Stubs with bows and foundation frame

The above is a picture of how the frame foundation (the bottom 2x4s) hook together with the stubs and the bow sets. The stub is set in the ground, the 2×4 is laid on the outside of the stubs, you now drill through pre- drilled hole in the stub and through the 2×4. Then the bows are dropped down 6″ into the stubs with a clamp on them so they only drop down that 6″ and you drill back through the 2×4  from the outside going back through  the stub that now has the  bow in it. Bolt together and you are off your knees.

Next comes the knee braces, they are what keep your greenhouse from acting like an accordian  when the winds hit the end walls. On the picture above you can see the knee braces at the front of the greenhouse attached to the end bow and extending down at an angle to the foundation frame 2×4. You can see also that they are on the inside of the greenhouse and are attached with a self tapping sheet metal screw into the first bow and with a sheetrock screw into the 2×4 frame rail.

After the knee braces I attach the center purlin pipe at the center of the greenhouse at the top on the inside. Same idea. Use 1/2″ electrical conduit and attach to the bows with a 1 1/2″ 10 gauge self tapping screw. Then space the side purlins about 3′ off of the center purlin.  With the stubs in the ground  the foundation frame and bows bolted to the stubs and the knee braces and purlins installed it’s time to think about benches before starting the end walls.

As you can see in the picture above as well as the one below the 2×4 that I call the bench rail is attached to the bow sets about 33″ above the ground. They are attached with 2″ long 12 gauge self tappers.This height works best for me.

Now you drop the 2×4 or 2×6 end wall footer flat on the ground between the two end stubs. It should stick out past the end of the greenhouse by an inch or so. You will be setting your plywood on this footer and leaning it up against the end bow.

End wall First Panel

Note if you are building a 10′ wide house as shown here, you want to rip this panel down to 3′ wide.( Also note in this pic that there is a second 2×4 about 1′ above the foundation frame. This is for a greenhouse that is bumped up one foot). Now you attach the panel directly to the end bow with 1 1/2″ self tapping screws. Note the nailer in this pic also. This allows you to attach the plywood at the bottom of the sheet to the end wall footer board.  Now from the inside of the house you can set your sawzall or jig saw right on the bow turn it on and follow the bow down until the extra plywood falls off. You can see the piece of scrap behind the greenhouse in the last picture. Easy peasy.

More tomorrow on the end walls.

End wall panel cut flush with the end bow