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| The Floor Of Your Geodesic Dome Greenhouse Needs To Be Both Functional & Pretty! Download YOUR Plans Here |
Natural materials like stone or brick are the choice of many greenhouse owners because they just seem to go along with plants and gardening.
Your walkway and the area beneath your greenhouse benches should be of two different materials. The walk way needs to stand up to lots of foot traffic so it will need to be something firm, durable and non-skid. Additionally it should be easy to clean and withstand constant moisture and dirt. Common materials for greenhouse walkways are concrete, brick, concrete blocks, stone, gravel, wood slats & ground bark (bark chips).
The area beneath the benches is often covered with a porous material that can be kept wet to help keep humidity levels optimal. some gardeners even like to leave the soil exposed under their greenhouse benches so they've got a little extra growing space. Common materials for under bench areas are gravel, sawdust, ground bark or any other porous material.
Always check with your local building codes but do your best to avoid a solid concrete slab as flooring for your your geodesic dome greenhouse because it eliminates any natural growing space under benches, increases costs dramatically and doesn't help with humidity.
Most of the flooring choices recommended above for geodesic structures like greenhouses are easy to install yourself. They are also readily available from building supply and gardening stores in your area.
Concrete... Concrete is very durable and relatively inexpensive flooring choice. It must e poured during the construction stage so it will have time to "cure" or set up properly before any weight is placed on it. On the down side, it can stain badly from constant water, fertilizer and algae build up. Otherwise it's easy to clean and maintain. It is considered by some to be less attractive than other more natural materials and it can be hard on your joints if you are standing on it day in and day out.
Brick... New or used brick makes a very attractive floor for a bio dome greenhouse. It can be arranged in many patters and comes in a large variety of shapes and colors. It's hard yet non-slip. A brick walkway should be set in sand within a wooden framework to keep all the bricks in shape during years of use. They are a bit on the pricey side but they are versatile, can be installed after your geodesic structure is erected and are slightly pros helping a little with humidity levels.
Concrete Blocks... Similar to bricks, concrete blocks are sturdy and fairly easy to install. They are sturdy and porous so will help with humidity levels when dampened. They do however, allow algae to grow in the air spaces making them difficult to clean. Less expensive and also less options for size and style than bricks.
Stone... Geodesic structures with a stone walk way will make a stunning greenhouse. Sadly, it can add hugely to the expense if you have to buy the stone. If you collect your own stone be sure to use only those with a flat surface for walking on so you don't trip. Stone walkways will need cleaning, just as concrete and bricks will, to keep them free of algae.
Wood Slats... Though often seen in greenhouse kits. It's not recommended you make a greenhouse walkway from wooden slats. They become slick when wet, easily grow algae making them even more slippery and will need constant treatment to protect them from moisture an distinct damage. The only up to a wood slat floor is it's inexpensive and easy to install. If you do so, plan to get some gripping mats to secure your footing.
Gravel... Gravel walkways are super easy to install. They are functional and like wood, very economical. Gravel walkways can be wet down to provide humidity. The drawback is since it's not a solid surface you will need to rake it occasionally to keep the walkway level and stable. Also, it's more difficult to keep clean than concrete or brick and will need more hosing down which could encourage algae and moss growth.
Gravel is an excellent choice for under your benches. It will help provide moisture, prevent weeds from growing and can easily be removed later if you want to add extra growing space.
Ground Bark... Very natural, inexpensive and easy to install ground bark is used frequently in greenhouses. It will need to be raked into place often because, like gravel, it isn't a solid surface. Unlike gravel it will eventually need to be replaced as it will deteriorate with time.
For under your benches it's a very good choice because it holds moisture well and discourages weeds. Just like gravel it can easily be removed when you want more growing space.
Sawdust... VERY inexpensive but best used in under-bench areas of your greenhouse. Extremely porous it ill hold a lot of moisture for greenhouses that need a lot of humidity. A very good mulch, sawdust will keep weed growth to a minimum. It will eventually decompose and can be worked into the soil either inside your greenhouse our in your garden.
There you have the most popular flooring choices for geodesic structures like greenhouses. Take the time to plan out your project before purchasing materials so you'll save money and get the geodesic dome greenhouse you've always dreamed of!
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Photo Credit erix! on Flickr.com
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