Green House

Gable-style: The traditional gable construction, with straight walls and sloping roofs that create a triangular gable on either end of the structure, works well for a greenhouse. It’s the most common design, providing plenty of sun and room to move inside. It’s easy to build it works as well for large greenhouses as well as small ones that fit on a porch or veranda.

A-frame: Similar to a gable-style structure and even easier to build, an a-frame has long sloped roofs that extend all the way to the ground. An a-frame maximizes light, but space and airflow are limited underneath the parts of the roof close to the ground. A-frames tend to be better for storage than growing.

Geodesic dome: A geodesic dome is an incredibly strong structure that holds up well in severe weather conditions and looks really cool!

Gothic arch: A gothic arch is something of a hybrid of gable-style and a-frame. The walls are framed with aluminum or steel poles that curve gracefully to join with a ridge cap and form a pointed roof reminiscent of a medieval cathedral.

Hoop house: Constructed from a series of semi-circular hoops, the hoop house is an easy-to-construct structure. You attach the ends of the hoops to base plates or stick them into the ground, and they automatically form the supports for the walls and roof.

Saw tooth: The saw tooth design can be similar to a gable, or it can have an arched roof and sides similar to a hoop house. The roof on one side is higher than the other, creating a space for windows that can be opened to provide extra ventilation.

Lean-to: The lean-to is built onto the wall of an existing structure and slopes away from it, preferably southerly. This simple design is ideal for urban properties with little space.

Abutting: Similar to a lean-to, an abutting greenhouse attaches to an existing structure. But the building wall forms one of the ends of the greenhouse, not a wall. When built in front of a door, the greenhouse can double as a sunroom.