palm protection in markham

bananieru · Post by **bananieru** » Tue Oct 15, 2013 8:30 am

I realized that the palm protection is not only important to do it's job, but also to be light enough so you don't kill yourself in the summer.
My first hut was this:

Made from recycled material. It lasted 3 winters but it was very heavy and it took a lot of space to deposit during the summer.

My next one was this:

Still 4'x4' and 8' tall. Lighter and easier to assemble then the last one, but still overkill.

My next one is a box 2'x2' made from corrugated plastic at the outside,
http://www.homedepot.ca/product/white-c ... nch/924856
a 2"x2" wood frame and 1.5" insulation:
http://www.homedepot.ca/product/durofoa ... nch/940442

I don't have yet pictures of it, but it's very light, can be easy assembled by one person.

Inside the palm is wrapped in arbotex and Christmas lights on tc3. I added also a very small heater on tc2 and a wireless thermometer so I can monitor the temperature from inside the house.

At the outside everything is wrapped in white tarp.

Tavi

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Wed Oct 16, 2013 11:18 am

Tavi,

You make a good point about weight/overkill.
But some areas are so exposed to wind, I'd be worried a lighter-in-weight structure would take off in a storm.

Look forward to seeing construction photos.

Barb

bananieru · Post by **bananieru** » Tue Nov 19, 2013 11:07 am

I created first a 2'x2' base from recycled 2x4 (from the scrap bin from hd)

This base is fixed in the ground with 4 2ft long steel bars.

Then the walls I created them from 2x2 with corrugated plastic outside and 1.5" insulation inside

To heat the box I have one set of Christmas lights on the ground and one roof cable around the palm with a TC3 thermocube. I also added a wireless thermometer to monitor the temperature from inside.
Once the box is closed I attached 4 hinges between the base and the walls (you can see two of them in the first picture) and I wrapped the whole thing in a tarp.

This thing is very easy to assemble and I hope to last a few years.

The big trachy is still in the 4x4 OSB box, but I have to do something there, it's very heavy: problems to assembly and problems to store it in the summer.

Tavi

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Tue Nov 19, 2013 3:38 pm

2x2 with corrugated plastic outside and 1.5" insulation inside

Tavi,

I like it, certainly a lot lighter than 2x4 construction.
Have never used roof/eave cable, probably works the same as pipe heating cable?

Can't see how you attached the corrugated plastic to the 2x2s.

Yeah, OSB is brutal, gets heavier every year

with all the moisture it sucks up.

Barb

bananieru · Post by **bananieru** » Wed Nov 20, 2013 7:17 am

I attached the corrugated plastic to the 2x2 frame with PL300 foamboard adhesive and then used #6 screws with 1/4" washer. Then I glued the insulation inside the frame also with PL300. Each wall is very light but quite sturdy, easy to be handled by one person. The base and the top are a little heavier, but they are only 2'x2'

both the base and the top will hold the walls together, but I also used a band to tie it in the middle and one screw at each corner. The last thing I did was to screw the hinge between the base and the walls, 4 in total.

(I did not have a long enough white tarp, in process of getting some)

Tavi

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Wed Nov 20, 2013 7:28 am

Tavi,

thanks for the pics of how you connected.
I think sign shops call that corrugated plastic "foamcore" (or something like that).
Excellent idea.

I'm showing that to the guy that built my palm hut...for next year.

Barb

bananieru · Post by **bananieru** » Wed Nov 20, 2013 8:53 am

you can not see the details from my pictures, maybe this one.

An 8x4 sheet is about $18 at HD and the insulation $22. for a 2'x2'x8' box that would be around $80 for walls. Some extra for the frame, glue, screws and top and bottom. I hope I can reuse them for a few years. The best is that I can store them above my garage door during the summer and I don't have to break my back moving them.

Tavi

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Wed Nov 20, 2013 9:29 am

Thanks Tavi for the extra photos.

The best is that I can store them above my garage door during the summer and I don't have to break my back moving them.

Yeah, that's a real plus.
And you likely wouldn't get squirrel damage from storing them outdoors, like I need to.

It'll be interesting to hear how well that does for you this winter.
Assuming you folks actually get cold...like us right now :verycold:

Barb