Lath house - construction plans

[dtje2000]

Hey, y'all! KenFL recently posted a photo of his lath shade house, and this is an idea I'd like to explore. I'm curious who else might want to show off their structures, or if you have a link to photos, plans, examples, etc. I tried some web searches but I'm just not very darned good at it...most of my results were for cloth-covered structures or actual house plans.

I'm pretty handy with my power tools, but funds are not overflowing so the simpler the better! My own vision is a simple pressure-treated frame structure with the pre-fabbed lattice board attached. I've also thought about building 2 x 8 panels in sets of three, attaching them together with hinges, and then they would be like a folding screen where I can attach pots and mounts and such. Both are ok ideas, but I'm not much for thinking outside the box...I'm sure there's plenty of other ideas and I'd love to hear them!

[lmartiny]

Hi DT. I'm interested in people's set ups as well. My husband was searching green houses and has decided he can build something for less.

[dtje2000]

That's my thought, too, lmartiny. I am sure whatever I wind up with will be of my own construction and will include lattice board...

When I lived in Missouri I toyed with the idea of making a budget greenhouse using treated lumber as the side frames and then skinny pvc pipe to make an arching roof and covered with nylon-reinforced plastic...the idea never took 'root', though I always thought it was a viable plan for up there.

Hopefully folks with shade house experience will notice this thread and offer ideas and advice!

[grandmapenguin]

Great question. I will be watching
this site to see what comes across the Board.
Terry

[Brooke]

Here are a couple of views of a shade house my husband made for me in an area where I had full sun. Of course I wanted shade plants in the middle of a sunny area I used to have pics of the structure from multiple sides but I have obviously removed them but maybe this will give you an idea.



This is the backside of the structure



This is the overview of it.



Yes, I've hung orchids in the shade house plus used the deck you can see in the background. Before the g/h, I had orchids all over the place Hopefully it can give you some ideas to use. For you people in FL, just remember the little storms you have called hurricanes and the need to make sure it doesn't become a flying missle

Brooke

[lmartiny]

Your yard is beautiful.

[myorchid]

Brooke,

Your yard is amazing. How much acreage do you have? Great use of space.

[PhalPal]

I looked at greenhouses online too and the prices are ridiculous for what you get. I mean....it's a couple of boards and some plastic!!! I know I can make something BETTER and CHEAPER.
Anton was kind enough to share his ingredient list and costs with me for the present project he is building. I am now inspired!! I want to do something before we get into summer too deep. I need mine more to protect my orchids from the sun rather than keeping them warm. I'm interested in what ideas you guys come up with.

[dtje2000]

Very funny with the hurricane jokes, Brooke. I'm attaching a photo of damage we sustained during one hurricane in '08...it was quite traumatic!

Thanks for the pics of your shade structures...this is very much what I have on my mind. Like Phalpal, my structure is more to protect from heat and sun than cold and snow. Being a native Missourian, I wonder if I'll ever stop feeling like I'm "on vacation"...

Also, I am a huge fan of raised bed gardening. I would (almost) kill to have your yard. Alas, I have a cramped lot and if I create any more flower beds my dogs won't have anywhere to, uh, relieve themselves. Bless their puppy hearts...

[lmartiny]

Oh for Pete's sake DT. Is that the worst you had from the storms? Funny.

By the way, we didn't have any hurricanes in 08 that I recall.

[patticake]

Good luck with the new structure! I can understand feeling like you're on vacation! That's what I would feel like, too...

[dtje2000]

Well, lmartiny, the toppled chair is actually a leftover joke from Ernesto in 2007...or was it 2006? Gee, can't remember...the pain of destruction from Wilma (October 2005) has faded enough to be a bit cavalier again but I won't ever be so callous as to forget those who suffered real damage in the past few years.

I'm sure hoping this cool winter will mean few storms with lesser intensity! We've used the furnace three times this winter (which is more than the number of times we used it in the prior 4 years!).... I'm sure most will not be sympathetic.

Let's keep those shade house ideas comin', y'all!

[lmartiny]

I don't know DT. They are saying we are going to have a La Nina or El Nino or whatever the hell. It will increase storm potential. (which ever one it is)

[Brooke]

April we have seven acres and garden about an acre of it.

Yes DT, I hate when those chairs get tossed around in the storms

Brooke

[dtje2000]

Seven acres! Can I come live with you? I'll just build a little lean-to in the far corner of your place and weed your garden... Oh, I soooo miss having more than a postage stamp lot. We are so crammed in I can smell my neighbors cigarettes and often here more than I really care to hear... YIKES!

Brooke, the green in my envy rivals the green in your grass!

[Bolero]

What wonderful timing, I am building (well helping to build) with the help of my very precise brother in law...........here are the progress photos of my house, it may help you with yours. I think with 2 more weekends we will be done.

Note: Posts in the ground are 90mm x 90mm and the frame is built with 70 x 35mm wood. We are considering cold galvenised steel to reinforce the frame but are so far undecded until the while thing is finished. We are using laserlite for the roof and 50% shade cloth for 2/3 of the house while 1/3 of the house will be 70% for Masdevallias and Paph's.

Fingers crossed this is what I really need, if it doesn't work I might just give up. The size is 6 metres by 3 metres.

These are the holes:



The frames constructed individually:



The frames piled up before the jigsaw begins:



The sides:





The gable roof:





P.S. You will note the ground is very dry looking.........that is due to a huge drought we are having here. So the grass is very brown. The tree in the back yard is a weeping mulberry which due to 46C temps has been burned. The circle around the tree is an english box hedge which was severely burnt during the heat. However it now seems to be recovering. It might take years to get back to its former glory.

[dtje2000]

Bolero...spectacular! You are going to have one nifty shade house! Please continue to share photos as your construction progresses...I'm sure I'm not the only one waiting with bated breath for the completion of your project! Thanks for sharing the stages of construction so far!

[Bolero]

No worries, I have been planning to share the photos but time seems to escape me especially with everything I've taken on recently.

I will add some posts after next weekend when we add the roof (not this weekend but the following weekend).

;-)

P.S. Does anyone have any thoughts on whether any particular colour of shade cloth is better than another? I know they allow through different levels of sun but what what everyone recommend???

[mgfree]

Bolero, I heard around the place that Catts do better under black shade cloth. But I guess it depends on what you grow the most of

[Brooke]

We use aluminet shade cloth - the aluminet reflects the heat and the black will absorb the heat. I've never had problems blooming the catts using the aluminet.

Brooke

[Bolero]

I haven't heard of aluminet, I will have to look into that.

I will have to check if it's available in Australia, I am assuming it would be.

[patticake]

This thread is where I go to dream... I can't wait to own a house again...Thanks all for the peeks into your yards!

[hulaorchid]

Brooke- Wow you yard looks like something in a garden magazine! Love the hydrangeas and the hostas

Bolero- Looks great keep the pictures coming!

Patti- I can't wait to buy a house either! It kills me not to garden! Some Day!