Anyone have a small DIY hoop house they built? Many ways to do them looking for tips or ideas for best way to proceed if I decide to do one. Material used and for longevity.

The government will pay most of the cost through:

https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs-initiatives/eqip-high-tunnel-initiative

You have to meet with your local county, or state worker and they will tell you the specifications on size and location.

Keith

Very interesting an helpful information. I may check in with our local office on this. Thank You!

The only thing I dislike about it is I have t deal with Government and all the hoops you need to jump through and also after the facts and through the years you operate it. You are tied for life! Lol

I made one years ago from 1 1/4 or 1 1/2 " PVC pipe.. Stakes driven into the ground with the pipe over them and bent into a hoop, with another pipe in the center like a ridge...tarped with a blue tarp....lasted a few years but a heavy snow finally collapsed it, so not the best idea, lol

I ended up putting up those portable 10x20 garage "huts" They've held up pretty good, you want the heavier 2 3/8 steel pipes, those are still pretty inexpensive, but the sun eventually breaks down the tarps and you need to get a replacement. The one I have up now is on the 3rd tarp , but it's been up over 20 years....unfortunately a big hickory trunk fell on it a couple months ago so it's got a pretty good bend in it, lol, but it didn't collapse, so there's that...

A plastic covered green house needs a double layer of plastic with an air barrier in between. i was told by a green house owner that 3-4 inches between them is ideal. I put up a 20' x 24' square tube frame that was meant to be a car port and covered it with one layer of clear plastic. It was early in the spring where the outside temperature was in the 30's and low 40's at night and would get up to 50-65 during the day. If the sun was out it would get up over 120 inside during the day and drop to the same temperature as outside at night. I was hoping it would extend my growing season a month on each end. About all it did was block any rain from getting inside. I haul my garden water, so that was not a real plus. I have three foot curtains on the north and south side that I can open to cool it down during the day. They run a blower to keep keep the two layers of plastic separated and a temperature controlled fan to help regulate the temperature. I don't have electricity where the green house sets and didn't feel like running a line to it. I am not sure how big or small you are thinking, but there is more to one then a frame and plastic.

Thanks gcs. I'm thinking about doing one and have a lot of cattle panels and would make a good sturdy structure but still not a permanent structure. Those panels would arch to a center ridge pole etc....

Just thinking out load but what if you dug down say 6 feet, put three feet of wood chips in then arched your panels over your trench, may help stabilize Temps inside.

I have helped build a few with bending cattle panels bolted to 2x lumber. They worked OK and were easy to move around. Depending how far apart your ends are determines how tall the structure will be, but building side walls isn't difficult if you want a taller hoop. I do recommend staking the end boards down, as those panels put more pressure on the bottom board than one would think. They will actively try to pop back out.

I build my own caterpillar tunnels with conduit using both greenhouse plastic or frost cloth to cover depending on the need. When bending the conduit, I built a frame and jig to make it easier to get consistent results. I have a video on my YouTube channel showing how I did it, if you are interested.

I researched the USDA grants for the high tunnels and studied the requirements. There are some hoops to jump through if you want to go that route. If I remember correctly, there are inspections and how you can plant inside the high tunnel were a few of the stipulations for the first few years.

Ultimately, I wanted a greenhouse. So then I looked into a prefab and some kits and was hit with sticker shock. I ended up building a greenhouse for a lot less. I used some plans I found online and modified them to fit my needs (like 36" wide door, ventilation, using rough cut lumber, etc.).

Here's the lil post I did on the one I made

https://trapperman.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/8480379/re-greenhouse-is-coming-along#Post8480379

I tried once to make a small hot house from 3/4" PVC, it failed from the T and 4 way joints breaking.

I recently got my denial letter as I had applied for the EQIP for a high tunnel. I must not be special enough this year. Ive been told money for those programs has been tightening up. I’ve missed out on a couple nice used gothic caterpillars tunnels. Still waiting for the right deal. Happy trapping! ScottW

Greenhouse sounds attractive but I see abandoned frames sitting all over the place. Must be a reason.

I don't think I would bother with permits and all that nonsense. I built two barns , greenhouse, chicken coop, two additions on an exsisting building (a big garage). Figured none were meant for human habitation so never thought about permits or anything and never heard anything either and we are right along the highway so I'm sure big brother seen it all as I was building. Don't know about your county but ours is pretty easy going

Probably similar to what happenes with us , they don't realize you can just stick plant in with no ventilation. Spent a lot do money on plane and in on hot day cooked all over em and got discouraged

Thanks everyone for the responses.
My will be built that is portable no permanent structure. I'm like you I would never get a permit and most likely take plastic off each winter. I built one for a outfit about 8 years ago and a wind storm this past winter shreaded the plastic. Last 8 years and ever kind of weather we have in MT. So, they asked me to rebuild it for next year didn't take to long to redo everything about 50 hours for two guys. It need a lot of tweaked here and there from that storm and a compete new skin. The sides roll up on this one and has been a great hoop house and he wouldn't be without it. Hose runs inside from well next to it works great!!