You'll want to have about four people on hand to help you install your greenhouse plastic. Be sure that you have all of the materials you need. These include the greenhouse plastic, channel wire lock base, wiggle wire, and screws.
1. Install the Channel Base
Install the channel base using 5/16” self-tapping screws every 16 inches. Channel base will need to be cut to length from the provided 8-foot sections.
If you do not have roll-up sides, you'll install the channel base into the baseboards of the greenhouse sides and end walls, along all openings for doors, fans, and shutters, and up and over end wall bows in the center of the bow, and on top of the bow.
2. Pulling Greenhouse Plastic
Pull the greenhouse plastic before the end wall plastic. Do this by rolling out the plastic along the sidewall of the greenhouse and tie throw ropes from edge to edge.
Use the ropes to pull the plastic over the greenhouse. Be sure to plan to do this on a day that is not too windy! If the greenhouse kit has double poly, repeat this step with the second layer of plastic before moving on.
3. Secure with Wiggle Wire
Once the plastic is pulled over the greenhouse, secure the plastic in place to prevent it from blowing away. Only use one layer of wiggle wire for the two layers of greenhouse plastic if you have double poly.
Install the wiggle wire in two-person groups, with one person pulling the slack out of the greenhouse plastic approximately 2-3” in front of the second person who is installing the wiggle wire over the plastic and into the channel.
Starting at the peak, install wiggle wire to secure the greenhouse plastic down each side of the bow, leaving 12” of plastic overhanging.
After completing one side, pull all of the slack of the greenhouse plastic to the opposite side and install wiggle wire from the peak down. Repeat this process as many times as needed to get plastic tight.
Install wiggle wire to the eave plate, if you have a roll-up side, then, secure the wiggle wire to the roll-up bar.
Laying the roll-up bar on top of the baseboard while you install wiggle wire and greenhouse plastic will ensure your roll-up side is straight.
When installing wiggle wire, make sure to lay the roll-up bar on top of the greenhouse plastic to allow enough plastic for the roll-up side to roll down to the bottom of the baseboard.
Install wiggle -wire and greenhouse plastic on the baseboard if you do not have a roll-up wall.
Cut off the excess greenhouse plastic when you are completely done installing the greenhouse plastic. Leave 2-3” of excess plastic for future adjustments.
Installing Greenhouse Plastic with Roll-Up Sides
If your greenhouse has a roll-up side, install the channel base on the top 2’x4’ (which will be the desired roll-up height and installed the same way as the baseboard).
The roll-up-bar is 1-3/8" pipe fastened with 5/16” self-tapping screws.
Cut the roll-up-bar to the same length as the greenhouse's outside-to-outside length.
Install channel base on the roll-up bar and install the roll-up handle.
Install channel base on all door openings, fan openings, and shutter openings.
Install channel base up and over end wall bows in the center of the bow, on top of the bow.
Install channel base on the end wall baseboard.
End Wall Plastic Installation
End-wall greenhouse plastic is installed after greenhouse plastic. Start by installing the wiggle wire and plastic onto the baseboard of the end-wall.
Starting at the peak of the end-wall bow, pull the slack of the plastic upward from the baseboard and install wiggle wire to secure the plastic down each side of the bow.
Both end-wall plastic and greenhouse plastic will be installed into the same wire-lock channel on the end-wall bow.
Install wiggle -wire and plastic around the fan, shutter, and door openings.
Cut out openings, if the greenhouse plastic is tight, sometimes it will need relief cuts in the openings before installing wiggle wire.
Cut off all excess greenhouse plastic.
Install, doors, fans, and shutters.
Install inflation kits (optional) if the greenhouse has double-poly.