Heated greenhouse with your own hands

Envision entering a private haven of lush greenery, flourishing even during the coldest winter months. That is precisely what a heated greenhouse provides—a safe haven where plants can thrive all year round, protected from inclement weather. However, you don’t have to spend a fortune to reap the rewards of a heated greenhouse. You can build your own heated greenhouse in your backyard with a little creativity and do-it-yourself attitude.

Building a homemade heated greenhouse is a fun project for anyone who loves to garden and wants to grow fresh produce all year round, regardless of the weather. Even when the ground is covered in snow outside, it offers a warm haven where you can escape into nature’s embrace in addition to providing a nurturing environment for plants.

You can customize a heated greenhouse to fit your needs and tastes by building your own. Everything can be tailored to your gardening objectives and style preferences, from picking the ideal spot in your yard to selecting the best materials. Furthermore, there’s no better feeling than raising plants from seedlings to harvest in an area you’ve designed yourself.

Building a heated greenhouse may seem like a difficult project at first, but don’t worry—this guide will walk you through it step-by-step so that even people with little DIY experience can do it. You can soon experience the pleasures of a heated greenhouse and take pride in your achievement and your plants’ warmth with the correct advice and an open mind.

Heating systems for greenhouses

The gardener will harvest more plants in the greenhouse if more ideal growing conditions are established. Solar energy or heat produced by the organic materials’ breakdown (fertilizers, compost, peat) can be used to heat greenhouses. Nevertheless, using specialized equipment is the simplest way to heat a greenhouse. Although installing the equipment yourself is feasible, it is best to enlist the help of experts because the engineering design is fairly intricate. Take into consideration a few greenhouse heating systems.

Gas heating of greenhouses

The foundation of this heating system is the use of gas burners, which get their natural gas from supply lines. The heated air is delivered to various sections of the greenhouse via an air duct system after the gas is burned. This system has several serious drawbacks, including: (See also: Handcrafted heat exchanger for the furnace.)

• Expensive to install gas supply lines;

Elevated risk of fire;

Poor environmental friendliness

For springtime greenhouse heating, use a gas heat gun.

Water heating of greenhouses

The most frugal way to heat the greenhouse in the winter is with water heating. Heaters, water mains, and a boiler are all part of the system. These systems typically have multiple heating circuits. Three circuits are installed in the greenhouse: one below the ceiling, one in the middle of the walls, and one directly on the ground. Convection currents swiftly rise upward, so a single circuit is insufficient to effectively heat the space. Furthermore, the ground continues to be cold, which is detrimental to the growth of plant roots.

The greenhouse’s water heater

Infrared heating

The most advanced approach is this one. The system’s main benefit lies in its solar analogy. Surface heating requires the use of thermal energy. This covers the soil within the greenhouse, the plants, and the greenhouse’s walls. Low air heating losses are the outcome. Airborne moisture builds up and promotes healthy plant growth. Because the earth is heated, ideal conditions are created for the growth of roots. Ecological cleanliness is one of the main benefits.

The ability of infrared heating to produce goods at a low cost is crucial for the industrial cultivation of horticultural products. (Refer to

Additionally: a stove that burns slowly with your hands)

Greenhouse heated by infrared radiation from above

It should be mentioned that winter greenhouse heating is an extremely costly pleasure. Heat exchange is more intensive here than it is in residential or commercial spaces because of the large area of transparent material, which means extra expenses. It is vital to consider lighting and wind protection during the design process in order to lower the energy costs associated with heating the greenhouse and the production costs.

Using infrared film, heat the greenhouse from below

Stove heating with your own hands

Using a stove to help with greenhouse heating is a fairly simple and affordable project. There are two ways to go about this.

In the first scenario, a brick firebox needs to be constructed inside the greenhouse. Along the length of the greenhouse, the chimney needs to be dragged over the beds or placed in the ground beneath them. It is best to lead the chimney outside of the heated space. There are a few guidelines to follow when installing this kind of heating:

1. The distance between the walls of the greenhouse and the firebox should be at least 25 cm.
2. If the chimney goes above the beds, it should be located above the plants at a height of 15 cm.

The second scenario has the following arrangement for heating:

1. A large barrel with a volume of at least 3 cubic meters is painted inside for 2 times.
2. Inside it make holes for the chimney, stove, top – for the expansion barrel, bottom – for the drain cock.
3. Using a welding machine and metal, the stove is made and inserted into the barrel.
4. A chimney is led out of the barrel, a pipe up to 5 meters high is installed outside.
5. An expansion barrel of up to 20 liters is attached to the top of the barrel.
6. Profile pipes, through which the hot water will go, are placed on the ground at a distance from each other up to 1.2 meters, so that the soil is evenly heated, and the roots of plants do not freeze.
7. Install a factory inexpensive pump for proper water circulation.

Warming of the stove

Fuel can be made from any type of wood, sawdust, or construction waste. You must connect an electronic temperature sensor in order to regulate the greenhouse’s temperature.

Building a heated greenhouse by hand is a satisfying project if you’re looking to furnish your home with a warm and sustainable atmosphere. This article explores the transformational potential of building a heated greenhouse, which can warm your living area and provide a year-round haven for plants. You can increase the growing season, cultivate a variety of plant species, and even reduce energy costs by utilizing the principles of insulation and effective heating techniques. DIY enthusiasts can embark on a rewarding journey towards a greener and more vibrant home with the help of this guide, which offers step-by-step instructions and practical insights on everything from choosing the right materials to installing heating systems.

Options for heating the greenhouse

Learn the key components of the systems that are most frequently used to heat greenhouses.

Steam heating

If it is possible to link the greenhouse’s heating system to the home’s heating system, this option ought to be taken into account.

Good insulation is required for the pipes that connect the house to the greenhouse. The boiler’s power reserve should be adequate to heat the house and greenhouse to the appropriate degree.

Moreover, autonomous steam heating can be set up. In this instance, the greenhouse’s room houses the boiler. The heating unit is connected to pipes and batteries, and coolant is available. Heat is traditionally carried by water.

Typically, the system is finished with the proper pumping equipment to guarantee the forced circulation of water.

Air heating

Air heated in a special boiler’s furnace is used to organize air heating. High heat output indicators and little fuel expenditure are characteristics of this type of heating.

After turning on the machinery, the temperature inside the greenhouse can rise by 20 degrees Celsius in about 30 minutes. The system also has the benefit of not requiring the use of any intermediate heat transfer fluids.

Gas heating

Heat is produced in this system through gas combustion. The system can be set up by using fuel in cylinders or by connecting to the gas that is permanently connected.

A significant amount of air from the heated room is drawn in during system operation, along with the release of carbon dioxide, water, and other wastes that are harmful to both people and plants. Because of this, setting up gas heating will result in higher expenses for setting up a ventilation system.

Smaller greenhouses are ideally suited for this heating. However, the expense and complexity of maintenance may be unaffordable if used in large areas.

Electric heating

Effective greenhouse heating can be achieved with modern electric heating units without the need for extra work.

One must acknowledge that the primary benefit of these devices is that they solely heat the soil and plants during operation. Not all of the air is heated simultaneously. It absorbs heat from the heated earth gradually. This enables you to set up a heating system that is both highly efficient and cost-effective.

Because modern systems come with sensors and temperature regulators, there is plenty of room to separate the greenhouse into distinct thermal zones and offer the ideal growing conditions for each type of plant.

Stove heating

Greenhouse stove

The central component of this type of heating system is a solid fuel boiler, which typically runs on coal or wood.

A solid fuel boiler and a chimney that extends from the greenhouse room to the street comprise the most basic stove heating system. In order to arrange the most efficient and superior heating, you can also finish the system with pipes and radiators.

There are contemporary long-burning boilers and traditional wood stoves on the market. These devices use fuel as efficiently as possible and don’t require frequent refueling.

The growing plants may simply die if a solid fuel boiler is installed inside the greenhouse room because it will dry out the soil and air. You must make sure to install an air humidification system in the greenhouse when installing a solid fuel boiler to avoid this from occurring. Installing a sizable water container usually suffices.

The most common method of heating a greenhouse is stove heating. Furthermore, the setup of such a system is not difficult; even a novice craftsman could handle the task. In terms of cost, solid fuel heating clearly prevails over electric heating. For this reason, the greenhouse’s heating system hierarchy will be examined using stove heating as an example.

Heating and the correct location of equipment in the greenhouse

It won’t hurt to keep in mind one of the physics laws, which states that warm air tends upward and cold air downward, for the proper positioning of the heating system you have selected. For this reason, there may be a 2 degree Celsius temperature differential between the ground’s surface and the space beneath the greenhouse’s vault.

What does knowing this law give us? Furthermore, even though we successfully heat the ceiling of the greenhouse by selecting an efficient heating system without considering this law, our green pets remain cold. What actions are possible?

Since we need to heat the ground and the plants, not the ceiling, it is also a good idea to bury the boiler that heats the greenhouse and the pipes that come from it. It will be beneficial to have heating batteries somewhere beneath the beds, at a depth of roughly 30 to 40 centimeters, in addition to the greenhouse’s perimeter. This will prevent your plants’ root systems from freezing during particularly strong frosts, even in extremely cold weather.

It is ideal for the heating pipes to pass beneath the shelves of the greenhouse when planting potted plants. Using cold air, this technique will produce a dependable thermal wall.

Another small trick is to slightly alter the greenhouse’s heating system so that, instead of leading straight up, the chimney pipe will lead to the opposite edge of the greenhouse and only from there will it lead to the outside. In this manner, you can harness the heat that enters your greenhouse through the pipe and heats the street to your advantage.

Infrared lamps

The most profitable and cost-effective method of heating the greenhouse is through the use of infrared lamps. Up to 30% less electricity will be used in the greenhouse if the lamps are positioned correctly.

In order to minimize heat loss and the likelihood of drafts, lamps are typically positioned close to greenhouse windows. Additionally, you cover a little bit more ground by angling the lamps.

Additionally, greenhouse owners report that up to 25–30% more plants are fruitful and grow when infrared heating is used.

What to consider when choosing a heating system

The room’s overall measurements and type must be considered when selecting a heating system, t.к. Additionally, the heating intensity needed for various materials will vary.

For instance, a greenhouse composed of polyethylene will need more intense heating than a greenhouse made of polycarbonate due to its high heat loss.

Polycarbonate greenhouse

Consider the size of the overall system installation and maintenance costs when planning the greenhouse’s heating system. Certain heating solutions are not practical for use in small greenhouses because they demand a large financial commitment. Others require little effort and low cost to install, but they use a lot of fuel when running.

If not, the owner has to determine whether using this or that heating option will be beneficial for his particular circumstances. The system’s primary functions should be to distribute heat evenly throughout the space, avoid overdrying the air, and provide ideal growing conditions for crops.

How to calculate the capacity of the heating system

The heat transfer coefficient of the transparent surface, temperature differential, and glazing area are all taken into consideration when calculating the heating system’s power. We multiply these numbers to get the amount of power needed for the heating apparatus. (See also: Build your own Bubafonya stove.)

The difference in temperature between this greenhouse’s permitted minimum and maximum is known as the temperature difference. The documentation for the light-conducting material contains information on the heat transfer coefficient. This coefficient for cellular plastic is 2.98. Therefore, the design capacity of the heating system increases as the greenhouse’s area does.

Estimated building of the greenhouse

Automatic temperature regulation in the greenhouse

While heating the greenhouse is crucial, it is insufficient to produce a harvest. It is necessary to control heat. When the plant grows, the temperature should fluctuate. Three different temperatures are required: one for fruit setting, one for seedling development, and one for ripening. For cucumbers, for instance, a temperature of approximately 22 degrees Celsius during the day and 18 degrees at night are ideal for fruit development. You have two options for controlling the greenhouse’s heating: either manually or automatically.

The equipment for an automatic temperature and humidity control system is far more expensive than independent regulation, but if a gardener wants to produce large yields, the payback period of investments can be calculated with a few simple calculations. It won’t be around for very long, but it will quickly affect profits significantly.

Control and regulation of greenhouse temperature

Automation will select the best heating mode after temperature sensors provide a prompt signal to activate the proper heating circuit. In this instance, variations in the external temperature won’t harm the growth of the plants. The efficiency of manually controlling the greenhouse’s heating will be lower than that of automatic control.

Winter greenhouse

The application of electronic microclimate control devices is equally important for small winter gardens and greenhouses as it is for large greenhouses. Tropical exotic plants can be extremely sensitive to changes in humidity and temperature. Maintaining the required microclimate parameters by yourself is a challenging task. Electronics makes it possible to smoothly control the climate parameters in the greenhouse in addition to monitoring the weather.

Boiler for a greenhouse from a gas cylinder

An empty gas cylinder, hinges, two metal door handles, a metal grate, a shut-off valve, and a coil—a U-shaped tube with threads on the ends—are all necessary. Along with the greenhouse’s length, other necessary preparations include a welding machine equipped with electrodes, a drill, a bolgar, pipes, and a radiator for the heating circuit. A small sheet of steel will be needed for the heater’s front wall.

These clever gadgets are assembled to create a boiler with a water circuit for heating a dacha greenhouse.

Divide the cylinder in half.

Divide the cylinder in half.

Step 1

Once the cylinder has been verified to be empty, use a bolgar to cut it in half. The stove’s body will be made of one of the parts, and the ash drawer will be made of the other part.

Step 2

Measure, cut, and shape a grate so that the cut piece fits inside the cylinder. Join the grate by welding. The combustion chamber for fuel (2/3 of the volume) and the ash pan (1/3 of the volume) are now separated in the furnace.

Step 3

Place the cylinder on a piece of steel, draw a chalk outline, and then cut out the front wall following the outline. Slice off one-third of the circle. Welding the handle and cutting a semicircular piece from the second part of the cylinder for the drawer bottom, we create the ash pan door from this piece.

Make a rectangular incision in the bigger section of wall. Weld handles, latches, and hinges to the sliced rectangle. The firebox must be securely covered by the door.

Ash pan and furnace door

Step 4

Present the stove’s water circuit, or coil. To lead out the ends of the threaded pipe, we drill two holes in the upper section of the furnace and mark it for the coil. Weld the coil to the stove’s top and the metal plate.

Step 5

Set up the chimney. Make a hole in the stove’s upper back section for the pipe. In order to connect the chimney, we weld a spigot. Keep an eye on the weld quality to prevent disruptions to the boiler’s operation and draft.

Weld the chimney pipe so that it passes through the entire greenhouse at a 20 degree inclination. The chimney will rise one meter above the roof and exit through the greenhouse’s back wall. To prevent a fire, make sure thermal insulation is taken into account where the greenhouse wall and chimney meet.

Using an asbestos sheet and a coupling, attach the chimney pipe to the stove pipe and tighten it with wire.

Chimney gap

Step 6

Join the metal pipes for the water circuit to the coil’s outside-led ends. Water should be pumped through the pipes using a pump and an expansion tank.

As a result, the water heated in the coil will enter the radiator and return to the boiler when it cools. There will be an additional source of heat provided by the chimney pipe. A longer chimney will also keep heat from escaping, improving the boiler’s efficiency.

Pump installation for the greenhouse heating system

Plan for heating a greenhouse

A chimney that passes through the wall of a greenhouse.

Step 7

After constructing a brick or concrete base and arranging brick screens on three of the firebox’s sides, install the stove in the greenhouse. The furnace can have legs made of any kind of rolled steel or rebar for stability.

Fuel should be added to the stove, lit, and the draft can be adjusted by opening or closing the firebox/ashbox door.

Furnace operating

The greenhouse can now be used throughout the year.

Materials needed:	Steps to build:
Polycarbonate sheets	1. Choose a suitable location for the greenhouse.
Wood or PVC pipes	2. Construct the frame using wood or PVC pipes.
Transparent tape or screws	3. Attach the polycarbonate sheets to the frame.
Door hinges and latch	4. Install a door with hinges and a latch.
Thermal insulation material	5. Insulate the greenhouse with thermal insulation material.

Constructing a self-heated greenhouse can be a fulfilling endeavor, providing a haven for flora during the coldest months. You can establish a year-round growing environment for plants by utilizing heating components and the power of sunlight.

The extended growing season is one of the key advantages of a heated greenhouse. You can plant earlier in the spring and harvest well into the fall—or, in some climates, all through the winter—if you have adequate insulation and heating.

Additionally, a do-it-yourself heated greenhouse gives you greater control over the growing environment. Whether you’re growing robust vegetables or delicate flowers, you can modify the temperature, humidity, and ventilation to meet the unique requirements of your plants.

A heated greenhouse can save you money over time in addition to offering your plants a comfortable home. You can save money on groceries and savor the satisfaction of eating fresh, homegrown food by growing your own produce all year long.

Building your own heated greenhouse is also an environmentally friendly option. You can lessen the carbon footprint of packaging and transportation by growing your own food locally. Additionally, eco-friendly supplies and methods can be used during the building process.

In conclusion, building a heated greenhouse by hand is a rewarding project with lots of advantages. A DIY greenhouse adds value to any home by extending the growing season, giving plants a controlled environment, saving money, and promoting sustainability. Now roll up your sleeves, gather your supplies, and get ready to relish your backyard oasis’ year-round bounty.