First concrete 4 foot lengths of scaffold tube in to the ground at 5 foot centres the quantity will depend on how the finished tunnel will be. These tubes should be 3 foot long above ground
Next fix scaffold planks to the outside of the poles on both sides and the back using builders Band
Next put the 50mm water or gas or gas pipe over the scaffold tubes and push down to the top of the scaffold boards to create the hoops for a 10foot wide tunnel use 19 foot lengths
Next build the frameworks at both ends using randomised cls timber from Wickes or B+Q
The hoops need bracing on the smaller tunnels I use 2x1 timber
on the larger ones I use the same cls as the framework just screw the wood in to the pipe
you are now ready for the sheet
you can find the sheeting instructions here
That is bloody fantastic
ReplyDeleteWhat is the cost for getting the frame up together as per your instructions
Great stuff Paul, makes me want to build one. Be interested in how much you reckon it costs as Darren says.
ReplyDeleteGreat article Paul.... Thanks for that..... Will build one next season.... Can get all the stuff off Ebay for reasonable prices! Top Man!!!
ReplyDeleteGot any Pics putting the cover on?
ReplyDeleteSeems a lot of effort for a parrot!
ReplyDeleteDarren Damo it depends how cheap you can find the stuff on ebay a roll of pipe went a couple of days ago for 36.25
ReplyDeletethe guy mentioned in his listing he had some more Item number: 320883733500
corny I did not take any photos but it was straight forward and took a couple of hours to do
Simon thanks once again for your kind comments and encouragement
Paul
ReplyDeleteThat looks great. Its the pipe that's the problem up here in the "artic circle" I think it is a 12ft wide one I'd want, do you have a lenght for the pipe needed per hoop?
Are you dead you lazy Northern bastard? I'm getting fed up with this post. Pull your finger out and do another!
ReplyDeleteHey Paul just wondering what size of scaffolding pipe did you use :) ?
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Deletevery well put together excellent tips tanx margaret
ReplyDeletecool tunnel man and thanks for putting this up, allotments have been so much fun this year
ReplyDeleteReally interested in this...how solid have you found it to be in a high wind? We're moving to north-east Scotland, and our neighbour (a farmer who grows produce for farmer's markets) lost the cover off his commercial grade tunnel twice last winter...
ReplyDeleteHi Jill I live high in the Pennines and it can get windy I have 3 of these and have had no damage the first one I built is 7 years old thanks for your question and good luck
DeleteA very informative article to read.Thanks a lot for posting this.Good Job.Keep it Up.
ReplyDeleteHi, great article...many thanks..is the MDPE pipe 63mm with ID of about 51mm??
ReplyDeleteYes thats correct 63mm
ReplyDeleteHello. I appreciate that this post is quite old however, would 32mm dia pipe be suitable if placed closer together?
DeleteThanks
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ReplyDeleteBuilt one of these using yellow pipe, solid as any normal tunnel. I used 4 by 1 to run along the ridge which I bolted through using 6mm bolts. I trenched the polythene into the ground. Excellent thing and growing plenty of produce in it.
ReplyDeleteI am thinking this method might work for a yurt.
ReplyDeleteIf my pollytunel is 12 x 16 how much plastic would I need for my pollytunel
ReplyDeletevery good idea. Unfortunately, the link to the sheeting instructions is not opening
ReplyDeleteThanks and I have a nifty proposal: Who Repairs House Windows house and renovation show
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