How to Build a Palram Glory Greenhouse

I've been missing a few weeks because I have been pouring every moment of free time I have into building a backyard greenhouse. It was a real challenge, but I'm very happy with the results. I figured I would share the process here on my blog because there is a lot more that goes into it than I originally thought, so maybe I can help someone else.

Hobby Greenhouse Budget

Whatever you think it will cost, it's probably more. That was my lesson with this project. And really, what gets you is a lot of small things adding up. I detail some of my expenses below to give you an idea. Not all of it may apply to your situation. To jump to the chase, I've probably spent about $4500 right now.

Greenhouse Cost

I selected a Palram Glory 8x12 greenhouse. Palram makes many models of greenhouses with this one being on the higher end. I was actually torn between this one and another model, the Balance, which is roughly $1000 less for the same size. I asked around the Greenhouse reddit and the prevailing recommendation was to get the nicest one you can afford because they generally hold up the best/longest. The 8x12 Palram Glory model was about $2600 with tax. The size of your greenhouse will affect the price. There are similar kits below $1000. I have no personal experience with them, so I can't speak about the quality differences. I am happy with the quality that I got though.

Greenhouse Base Cost

You have to have some kind of base to put your greenhouse on. If you have a relatively flat area, you may get away with minimal leveling and a box frame made of pressure-treated 4x4s or 6x6s. If you can do that you're probably looking at a sub $100 job assuming you already have the necessary tools. In addition, a lot of people put gravel and/or patio stones on the floor of their greenhouse as long as they aren't planning to plant directly into the ground. The stones serve as a thermal mass that releases heat during colder times. If you want to do that, it gets a lot more expensive.

The best spot for my greenhouse happened to be on a slope, which made a cheaper base, not an option. I ended up having to build a level platform for the greenhouse. That includes lots of pressure-treated lumber, concrete, wood screws, brackets, and insulation. I decided to insulate the floor joist after learning that a lot of heat can be lost through the floor if it's raised off the ground. All in, that ran about $800 and so much time. I have to say I was really proud when I finished though.

Cost of Equipment for the Greenhouse

Here's a major money drain that I really underestimated going in. It adds up fast. Of course, you don't necessarily need all of this but these are things to keep in mind.

Tables/workbenches

You can definitely make these yourself but that still costs money unless you have excess lumber lying around. If you're patient and flexible, you can probably pick up old furniture from Craigslist or Facebook for free. Remember, it doesn't need to be nice it'll probably be covered in dirt anyway. I ended up buying a configurable garage rack and a cheap desk to start with, which put me around $125.

Temperature Management

You will probably want one or more fans. This was one I thought, ehh I'll get it later in the summer. No! My greenhouse is already getting into the 120s on mid-70s days! Plus air circulation is good for your plants. It will help make their trunks and branches strong. You may already have an extra fan around, and they don't have to be expensive, but again it adds up.

Shade cloths are also a must for temperature control. I ended up purchasing a 40 percent shade cloth once I realized how hot it was getting. It's working nicely to reduce the high temperatures by about 10 degrees I think. Again, not overly expensive.

Speaking of temperature, you need a way to monitor the temperature. This is my favorite new gadget the Govee Bluetooth Hygrometer and Thermometer. I may do a whole separate blog about this one. This sensor tracks the temperature and humidity over time and is coupled with a nice little app that is easy to update and review your data over time. It's really helpful to know the highs and lows.

There are also temperature controlled outlets. They use sensors to turn the power on and off to an outlet. They can serve as a way to turn your fans on automatically once it becomes hot, or your heat on in the winter if you're planning to use your greenhouse four seasons.

Speaking of four seasons, if you want to use your greenhouse in the winter you need to think about heat. In most cases you won't need to keep your greenhouse super warm even with plants in it, you just need to keep it above freezing. Some people use small space heaters. You can also use giant rain barrels of water which serve as thermal mass. Space heaters are cheap, but the energy bill might not be. Rain barrels can be kind of expensive and the thermal mass is minimally effective unless you have a lot, like to the point you barely have room for plants.

Cost of Plants for Your Greenhouse

Congratulations on your greenhouse! Now you have to fill it. There are so many ways you can go about this so it's hard to price out. Starting plants from seed is the most economical. You still have to buy soil and some kind of plant containers. Nursery pots and cloth planters are about as cheap as you can get. Honestly, I've started looking at all the things in my house that I can reuse when they are done. That empty detergent bottle? Cut the top off drill some holes in the bottom and you got a planter.

I bought my greenhouse to keep a Limequat tree that I usually overwinter in my house. To stay on theme, I bought a couple of big trees, which are expensive. A Meyer Lemon and Key Lime twisted around each other in the same pot and an Avocado tree, both were over $100. I also bought a Dragon Fruit Vine that was about $30 and a tiny Mulberry tree for $20 from Etsy. I also picked up a couple of tomatoes and peppers from the local box store. Finally, I brought a few house plants and indoor herbs out just to fill some room. It's still very empty so you can imagine how it all adds up.

Building the Palram Glory Greenhouse

As I mentioned earlier, you have to start with the base. You need something to secure your greenhouse too. There are too many options to go over in detail but to give you an idea some people level the ground and build a wood box frame, some people pour a concrete pad, or some people build a platform. Once you have your base set, you can start building the greenhouse kit.

Inventory

I know it's hard not to start building right out of the gate, but taking inventory is really helpful. My kit came in three large boxes and it was really hard to find things. I didn't start with inventory and I regretted it. After about three steps in, I circled back and did the inventory. It's actually helpful to have post-it notes or something to label the pieces too. They have stickers with the part numbers, but they are teeny. I'm not complaining, I hate tearing off giant stickers, but it's still hard to see.

I also think it's a good idea to do an inventory of the steps you will do. The manual for my 8x12 greenhouse was about 70 steps/pages of building. The instructions are pictures only, no words. I found it helpful to look ahead and have an idea of what order things would be done. Also, there were many instances where you place a nut and bolt but do not fully tighten them, so keep that in mind. Another helpful thing to look ahead for is the automatic roof vent openers. They work using wax that melts and solidifies moving a piston. You need to freeze the piston to get the wax cold before you install it, otherwise, it will be really hard to work with because it might open from the heat.

Building

I built the greenhouse over the course of about 10 days by myself. That's is an hour here and a there and maybe a couple of hours strung together on the weekend. This is mostly due to working full-time and having a toddler. You just don't get that much free time. If I didn't have a toddler though, I think I could have knocked it out over a weekend, probably eight hours total. Tools-wise I needed a socket wrench, phillips head screwdriver, ladder, and a power drill for this kit. All of which I already had.

Building happens from the ground up. The bottom pieces and the walls go up really quickly and you start to think it's going to go fast! The roof is a little slower. You have to use a ladder and I think that's the biggest slowdown. Last are the roof vents and door, which literally take up half of the instruction manual. There are A LOT of pieces to the vents and door.

Sealing the Greenhouse

This is completely optional, but I spent another weekend sealing every single panel with a foam backer and even caulk in some areas. I'm most worried about my ability to heat this thing sufficiently in the winter and sealing as many air leaks as possible is necessary. Doing it upfront means I won't have to move a bunch of stuff around to seal come fall.

This was a really fun project and I felt a real sense of accomplishment completing it. I'm lucky that wifi from my house reaches the greenhouse so I have been spending a lot of time out here just hanging out. I might even work there in the mornings before it gets too hot. There's still a lot of room left too so I still have some fun for the future too. Are you thinking about a greenhouse? Let me know in the comments if you have any questions.