New Greenhouse - structural questions

[polc1410]

I am the 'proud' owner of a new greenhouse. Bought (new) from fleabay for a bargain price a couple of months back I've finally spent the weekend constructing.

Considering it was a fleabay purchase and so cheap I'm pleasantly surprised. The instructions were rubbish with pictures that don't really show any detail to know which way round pieces are to be put and at least 3 pieces numbered incorrectly. But anyway - its up and looking pretty good.

I've never owned a greenhouse before. I've been in a few people's before and assumed that they have a habit of having dodgy sliding doors either they only seem attached at the top or completely seized. So i was surprised that mine does run but is only attached at the top - you can pull the bottom an a small child could climb in... ...is this normal? Or could I have missed adding some form of little runner?

Secondly I'm going to use beds within the greenhouse. So the whole floor is currently bare soil. It is nearly 6ft wide so I'm going to have 2ft beds down left and right side. I do some square foot growing so this would make sense. So the question is what should I path the middle 2ft with? My other paths are woodchip / bark - any reason not to do this in the greenhouse?

[plotman]

Door normally runs on wheels at top and clips into a groove at bottom. if it is missing the groove look for adjustment on top wheels to lower or raise the door.
I would use woodchip personally as it can harbour pests including ants nest. some rustic slabs are good as you can water and leave puddles in summer thus leaving a moist atmosphere )

[bearded bloke]

Bottom of the door deffo should held captive not able to pull away from the structure,so something is missing/not fitted correctly.

[Bren In Pots]

I've got stone flags for my GH path mostly because we'd got some leftover.

[polc1410]

Thanks guys.

Will need to wait till there is daylight to have another look... which given work means Wednesday!

Sounds like I need to put something stoney in for the path...

[Tripmeup]

Bottom of the door deffo should held captive not able to pull away from the structure,so something is missing/not fitted correctly.

It may even be small bits of plastic that you screw to the door...

[Bill HH]

If you cant find out why it has no bottom guide you could use a piece of 2"x2" pegged into the ground. You could find in a strong wind the door will blow out and get damaged. I suffer from extreme damp in winter here in devon and bark on the floor would just make it worse.Plus all manner of nasties will live in it, some nice concrete slaps will be perfek.

[andy_j]

Concrete slabs for me too

[Brom]

The doors on our pollytunnel are held in place by rollers at the top and a small piece of angle iron at the bottom, this is screwed to a wooden step and stops the door from being pulled out by strong winds, the dog or the cat (she leaves lovely surprises buried in the raised beds...not!). At the other end we use a bolt to secure it closed. The step is just a piece of fence post sunk into the ground so it doesn't move.

I used chippings to cover the path, however, with hindsight, if I were to do it again I would defo use slabs. I would change it now but the thought of scraping up all the chippings doesn't appeal to me.