hairs getting there. Of course you wouldn't have the same issues because you have the benefit of learning from others that have gone through this. Good luck! ~ Tom
how did you secure the frame to the found dation and what kind of foundation, thanks
I did the same part on the bracing but added more bracing rods plus wooden shelving which added more bracing.
What I am looking for now is what to do about replacing bad panels that have rotted with age.The Plastic panels last about 2 years on the south east side facing the Sun.
Any suggestions about what to use at a low cost for panel replacement?
I think I will get this green house. I live in Oklahoma and the winds here are just terrible, I think I will cement 4x4 x8 post in the corners and secure the green house to it. Along with what you have done. I have lost 2 Aluminum Gazebo that were secured to the concrete patio due to the winds. I am worried about the poly carbonate sheeting surviving the wind gust here though. Should be okay if I face the door to the south and the back side to the north.
Thank you so much for your tips and tricks on securing panels!
I just put together a harbor freight greenhouse a couple months ago and used your ideas and so far everything's great!
I made a little video about it thanking you and Blake Kirby on how to make a secure greenhouse and showed what I did...
Would love for you to check it out and thanks again!
Long time subscriber here and keep up the great videos!
Happy Gardening!
Mike.......
I just got one of these for myself for xmas, I live on the outbans of a hurricane zone, The area I plan to put it the house and a shed will help block winds Im looking for ways to help strengthen its rating to see if I can have it last me a few years til I can afford a expensive permanent one.
Used silicon calk and sealed each panel in. Never had any blow off. Also since I use it in then winter it is better sealed to save on heating cost.
They hold up for a while, until the UV light breaks them down and off they go
Thank you.
TIP for longer conduit? They ONLY make the EMT (TW) electical conduit in 10' lengths I was an electrician my whole career I NEVER saw in longer lengths! BUT since you are not pulling wire through it? Here is my suggestion rather than to just use EMT couplings ,,,find tight filling wood DOWEL like 6" and splice to pieces using that! Use self drill screws to secure! And listen IF you want to be overkill still? Go ahead and use the conduit couplings TOO! Dowel inside and coupling outside ...HINT! They DO make STEEL couplings! You may have to buy on ebay ..I think Appleton makes em STEEL rather than the brittle zinc ones ...AND you can take out the pinch screws and run self drill screws right through the conduit and into the core wood dowel ...that splice is now stronger by far than the conduit even is! YES it IS! But hey IF you can find steel outer sleeve for a coupling that fits well? THAT too will be stronger than the conduit itself and cheaper/easier too ...I just cant tell you where to source that splice material; ....AND hey the poster's idea of flattening the ends and bending over ? Works GREAT Many contractors make braces in fact out of EMT just like this!
Thanks for the info
They make 20' emt I been doing electrical work for a long while you can get anything from half " to 4" in a 20' emt
Ok I had my green house up when I found you video. Did you change the bolts for the interior braces during construction or after? Mine is up and caulked already and I don't see a way to remove the bolts and change them to longer bolts. Do you have an ideas on how to add the braces?
thanks for sharing!!
YW
I would like to Sincerely Thank You Good Sir for your great information it was extremely helpful. I pick up this Greenhouse tomorrow,. I was also going to install cable on both ends. I have a concrete slab it will be installed on. Did it come with any shelving?
Thanks again for your great information.
what size self tapping screw do you recommend
I dont have one of these; but, I've recently got serious about possibly ordering one or building one out of 2x4's, especially since Harbor Freight has a $200 off coupon for the 10x12's right now.
So, I've been watching lots of vids of how people have improved theirs and the problems that they have had with them. One thing that I know I am going to do no matter which greenhouse I get is build a foundation frame out of 2x4's to anchor it down (we get nasty winds coming off the mountains that knock down fences at least 15-20 times a year. I also plan on running 3 bars of electrical conduit length and width wise to keep the whole thing square and sturdy and for hanging baskets and other things (like seeding trays to get them off the bench).
There's a guy down the street who has one of these and has had it for as long as we've lived here (8 years). He did what I just explained along with replacing the plastic panes with a better plastic made specifically for greenhouses. He was explaining to me that the plastic that is included in the kits aren't really made for greenhouses and that's one of the reasons why a lot of people have problems with them; he hasn't had a problem with his that I know of yet... thanks
You need corrugated panels or they will flex too much. I would use the garage floor to build the frame. It is probably flat (mine was poured in the 60's so it is perfectly flat and level) unlike your yard. You could then use that to do any leveling of the ground so the greenhouse would be on sturdy flat ground when you attach the base frame to it.
Thank you for the reply. I am not sure of the maker. I haven't seen any markings. All green aluminum.
+Brad Adams If it's green aluminum, it's not harbor freight. Don't know the maker sorry.
+Brad Adams here is the Instructions you want. manuals.harborfreight.com/manuals/93000-93999/93358.pdf
I am going to be building one of these on a hill and it can get windy. I have already ordered extra clips and have a box of self tappers already. Am thinking about setting 4x4 posts in concrete inside at each corner. Don't know if I need to go to that extent.
Going to be on a 4x4 frame attached to concrete piers with reinforcement around the bottom.
Did you use 1/2 or 3/4 EMT? Thinking about using chainlink fence rail instead of conduit for the side braces or go up to the bigger EMT and to put an x brace from the top of the roof to the top of the doorway.
Am I over thinking this?
Use an anchoring kit since you have it on dirt and definitely use braces.
Anything worth doing is worth over-doing!
How about putting silicone adhesive between the glass and aluminum before adding the self tapping screws? One more layer of protection.
It would not help. It flexes too much. Use rubber.
clear silicone around all panels
thanks for video man
excellent Smithers, release the hounds!
I just bought two of these and will try this out. I actually want to combine the two side by side and either make one large 24 X10, or a long 20 X 12. Do you think that would be possible? I was also thinking that I could store the side pieces that would not be use for replacements at a later date. Thanks for the video. It seems like it will help.
The Hall Family Homestead my neighbor has 2 of them put together the long way. you can walk all the way through
What about some heavy duty caulking around the panel egdes? how long did it take for the panels to yellow?
They atarted to yellow after about 5 years
What do you think about first putting down a cement pad, then building it atop the pad?
I would buy and anchoring kit and place them in the pad before you pour the cement. Use a 6 inch grate on hats and pour 4 inches deep to avoid it cracking years later. Also, that is a LOT of cement. Maybe 2 yards or 90-100 60 pound bags. Only about $200 for the bags but then you have equipment costs and little 2-4 bag mixer like you can rent at Home Depot will not work. You will need to go to an industrial rental company and get a big gas powered mixer.
I've heard that it's easy to mistakenly insert those wire clips backwards and although they LOOK like they are holding the panels, they fail. I wonder if those who were doubling and tripling the number of clips may have been putting them in backwards. Just a thought.
Your mods are excellent ides for sure.
That is a good point. I am sure however that they were put in correctly. They won't go in any other way, I made sure of that. And the instructions show an exploded view of how they go. The fact is, the GH is just poorly designed.
I wasn't suggesting that YOURS were in backwards. I would have to guess that you installed yours the right way - since yours has held up for 6 years. I was suggesting that perhaps the people that you said had doubled up on clips but were still losing panels - maybe they were putting them in the wrong way. Just thinking out-loud I guess. :)
But like I said, your mods have clearly made that GH much more rigid and durable. With just a few tweaks, you've made that cheap and rickety GH last for 6 years! Makes me want to get one. LOL.
FlintMich I know you weren't suggesting that. Thanks for the info.
Grow Your Heirlooms
Hello, hope all is well during these harsh times. Is there anyway you could send me exact specs for the greenhouse? Looking to plexiglass and seal one of these and need to get the panels ordered precut. It'd be a huge help and greatly appreciated! Thanks and have a great day!
After 13 years, the greenhouse is being replaced with a glass one. Sorry I don't have the specs
How does the roof fair in snow? Great tips.
We don't get a lot of snow here. But when we do, the pitch is steep enough it usually runs off since I heat it anyways
@@Growyourheirlooms Very nice, I'll do some more research as we received about two feet this past winter. Thank you!
how are the panels lasting? I'm planning on setting my base into a concrete foundation with a dirt floor, and then once that sets up building the structure. what is your base on dirt or concrete?
The harbor freight panels deteriorate horribly over time. I give them about 6 years before they start to degrade. I've replaced about 7 of them already. They turn yellow and literally crumble. My base is on 4x4 treated lumber and crewed directly to them. Works fine.
How did you get for less than $400?
Does anyone know if you can order replacement panels or parts for the greenhouse?
Yes, I have read you can order them through harbor freight and several other places but HF was the cheapest??
2 Stud Connector (47) were missing on my HF10x12 Greenhouse.
Any body have a fix for this.
Harbor Freight said at least 2 months from China
It's seasonal. They are in stock now.
Where did you find the longer bolts that you used to add the electrical conduit supports inside the greenhouse?
Amazon. Just search "T-Bolts"
Wonder how it would hold up with snow on the roof
where do you guys live??
Do you have a link to where you bought the galvanized conduit piping?
Home Depot and Lowes carry it
How's it today? Curious...have a Montgomery Ward greenhouse that's 37 years old. Am replacing glass with plexiglass....
You've explained one of my reasons for going with glass. You went 37 years with it
Cost of green house?
how did you secure the greenhouse into the ground?
I didn't. I did however screw the metal rails into 4x4's set on top of the ground. 12 years now and it hasn't budged an inch.
I wonder if headlight lens cleaner would remove the yellow?
No, it from sunlight degrading the cheap plastic not dirt.
@@toriless headlight yellowing is plastic UV degration. It only effects the exposed surface. Usually headlight restoration kits cause accelerated yellowing after first use. As the kit seems to remove a UV resistant layer from the plastic
a bit of prior thinking needed
Hello. Anybody have a PDF of instructions for the 10' x 14' green house? I picked it up from Craigslist but can not narrow down the exact one I have.
+Brad Adams What brand is it? Harbor freight does not sell a 10x14. Only a 10x12. If it is the harbor freight, the manual can be downloaded here:
manuals.harborfreight.com/manuals/69000-69999/69893.pdf
+Brad Adams Brad try the Harbor Freight web site there is a manual .pdf that you can down load.
All is good. I assembled from a photo.
I finished my greenhouse last weekend using your modifications. Tomorrow it will be blasted by 70+ mph winds from hurricane Michael. I'll let you know what happens!
WOW, I've never tested it in those conditions. I had 45MPH gust last spring and it did fine. Yes, let me know if it holds up or if your neighbor gets a new greenhouse
High wind gust 76 mph, 1 ceiling vent blew off, recovered, not damaged. Front of greenhouse facing the wind for most of day. Side supports on both doors bent from force of wind will need to be repaired. I consider myself lucky.
I must say that the 12' conduit supports attached at each end of the door opening most likely prevented the front from buckling and the whole thing ending up in a heap. Thank You for the idea!
YW. glad to hear it survived. I guess there were thousands of people that weren't so lucky. Hope people are able to rebuild quickly. :-(
😎
I just got one and I will be putting it together tomorrow. Thanks for the video I will make modifications right away to keep it safe because they are not cheap.
I've looked at these and they're pretty expensive. I'm trying to build one out of pvc and cover it in multiply clear plastic. I'll share a video if I can make it happen. Merry Christmas:)
mikemorrison28 hi any one tell me how I will order that green house I am Africa in Namibia please can you help.
Never seen a 200 off coupon. Where did you find that? Thanks James
i know i just sound like a weirdo with this comment but you sir have gorgeous hair (facial too) but you retain the depth in your brows.
might just be an old wives tales but that is often regarded as tell-tale sign a wise-man. and it seems to be true. and it looks good lol.
Not this one but its exactly like minr
I need a video to redo my doors on my harbor freight 10x12 doors a limb broke off and th
ua-cam.com/video/uQWDXQWF8yo/v-deo.html
How did you get a 10 foot 4 inch piece of EMT?
They only come in 10 ft lengths here.
If you search online in your area, you may be ably to find it in 20'. We have an electric supply company that has it,
You will probably have to use connectors if there's not one in your area.
There may be some 20 ft lengths around....
Just don't have a vehicle that will bring it home.
patrick donegan
Then use connectors.
yes, I know that, I just thought maybe in some areas that is the standard size, as you did not say "cut a piece down to size and careful cutting metal"
patrick donegan YOu could also buy brackets for the end and modify them to screw into the frame of the greenhouse.
You should tie those braces together to add more strength.
I bought one just like it and so did my neighbor. Both of them blew down with the first little win. Mine was so twisted up and bent I couldn't salvage it. My neighbor could salvage his. And he had to reinforce it with heavier aluminum and 2x4 lumber. They are made of the lightest aluminum you can find. The sliding doors never did work right. Save your money and build one out of lumber!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
As you can see later on in my videos, I torn down the harbor freight and built a glass 2x4 structure
I have glass and its terrible - burns plants and even melts plastic
Do you use shade cloth at all?
I have, it disintegrated into hundreds of tiny little pieces. I went to my local Lowe's and Menard's and asked if they had any shade cloth for sale and they looked at me like I was nuts and they had never heard of it. The one I used came from Walmart and they no longer sell it either. It is a homemade greenhouse in a lean-to style and it needs more airflow, a better door, some vents. I hope to take out the glass pieces and insert twin wall plastic or something. It is a finger buster to try to raise and lower the windows.
i was watching cat videos 25 minutes ago how did i get here
ddeerrtt5 LOL
5 years later it’s still happening
i would;nt mess with that junk ...but that;s just me
I agree with you. I got duped into everyone saying how great they are. In fact, I plan on building a glass greenhouse eventually. This HFGH has been a lot of work.
Grow Your Heirlooms I think a reinforced HFGH might be worth it in a protected backyard in a place where it wouldn't get blown in or beat down by harsh sun all day/ every day. But in a windy, wide open area or a place like Las Vegas or Southern CA, forget it. This is made in China for profit to sell to people who think it's a good deal. It might be a good deal if you plant to move after 5 years and want to garden in the meantime.
My backyard is NOT protected at all. The winds that whip though here are horrendous. You are right though, they make this disposable for profit.
Don't get the Harbor Freight just spend the money on a more expensive quality greenhouse. It will save you time and money in the future
Those type of clips are cheap made.