Was going to add this question to the other thread about greenhouses but
thought it ought to be in it's own and it's not strictly about
greenhouses.
I have an Alton 10 x 8 greenhouse about 26 years old.
Some of my staging I have had to take out as it's now rotten though
cedar and treated regularly. Trying to find some new staging that will
be strong enough to take much weight is proving really difficult. Do I
go for more cedar/wood or do I opt for aluminium. I know it's a wooden
greenhouse but just thought aluminium might be cheaper and less likely
to rot.

I want to put a hot 'tray' on the top which takes four full sized seed
trays and I would need another shelf underneath. So about 5 foot long.
Not very DIY minded though I could follow DIY plans if there were any
for free standing staging.

On the other side I have just bought a plunge bench with soil cable and
no filled with sharp sand but the legs seem a bit flimsy, though it's
taking the weight of four bags of sharp sand and some pots.

All advice gratefully received.
--
Janet
Hedgerows & lawns
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk/plants

"Janet Tweedy" wrote
Was going to add this question to the other thread about greenhouses but
thought it ought to be in it's own and it's not strictly about
greenhouses.
I have an Alton 10 x 8 greenhouse about 26 years old.
Some of my staging I have had to take out as it's now rotten though cedar
and treated regularly. Trying to find some new staging that will be strong
enough to take much weight is proving really difficult. Do I go for more
cedar/wood or do I opt for aluminium. I know it's a wooden greenhouse but
just thought aluminium might be cheaper and less likely to rot.

I want to put a hot 'tray' on the top which takes four full sized seed
trays and I would need another shelf underneath. So about 5 foot long.
Not very DIY minded though I could follow DIY plans if there were any for
free standing staging.

On the other side I have just bought a plunge bench with soil cable and no
filled with sharp sand but the legs seem a bit flimsy, though it's taking
the weight of four bags of sharp sand and some pots.

All advice gratefully received.
--

I'd go for the ally and if the colour is not to your liking then paint it
before you install it, you would need some special paint and I think
Hammerite make it in brown and green.

As I suggested below a good manufacturer of staging is...
http://www.twowests.co.uk/TwoWestsSi...ookie%5Ftest=1

Best to order a catalogue, and I believe they make to order/size too so you
could get whatever size you want.

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

In article , Bob Hobden
writes

As I suggested below a good manufacturer of staging is...
http://www.twowests.co.uk/TwoWestsSi...ookie%5Ftest=1

Best to order a catalogue, and I believe they make to order/size too so you
could get whatever size you want.



It was two West's and Elliott's plunge bench and soil warming cable that
I bought. I didn't find it very sturdy though it is taking the weight of
the sand. It's not that cheap either! However if others with more
experience think that it is as sturdy as you can get. Perhaps I'll go
for their ordinary staging.

All we got for the bottom of the legs was four small aluminium 'bits'
which the bench was supposed to rest on. After 1 week it slid off 1 and
the corner went way down in the gravel/chippings. Trying to lever it all
up to put in a sturdy bit of paving, the staging bent extremely easily
under the bottom shelf.

Thanks for the advice though. I did look at the Rhino system though I
wasn't at all impressed with their deceptive advert about how strong
their staging was, comparing balanced weight with uneven weight on a DIY
store system.

Janet
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

Janet Tweedy wrote:
:: Was going to add this question to the other thread about
:: greenhouses but thought it ought to be in it's own and it's not
:: strictly about greenhouses.
:: I have an Alton 10 x 8 greenhouse about 26 years old.
:: Some of my staging I have had to take out as it's now rotten
:: though cedar and treated regularly. Trying to find some new
:: staging that will be strong enough to take much weight is proving
:: really difficult. Do I go for more cedar/wood or do I opt for
:: aluminium. I know it's a wooden greenhouse but just thought
:: aluminium might be cheaper and less likely to rot.
::
:: I want to put a hot 'tray' on the top which takes four full sized
:: seed trays and I would need another shelf underneath. So about 5
:: foot long. Not very DIY minded though I could follow DIY plans if
:: there were any for free standing staging.
::
:: On the other side I have just bought a plunge bench with soil
:: cable and no filled with sharp sand but the legs seem a bit
:: flimsy, though it's taking the weight of four bags of sharp sand
:: and some pots.
::
:: All advice gratefully received.

You say five foot long but how high?
If you have a double shelf, won't the top one put the bottom one in the
shade?

Are you particularly concerned about how it looks?
Dexion is a wonderful invention, lightweight, cheap and very strong:
http://www.dexion.co.uk/products/shelving/economy.asp
It's like meccano...you can bolt it, screw it or whatever you like, you can
affix it to the struts of the greenhouse and take away the shelves when not
required or build it to be freestanding and either leave it in place all
year round or dismantle whenever you like.
I wouldn't trust aluminium to take heavy weights for long periods...dexion
is box steel, their 300mm X1000mm (3ft X 1ft) shelves can easily manage
80kgs (over 15 stone!)

The above page lists all their shelving units but you don't have to have one
of those if none fit the bill, you can buy it second hand in varying sizes
and make something tailored exactly to suit the greenhouse...also you don't
have to have their shelves, other shelves will fit onto it or you can make
some timber ones from blockboard.

HTH


--

http://www.blueyonder256k.myby.co.uk/

In article , Janet Tweedy
writes
Trying to find some new staging that will be strong enough to take
much weight is proving really difficult. Do I go for more cedar/wood or
do I opt for aluminium. I know it's a wooden greenhouse but just
thought aluminium might be cheaper and less likely to rot.


I've recently got some 30" "Hercules" staging for my 8x10 Hercules
greenhouse. Very sturdy and easy to put together.

http://www.onlinegreenhouses.co.uk/s...tem/index.html

with an "interesting" Carlsberesque guarantee -
"probably the strongest staging you can buy! - or your money back."

--
regards andyw

In article , Phil L
writes

You say five foot long but how high?

Sorry, I should have said, bench/table height 80cm?


If you have a double shelf, won't the top one put the bottom one in the
shade?

Not really as the glass goes down to the floor in my greenhouse. Even if
it is shady it's good for putting pots etc on.


Are you particularly concerned about how it looks?

No though the wooden slats look nicer than all metal, but I'm not really
fussed, just want something fairly sturdy.


Dexion is a wonderful invention, lightweight, cheap and very strong:
http://www.dexion.co.uk/products/shelving/economy.asp
It's like meccano...you can bolt it, screw it or whatever you like, you can
affix it to the struts of the greenhouse and take away the shelves when not
required or build it to be freestanding and either leave it in place all
year round or dismantle whenever you like.

I'll look for that, it sounds a really good idea as I can presumably
build to suit.


I wouldn't trust aluminium to take heavy weights for long periods...dexion
is box steel, their 300mm X1000mm (3ft X 1ft) shelves can easily manage
80kgs (over 15 stone!)


Thanks for the help!
--
Janet
Hedgerows & lawns
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk/plants

In article , newsb
writes

I've recently got some 30" "Hercules" staging for my 8x10 Hercules
greenhouse. Very sturdy and easy to put together.

http://www.onlinegreenhouses.co.uk/s...tem/index.html



Been there, seen it and now ordered, thanks a million for the advice! It
looks good and it's not expensive but I never found it using Google so
it just shows how useful this newsgroup is!

Many thanks

Janet

--
Janet Tweedy
Amersham Gardening Association
http://www.lancedal.net/aga/

In article , Janet Tweedy
writes
In article , newsb
writes

I've recently got some 30" "Hercules" staging for my 8x10 Hercules
greenhouse. Very sturdy and easy to put together.

http://www.onlinegreenhouses.co.uk/s...tem/index.html



Been there, seen it and now ordered, thanks a million for the advice!
It looks good and it's not expensive but I never found it using Google
so it just shows how useful this newsgroup is!


Just a word of advice - the staging without the bottom tier is not as
sturdy as when with the second tier - and the standard cost shown
doesn't include the bottom tier, I think. (I've got a 6 ft length with
bottom tier and a 4 ft length without; the 4 ft length is fine - but not
quite as sturdy as the length with the second tier).

Also, I put mine together myself, but it might be useful to make it a
two man job - getting the angled blocks between leg ends and top is a
little fiddly. It makes it easier to get a 90 degree angle between leg
end and top if you have someone to hold it while you screw.

Getting the angle correct is pretty crucial for getting it to full
sturdiness - and if you don't, it can be difficult to get the lower tier
in. (As I found through experience). All went well in the end though

Of course, now its in place I don't want any thing as dirty or prone to
splashing as plant pots etc on my nice new staging

--
regards andyw