I’ve always wanted a greenhouse, I think the first one I ever saw was on one of those home and garden shows. I instantly told myself that once I had my own home with a yard, I was going to build my very own greenhouse as a beautiful sanctuary for the hobby of growing plants. Now that I have the yard, I’m digging into greenhouse options. I must say that knowing the advantages and disadvantages to each shape and style of greenhouse has been eye-opening and has allowed me to understand what type of greenhouse would realistically work for my situation. There’s so much beyond looks to think about, ventilation, heat circulation, sun exposure and more, play an important role in choosing a greenhouse design.
If you’re also contemplating taking the plunge to build a greenhouse, be sure to check out the list of styles and shapes below.
A Conventional Even-Span Greenhouse (also known as a house-style greenhouse)
Conventional Span greenhouses are symmetrical, have pitched roofs, the walls might be angled or straight. The walls might also be glass or plastic in entirety or have a lower wall created by brick or cement. It’s important to note that these types of greenhouses are freestanding or detached structures, and you might need to follow a particular building code depending on the rules of your locality. This is important because the code may require you build your greenhouse with a foundation.
Once you decide on an even-span greenhouse, you be able to gain to the advantages, which are:
You can choose an area on your property that receives maximum sunlight
Lots of interior space due to the design and shape of the structure.
Easy expansion of the greenhouse space
Access to a great selection of building materials because this style of greenhouse is the most popular
Even though this is the most popular style of greenhouse, it still has some disadvantages:
You will need to provide utilities for the structure since it is freestanding, and this may be expensive depending on the distance of the structure from your current utilities
Cost of build may be higher because even-span greenhouses tend to be larger than other styles
You may lose a lot of yard space when you add this detached structure
If you build it too far on your property, it may be frustrating to visit during harsh weather
An A-frame Greenhouse
A-frame greenhouses are exactly what they sound like, a greenhouse without a square bottom, shaped just like a capital letter “A”. This shape is also popular for homes built in mountains because their sloping sides keep snow from accumulating on the roof.
The unique A-frame comes with the following advantages:
These greenhouses are inexpensive because they only require two walls, which means less building material to buy
This can be a fun aesthetic for a quirky gardener
Precipitation in the form of both rain and snow will easily run off the roof, so there’s less chance the roof caving in
The shape is simple enough that a gardener might be able to built it independently
As with any option, there will always be some disadvantages:
You lose some space toward the roof because of the very pointy shape
The peak of this greenhouse tends to accumulate and lock in heat, therefore you’ll need to invest in heat circulation equipment and make sure that ventilation is a priority
You might find the clearance overhead to be a little tight, especially if you’re on the taller sides
A lean-to style greenhouse
A lean-to greenhouse shares a wall with another structure, it leans on another structure for support. These structures are usually built against houses, but can be supported by sheds and garages.
These greenhouses are great because they make use of the wall of an existing structure and allow you to keep your greenhouse right outside your back door. These often look like half of a conventional even-span greenhouse. Using an existing wall from a house or shed allows for a less expensive structure to be built.
If you choose to build a lean-to style greenhouse, the advantages are:
Lower cost because, you have one less wall to build
You may be able to connect your water, gas, and electricity from your home to your greenhouse, creating less work than when a structure requires new utility lines
You might be able to collect more heat in your house from the adjacent greenhouse structure
The greenhouse will be right outside your door and easier to get to in inclement weather
However, there are some disadvantages to a lean-to greenhouse:
You have less space since it’s only half of what would be an even-span conventional greenhouse
The structure might not be aesthetically pleasing when attached to your home
You may find that the best wall to support your greenhouse is an area that does not receive the best sunlight
Adding a lean-to greenhouse to your home might be considered an extension of your home square footage, which could affect taxes or violate building codes
You might be too close to the smell of plant products like fertilizers
Pests might easily enter your home
Expansion of your greenhouse might be difficult because it is not freestanding with ample space around it
A Geodesic Dome Greenhouse
A geodesic dome greenhouse is also very self-descriptive, it’s a greenhouse that will remind you of those odd shapes from geometry class, except it’s clearly a dome shaped structure. This is the most futuristic of the greenhouse options, and it’s usually composed of several triangles or other geometric shapes which all combine to create this very unusual-looking greenhouse.
Even this quirky greenhouse has its advantages:
They tend to be inexpensive
Due to the dome shape, the inside tends to have more of an open feel
Of course, quirks sometimes lend to disadvantages:
The curved shape of the geodesic dome can limit growing space along the walls and even overhead
It can be difficult to ventilate a dome-shaped structure
Any plant benches need to built to accommodate for the curved walls, you will need to measure carefully before installing and make sure that you have a plan to secure these benches since they will not stand as easily as a straight bench against a straight wall
A Quonset-shaped Greenhouse
A quonset-style greenhouse is considered one of the easiest greenhouses for a homeowner to build on their own. The materials tend to be relatively inexpensive and easy to shape. Generally, they tend to be made with PVC pipe or wood, then a cover is created with soft plastic.
Along with being inexpensive and easy to build, there are extra advantages:
Because the of low expense to build, you might find that you can afford to build a larger greenhouse that you initially thought possible
You might be able to build this structure very easily on your own or with a few friends in as little as a weekend
Though considered easy to build, there are some disadvantages:
The plastic covering might need replacement or patching from time to time, particularly if you use a softer grade of plastic
Ventilation can be difficult with this shape, and you may need to pay more attention to the indoor environment or invest in higher grade equipment
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