How easy is it to build a dome greenhouse in your backyard?

Young lady learning how to build a geodesic dome greenhouse from growing spaces during a volunteer event for go farm in golden, CO. — Have a drill and a ladder? You can build your own geodesic dome greenhouse!

At Growing Spaces, we provide geodesic greenhouse kits that offer convenience and DIY satisfaction. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to build a dome greenhouse using our Growing Dome Greenhouse Kit. Learn why our kit, paired with a DIY approach, ensures longevity and cost efficiency. Hear from satisfied customers who have experienced the ease of installation firsthand.

Growing Dome Kit vs. Fully Self-built Geodesic Greenhouse

Time and Effort Savings: Our kit saves valuable time and effort as you won’t have to source individual components. Our 26’ Growing Dome comes with over 120 unique components that we have innovated and sourced for over 30 years. This includes #1 select Douglas Fir for a sturdy framework and an appealing interior, high-quality lumber not easily found at local hardware stores.
Superior Components at Lower Costs: As Growing Spaces has expanded, our purchasing power increased, enabling us to acquire superior components for the Growing Dome kits at lower costs. We use premium polycarbonate, which arrives regularly in full truckloads of 4′ x 24′, 5′ x 24′, and 6′ x 24′ sheets of 5-wall polycarbonate. Additionally, our kits feature customized, precise vents with rain sheds and reinforced automated vent openers, features not commonly available in retail stores.
Durability in Harsh Conditions: Our Growing Dome greenhouse kits are proven to last more than 25 years. They are designed to withstand harsh conditions, including 115+ mph winds, ensuring a sturdy and reliable structure for all your gardening needs.

Bigelow Brook Farm’s self-made DIY dome greenhouse could cost up to $5,000 to tear down. That is half the cost of a new 15′ Growing Dome greenhouse in 2023.

Ease of Installation

Don’t just take our word for it—hear from our satisfied customers who have successfully installed their Growing Dome Greenhouse Kits.

We decided it was time to start growing fruit, veggies and plants for the garden so we ordered the Growing Dome kit from woocommerce-1072228-5183490.cloudwaysapps.com. The kit arrived just before Covid -19 restrictions began and we were lucky to have our neighbour friends help out with the construction. After that, Kel spent every night and weekend finishing the greenhouse on his own so we could get growing. We are 100% satisfied with our Garden Igloo. – Around the Cove on Youtube

A Complete DIY Solution

Our Growing Dome Greenhouse Kits provide everything you need for a successful DIY installation. From the geodesic dome structure to the polycarbonate glazing and pre-kitted hardware, each component is carefully selected and included in the kit. This comprehensive package ensures you have all the necessary materials, eliminating guesswork and saving you time and effort.

aspiring dome owner assembling their diy greenhouse kit — “Weldon worked on the Dome pretty much all day every day for two weeks. He completed it doing most of the work on his own with a little help from his father-in-law and myself. The videos were super helpful. My husband loves new challenges. He is handy and handsome.” Daunelle Wulstein

Weldon worked on the Dome pretty much all day every day for two weeks. He completed it doing most of the work on his own with a little help from his father-in-law and myself. The videos were super helpful. My husband loves new challenges. He is handy and handsome.

Daunelle Wulstein

There was a learning curve, but it was pretty easy. Lots of wiggling and banging involved.

Jerry Bailey

The DIY Geodesic Dome Greenhouse Build Process

Time and Labor Requirements

Building a Geodesic Dome Greenhouse is a collaborative effort typically requiring more than one person. While the exact time and labor required depend on the size of the kit and the level of experience, it can generally be completed within 3 – 10 days with a small team.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Each Growing Dome kit is color-coded and comes with comprehensive written & video instructions, making the process accessible and straightforward. These instructions are password-protected but will become available after signing the sales agreement and providing a 50% deposit.

The following photos came from Rodney Hoffman during his 18′ Growing Dome Self Installation in Evergreen, Colorado. Rodney’s Growing Dome was sold and built before we added snow shed entryways as a standard feature with every kit. You can read his Growing Dome story here.

Dome in the snow — Want to learn how to build a dome greenhouse like this one? Keep reading.

Site Selection and Preparation: Choose a suitable location for your greenhouse kit. Ideally, it should be an area with ample sunlight, proper drainage, and easy access to water and electricity. Clear the site of any debris or vegetation, and level the ground if necessary. This step ensures a stable foundation for your greenhouse.

Building Permits and Regulations: Before building your Geodesic Dome Greenhouse, it’s essential to consider building permits and local regulations. While we don’t require you to obtain a permit for the Growing Dome Greenhouse Kit, it is highly recommended. The permit process may take time, so planning early is advised. By placing down a 10% deposit you will receive access to plans and instructions for site preparation to help you in obtaining your permit if you choose to do so.

Foundation: There are three standard options for the foundation: a circular ring of compacted gravel, concrete Sono tube piers at each of the vertices of the foundation (15 or 20) with landscape timbers or compacted gravel in between, the step up would be a full insulated concrete foundation. Greenhouse Foundation Layout drawings are available to committed buyers of Growing Spaces Growing Domes. We can also send you preliminary drawings to take to your building department. You can find more information here.

building dome greenhouse foundation — checking all the angles

flattening ground for dome greenhouse build — gravel ring foundation

Owner-Supplied Items: When it comes to the Growing Dome kit, certain items are required for construction that are bulky and expensive to ship. These items are intentionally not included to help keep the final cost of the kit affordable. Instead, sourcing them locally from a building supply store is recommended, where they are more readily available and can be obtained at a lower cost. You can find a full list of those items and their cost estimations here.

Assembly of the Dome Structure: The kit has a complete set of pre-cut, color-coded struts and framing, and all hardware. Follow the instructions to assemble the geodesic dome structure. The struts are labeled and color-coded for convenient identification, with pre-drilled holes for attaching them together. This step might require multiple hands, but it is generally straightforward and does not require specialized skills.

building dome greenhouse foundation wall — building foundation wall

building geodesic dome structure — construction structure

building the dome — adding on the pieces

build a dome greenhouse — structure pieces almost complete

Panel Installation: The Multi-wall (16mm) polycarbonate glazing panels are pre-cut and labeled for installation. They are also UV-resistant & shatter-proof with a 10-year manufacturer warranty. Great for heavy snow loads and hail.

Ventilation and Door Installation: Depending on your chosen kit, it will include automatic vents designed for high winds, a solar-powered fan (15′, 18′ 22′, or 26’ kits), 16” Electric Fans – 115v (33’ & 42’ kits), Attic Fans (33’ & 42’), and pre-hung steel door(s).

Additional Features:

Undersoil Ventilation System with 4” fan(s)
24” insulated foundation wall with engineered siding
Reflectix® insulation for north wall
Select materials for the source of thermal mass aka above ground pond

installing the pond liner — installing pond liner

Installing the reflectix on north wall — installing reflectix

Finishing Touches: Of course, no greenhouse is complete without raised beds. Upon purchase of a Growing Dome, you will be provided with a standard raised bed plan for free. You can also browse our raised bed gallery for inspiration for building custom beds. If all of those options sound like a bit too much construction for you, we recommend our partner Backyard Boxes. ou can purchase their pre-fabricated 100% cedar raised bed kits designed specifically for the Growing Dome. They make building out the interior and/or exterior of the Growing Dome simple.

The Benefits of our Growing Dome Greenhouse Kit

Building a Geodesic Dome Greenhouse with our Growing Dome Greenhouse Kit is a rewarding and achievable project. By opting for our kit, you benefit from the convenience, quality, and comprehensive instructions that make the installation process easy and enjoyable. Embrace the DIY spirit, create a thriving garden environment, and enjoy the bountiful rewards of year-round gardening with our Growing Dome Greenhouse Kit.