Hobby Plus - Easy Build Polytunnel

Our 2-piece steel tubes are coated with Armourguard which offers up to 20 times the corrosion resistance of pre-galvanised steel tube.
ArmourGuard® is Northern Polytunnels’ newly developed high-endurance tube, combining extraordinary levels of corrosion resistance with the durability of high-strength steel. ArmourGuard® offers up to 20 times the corrosion resistance of an ordinary pre-galvanised tube thanks to its revolutionary zinc, aluminium and magnesium coating.

Environmentally Friendly

ArmourGuard® even protects the environment by reducing the amount of zinc which is used in the manufacturing process compared to fully galvanised steel tubes, and by extending the product life.

50 Years of Exposure without Deterioration

ArmourGuard® is designed not just to survive in the most hostile environments but also to offer extreme longevity. In exhaustive tests carried out by Rotech Laboratories, one of the UK’s leading test houses, ArmourGuard® endured the equivalent of 50 years of exposure to the harshest elements without undue deterioration.

Aluminium profiles are free from defects (such as knots, splits etc) and will last a lifetime. Therefore we use aluminium on our Easy Build range as you'll only ever need one base rail, it's easy to build, and all the pieces are cut precisely to length

The aluminium profiles are designed to take our wiggle wire fixing system, this makes the poly quick and easy to fix by simply weaving the ‘W-Wire’ into the open channel of the aluminium rails & frames, securely trapping the polythene in place.

Don’t worry if you need to redo a section, it’s easily unclipped and can be ‘wiggled’ back into place ensuring a tight, neat finish every time

Stronger than 3 or 4 section hoops

Hoops that are made from three or four sections are easier to make and more convenient to deliver, however, they are not as strong as a two-piece hoop and often require extra bracing bars to support them.

That is why we only make two-piece hoops on our hobby range of polytunnels.

Choose from the full range of Northern Polytunnel foundations to suit your location and needs.

Any of the options are available on the Easy-Build range and as our foundation tubes are 2.5mm thick, they are foundations that can be built upon.

Aluminium Doors

Generally the hardest part to get right when using timber as all the pieces need to be cut accurately and assembled squarely, then when you’ve done all that, hinged doors have a tendency to drop over time

Door profile withcorner plate andbrush strip

For the Easy Build, we designed a new aluminium door with laser-cut bolt-together corner plates to make it easy to assemble, a brush strip to seal the door and wiggle wire poly fixing to make it easy to cover

PVC Double Zip Vent Door

A PVC 3in1 door that suits all weather and gardener.

This door comes with 2 heavy-duty zips for ease of access, a Velcroed panel that can be removed partially or entirely to allow as much or as little ventilation as required and two Velcro tabs that secure your door in place out of the way for those long hot summer days.

It’s essential for the poly cover to be drum-skin-tight, this stops the polythene from vibrating in the wind, causing it to degrade quickly.

As part of the maintenance of your polytunnel, the cover must be kept tight. If your cover is installed when it is cold it will need tensioning when the temperature rises.

Our cover tensioning system is simple just loosen the collar (A) lift the hoop (B) lift the collar and re-tighten in place.

We build this feature in all our polytunnels as it is essential for the life of the poly cover.

Also knows as Widthways Crop Bars

Although often used to hold hanging baskets or to support lateral poles on which to tie up your tomatoes, peas etc, they are more often added to a polytunnel to give it extra strength. Even though we boast that our polytunnels are the strongest available, they give peace of mind during severe, windy storms and also when heavy snow is expected.

They increase the structural strength by at least 20%.

Can be retrospectively fitted to existing polytunnels.

Your basic polytunnel should always have a central ridge bar, but additional ridge bars can be added to either one or both sides of a polytunnel.

They will of course increase the strength a little, but the main use for these is to provide crop support along the length of the polytunnel. They can be positioned and re-positioned to the most convenient place for the crop you are growing.

Single or Double?

Choose either single or an extra wide double door option when you choose a 12ft, 14ft or 16ft wide Easy Build Polytunnel.

Single Door Width = 800mm
Double Door Width = 1600mm

Aluminium Sliding Doors

Made from easy-to-assemble aluminium sections and incorporating our unique ‘W-Wire’ polythene fixing system. Supplied with enough materials to fully clad it with polythene, or to clad the top half with netting for extra ventilation.

We are the only manufacturer who offers long-life aluminium doors.

PVC Double Zip Vent Door

A PVC 3in1 door that suits all weather and gardeners. This door comes with 2 heavy-duty zips for ease of access, a Velcroed panel that can be removed partially or entirely to allow as much or as little ventilation as required and two Velcro tabs that secure your door in place out of the way for those long hot summer days.

Side Vents

Although doors allow adequate ventilation on shorter polytunnels throughout most of the growing season, additional ventilation is often required. This simple-to-operate, low-cost ventilation system offers a practical solution during the summer months, especially for longer polytunnels where stale, humid air can build up in the centre of your polytunnel.

Simply wind up the polythene side screen/s when required, and wind down when you want to retain the heat.

Can be fitted to one or both sides of your polytunnel. The kit includes aluminium side rail, external polythene wind-up screen, and netting (to cover the ventilation holes). The holes are cut into the main cover once the side rail has been attached. This kit can be fitted to existing polytunnels.

Available on Super Strength, Easy Build and Hobby Ranges

Roof Vents
Easy to install roof vent, with simple pull-cord operation.

Used to release excessive heat build-up in your polytunnel without having to open the doors. The spring closing design allows it to be closed tight shut when ventilation is not required. Useful in longer polytunnels where heat can build up in the middle, or when the doors need to be closed (e.g. to keep unwanted visitors out).

Simply cut out a 30-35 cm hole in the roof of your polytunnel cover, insert the fan from the inside in a rotating motion, clip on the support bars (sold separately) and it’s done.

Available on all ranges

Drop Down Polytunnel Bench

This drop-down bench is great for potting up in the polytunnel and once you’re done you can simply secure it out of the way. Easily installed in new or existing polytunnels. Several can be linked together to create a continuous bench.

Frame: Galvanised steel Top: Tanalised timber

Staging

Our polytunnel staging kits are a low-cost solution where a full-length bench is required for your polytunnel. We ONLY provide the steel frame, leaving you to provide your own tabletop. Some customers use heavy-duty, galvanised weld mesh, whereas others choose timber slats. Whatever your choice, our staging kits provide the ideal framework on which to grow your potted plants.

Supplied with fasteners for fixing timber slats (Timber not included). Can be installed in new and existing polytunnels.

Free Standing Benching

Easy to assemble flat-pack bench, manufactured from 25mm pre-galvanised steel tube with a steel mesh top.

Supplied with four corner bracing bars to give extra stability. The bench is 1m wide, 0.8m high, and comes in 1.2m long sections, allowing you to create a continuous bench to suit the length of your polytunnel or plant display area.

Size

• Unlimited length (in 1.2m increments) minimum length 2.4m
• Robust design
• Fully galvanised
• 3” x 1” Steel mesh top (3mm diam.)
• Quick self-assembly
• Simple slot together frame

Polythene film: Diffused or Clear?

Light Transmission

• Light transmission is the quantity of light going through the polythene, measured by %.
• For temperate climates, a rate of higher than 85% is the target.

Thermal Efficiency

• Where the heat in the tunnel is retained during the night.
• This is measured by thermal retention + thermal transmission = 100 and is expressed as %.
• The higher the thermal efficiency, the better the polythene retains heat.
• The higher the thermal transmission the more energy is lost.

Anti-Drip

• The anti-drip coating reduces condensation droplets and produces more of a film of water.

Benefits of Anti-Drip

• Reduces the risk of droplets then dripping which can cause fungal diseases.
• Improves the quality of light for photosynthesis, Droplets of water cause light refraction reducing the quality of light.

Note: requires adequate management of the internal micro-climate through ventilation.

Lumisol Clear - Clear Polythene

The clear polythene improves the passage of light into the tunnel to promote photosynthesis.
Clear polythene is measured by haze. The lower the % the clearer the polythene appears and the more light is allowed to be transmitted.

• Our clear polythene has 30-35% haze.
• Our clear polythene has 88-92% light transmission.
• Our clear polythene has 80-85% thermic effect.

Benefits of clear polythene:

Improves the quantity of light to encourage photosynthesis.
Encourages early crop yields and crop strength.
Increases daytime temperatures.
5-year incremental guarantee, although a 12-14 year lifespan is not uncommon.

Lumisol Diffused - Diffused Polythene

The diffusion effect ensures better light distribution inside the polytunnel, Diffused Polythene is measured by haze.
The higher the % the cloudier the film is, the more light it defuses.

• Our diffused polythene has 90-93% haze.
• Our diffused polythene has 87-91% light transmission.
• Our diffused polythene has 80-85% thermic effect.

Benefits of diffused polythene:

Reduces the stressful effect of direct sunlight on the plants.
Reduces the risk of leaf burn and crop deformation.
Encourages a more uniform ripening and colouring of the fruit as less shadowing is cast.
Note: designed for use in very luminescent areas of the UK.
5-year incremental guarantee, although a 12-14 year lifespan is not uncommon.

Drip-Line: The Most Water-Efficient Method Of Soil Irrigation

The need for water conservation makes a Drip-Line kit the ideal low-level watering system which places the water where it is required, on the roots, not the foliage/flowers or soaking the pathway.It also saves time, money and effort.

Supplied with all the necessary fittings, drippers, and a hose connector. The kits are supplied with plenty of pipe and fittings for both sides of the polytunnel.

Ideal for both polytunnels and raised beds.

The kit comes with a 16mm OD (1/2” ID) commercial dripline, with pressure compensating emitters positioned every 30cm (12”) along the pipe to ensure even irrigation over three runs per side. Supplied with plain 16mm OD black header pipe for the manifold. Hose connector and all fittings included.

Overhead Sprinkler: For A Blanket Coverage

A little less water-efficient than dripline, Overhead Sprinkler kits imitate rainfall, gently watering the whole area, ensuring blanket coverage inside your polytunnel tunnel.

The Overhead Sprinkler Kit is fastened to the central ridge of your polytunnel with individual sprinklers suspended on 30cm drop tubes. Although its popularity has declined in recent years, it’s still the preferred system for a lot of growers.

The kits are supplied with commercial sprinklers, all the necessary fittings and a hose connector. This central, single spray line is suitable for polytunnels up to 16ft wide. Can be operated with a water timer.

Self-Adhesive Guttering: Harvest Rainwater For Future Use

Harvesting rainwater takes advantage of a clean and free source of water.

Socially acceptable and environmentally responsible, it promotes self-sufficiency and helps conserve resources, and unchlorinated rainwater is better for cultivated plants and crops.

Our simple self-adhesive gutter strips can be easily fitted to new/existing tunnels to provide an excellent method of water collection.