Many gardeners and farmers thought about building a greenhouse on their site. Such a simple construction will help grow seedlings in cold regions, have greens on the table all year round or, alternatively, sell vegetables or fruits that are scarce for the cold season. Evaluating the cost of the finished greenhouse in the stores, the desire to buy it immediately disappears, however, if you like to do everything yourself and you have enough time, then you can build a greenhouse with a sliding roof yourself. This article will help bring all your dreams to life and save a lot of money.
The advantages of using greenhouses with opening roof
Before you make a greenhouse with an opening top, you should learn about its differences and positive aspects. 
If you are confused by such a greenhouse design, and you are used to seeing structures that have monolithic roofs, then take a look at "pluses" of this variation:
- In summer, such greenhouses are much easier to ventilate, since the flow of fresh air does not come through narrow doors, but through the roof. It is worth mentioning that with such ventilation there is no draft, which means that nothing threatens the plants.
- A folding roof gives more light and heat than a monolithic one. Therefore, you will not only give crops the necessary sunlight, but also save on artificial light.
- Greenhouse with a retractable roof is easier to save from deformation in the snowy winters. That is, it is enough for you to remove the roof and let the snow cover the soil inside the building. In buildings with a monolithic roof such "manipulation" is impracticable.
- Protection of landings from overheating. If in the spring nature decided to make a sharp rise in temperature, then the plants can “bake” in an ordinary greenhouse under the scorching sun. Having a convertible structure, to reduce the temperature is not difficult, because the area of the roof is many times larger than the area of the door.
- Efficiency. It takes much less money to build a greenhouse with an opening top, since you are building a greenhouse "by yourself", choosing the right size and not saving on the structure's frame.
Did you know? First greenhouses similar to modern used in ancient Rome, and in Europe the greenhouse was first built by a talented German gardener Albert MangMustache in the 13th century - it created for the royal reception in Cologne a magnificent winter garden. However, the Inquisition did not believe that such a miracle could be done through human labor, and the gardener was convicted of witchcraft.
From the above, we can conclude that the convertible greenhouse has enough advantages to pay attention to it. Moreover, its construction does not "hit the pocket" of the owner, which means it will immediately begin to generate income.
Features of the design of greenhouses with sliding mechanism
Considering the construction of buildings, you should pay attention to the variations of the roof for the greenhouse.
Regardless of the shape and size of the building, by design features all roofs are divided into two types: folding and sliding.
Important! Further in the text the words "folding" and "sliding" will not be synonymous, which is especially important in the process of building the structure.Folding roof. The main feature is that the moving parts are mounted on hinges (like a window or doors) and opened manually or by means of force mechanisms.
Sliding roof. Elements are mounted on special "rails" along which parts of the structure slide. Such a greenhouse is opened either manually or with the help of a mechanism.
It is worth noting that the folding roof is most often put on greenhouses, made in the shape of a house, and the sliding roof - on structures with smoothed edges or in the shape of a dome.
Did you know? In Europe, greenhouses began to be used in the 16th century, they grew exotic fruits and plants. However, only aristocrats could afford it.
If financial opportunities allow, you can create a semblance "smart-greenhouses", which itself reacts to humidity and temperature, and the force mechanism will open or close the roof when it is needed. It would seem that there are two traditional types of greenhouses with drop-downs that everyone uses, why try something else and reinvent the wheel? However, it is not so simple.
If, for example, you want to build a high, narrow greenhouse with an opening top, then you cannot do with just one mechanism. That is why there are so-called "hybrids" when a folding and sliding system is installed on the greenhouse. If you have the necessary knowledge, or the construction of the structure requires it, then you can build a greenhouse with a removable roof with your own hands. That is, the roof will open and separate from the greenhouse. In this case, a hinged roof is used, but the mounts themselves are selected so that they can be detached from the moving part.
Important! The construction of a hybrid mechanism, through which the roof opens, requires serious engineering calculations, costs and additional knowledge, so the article will only consider the standard types of opening roofs.
How to make a greenhouse with an opening roof with your own hands (polycarbonate)
We proceed to how to make a greenhouse with an opening roof. To deal with the choice of the desired roofing material, we make a small digression.
Preparatory work, the choice of material
The greenhouse is usually covered with foil, but this material, although it has a low price, is not suitable for creating a durable structure. If you use the film, then you will have to "patch" the greenhouse at least once a year. And one or two inconspicuous holes in the coating can destroy all planted crops.
That is why we recommend using polycarbonate. Is polycarbonate better than film and how expensive is it? Speaking about the price, it is worth saying that this is the only minus of the material. It costs an order of magnitude more expensive than a film, but it is worth knowing about its benefitsand the price becomes justified.
- Polycarbonate transmits light better than film.
- A greenhouse with a drop-out carbonate top is several times more resistant to mechanical damage. The material can withstand more weight than the film, so it better protects against strong gusts of wind or heavy snowfall.
- The material has the same plasticity as the film, so it is used to create greenhouses of any shape.
- Polycarbonate has been serving for at least twenty years, which is tens of times longer than the service life of cheaper material.
- Polycarbonate does not get wet and does not pass moisture.
One way or another, and you will have to feel yourself as an architect. Before drawing up the drawings, select the desired plot (so that there is no strong inclination or it was not located in the pit), visually position the greenhouse so that it is illuminated to the maximum by the sun.
Followed by blueprints. To compose them, you need to measure the length, width and height of the future greenhouse. Think about what products will be grown, because perhaps you need not a greenhouse, but rather a greenhouse with a folding or sliding top from the same polycarbonate. It is better to make drawings a few days, or even weeks, in order to accurately measure all dimensions and buy the strictly necessary amount of materials. 
Important! In the event that you do not know how much material you will need, provide the drawings in the store where you are going to make purchases.
What tool you need to build a greenhouse
To build a folding or sliding greenhouse made of polycarbonate with your own hands, you need to collect a certain list of tools.
It is worth noting that in this case, parts of the greenhouse will be fastened with bolts, clamps and other parts. Welding will not be used due to the fact that such a greenhouse in the future is almost impossible to disassemble. If you are worried about the strength and efficiency of such a structure, then we dare to assure you that the fasteners are not inferior to welding for strength, and for money it turns out cheaper.
To build a folding or sliding greenhouse with your own hands, you will need the following tools:
- Bulgarian;
- Jigsaw;
- Electric drill;
- Level, tape, scissors for metal;
- Cross screwdriver;
- Spanners;
- Device for bending the profile pipe.
To this list, you can add all the devices to protect against dust, noise and mechanical damage (construction glasses, headphones, a respirator, rubberized gloves).
How to make a greenhouse with a sliding mechanism, step by step instructions
We begin the construction of the sliding greenhouses with their own hands.
Need to start with foundation casting. This is a mandatory element of polycarbonate greenhouses, because the frame and covering material weighs a lot, and the greenhouse just starts to sink like a house without a foundation. Fill the foundation around the perimeter, given the creation of a "pillow". The depth and width of the foundation is selected depending on the structure of the soil and the amount of precipitation.
Next is mounted greenhouse frame. Depending on your preferences, you can use steel, aluminum or a mounting profile. We do not recommend the use of aluminum, as though it is lightweight, it is too plastic for serious structures. It is worth taking aluminum only if you have a small greenhouse (no more than 30 sq. M.). When installing the frame, pay attention to the density of the partitions and their additional reinforcement. Even if there are no strong winds in your region, additional reinforcement will never hurt.
In the process of mounting the frame, use the so-called "crabs" or cross joints in order to best secure the components.
Important! When mounting the frame, provide stiffeners that will reinforce the structure.If you are forming a domed greenhouse, then use a tube bending machine to bend the racks.
The most important point - sliding mechanism. The first option is to install the roof on the rails. It is suitable for large greenhouses, in which the moving part weighs a lot and cannot simply be moved if it is not equipped with wheels. Install the rail (suitable mounting profile), which is attached to the rail. The system of movement on rails looks like a compartment door. Next, we construct a convertible top, on which a metal bar with wheels is mounted.
Important! In the process of selecting and buying material carefully select a running gear with wheels. The larger the greenhouse, the greater the rails and the wheels themselves must be in order for them to "ride" freely along the rails.
More simple and cheap option is suitable for small greenhouses. Used by slotting system. The point is that, unlike in the previous version, this one does not involve the installation of rails and movement along the means of small wheels. Best of all, the "mortise version" is suitable for arched and pitched roofs.
The strip (about 7-10 cm wide) of polycarbonate is fixed on the prepared arcs. Next, plastic plates are attached to the material, which have a width of 6 to 15 mm and a length of 1.5-3 cm. And on top of the plastic we place an identical first strip of polycarbonate. As a result, we have grooves, into which the main sheets of polycarbonate will be inserted already. Thus, the frame will be static, and only the material itself will move.
When the frame is ready, go to cutting and installing polycarbonate. After taking accurate measurements, cut out the cut lines and use a jigsaw or circular saw. It is necessary to fasten the material with an overlap (about 40 cm), using stainless bolts or screws with gaskets. It should be noted that you do not need to tighten the bolts "against the stop", since you can damage the covering material. We do not recommend nailing polycarbonate, otherwise in case of damage it will be difficult to remove it, and you can ruin the frame of the greenhouse itself.
Ultimately, install the front door and, if it was intended, windows.
With the help of the described actions you can build a greenhouse with a sliding roof with your hands quickly and easily.
Option of making a greenhouse with a sliding roof of window frames
The greenhouse with a sliding roof on the basis of window frames, though not particularly durable, but helps to save a lot of money. If you have enough of the necessary material, it is worthwhile to put the partitions as tightly as possible.
Important! Use rotten or deformed frame can not.
The construction of a greenhouse of window frames has its own characteristics:
- a greenhouse can only be in the form of a house; no dome-shaped structures can be made;
- although wood is lighter than iron, it still weighs significantly on the ground, so the foundation must be;
- for the movement of the roof, only the slot system is used;
- material consumption will be many times more if the window frames have additional partitions for the vents;
- wood is a hydrophobic material, which means that it will absorb a lot of moisture and deteriorate, so you have to treat the frame with a non-toxic plant varnish or gel;
- frames before installation should be cleaned of paint, varnish and other harmful components;
- consider the characteristics of the plants that you will grow in the greenhouse, because many pests use wood as a shelter or feed on it.
Thus, the use of window frames, although advantageous from an economic point of view, however, carries additional problems and risks. If you want to install a greenhouse for 2-3 years, then the window frames will be very useful, but if you build the structure for 10-15 years, it is better to refuse frames as a frame.
Material and tool preparation
To build a sliding greenhouse with your own hands from window frames, you will need the following materials and tools:
- Twine for ground marking;
- Drill and drills (for metal and wood).
- Shovel and bayonet shovels;
- Metal corners and other fasteners for wooden elements;
- Anchor bolts (16 × 150 mm);
- Wooden bars (50 × 50 mm);
- Ax and hammer;
- Metal fittings;
- Polycarbonate;
- Screwdriver and a set of screws;
- Bulgarian with discs for metal;
- Set of screwdrivers;
- Nails and pliers;
- Putty knife;
- Sander;
- Primer and putty;
- Composition for removing old paint;
- Antifungal and antiseptic impregnation;
- Paint and paint brushes;
- Polyurethane foam.
Before installation you need to prepare the window frames - get rid of hinges, bolts and handles.
Remove the old paint using a special tool, and the wood should be treated with an antiseptic intended for impregnation of wooden bars.
Did you know? The largest greenhouse is in the UK. It grows more than a thousand different types of plants, starting with tropical coffee and ending with Mediterranean olives and grapes.
Greenhouse manufacturing
The installation and fastening of the greenhouse frame, which consists of window frames, is significantly different, so it must be thoroughly studied.
Before construction clean the window frames from paint and dirt, fill up the gaps with foam.
After that we start install window frames on the prepared foundation. It is best to use iron corners for fixing window blocks, which connect the frames together. The corner is laid on the inside and tightly pressed to the wood with a screwdriver. The frame must be stable, which will ensure you a long and reliable use.
Next you need to do light crate. It is made of mounting profile, wooden slats and steel wire. Window blocks are installed on the base and fastened with screws, clamps, angles, wire and nails.
After forming the frame, inspect it carefully.
If it seems to you that the building does not have enough stability, install some support from the inside, which will remove some of the load from the side faces.
Next, fasten the polycarbonate. So that after bonding there are no holes, leave a small margin on each flap. If in the end the covering material hangs somewhere, then you can always cut it off.
After construction is completed, cover any gaps with foam and apply paint on the exterior of the frame.
Did you know? Самое большое количество теплиц находится на территории Голландии. Общая площадь оранжерей в Нидерландах - 10500 га.
На этом инструкция по постройке теплицы завершена. Use in practice not only the stated data, but also your experience, real conditions and advice of knowledgeable people. Such a construction requires the expenditure of effort and finances, however, it opens up additional opportunities for you that will help pay for the construction.
