Greenhouse staging & fit-out advice

[esp]

I bought a used 12'x8' aluminium greenhouse in the autumn and have had it set up over winter.

It's currently less than half full, with hardy plants, and I've been able to make do with the limited staging etc that I had. I don't have a rainwater collection set up as yet, but need to get this in place as rigging up a hosepipe to the mains will be cumbersome. There is no electricity, and I don't plan on installing it for the foreseeable future.

I'm now looking to install full staging to make efficient use of the space for growing and working, with conventional waist high staging, some higher shelving and "below bench" shaded growing / storage areas. In normal times, I'd have been keen on visiting as many greenhouses as possible to glean ideas, but this hasn't been easy for the last year!

So, before cracking on and making something from aluminium or wood, I thought I'd ask the opinion of the forum on what works (or doesn't) for them, in terms of layout and good ways to plan the staging to make effective use of space with give robust economical construction.

Thanks, Ed

[Stuart]

It's hard to improve on 3ft wide staging either side and aluminium staging from Two Wests & Elliott saves a lot of work making your own. I've always used their basic staging and found it quite adequate.

Stuart

[esp]

Thanks Stuart. You have addressed one of my questions, re good staging width.
Do you find 3ft wide works well? Is it manageable reaching stuff from the back? I am fairly tall (6ft).

[Terry S.]

The Two Wests standard staging is fine for small pots, but if you plan to have large heavy pots then their commercial grade staging is probably better. Even then, I have found that it needs an extra brace inserted in each section to prevent sagging. I use solid staging rather than slats because I have a lot of plants on the ground underneath and want to avoid excess water from watering from falling onto them.

[edds]

Having bought some of Two West's commercial staging last year, I would highly recommend it.

Why would I pay the extra compared to the 'standard' type of staging?
1. It forms a single length of staging surface along the side so pots can sit straddling different sections while still having a lip to retain some water.
2. Legs only every 4ft in the standard configuration so you have more room below to fit things in underneath.

I posted pictures of my staging in the 'Greenhouse Tours' section of the forum.

[Paul in Essex]

I'll throw this into the ring - you may have already thought it over and discarded the idea - but how about a planting border at the end? Perhaps raised by a small enclosure. Then you could plant taller columnar plants directly into the ground, give them a free root run and headroom to get big.

Then again, I just like big plants

[Tina]

Two West's commercial staging

is certainly better I do have the cheaper stuff in one greenhouse & if you even lean on the trays a little they fold up.

[esp]

Thanks all, very useful.

Nearly all of my plants have been grown from seed or cuttings in the last 5 years so i don't have many heavy pots at present.
Unfortunately, I don't think I have the luxury of space to justify a border, much as that appeals. I doubt if I'll have columnars hitting the roof for a few years, although I hope the growth rate accelerates with their move from cold frame to greenhouse.
A quick calculation indicates that the materials costs to make an aluminium bench would be a lot more than the 2 wests standard staging costs, let alone the extra time for design and construction.
So for now, I think I will go for 2 wests standard staging for all of one side of the greenhouse, and keep my assortment of benching and stands on the other side, and maybe review that side next year.

For 3 ft wide staging, I'm a bit concerned about the weight bearing capability of the trays they offer (Tina also mentions this) - am I better going with slats for their strength and then using supplementary trays as I see fit, or am I missing a fundamental advantage of whole-bench trays?

2 wests offer custom sizing which seems useful, so I can get a 12ft or 12'2" bench rather than their standard 11'5" bench, which would seem to leave an awkward unutilised gap at the ends.

[habanerocat]

I've been looking around myself at options for staging for my refurbished greenhouse. Aluminium extrusion is ideal but way too dear. Aluminium angle the same. Not much in the line of suitable staging available over here and importing was never an option.

I'm currently looking at getting box iron welded together into tables. Then either galvanising or painting depending on cost. That may be a good option if you know a local fitter/welder.

I have no problem using wood for the staging top as it dries out fully between waterings and will last for years and years. But I wouldn't use it in the legs.

I'm finding my existing one metre/three foot staging a bit deep as I get older. 850mm looks more suitable for me now.

[FredG]

I have no problem using wood for the staging top as it dries out fully between waterings and will last for years and years. But I wouldn't use it in the legs.

Why not wooden legs?

My first self constructed staging is still going strong 37years later and that's in a greenhouse with lots of water (Sarracenia lagoons etc). The flooring has been watered regularly in summer to keep the humidity up too.

I made it up with untreated wood simply stained with water based preservative.