How to Build a Hoop House

Materials Required:

  • 3 - 10' pcs. 1/2" plastic conduit

  • 6 - 24" pcs. 1/2" rerod

  • 6' x 20' of 4 mil plastic sheeting

  • 12 Tie-wraps or Zip-ties

  • 1 box of large binder clips

Step 1:

Measure a 6 foot x 6 foot square where you want your hoophouse to go. Make a mark at each corner and at 3 feet down each side where rerod anchors will be driven.

Step 2:

Drive each of the 6 pieces of rerod into the ground where you made your marks at approximately a 20 degree angle. You should leave 12" of the rerod sticking above the ground.

Step 3:

Once all 6 pieces of rerod have been driven, take 1-10 foot length of conduit and push it over the first piece of rerod until it touches the ground. Bend the conduit and push the other end over the opposite piece of rerod.

Step 4:

Repeat Step Three for the remaining 2 pieces of conduit.

Step 5:

Lay the plastic over the hoops, leaving an extra foot on either side. Save the extra plastic to use on the ends. Place a few shovel fulls of soil on the overhanging plastic on one side. Go to the other side, pull tight and bury the overhanging plastic on this side. Cinch the plastic to the end hoops only using a few tie-wraps.

Step 6:

Take the remaining plastic and fit it to one end, leaving an extra foot at the bottom and an extra 4 inches along the hoop. Bury the extra foot at the bottom and pull the plastic tight at the top. Place a large binder clip over the hoop and plastic to secure. Work the plastic around the hoop, securing with a binder clip every 16 inches or so.

Step 7:

Repeat Step 6 for the opposite end.

Congratulations, your hoophouse is now complete. To ventilate, remove 3 or 4 binder clips from the top of either end, fold the plastic down, and place the binder clips on the fold.