# Hoop House Flooring?



## happychick (Sep 20, 2010)

I hope I started this topic in the right place - sorry ahead of time if I didn't!

I have just purchased a 16 x 24 ft. hoop house, and plan to put it up next week. What I am going to use it for is starting vegtable, herb & flower starts - some for me, some for sale. I'm going to have one in-ground bed along the South side, otherwise everything will be on 2 long tables. 

My question is what should I do for the flooring? Should I remove the grass sod before I put up the hoop house? Should I leave the sod and cover it with something to kill it like a tarp/cardboard/plastic etc.? I don't want my end result to be a muddy mess, but really would like to avoid trucking in sand/gravel or other additional materiel. 

I would greatly appreciate any advice from those who have done this before!


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

Just kill off the grass. Put rock down to keep everything from becoming a mudhole. This rock base needs to take any water that drains into it and runoff. Here we call this 1" open river rock, not crushed. Then put down a 4-6"layer of sand on top. Then patio blocks that will absorb heat and radiate it back into the greenhouse at night and make a good walking surface. Set with more sand and sweep off the excess. The water goes through the blocks, into the sand and rock and is absorbed into the ground like a septic leach line....James


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## happychick (Sep 20, 2010)

Thanks for the advice jwal10, but I want to avoid hauling in rock/sand if I can. I've seen hoop houses with gravel just in the door ways, with boards down the aisles...Just not sure about the easiest way to get rid of the sod, if that's what I want/need to do.

I should clarify again that this is a hoop house in the country, NOT a fancy expensive green house.

Anyone else got some suggestions?


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## COSunflower (Dec 4, 2006)

I would just leave the sod and cover it with several inches of pine shavings or whatever kind of shavings are cheapest...Just keep adding every so often. Shavings are cheap here and you can buy them in the big compressed bales at feed stores.


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## GrannyG (Mar 26, 2005)

There is a great article in MEN, Oct/Nov issue on hoop houses..there was one that had worm composting beds under a hinged floor...loved that idea...it is a good read, also guidelines to building...worth the price !


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

I put down heavy landscape fabric in my paths. When I get my barn stalls cleaned out, I want to take a couple of the stall matts and cut them for the paths. A tarp would kill the grass, but might get a bit slick. Boards might get slick when wet also. It's not just about killing the grass - how are you going to keep it dead?


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## happychick (Sep 20, 2010)

COSunflower said:


> I would just leave the sod and cover it with several inches of pine shavings or whatever kind of shavings are cheapest...Just keep adding every so often. Shavings are cheap here and you can buy them in the big compressed bales at feed stores.


Sounds like the easiest/most affordable option, I can get pine shavings cheap here too...Would just several inches be enough to not only kill the grass, but like Callieslamb brought up, will it keep the grass dead?


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## happychick (Sep 20, 2010)

Callieslamb said:


> I put down heavy landscape fabric in my paths.


What kind and where did you get this landscape fabric? I've seen it used before, maybe that would be a more long term/better option for not only killing the grass, but maintaining a floor without lots of mud? Is it very expensive?


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## copperhead46 (Jan 25, 2008)

you can get the landscape material at just about any big box store, lowes, home depot, I put it down in the bottom of my raised beds to keep the grass from growing up in it
P J


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## sammyd (Mar 11, 2007)

buddy runs an organic garden with a hoop. He doesn't put down any floor. He puts pots down where he will and plants directly in the soil where ever he wants.


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## salmonslayer91 (Oct 10, 2010)

i like my hoops with a dirt floor so that i can plant into the soil if needed, also raised beds help keep things in reach and easily weeded. but if it were in the country as stated id have a dirt floor with plenty of straw and shavings. which are easily pulled aside for planting. perhaps with a well defined walkway from front to back with two side trails these could be made with cardboard if you wanted to save on funds or garden fabric as stated i will say that straw does an awesome job of keeping the soil intact and not so muddy, we use it every year in our canvus tent while elk hunting.


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## am1too (Dec 30, 2009)

happychick said:


> Sounds like the easiest/most affordable option, I can get pine shavings cheap here too...Would just several inches be enough to not only kill the grass, but like Callieslamb brought up, will it keep the grass dead?


A couple inches will kill or keep the grass down. After 2 years remove and replace. The foot traffic will also help keep the grass down. My experience anyway with unprotected mulched ground. I used chipped tree trimings.


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## COSunflower (Dec 4, 2006)

As long as the grass isn't getting water it will eventually die. I don't remove any shavings when replacing, I just keep adding layers and it mulches down. I like it because it doesn't get muddy and slippery.


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## happychick (Sep 20, 2010)

Thank you all for your quick replies!
Its a very wet and rainy Monday here, so won't be getting the hoop house up today, maybe tomorrow. 
Seeing pictures of them in books helps me picture and plan how I'm going to make the most of every square foot inside - I would LOVE to see pictures of all your hoop houses if anyone would like to share (real life, not a book, = really works!)
All I need to decide now is what kind of mulch/chips/bedding I'm going to use, i.e. what's the most affordable and available here right now. 
Thanks!


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## JimP (Feb 9, 2011)

Call your local tree service companies .You might score a load of shavings for FREE ! If not them your county utilities may have a pile laying you could pick up .With the tree company chances are it could be delivered for free .


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## happychick (Sep 20, 2010)

Great idea JimP, I'll look into that!


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## idigbeets (Sep 3, 2011)

I use any type of wood mulch/chips for flooring in the greenhouse. Stone is a lot harder to move around and remove if you decide to do more in ground plantings.

A weed barrier is handy but not really a big deal imo.


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## happychick (Sep 20, 2010)

idigbeets said:


> I use any type of wood mulch/chips for flooring in the greenhouse. Stone is a lot harder to move around and remove if you decide to do more in ground plantings.
> 
> A weed barrier is handy but not really a big deal imo.


Totally agree idigbeets! 

My hoop house is nearly completely built now, I'll post a picture of it when it's done 
Thanks everyone -


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