Building Your Very Own Geodesic Dome Greenhouse: DIY Style
Constructing a Geodesic Dome Greenhouse: DIY Guide for GeoDome Creation
Ready to create a greenhouse that's as unique as it is functional? Let's dive into building a geodesic dome greenhouse using wood and DIY pipe connectors! Here's your no-nonsense guide, based on our own DIY experience.
Why a GeoDome Greenhouse?
For colder climates, a greenhouse is pretty essential for gardeners. In a nippy northern climate, a greenhouse extends the growing season and offers precious heat to our beloved plants. Plus, it's a fantastic place to chill out during those cool spring days and summer nights.
But what makes a GeoDome greenhouse stand out from the crowd? Well,
- It boasts a unique, lightweight structure
- Has excellent stability in wind and heavy snow
- Optimizes light absorption
- Offers the most growing ground space
- Makes a great hang-out spot
- Acts as an eye-catcher
Building Materials
Wood
We went with untreated spruce lumber for our GeoDome, but you can also opt for Douglas Fir for added durability.
Screws
A round-about pound of these bad boys should do the trick.
Covering
Go for greenhouse plastic, greenhouse film, shrink film, or polycarbonate panels for your dome's cozy skin.
Tools of the Trade
- Measuring tape
- Carpenter square
- Pencil
- Level
- Utility knife
- Safety glasses and hearing protection
- Cordless drill
- Dual bevel miter saw or radial arm saw (preferably a radial arm saw for precise cuts)
Dome Greenhouse Plans
Acidome is one of the best GeoDome calculators online. Choose your preferred language, select your dome's frequency (2V, 3V, or 4V), and get to work. For our 18ft dome, we opted for a 3V frequency. Anything over 18ft should have a 4V frequency. Keep in mind that your dome's height will be about half its width.
The Build
Rip your 2x6 into 2" wide boards, and bear in mind that a radial arm saw or a dual bevel miter saw are your best bet for precise angle cuts. Staying precision-focused will be crucial to your success.
Follow your plan to assemble the dome, building a 1-foot (0.3m) pony wall for added height. Assemble the dome piece by piece, making miter joints to connect the wooden struts and securing them with screws.
Cover your GeoDome Greenhouse carefully and cleverly, securing the plastic to struts before using planks to hold it in place. Staple the plastic to the struts, then use 1 cm planks to hold the structure in place. If you fancy, you can also cut the polytunnel plastic for three facets at a time.
For the door and windows, frame them into pentagons, creating an awesome, seamless look. The double vertical struts make a cool doorpost, allowing you easy access even in winter when there's snow on the ground. Trust us, it's a game-changer!
The Advantages of Wood and DIY Connectors
- Wood is easy to handle, and the low cost keeps the savings rollin' in.
- DIY pipe connectors reduce the need for costly metal hubs.
- The dome's triangular shape evenly distributes structural stresses, making it a sturdy bugger in extreme conditions.
Take the leap and create your own GeoDome greenhouse. You'll soon be enjoying home-grown produce all year round and soaking up the sun in style. Happy building, mate!
- Create a unique and functional greenhouse by building a geodesic dome greenhouse using wood and DIY pipe connectors, extending the growing season for gardeners in colder climates and offering a relaxing hang-out spot during cool days and nights.
- The geodesic dome greenhouse boasts a lightweight and stable structure, optimizes light absorption, offers the most growing ground space, and makes an eye-catching addition to your home-and-garden landscape.
- For building materials, use untreated spruce lumber, screws, greenhouse plastic, greenhouse film, shrink film, or polycarbonate panels, along with necessary tools such as a measuring tape, carpenter square, pencil, level, utility knife, safety glasses and hearing protection, cordless drill, and a radial arm saw for precise cuts.
- Follow a precise plan, such as the one provided by Acidome, to assemble the geodesic dome greenhouse, securing wooden struts with screws and covering it carefully with plastic or panels to maintain its structure and function as a greenhouse year-round.
