If you need a small space where to store you flower during cold days or you just want to grow fresh vegetables for your family, you should consider building a 8×16 lean to greenhouse. On one hand, you could attach the greenhouse the an existing building or you could place it on one corner of your property. Irrespective of your choice, it is essential to choose proper lean-to greenhouse plans. A lot more greenhouses plans HERE.

Use quality lumber for your construction, as the components should be straight and weather-resistant. From our experience, pressure-treated lumber or pine are good choice, provided they are in a good condition. Cover the wooden structure with polyethylene film or polycarbonate sheets, according to your budget and needs. In addition, build several vents between the rafters, in order to ventilate the plants properly.

Made from this plan

Building a lean to greenhouse

Building a lean to greenhouse

Materials

• 1 – 2 pieces of 2×4 – 192”, 9 pieces of 2×4 – 46 1/2″ SHORT WALL
• 2 – 2 pieces of 2×4 – 192”, 9 pieces of 2×4 – 81″ TALL WALL
• 3 – 6 pieces of 2×4 – 46 1/2″, 2 pieces of 2×4 – 57 1/2″, 2 pieces – 70″, 1 piece – 30″ WALLS
• 4 – 11 piece of 2×4 – 103 1/4″ RAFTERS
• 5 – 6 pieces of 2×4 – 22 1/2”, 6 pieces of 2×2 – 30, 6 pieces – 19 1/2″ VENTS
• 6 – 2 pieces of 1×3 lumber – 68 1/2”, 3 pieces of 1×3 lumber – 25″ DOOR

• 4 pieces of 2×4 lumber – 16 ft
• 27 pieces of 2×4 lumber – 8 ft
• 11 pieces of 2×4 lumber – 10 ft
• 5 pieces of 2×2 lumber – 8 ft
• 4 pieces of 1×2 lumber – 8 ft
• 3 1/2″ screws
• 2 1/2″ screws
• 1 5/8″ screws
• greenhouse film
• automatic vent opener
• door hinges
• door latch
• hinges for vents

Tools

• Hammer, Tape measure, Carpentry square
• Miter saw, Drill machinery, Screwdriver, Sander, Router
• Safety Gloves, Safety Glasses, Respiratory Mask

Time

• One day

Lean to greenhouse plans

Small wall plans

The first step of the project is to build the side walls of the lean to greenhouse. As you can easily notice in the image, you need to use 2×4 lumber and 3″ galvanized screws. Drill pilot holes trough the bottom and top plates and insert 3″ screws into the studs. Place the studs every 24″ OC, in order to support the weight of the structure properly.

Building the large wall

Next, you need to build the opposite wall of the greenhouse, in the same manner described above. In addition, you need to cut the top of the studs at 20.5º or at the angle you want he greenhouse to have. In addition, place the top plate to the frame with great care and align it at both ends, if you want to get the job done as a professional.

PRO TIP: Check if the corners are right-angled before continuing the project with the next steps. Place the frames into chosen location and secure them temporarily with 2×4 braces. Measure the diagonals of the layout and make cure they are perfectly equal.

Build the rafters from 2×4 lumber. Make the cuts to the beams, as shown in the diagram.

Fitting the rafters

Place the rafters to the frame of the greenhouse, every 24″ OC, and lock them to the top plates with 3 1/2″ galvanized screws.

PRO TIP: Drill pilot holes into the rafters before inserting the screws, to prevent the wood from splitting. In addition, plumb the rafters with a spirit level, if you want to get a professional result.

Back wall plans

The next step is to build the back wall of the greenhouse. As you can see in the image, you need to use 2×4 lumber. Cut the components at both ends and lock them into place with galvanized screws. Use a spirit level to check if the studs are plumb and if the plate is horizontal.

Front wall plans

Building the front face is not difficult, if the right plans are used. As you can notice in the image, you should let enough space for a large door. Framing the door should be done as in the plans, as to provide a good support to the constructions.

Building the door

Building a door for the greenhouse is a straight forward process, if the right plans and tools are used. Build the frame of the door using 1×4 lumber and lock them together with pocket screws. Drill pocket holes at both ends of the small components and secure them to the sides with 1 1/4″ screws. Attach the door too the frame with several metal hinges, after making sure it is perfectly level and aligned properly.

PRO TIP: There should be about 1/8″ clearance space between the door and the frame, in all directions, otherwise the door won’t open properly.

Building the air vents

If you want to ventilate the greenhouse properly, you should build several vents between the rafters. Build the frame of the vents from 2×2 lumber, as in the image, and lock them to the roof with metal hinges. Place a piece of polycarbonate to the frame of the vent. In addition, you could install a vent opener, in order to automate the process. When the temperature inside the greenhouse exceeds a certain level, the brace will open the vent to let the cold air to get in.

Lean to greenhouse plans

Last but not least, you should take care of the finishing touches. Therefore, we recommend you to check if the components are locked into place properly and if the walls are perfectly plumb. Make sure there are no protruding screws or sharp edges that might damage the polyethylene foil.

PRO TIP: Stretch the film over the structure of the greenhouse and lock it into place with 1×2 strips of wood. Secure the 1×2 components to the rafters, using 1 5/8” wood screws.

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