Wood Greenhouse Plans

This step by step diy woodworking project is about 12×16 greenhouse plans. The project features instructions for building a free-standing greenhouse made from lumber. This medium sized greenhouse is wide, so that you have enough space to grow a large variety of vegetables. Make sure you take a look over the rest of plans to see alternatives and more projects for your garden.

When buying the lumber, you should select the planks with great care, making sure they are straight and without any visible flaws (cracks, knots, twists, decay). Investing in cedar or other weather resistant lumber is a good idea, as it will pay off on the long run. Use a spirit level to plumb and align the components, before inserting the galvanized screws, otherwise the project won’t have a symmetrical look. If you have all the materials and tools required for the project, you could get the job done in about a day.

Projects made from these plans

Building-a-wooden-greenhouse

Cut & Shopping Lists

A – 2 pieces of 4×4 lumber – 144″ long, 2 pieces – 192″ long BASE
B – 2 pieces of 2×4 lumber – 192″ long, 9 pieces – 72″ long 2xSIDE WALL
C – 2 pieces of 2×4 lumber – 137″ long, 5 pieces – 72″ long 2xFRONT WALL
D – 2 pieces of 2×4 lumber – 35 3/4″ long, 1 piece of 2×6 lumber – 192″ long RIDGE
E – 18 pieces of 2×4 lumber – 82 1/4″ long RAFTERS
F – 2 pieces of 2×2 lumber – 69″ long, 2 pieces – 26 1/2″ long, 1 piece – 23 1/4″ long, 2 pieces – 41″ long DOOR

2 pieces of 4×4 lumber – 12′
2 pieces of 4×4 lumber – 16′
28 pieces of 2×4 lumber – 6′
4 pieces of 2×4 lumber – 12′
19 pieces of 2×4 lumber – 8′
4 pieces of 2×4 lumber – 16′
1 piece of 2×6 lumber – 16′
5 pieces of 2×2 lumber – 6′
500 pieces of 2 1/2″ screws
film
vent opener
thermostat outlet
hinges + latch

Tools

Hammer, Tape measure, Framing square, Level

Miter saw, Drill machinery, Screwdriver, Sander

Safety Gloves, Safety Glasses

Time

One day

Building a 12×16 greenhouse

Building the base

The first step of the project is to build the base for the greenhouse. Use 4×4 lumber for the components. Select the right location for your greenhouse, making sure it gets at least 8 hours of light every day. Remove the vegetation layer and level the surface thoroughly.

Make sure the corners of the frame are right-angled using a carpentry square. Measure the diagonals and make adjustments until they are square.

Cutting the ends of the base beams

Make notches to the ends of the beams, as shown in the diagram. Make parallel cuts and remove the excess material with a chisel. Drill pilot holes and lock the beams together using 3 1/2″ screws.

Installing the stakes

Use 2×4 stakes to anchor the base to the ground, as shown in the plans. Use 2 1/2″ screws to secure the stakes to the base. This will ensure the greenhouse will resist to winds.

Building-the-side-walls

Continue the project by assembling the side walls from 2×4 lumber. Drill pilot holes through the plates and insert 2 1/2″ screws into the studs. Place the studs equally-spaced and make sure the corners are square.

Fitting the side walls

Fit the side walls to the base of the greenhouse. Plumb the walls with a spirit level and secure them to the base by inserting 2 1/2″ screws through the bottom plates. Use 2×4 braces to lock the side walls temporarily.

Building-the-front-and-back-wall-frame

Build the front and the back walls from 2×4 lumber. Drill pilot holes through the plates and insert 2 1/2″ screws into the studs. Check if the corners are square and leave no gaps between the components.

Assembling the frame of the greenhouse

Fit the front and back walls to the frame of the greenhouse, as shown in the diagram. Use 2 1/2″ screws to secure the walls to the base. In addition, lock the adjacent walls together by using 2 1/2″ screws. Make sure the corners are right angled before inserting the screws.

Fitting the top ridge

Next, fit the 2×4 supports for the top ridge. Center the supports to the top plates and plumb them with a spirit level. Toe-nail the supports to the top plate with 2 1/2″ screws. In addition, use corner connectors to lock the supports into place.

Fit the top ridge to the supports, as shown in the diagram. Make sure the corners are square and align the edges with attention. Toe-nail the top ridge to the supports with 2 1/2″ screws. In addition, install plate connectors and enhance the rigidity of the joints.

Building-the-gable-rafters

Build the rafters from 2×4 lumber. Make angle cuts at both ends of the rafters, as shown in the plans.

Fitting the rafters

Fit the rafters to the top of the greenhouse. Place the rafters equally-spaced, leaving 22 1/4″ between the them. Use 2 1/2″ screws to secure the rafters to the top plates and to the top ridge, after drilling pilot holes.

Fitting the vertical supports

Fit 2×4 supports to the front and back gable ends of the greenhouse. Drill pilot holes and insert 2 1/2″ screws to lock the supports into place.

Building the door

Assemble the frame of the door using the information from the diagram. Drill pilot holes through the top and bottom components and insert 2 1/2″ screws into the vertical studs. Fit the middle components with 2 1/2″ screws. In addition, secure the diagonal braces with 2 1/2″ screws.

Building the braces

Build the diagonal braces for the door of the greenhouse. Make cuts at both ends of the 2×2 slats, as shown in the diagram.

Fit the door

Fit the door to the opening and lock it to the studs with hinges. In addition, install a latch to keep the door closed.

Building a wooden greenhouse

Last but not least, you should take care of the finishing touches, as to be able to continue the process with the rest of the steps. Use translucent polyethylene film or polycarbonate sheets to cover the greenhouse.

Wood Greenhouse Plans

Top Tip: Check out the rest of the garden projects for more inspiration for your backyard. We have lots of greenhouse plans on MyOutdoorPlans, so don’t forget to take a look over the rest of the related projects.

This woodworking project was about wood greenhouse plans. If you want to see more outdoor plans, check out the rest of our step by step projects and follow the instructions to obtain a professional result.

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Wood Greenhouse Plans

Projects made from these plans