Nightmare - keeping a greenhouse base level!
garjobo
Posts: 85
Literally tearing my hair out now and havent even begun on constructing the greenhouse.
THE BASE....I cant seem to get the thing square..well i can..but then its not horizonal..and when i ..just about get the thing level...the back end of it is not the same height as the front end!! AND...
..the 6 spikes I have, just shortish metal pieces, do not stick into the ground. i have cemented them in..but this morning find they are loose..aka..frame can be lifted out ( just as well as have to start again anyway!! )
Any suggesting please! Its 6ft x 10ft. The metal base...i assume is flat..but could be a little bent..as have been lifting it up etc I note that when i bolt it together the edges ..although fit together..at corners..I wouldnt say its a snug fit..a line of gap...but the joint is bound together ok.
Its lying on a laid piece of cement...again...trying to get a 10 x6 and bigger concrete base all level..done in stages..aint easy..and its not level..however..i dug 6 holes, in corners and two at the sides..and lay the base in with the metal 'spikes' falling into the holes and I cemented it. No matter how many times I tried..and i really did try..to correct the base..so that its 100% level...it was impossible to be deadon all the way around ( even if it meant lifting the base off the concrete floor..gaps underneath..to fill later )
And the fact that the spikes aint stuck? any thoughts? In the poor instructions did say to use...piping?? none supplied.. I mean what do you do..stick the metal spikes in piping? and then cement??
Boring old problem i know..sorry..but any thoughts welcome. How can I get this blasted frame 100% square and level on all sides? Does it have too be???? I keep hearing about nightmare fitting glass if its not. No room for 99./9% accurate then?
Posts
...I cannot help you with the technicalities, but regarding your final paragraph I can only tell you that mine, which is a bit smaller than yours, is laid on paving slabs and they are by no means level... there are gaps around the base and during very high winds the house wobbles here and there... I can push it and it will wobble....
do I worry?... not really... the glass is still there, no problems and it's been in situ for 4 years... it's not absolutely perfect and perhaps we'd all like it to be so... if you've got 99.9% then that's a lot better than mine...
sometimes you just have to go with it...
Squareness is easy to measure. Measure (string will do) from one corner to the opposite corner (diagonal) and then do the same for the other diagonal. If the base is square or in your case rectangular then the diagonals have to be equal.
Yes, aware of measuring squareness..but really its the getting whole thing level.
And..cementing in the 4 edges/ 2 in the middle metal 'spikes'. Getting them too stick.
I have tried to upload a photo..appears easy to do..but doesnt upload?? whats up with the site? Just too see if im right re the metal spikes and best approach.
I have dug 6 holes, sat the base in there..but..not flat on the ground..so..means..using more cement to build a 'ridge' perhaps to settle it in.
Any advice on upload photos!!
What equipment are you trying to upload photos from? Can't be done from iPad or mobile device.
Trying from PC..converted photo to Gif or Jpeg..nothing.
Anyway, all it was showing was the base of a greenhouse, metal 'spike' attached downwards..heading into a hole Ive dug. The corners of the base..are not meeting properly..the metal spike attached correctly (assuming its meant to sit downwards?? into the ground?? instructions dont tell me!! ..not meant too sit upwards is it? ) Just the edges arnt meeting perfectly..not bad..but not perfect...and hence...the whole thing isnt level etc..
Spirit level?
garjobo, you still having grief? With regard to the spikes, don't worry about if they stick or not, if you are rawl plugging and screwing down base every 8 inches or so they will be providing the strength. How much is the level out, if you are talking a few mill then it won't make much of a difference. I take it the base is one of those alu box type? They are bendy as hell, and do bear in mind that once you add the weight of the greenhouse and glass, the frame will find it's own level. Provided you aren't massively out with the levels, the glass will fit np. Take a look at the way the glass fits to the window vent. When you add the window pane rubbers/sponge which grip the glass and channel water away from inside, you will see the tolerance of how much leaway either side the pane you have to play with. I'm quite lucky as mine is like maybe 10mm either side, so even though I was a little bit out, there was enough tolerance in the design that I could get away with it.
I know you've had a nightmare on this but relax, be methodical. It isn't worth having a huge stress over. If the level is only a small amount out, construct the greenhouse, you'll soon discover if the glass fits. Good luck my friend, we're all rooting for you.