8 Materials for Building a Small Scale Hoop House

Building a hoop house is the single best way to extend your growing season, protect crops from weather, and take control of your food production. But a structure is only as good as the materials you use to build it. Choosing the right components from the start means the difference between a durable, productive asset and a pile of twisted metal after the first big storm.

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First Steps: Planning Your Small Scale Hoop House

Before buying a single screw, define the primary purpose of your hoop house. Are you aiming for simple season extension in the spring and fall, or do you need a robust structure for overwintering hardy greens? The answer dictates the strength of your frame, the thickness of your plastic, and the overall investment required. A simple, low-tunnel design might suffice for early tomatoes, while a taller, stronger structure is necessary to withstand snow load.

Next, determine your ideal footprint. A common mistake is building too small. A 12-foot by 20-foot structure sounds large but fills up remarkably fast. Consider the width of your tiller or walking paths, the space needed for mature plants, and future expansion. Map it out on the ground with stakes and string to get a real-world feel for the space. This simple step prevents the regret of realizing you needed just two more feet of growing room.

Choosing the Best Location for Your New Hoop House

The success of your hoop house hinges on its location. The ideal spot receives a minimum of 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day, even during the shorter days of spring and fall. Orient the structure with its longest sides facing east and west to maximize sun exposure throughout the day. If you live in a very hot climate, a north-south orientation can help mitigate intense midday sun, but for most temperate regions, east-west is the standard.

Pay close attention to drainage and wind. Avoid low-lying areas where water pools after a rain, as this will lead to a muddy interior and potential rot in your baseboards. The site should be as level as possible to simplify construction and ensure even irrigation. While you want good airflow, constant, high winds are the enemy of a hoop house. If possible, use a tree line or an existing building as a natural windbreak to protect the structure and the plastic film from unnecessary stress.

Hoop Tubing – Wheatland Steel EMT Conduit

The hoops form the backbone of your structure, and their strength is non-negotiable. You need tubing that is strong enough to handle wind and snow, yet pliable enough to be bent into a consistent arch. For small-scale builds, this is the perfect job for high-quality electrical conduit.

The Wheatland Steel 1-3/8" EMT Conduit is the go-to choice. Its galvanized steel construction provides excellent corrosion resistance, a crucial feature for a structure that will live outdoors. Unlike PVC, it won’t become brittle in the cold or sag in the heat. The 1-3/8" diameter offers a fantastic balance of rigidity and bendability, creating a sturdy frame without requiring industrial bending equipment. A high-quality hoop bender is a necessary companion tool to ensure every arch has the same, even curve.

This material is ideal for growers building a hoop house up to 14 feet wide. It provides professional-grade strength at a price point accessible to hobby farmers, available at most electrical supply houses. For structures in high-snow areas or those wider than 14 feet, upgrading to a heavier gauge steel is a wise investment.

Baseboard Lumber – YellaWood Pressure-Treated 2×6

Your baseboards are the foundation of the hoop house, connecting the frame to the ground and providing a surface for attaching the greenhouse plastic. This is not the place to use untreated lumber. Constant ground contact and moisture exposure will cause standard pine to rot in just a season or two, compromising the entire structure.

YellaWood Pressure-Treated 2×6 boards are the right tool for this job. This lumber is treated to resist rot, fungal decay, and termites, ensuring your foundation remains solid for years. The 6-inch width (a "2×6") provides a substantial surface for securing both your hoops and the plastic fastening channel. Using a wider board makes a huge difference in the long-term stability and durability of the structure.

When working with pressure-treated wood, always use hot-dip galvanized or stainless steel fasteners. Standard screws and bolts will corrode quickly when in contact with the chemicals used in the treatment process. This lumber is perfect for any grower who wants a build-it-once foundation that won’t need to be replaced. It’s a small upfront cost that prevents a major structural failure down the road.

Ground Anchors – American Earth Model 40-DB Anchor

A hoop house is essentially a giant kite. Without proper anchoring, a strong wind can lift it, bend it, or send it tumbling across your property. Simply driving rebar into the ground is a common shortcut, but it provides minimal resistance against the powerful upward lift generated by wind.

For real security, you need a ground anchor that bites into the earth. The American Earth Anchors Model 40-DB is a drive-in, auger-style anchor that provides immense holding power. You drive the anchor into the ground with a hammer drill or sledgehammer, and its helical design screws into the soil. Once set, it’s incredibly difficult to pull out, securing your baseboards firmly to the ground. They are far superior to rebar stakes, especially in looser soils.

These anchors are sold with different cable lengths and holding capacities, but the 40-DB model is more than sufficient for small-scale structures. Installation requires a heavy hammer or, ideally, a demolition hammer with a driver tool, but the peace of mind is worth the effort. This is the right choice for anyone living in an area with moderate to high winds who isn’t willing to risk their investment.

End Wall Framing – Top Choice Douglas Fir 2×4 Lumber

While the hoops define the shape, the end walls provide critical rigidity and are where you’ll frame your door and any vents. You need lumber that is straight, strong, and easy to work with. Unlike the baseboards, this wood won’t have direct ground contact, so pressure-treated material isn’t strictly necessary.

Top Choice Douglas Fir 2×4 Lumber is an excellent material for this part of the build. Douglas Fir is known for its strength-to-weight ratio, meaning it provides robust support without adding excessive bulk. It’s dimensionally stable and less prone to warping than other common softwoods. Look for straight boards with minimal knots to make your cuts and assembly easier.

Framing an end wall is a straightforward carpentry task. You’ll build a basic wall that fits inside the arc of your end hoop, with a framed-out opening for a door. Remember to include diagonal bracing in the corners of your door frame to prevent sagging over time. This lumber is perfect for any DIYer comfortable with basic saw cuts and framing techniques.

Frame Clamps – Bootstrap Farmer Cross Connectors

A series of unconnected hoops is flimsy. To turn them into a rigid, unified frame, you need a purlin—a long piece of tubing that runs the length of the structure at the very top, connecting all the hoops together. The hardware used to make this connection is critical for the frame’s overall strength.

Bootstrap Farmer Cross Connectors are specifically designed for this purpose. These heavy-duty steel clamps bolt securely around both the hoop and the purlin, locking them together at a perfect 90-degree angle. They are far superior to plumber’s tape or self-tapping screws, which can loosen over time or create weak points in the metal. The galvanized coating prevents rust, ensuring the connection stays strong for the life of the structure.

These clamps are sized for specific tubing diameters, so be sure to order the correct size for your EMT conduit (typically 1-3/8"). Installation is simple, requiring just a wrench or socket set. Using these connectors is a mark of a well-built hoop house and is essential for anyone who wants a frame that can withstand wind and snow without twisting or racking.

Pro Tip: Assembling Your Frame for Maximum Strength

With your hoops bent and your baseboards laid, it’s time to assemble the skeleton. The single most important element for a strong frame is a ridgepole, also called a purlin. This is a length of the same EMT conduit that runs along the very top of the arches, connecting them all together with cross connectors. This one piece of metal prevents the hoops from dominoing in a heavy wind. Do not skip this step.

For even greater rigidity, especially in structures longer than 20 feet or in windy locations, add diagonal bracing. On each of the four corners of the frame, install a brace running from the baseboard on the end hoop up to the purlin on the second or third hoop. This creates a triangle, the strongest shape in construction, and dramatically reduces side-to-side racking and twisting forces on the frame.

Finally, ensure all your hardware is tight. Go back over every clamp and bolt after the frame is fully assembled. Metal can settle and shift during construction. A final tightening pass ensures every connection is rock-solid before you pull the plastic over.

Greenhouse Plastic – Grower’s Solution 6 mil Film

The "skin" of your hoop house is the most important component for creating a successful growing environment. Standard plastic sheeting from a hardware store will fail quickly, becoming brittle and tearing within a single season due to UV degradation. You must use a dedicated, UV-stabilized greenhouse film.

Grower’s Solution 4-Year 6 mil Greenhouse Film is the industry standard for a reason. The "6 mil" thickness provides excellent durability against punctures and wind, while the "4-year" rating means it’s treated with UV inhibitors to last through multiple seasons of intense sun. This film also has properties that reduce condensation drip and diffuse light, casting a soft, even glow within the house that is better for plant growth than harsh, direct sunlight.

When ordering, calculate the size you need carefully: measure the length of one hoop from ground to ground, then add at least two feet. For the length, add at least four feet to your baseboard length to ensure you have plenty to pull taut and secure. This film is the right choice for any serious grower. The higher initial cost is easily justified by its longevity and superior performance compared to cheap alternatives.

Plastic Fasteners – FarmTek U-Channel & Wiggle Wire

Attaching the plastic to the frame is where many DIY builds fail. Staples or wood battens create pressure points, rip the plastic in high winds, and make it impossible to re-tighten the film later. The professional solution is a two-part system that provides a continuous, secure grip along the entire baseboard and end walls.

FarmTek’s U-Channel and Wiggle Wire system is the most reliable method for fastening greenhouse film. You first screw the aluminum or steel U-Channel onto your baseboards and end-wall framing. Then, you lay the plastic over the channel and press the PVC-coated Wiggle Wire into it in a back-and-forth motion. This creates a firm, distributed grip that holds the plastic securely without puncturing it.

This system is a game-changer. It allows you to achieve a drum-tight finish, which is essential for shedding wind and rain. If the plastic ever stretches or sags, you can simply remove the wiggle wire, pull the film tighter, and re-install it. This is a must-have component for a professional-quality finish and long-term durability.

Roll-Up Side Crank – Johnny’s Manual Sidewall Crank

A hoop house can get dangerously hot, even on a cool, sunny day. Ventilation is not optional; it’s critical for plant health and temperature regulation. The most effective way to ventilate a hoop house is with roll-up sides, which allow you to quickly vent a massive amount of heat.

While you can roll them by hand, a dedicated crank makes the job faster, easier, and results in a tighter, neater roll. Johnny’s Selected Seeds Manual Sidewall Crank is a simple, robust gearbox that attaches to your roll-up pipe. It makes lifting even a long and heavy sidewall effortless. The self-locking mechanism ensures the side won’t unspool in the wind, giving you precise control over your ventilation.

This is a quality-of-life upgrade that quickly becomes a necessity. It saves time and encourages more active management of the greenhouse environment. This crank is perfect for the small-scale grower who wants professional-level control over their structure without the cost and complexity of an automated system.

Final Checklist for a Durable and Lasting Structure

Before you declare the project finished, run through a final inspection. The most common point of failure for a new hoop house is the interaction between the frame and the plastic. Any sharp edge—a screw head, a metal burr, a rough corner on the end-wall framing—can become a weak point that will rip your expensive plastic in the first high wind.

Walk the entire frame and cover any potential abrasion points with a high-quality tape. Use poly patching tape or a few layers of duct tape over every clamp, screw head, and joint. Pay special attention to the corners of the end-wall framing. This small, tedious step is one of the most important for ensuring the longevity of your greenhouse film.

Finally, check the tension on your plastic. It should be tight enough to shed water and wind, with no major sags. If you installed it on a warm, sunny day, it will naturally tighten as it cools. A well-built, well-located, and well-maintained hoop house is a farming asset that will pay you back in fresh food for years to come.

With the right plan and the right materials, a small-scale hoop house is an achievable and rewarding project. It’s more than just a structure; it’s an investment in your ability to grow. Now, get building, and get ready to enjoy a longer, more productive growing season.