high tunnel

[randy41]

i'm putting up a high tunnel and the first step is to put in the ground posts. is there an instrument i can rent that will make it easier to install the ground posts (26) so that they end up plumb, level, and in line? the posts are 6' and go 3' into the ground. i guess this is like the initial phase of building a pole building. i have set up batter boards and strings and its all squared up.
also, the posts are supposed to be set in concrete and i was thinking of getting the kind you pour into the hole and add water. is there any reason not to use that? it seems much easier than mixing batches.

 

[VA MTN MAN]

i'm putting up a high tunnel and the first step is to put in the ground posts. is there an instrument i can rent that will make it easier to install the ground posts (26) so that they end up plumb, level, and in line? the posts are 6' and go 3' into the ground. i guess this is like the initial phase of building a pole building. i have set up batter boards and strings and its all squared up.
also, the posts are supposed to be set in concrete and i was thinking of getting the kind you pour into the hole and add water. is there any reason not to use that? it seems much easier than mixing batches.

The way we always did it was to set the pole in the hole and take a 2x4 and brace the pole in 2 directions nailed to a 2x4 stake driven in the ground. This way you can set and plumb all your poles then pour the concrete. Just make sure your holes are large enough to allow you to move the pole around.

 

[schmism]

you didnt mention how big the building was.

id pull string lines for outside dimensions of posts. then dig holes for the corners and set the corner posts to the string lines. Id premix the concrete for the first foot or so of the hole (enough to hold the post there)

once the corner posts are in and set (in all 3 dimensions) ie either the concrete is hard or stabilized with bracing, then its a simple matter to pull a string line from the edge of one corner post to the edge of the other one and set all the other posts in the middle to it (in 3 dimensions)

 

[randy41]

its 26x48. what you said steve is pretty much my plan except that the posts will be driven 1' into the ground at the bottom of the 2' hole so i can set them as i want them and then add the concrete. after spending part of yesterday adjusting corners to get it square i thought there might be an easier way to do this without depending on strings. i'm not so confident that strings will get my corner posts level with each other.
the posts are 6' long round steel tubing.

 

[schmism]

i'm not so confident that strings will get my corner posts level with each other. the posts are 6' long round steel tubing.

oh well... ya round tubeing doesnt quite "square up" to 2 string lines does it :thumbsup:

I assume a high tunnel is one of them high dommed ploy covered buildings. so really all you need to do is make shure the posts are reasonably in a straight line and make shure the 2 opposite sides are the right distance apart. after that does it really matter if its 1/4" within sq if your just stretchering poly over tubular hoops?

 

[randy41]

finally finished this.

 

[duanekeys]

Looks good! I'm always confused by the terminology surrounding these structures.

We have one, we call it a greenhouse. It's 18x48. It has a kick-wall that is 4' high on the long sides, a solid wood west wall and a plastic east wall. We use it to get an early start on seedlings and sell the mature plants in the spring.

This is an older picture, it now has a double layer of plastic on it and some landscaping around it.

So we call ours a greenhouse but folks around here use the term high tunnel for a structure that goes over plants planted in the ground. Is that how you will use it?

 

[randy41]

i'm going to plant directly in the ground in the high tunnel. but i have 2 other structures that i call hoop houses that i also grow things planted directly in the ground in. also have some low tunnels. there seems to be many names for the same thing.
the high tunnel in the picture also gets a second layer of plastic but i'm going to wait until fall to do that.

 

[Taylortractornut]

Im about to put one up myself i bought an old one thats made from 1 by 2 galvanized tubing. Its a 38 by 50. Well it was 38 by 100 bt I sold dad half of it. Im going to set some piers and bolt some 3by3 by 1/4 galvanized angle after we get it squared Im going to tack the uprights then weld them after its all set up. Im going to use it as a seedling starting area for my market farm and plant sales. THen towards the end of the season I will pull out the tables and use it to extend the season on some late plants and raised compost beds.

 

[tungularafishcamp]

Must be a contagious disease, hightunnelitis. Just put the polycarb on the endwalls today on my 20x50. Had my old one made out of driftwood for 30 years before I found out it was a high tunnel and not a greenhouse, oh well learn something new every day. Yours is lookin good!!!
Rick