OK.....look at this thing and tell me how the heck it's lasted 6 years. Surely it hasn't been in it's current state all that time.
Beats me. Couple ideas. 1. UV is a key plastic killer. Being in PNW the extensive amount of over cast sky may have mitigated UV degradation. 2. Looks like there may be some degree of wind blocking from tall pines if situated correctly.
I use a good grade of greenhouse plastic and 2 layers with air inflation. After about 4 or so years, the UV causes problems with the outer layer and I change both. Need a 110 foot roll and it costs about $500, so about a $100 a year, but I use the take off plastic for low tunnels and it lasts years for the few weeks in the spring and fall that I use it. Car ports work out OK, but I bought the Rimol greenhouse. The one I have is 20 by 48, high enough to get my tractor and pickup in, has a 4 ft spacing on the frames and with the gothic roof and air inflation, I have never had any problem with wind or snow. Roll up sides etc work out well, but a thermostat and a powered vent and blower, although expensive, make it nearly fool proof. Picked up at Hookset NH, the greenhouse, Eastpoint with base package, with no ends, no heat, and no vent fans, but with inflation fan, 2 layers of plastic and all hardware, is about $3,200, I used plywood on north end, plastic on south end, scrounged up fan and vent, bought treated wood for base , end framing, and side attach point for roll up and made my own roll up sides for about $2,000 about 15 or 20 years ago, Other than replacement plastic and an inflation fan, the basic greenhouse has cost me nothing else. I don't dare tell the wife how much I have spent on hydroponics, lights, pumps, fertilizer, etc , over the years, but I get a lot more return than I do no my AR's. The total has been a lot less than I used to spend on snowmobiles that we used 5 or so times a year and you can not beat a tomato, squash, greens, herbs, green pepper, etc, that is picked dead ripe and eaten 2 hours later. Not meant as an add, but fun to see what the Alaskans have to say about the greenhouse I have in New Hampshire. www.kenaifeed.com/high-tunnels/ Somehow I don't think poly pipe is going to make it up in Alaska for snow load, no matter how cheap it is.
6 years is a long time for even good UV rated plastic, 4 years is usually normal. Now, I have 2 hoop houses and both use a good grade of greenhouse plastic. One has lasted 2 years (other is only 1 year) and is still in good shape and we had horribly hot summers and very harsh winters. I truly think we'll get 4 years out of them. Only the plastic is the problem as frame is made of pressure treated wood and hoops are 3/4" schedule 80 or 40 PVC. I normally knock the snow off of them but its plenty strong and a foot or so of snow won't hurt them.
New plastic might be hard to find in an SHTF situation. I wonder about hail also. This new solar minimum will mean different weather.
Shakes head.......... lots of problems with that video aside from the............. I would call it a small green house or cold frame myself. The premium UV resistant film can last 6 years if it is not getting beat to death with wind. I skin my carport frame greenhouses with the film I change out on the 30x96 and 42x120 high tunnels after 4 years. It last another 2-3 years on the 18x24 little greenhouses. Looking at the film in the video I would put it at 3-4 years old with the wear it has on the corners, sides and roof. At 4 years on a metal frame even with the joints padded with duct tape, you have gotten wear holes rubbed in it or at least very visible signs that a hole is going to appear soon. as far as the rest I believe I will give her Academy a pass Good idea to keep 1-2 in black bags and protected from mice on corner racks in a dark barn. Film stays good longer than buckets of prepper food if stored properly.
some PNW areas see sun for 3 months a year , and them gurls have moss between them toes !! Moss inspector
I'm in TN, use regular plastic on my DIY greenhouse, and the plastic is only good for 18 months of sunlight. I use the greenhouse as raised open air beds from around the middle of April until the end of October, then the skin goes back on. That way I get 3 years of use from normal plastic before it starts to break apart from UV.
Being parked at the entrance to Tornado Alley, I'm pretty certain that the spring thunderstorms we sometimes get, would make it a certainty, that I would NEVER have to worry, about any greenhouse plastic sheeting deteriorating, due to UV from the sun. That's why, if I ever build one, my greenhouse will be much smaller, and built with something similar to these. Much more expensive, yes....but much more wind and hail resistant, too! LEXAN Thermoclear 48 in. x 96 in. x 1/4 in. Bronze Multiwall Polycarbonate Sheet-PCTW4896-6MMBZ - The Home Depot
