With the rising cost of living, it is becoming increasingly important to grow your own food. In cold climates, a greenhouse is almost essential. However, under such conditions, it’s crucial to have a sturdy greenhouse rather than a cheap, flimsy one. In this blog article, we will explore the possibility of building a free geodesic dome greenhouse.
We have previously shared how to build a geodesic-dome greenhouse using all-wood construction, as well as one using pipe connectors. You can refer to those blog posts for detailed instructions on the construction process.
Here, we will focus on the free option. To be fair, nothing is entirely free; to build something, you need tools and, of course, screws. However, if the main building materials are free, it significantly reduces the overall cost. If you’re a DIY enthusiast, you might already have the necessary tools.
The Free Plans for the Geodesic Dome
As mentioned in our previous dome projects, we use free plans available at acidome.com. You can choose the desired size for your greenhouse and decide whether you want a V3 model (like ours) or a V2 model that uses less wood. You can also select the type of connections you prefer. For a completely free build, using the “Good Karma” connection type is a good option. Essentially, you construct triangles that are screwed together to build the dome, which is ideal for lighter wood.
The Wood for the Geodesic Dome Greenhouse
The geodesic dome greenhouse is entirely built out of lightweight wood struts—no heavy, strong wood is required. When our second dome needed some repairs, we used wood from crates that we got locally for free. It was a stressful time; our main goal was to fix it before the growing season. To be honest, I didn’t expect it to last more than a season, if at all.
However, two years later, the wood is still holding strong, despite not being treated and partially covered. This made me wonder if it would be possible to build a free greenhouse out of crate wood.
Regarding treatment, a follower suggested using borax. It is supposed to work exceptionally well. Boil water, then add 1/3 cup of borax and stir until it dissolves. Apply it as if you are painting the wood. Borax acts as an antifungal.
Wood crates are typically used for shipping utilities or vehicles and are often sturdier than pallets since they are designed to hold more weight. Once the shipping process is complete, they are usually discarded. Check your local motorcycle shops, shipping stations, or local marketplaces for availability.
Pallet wood can also be used, especially if you can access larger and stronger pallets. The same principle applies; ensure you find quality pallets that are HT/HP, which refers to “heat treated” or “hot pressure” treated.
Another option is coal wood in your local lumber store. It is probably not completely free, but significantly cheaper since it is wood that is not suited for sale.
The Covering for the Geodesic Dome Greenhouse
Our first geodesic dome was covered with recycled greenhouse plastic. When a large hoop-style greenhouse needs a new cover, it often still has a lot of good plastic left over, even though the whole thing needs replacement. Since we only need small pieces for the dome, it’s easy to cut the material to size.
With the “Good Karma” type of dome, you can wrap each triangle individually before screwing them together. The plastic pieces can be small, so ask around for free plastic, as it often needs to be recycled anyway. The recycled greenhouse plastic we used for our first dome lasted many years, proving to be a reliable option.
There you have it: a free geodesic-dome greenhouse for a DIY enthusiast willing to research and source free local materials. I’d love to hear if this is something you would consider doing or if you have already attempted it. Let us know in the comments!
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