The greenhouse made of polycarbonate and glass is in great demand among summer residents for practicality and excellent quality. For its stability, it is necessary to establish a reliable foundation in the form of screw piles or beams. How to choose the right site for the greenhouse, what tools will be needed in laying the foundation, as well as step-by-step instructions for its manufacture, are presented below.
Pros and cons of installing piles
Pile foundation can be laid in areas where the soil is weak and there is a low occurrence of groundwater, which is one of its main advantages. Piles can also be used on hard soils, where it is impossible to apply a different type of laying the base under the greenhouse.
This type of foundation is easier to dismantle, which is also a plus. The only flaw in the pile foundation is the complexity in its construction.
What you need for work
To build a good base and frame for the greenhouse, you need to choose the right place for development, as well as select the materials from which the greenhouse will be built. What to look for when choosing a material and what tools you must have with you during installation, read below.
Did you know? The pile foundation of IV St. Isaac's Cathedral in St. Petersburg was laid over a 5-year period.
Material and tool
The greenhouse frame is made of the following materials:
- glass;
- polycarbonate;
- film.
It is best to opt for a polycarbonate building. This material, unlike the film, is more durable and durable. The glass frame is too heavy and fragile, which creates an additional load on the foundation and complicates its installation.
In order to build the foundation, it is necessary to prepare the following tools:
- a shovel, in order to level the plot;
- magnetic level to determine the vertical level of the pile;
- roulette wheel;
- sledgehammer;
- a screwdriver with a nozzle for a Phillips screwdriver and a deep bit of 8 mm;
- marker to mark out;
- gloves made of thick material, so as not to injure the skin of the hands when working.
Important! With proper use, polycarbonate can last 10 years or more. The material is lightweight and flexible in structure, which makes it easy to build arched structures.
Seat selection
Before installing a pile foundation, you need to choose a suitable place for its location. The building plot should be well-lit and spacious so that the greenhouse is always in direct sunlight. It is not worth building a structure in an area where there is a strong wind, because this will affect the stability of the greenhouse.
The site should be with a high occurrence of groundwater. If an underground current passes at a level of 1 m, then dehydration work should be carried out, which consists in the formation of a special embankment of sand, gravel and soil in order to create a hill at the site of installation of the pile.
Did you know? For the construction of the Burj Khalifa skyscraper, located in the United Arab Emirates, about 200 suspended piles with a length of 45 m and a diameter of 1.5 m were used.
Blueprints
Below is a ready-made drawing of the pile foundation, which you can use when carrying out the work:
Step-by-step manufacturing instructions
Installation instructions for the pile foundation under the greenhouse, made by the finished greenhouses factory. Foundation dimensions - 3 × 4 m.
Video: assembly and installation of a polycarbonate greenhouse on piles
To make the base you will need:
- 14 piles of 70 cm long;
- profile 2 m long - 4 pcs.;
- profile 1.5 m - 4 pcs.;
- self-tapping screws - 56 pcs.
Step-by-step installation instructions for the finished base for the greenhouse:
- To begin, unpack the components of the greenhouse, presented in the form of profile pipes 4 pcs. 2 m each is the lower base and the guides that are collected on the site.
- Take the connecting brands and fasten the profiles, while receiving 2 pipes of 4 m in length.
- Next, install t-shaped piles on the lower base of the greenhouse, there should be 5 for each 4-meter profile. It is necessary to make fasteners in such a way that 2 fasteners are at a distance of 10 cm from the edges, 2 more in the middle of the lower base and 1 at the junction under the brand.
- Fix piles on self-tapping screws 4 pcs. on one fixture.
- Move the lower base to the place where the greenhouse will be located.
- Dig holes for the foundation, approximately 30–40 cm deep. They should be located at the same distance as the piles on the structure.
- Insert the structure into the dug holes and drive them into the ground to the lower anchor using a sledgehammer and a wooden beam. Work must be done carefully so as not to damage the profile pipes.
- To dig in the second side of the base of the greenhouse, it is necessary to measure 2 m 98 cm of length from the edge of the already installed structure using a tape measure. Now, similarly, drive the second side of the foundation.
- Using the level and the upper guide, check the proportionality of the sides of the foundation.
- Next, the installation of arcs.
- Work is being done on the skin of the butt.
- Dig holes under the butt.
- Insert and lock the end to the lower base.
- Drive 2 piles into the recesses under the end, which are located approximately at the door to the greenhouse.
- Remove the end from the lower guide and start to capture the piles.
- Connect the piles with the lower base of the end to the screws 8 pcs.
Installing a pile foundation is not a simple matter. But, using step-by-step instructions, even a person who does not have a hand full of installation work will be able to cope with the installation of the structure.Important! The design of the greenhouse is installed on piles that have two grips, one of which clings to the ground like an anchor, and the second is designed to support the lower base of the greenhouse.
