Greenhouse Building Guide PDF in German – Timber and Polycarbonate, Lean-To, Foundation, Ventilation, Costs

A 90-page A4 PDF e-book (in German) on building a timber greenhouse: from building law and location to the frost-free foundation, the timber frame and polycarbonate sheets, ventilation, watering and frost protection – with 24 figures, 23 building steps, costs at 3 levels and checklists.

Written by a carpenter with hands-on experience. Two worked examples run through the whole guide – a free-standing gable-roof greenhouse 3.00 by 4.08 m with roof vents and a gable door, and a lean-to greenhouse 2.00 by 3.08 m against the house wall – so every dimension, quantity and calculation is concrete. You can repeat the calculations with your own dimensions.

PLEASE NOTE: THE PDF IS IN GERMAN. Legal information (building law) refers to Germany.

WHAT'S INSIDE
✔ Decision guide: four greenhouse types compared (free-standing gable roof, lean-to, pit greenhouse, polytunnel), glass, twin-wall sheets or film, your decision in five questions
✔ Building law (Germany): greenhouse as a building without habitable rooms, permit-free sizes with examples from 5 federal states, gross volume calculated, distances, development plan, allotment gardens, sample inquiry to the building authority
✔ Location: light and orientation, shadow lengths through the year, wind, soil, water and power
✔ Materials: larch and Douglas fir by use class (DIN 68800), constructive wood protection, laying polycarbonate sheets correctly, glazing bar system, connectors
✔ Loads: snow by zone and altitude including the North German Plain and snow drift on the lean-to, rafter and ridge purlin tables, worked calculations
✔ Wind and anchoring: uplift and bracing forces per post, footing per post, load path with nail counts, connection table with sketches; verified for wind zones 1 and 2 inland (both models), otherwise with a structural engineer
✔ Foundation: pad, strip and ground screw foundations compared, round pad footings drilled with an auger and a kerb-stone plinth, concrete quantities with reserve
✔ Details: eaves with birdsmouth and fascia, ridge with ridge purlin, wall sheets with cover strips, roof vent with automatic opener, side vents, door
✔ Rainwater butts and drip irrigation, beds and path, heat loss and frost protection (electrical work by a qualified electrician only)
✔ Materials and tools, costs at 3 specification levels (guide values, 2026 prices)
✔ Both models in 23 steps – each with duration, materials, tools, dimensions and the most common mistake
✔ Safety, schedule, 18 typical mistakes, seasonal care, 4 tick-off checklists
✔ Appendix: materials list, sheet and cutting lists, dimensions and levels, glossary, sources, a notes page
✔ 24 figures, 22 of them original technical drawings (plan, sections, elevations, details with dimension chains and levels), 13 worked calculations, info boxes "Practical tip from the carpenter", "Typical mistake", "Important: safety" and "Professionals only"

WHO IT'S FOR
Garden owners and experienced DIYers who want to build a greenhouse from timber and polycarbonate sheets themselves – or understand what matters for foundation, anchoring, glazing and ventilation before buying a kit or hiring a contractor. For readers of German.

FILE
1 PDF, 90 A4 pages, language German, written in a personal, informal style, with clickable table of contents and bookmarks – read on screen or print.

IMPORTANT
A guide for orientation, as of October 2026. The e-book contains building instructions for two example models (gable-roof greenhouse 3.00 by 4.08 m, lean-to greenhouse 2.00 by 3.08 m); you derive other dimensions yourself using the calculations. It does not replace legal advice, professional planning or structural engineering. Whether your greenhouse is permit-free and which distances apply differs between German states and municipalities – please check with the building authority before you start. The tables are guide values for simple greenhouses; at high altitude, on the coast and on islands, in wind zones 3 and 4, for larger spans, under sliding roof snow or with heavy snow drift against the house wall a structural engineer is needed. Electrical work by a qualified electrician only. Costs are guide values. Follow manufacturer instructions and the accepted rules of the art.

PLEASE NOTE
• Digital product – nothing will be shipped.
• You will find the download after purchase under "Purchases and Reviews".
• Because this is a digital download, returns are not possible.
• Right of use: for your private use and your own building projects – read and print as often as you like. Sharing and resale are not permitted.
• Colors may vary slightly depending on your screen and printer.

NOTE
This product was created with the help of AI tools and checked and compiled by us.