The covering of the Greenhouse makes all the difference on how much protection your GeoDome will give you. A single layer of greenhouse plastic poly keeps a greenhouse 4 degrees warmer at night than the outside temperature. Adding another layer of plastic poly filled with air in between would more then double the protection. Also double walled polycarbonate panels would significantly increase the protection. Depending on how much protection you want, get creative with the cover.
Because of the shape of the dome covering can be tricky. Acidome calculator calculates nicely the size of the facets, which is especially important for pricier coverings.
Covering the GeoDome Greenhouse with greenhouse plastic film
We covered our dome with used greenhouse plastic poly that was given to us from a commercial greenhouse. It still had plenty of life left. With our free plastic cover we simply laid the struts on the plastic and cut the 2-3 facets approximately. Cutting the plastic for 3 facets in a row worked the best. Any overlaps we trimmed with a utility knife.
First we stapled the plastic to the struts and then used the 1 cm planks to hold it in place which also pointed out the structure of the GeoDome even more. We like it :).
Covering the GeoDome Greenhouse with Shrink Film
Shrink film comes in different colors as well as transparent. Because of the dome shape, it makes sense to use shrink film. As far as frost protection goes, it would be about the same as greenhouse plastic. This video shows how to cover a GeoDome Greenhouse with Shrink Wrapping
Covering the GeoDome Greenhouse with polycarbonate panels
Polycarbonate panels are probably the most durable cover you can have. You can chose the thickens you want and the size of panels you need.
Here is a great tutorial about how to cover a GeoDome Greenhouse with polycarbonate panels.
If you want to build a Geodesic Dome too, we share a step by step How to build a GeoDome Greenhouse.
A Geodesic Greenhouse Book: Building and Using a Solar-Heated Geodesic Greenhouse.
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You make it sound so easy! I’d really like to own one of those, maybe someday!
Well, it is work, but sure doable and very rewording! Hope you can have one soon.
You can, and it also does not cost very much. depending on the size you want. less than $500.00 to build it yourself. To see what I mean, go to the Desert Domes web site for the information on it.
I didn’t realize just how big it was until I saw your husband (I’m assuming that’s your husband?) on top of it! WOW! I’m pretty sure it would mean an HOA fine for me LOL
Yep, that’s him. And yes it is big, you are funny 🙂
What a fantastic project! How nice to have a little haven to go to garden amongst the snow. ~Renee
Wow! What a fun project! Do you grow in your geo dome year round? If not, when do you begin your growing season?
Have a great weekend!
No, we do not grow year round. We are in zone 3a, it gets really cold here. But I have started as early as march (I know it is not early for most parts of the world, but here it is).
This is the coolest thing ever! You all are busy. Thank you for all the amazing info you always provide.
I would love to have a greenhouse – any greenhouse. That’s a huge one! Maybe I should start with something a wee bit smaller. 🙂
Hi Anna, what about ventilation? I live in zone 8-9 so I would definitely not be using the greenhouse in the summer. It would be a great place for me to put my citrus trees in the winter but I would definitely need ventilation.
You sure would. We had two automatic windows and a door. We also had a water tank as a thermal mass.
Are there kits available with all materials already cut to size and shape?
Mike, there are kits available, just search for geodesic dome kit, be prepared to pay a high prize though. Good luck.
Oh yes, I found a 20′ one for $2,200. Ouch. But I think it might still be better than me with trial and error, which would probably cost more in the long run.
Thanks, I’ll be back.
🙂
My dad, Jerry Holliday, would have loved your GeoDome info. He graduated from Kansas State with an engineering degree back in 1957. I was born while he was in his senior year. He had a geodesic (sp?) dome office and a house built on 200 plus acres in SE Kansas in the late 70’s. Those geos are still standing. My dad passed about a year ago. I would like to build a geo-dome in my small backyard, but I’m not sure we can ‘handle’ this one (takes up 18 feet in diameter?) I’ve been thinking/wanting some kind of simple, portable/moveable greenhouse ‘cover’ so I can start my spring garden sooner than our Oklahoma weather allows. We rent-so whatever i do in my current yard…has to be easily moved. am wondering just how much smaller could i make a geo-dome-practically speaking? If my dad were alive, he’d design it for me! thanks, for the helpful info…Chere (Holliday) Parker
Parker, thank you so much for sharing your dads dome building adventures with us. Sorry for your loss. Yes you can build a GeoDome smaller. In fact we are planning to build a smaller and simpler one come spring. The 18 feet dome was build on a rented lot. We sold it before we moved. Stay tuned, we will share how to build the smaller dome, too. In the meantime you could check out our post on how to build a geodome.
Hi there, I am planning to build a geodome in northern Germany and I read your story quite often so far. Thank you for sharing with all of us your experience! I think I understood the building of the GeoDome, but still unclear is for me the covering with foil and how to get it waterproof.
I understood that you cover each single triangle with cover (by the way how do you fix the cover to the triangles?) but then to my understanding there is a gap between each of the triangles. Do you use some kind of adhesive to cover the gap?
Or did I understood something very wrong?
Thank you, Arne
Congrats on building your GeoDome! We did cut the plastic for about 3 facets in a row, we stapled the plastic to the struts. The overlapping of the plastic (like roof tiles) helped to make it waterproof. There is no gap between the triangles. The planks you see are on top of the plastic. Does that make sense?
If you can get Shrink Wrapping, it might be even better for a rainy area like Germany.
how do i find out what zone i am in i live close to Ottawa Ontario Canada
Hi John, you can see a zone map here. You should be zone 5.
Hi, Anna. When I discovered your webpage earlier this SPring it has been one of the sites I visited quit often and nearly done with finalizing the 4v (1/2 sphere) version with 2.8 metres in diameter in Riga, Latvia.
Congratulation on your new Dome. GeoDome greenhouse gardening is so fun. Enjoy!
Hi Anna,
New reader here from Denmark, am a student gardener and researching how to be selfsufficient in a small plot. My husband and I are also wanting to build a new greenhouse in our next home. I am more and more convinced that it should be a Geodome.
Do you know if it’s doable to cover in a glass/double poly combination? (Glass at the ground level as to be see-through…)
Thank you for an inspiring site,
Many thanks Sanne
Welcome, and thank you for your kind words! You can cover a dome with whatever you want as long as you can cut the glass or polycarbonate panels into the shape of a three angle and are able to hold them in place. For glass you would need a frames to hold them, I think. For polycarbonate panels see the video in the post. Hope this helps.