BCSS - Forum

I've just put up my first greenhouse at the weekend - a 6'x10' hercules one.
It's rotated so that the long 10' side is south facing - my theory being this would maximise on light and growing space.

My next winter task is to plan and build my staging so please can you post as many inspiration pics as you can? I've gone back through the search but most people tend to use commercial aluminium staging. I really want to build one myself out of wood.

My thoughts so far are that I should have my south facing bench 3ft wide which would obscure half of the door. I'd have to make a cut out/recession for the door and have a smaller aisle but I'm only slim. I could then have a thinner bench along the northfacing 10' side for potting and my tall trichos.

Any input or advice much appreciated!

(A very novice cactus grower)

Quick question - is your greenhouse aluminium or wood?

If wood it would make it much easier to make wood staging as you could attach it direct to the frame.

A bit more tricky to do that if it's aluminium.

Gerald - it’s aluminium

Welcome aloedanielo - good place to start with the advice you seek is at your local Sheffield branch bcss meetings. There are some folks there, who's crystal palaces could cover a tennis court - ( I remember their collapsing wooden lean to years ago, so you see where this may lead). And many of us with anything from shelf over the bath, window ledges, and all manner of aluminium, steel, wood, and sometimes I'm not sure what greenhouses etc. Can give advice - often visiting other growers solutions is very helpful and there are plenty here to help. Contact Peter Cowdell.

Lithos wrote: ↑Mon Dec 03, 2018 10:01 pm Welcome aloedanielo - good place to start with the advice you seek is at your local Sheffield branch bcss meetings. There are some folks there, who's crystal palaces could cover a tennis court - ( I remember their collapsing wooden lean to years ago, so you see where this may lead). And many of us with anything from shelf over the bath, window ledges, and all manner of wooden greenhouses etc. Can give advice - often visiting other growers solutions is very helpful and there are plenty here to help. Contact Peter Cowdell.

Thank you Lithos. I have already been lucky enough to visit Peter’s greenhouses. There wasn’t enough daylight for me to ask all my questions! I do love how Peter has built his staging but I guess I want as many different ideas as possible as to how I can do this
Besides their next meeting is in January and I’m inpatient!

At a risk of bucking a trend (?!), I would go for the best aluminium staging you can afford. You won't regret it 25 years later when it is as good as new. eg TwoWests must be quite close to you.

Good luck with the next phase of you winter project - spring will be exciting for you too.

I'd agree with @Tony R. You can't beat aluminium.

You might get away with wood if you have a really good quality concrete floor. That dries out fully between waterings. If your floor is anyway damp, and the staging legs are sitting on it, they will be rotten in a couple of years. Wood is fine for the table tops if allowed to dry out fully between waterings.

I agree with Tony. I'd go for really good quality metal in an aluminium greenhouse, especially a small one. It's very difficult to get stuff square and stable without fixing to the sides. I have a wooden greenhouse and a small aluminium one. I'd never have a small aluminium one again for just that reason.

Here's one of mine
http://www.aridhouse.plus.com/displaybench.html

I did study woodwork at school but probably haven't progressed much since.

I looked at a few aluminium ones before deciding they were way too flimsy

I just needed something that would take the weight of some heavy items and put up with me climbing on it during the biannual bubble wrap shuffle. Could easily be adapted to different sizes. The slatted top also maintains good air circulation. BTW my floor is damp profed.

I have seen others with concrete block pillars with scaffold planks laid across and covered with weed fabric.





Regards
Dave

I' m with Tony, good quality aluminium is worth the cost in the longer term.
In the old days, before the wife influenced the appearance of the garden, I used second hand dexion and some planks I got cheap.
Recently I've used 2 Wests and got them to make a "professional" strength bench to size. For tricky shaped trapesoidal extensions I got a couple of lengths of angle and "did it myself".
Cheers
David Lambie
Bristol