[Alberg30] Re: Plastic Boat Sheds

Henry Hilliard island_light at lycos.com
Thu Dec 4 09:37:50 PST 2003


Don,

Thank you for the comprehensive advice concerning plastic boat sheds, clearly you have the experience to back it up. If I have any further questions after I absorb the attached I"ll contact you directly.

much obliged,

Henry Hilliard 
"Celeste" #394

---



From:  
                                        Don Campbell <dk.campbell at sympatico.ca> [add to address book] [protect or block sender]
                               Subject:  
                                        Re: [Alberg30] plastic boat sheds & Don Cambell's comments
                                    To:  
                                        island_light at lycos.com, Alberg 30 public list <public-list at alberg30.org>
                              Reply To:  
                                        dk.campbell at sympatico.ca, Alberg 30 public list<public-list at alberg30.org>


                              Henry;
                                  There are two things necessary with the greenhouse. The first 
                              is to have it really secure to the earth. I have 3 on the farm that 
                              are really greenhouses and have lost one when one end opened in 
                              a gale and lifted 48 - 36" pegs out of the ground. Just a few sandbags 
                              won't do if you need to close the ends. If you are on pavement, 
                              get out the Hilti and use extra long nails.  It may be easier and
                              cheaper but cooler to add 12 or 16  feet to each end of the length 
                              so rain won't blow  in and not bother closing the ends. The only 
                              thing you need worry about then is the lift off the plastic similar 
                              to lift off a sail with wind. I have used this set up for rain shelters 
                              on my wheat research and it worked well with all ground stakes 36" 
                              into soil. It is possible to use hurricane ties to eyes in
                              the soil to help hold the frame.
                                  The second thing that needs to be done is really good attachment 
                              of the plastic to the walls of the frame. If you are using horticultural 
                              plastic, 6 mil is quite stiff and normally UV stable. I would have 
                              thought 4 mil sufficient for a temporary structure. Don't count 
                              on reusing the plastic, even the 6 mil material. You can reuse the 
                              structure if it is left intact, but the plastic will not
                              move if you relocate the frame. You can see how much they want for 
                              the normal poly lock system they sell. It is ususally expensive 
                              so you might want to use 2 x 4 and then first strap the poly over 
                              the 2 x 4 and then restrap it on the top edge with a second strap.They 
                              will show you how to use srapping to attach plastic. they have done 
                              it themselves before poly lock was invented.  Avoid sags in the
                              plastic like the plague. Also keep the number of  perlines to 3 
                              if possible.You will find that every drip of condensation will fall 
                              from the lowest point of the sag or where the plastic hits a perline. 
                              Once it starts, the surface tension is broken and yu get a small 
                              rivulet that will flow for seconds.
                                  Any loose attachment of the plastic sheet will allow for flapping 
                              in the wind and wear over the frame so holes will form. Most greenhouses 
                              are double poly and a fan blows air into the envelope to maintain 
                              pressure on the films so flapping is minimized..
                                  Plastic needs to be applied on a really calm day, usually first 
                              thing in the am or last thing at night. A quick attach system really 
                              helps and uneven or local pulling of the plastic will stretch it 
                              and cause bunching and sags where you don't want them. I like to 
                              have 4 or 5 people for a sheet of plastic that is 100' x 28'. Pull 
                              it down the centre top and let it fall free to both sides. Don't
                              try to lift the sheet over from one side. It will stretch out of shape.
                                  As for ventilation, the louvers you suggest will do fine for 
                              air flow for condensation reduction but not elimination,  and pressure 
                              equalization, but for painting, use a fan. This means that the air 
                              inlet (Doors) at one end need to be of  sufficient cross-sectional 
                              area to allow enough air in to keep the fan at its optimum air volume. 
                              You will will want to change the air once every 3 or 4
                              minutes at least. With plants in the greenhouse, we change air about 
                              every 1-2 minutes since temperature will rise 10 degrees for every 
                              100 feet of length with sun on the house in 2 minutes. That is where 
                              no ends may work well - no restriction, and no fan needed. You need 
                              to look at the height the fan needs to be in the end to clear the 
                              painting area of fumes. My decks on boats in the shed are
                              about 8 - 10 feet off the floor, depending on whether it is on the 
                              trailer or on a cradle. There is laminar flow in a greenhouse so 
                              put the fan at painting  level. A 2 speed fan motor is nice for warm days and extra air flow.
                              Don't paint if there is a possibility of condensation forming on new paint. Good fortune.
                              Don

                              Henry Hilliard wrote:

                              > I read Don Cambell's comments on plastic tenting (Vol 169, Issue 
                              14) with interest as I am in the process of building a "greenhouse" 
                              boat shed and I plan on using a 6 mil material from a greenhouse 
                              supplier. Others in my area (Maine) have used this material with 
                              success yet cautioned me to install adequate venting - in their 
                              cases old house shutters up high at the ends to assure a flow of air.
                              >
                              > I intend to prep the deck and top sides over the winter and paint 
                              in the spring. Any advice or info from you Don others would be much appreciated.
                              >
                              > Henry Hilliard
                              > "Celeste" #394






____________________________________________________________
Get advanced SPAM filtering on Webmail or POP Mail ... Get Lycos Mail!
http://login.mail.lycos.com/r/referral?aid=27005
 +---------------------------------------------------------------+
 |                This Old Boat by Don Casey                     |
 | http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0071579931/alberg30-20 |
 +---------------------------------------------------------------+

Public-list mailing list -- Public-list at alberg30.org
http://www.alberg30.org/mailman/listinfo/public-list
To unsubscribe: email to Public-list-request at alberg30.org
Include command "unsubscribe <password>" in subject or body.
Use command "help" for more options.



More information about the Public-List mailing list