CONSTRUCTION BASICS
Citadel's polytunnel frames are practical and simple to erect. We know that the challenge with your polytunnel is fitting and tensioning your polythene so the last thing you need is frame complications. As you will see from our purchase guide we believe in the traditional, simple and practical means of erecting and ground fixing your polytunnel.
All of our kits are supplied with detailed instructions to help you to complete your structure effectively. To give you an idea of the job at hand, some basics...
CONVENTIONAL Polytunnel Kits -
- Ground tubes inserted into the ground.
- Hoop frames slotted into ground tubes and connected at top using fixing integrated clamps. (Ridge poles fitted at this stage.)
- Corner stay bracing bars fitted. (Nuts, bolts and clips)
- Timber end frames cut to size, bolted to end frames (top) and inserted into ground.
- Polythene draped and centred - battened to door frames
Option 1 - Buried in shallow trench around perimeter of your structure for maximum ground holding.
Option 2 - Timber base rail fixed to section of ground tubes protruding from ground. As the ground tubes are the only things holding the structure down in this instance, they should be concreted in. The polythene is battened to the timber base rail using battens that are rolled into the polythene while applying tension then fixing the batten to the top of the timber base rail.
(Detailed instructions for polythene fitment with tensioning sequence to follow is included with all polytunnel kits.)
SPACE SAVER Polytunnel Kits -
- Side vertical tubes inserted into the ground and concreted in.
Option 1: Ground tubes inserted into ground and verticals fixed into ground tubes. This option available when trench burying your polythene as an alternative to concrete.
Option 2: Use base plates to fix the tunnel onto a hard standing. The base plate is anchor bolted to the ground, the vertical side tube is fixed into the base plate. The base plate has a vertical plate incorperated onto which your timber base rail can be clamped, onto which you polythene can roll batten fixed.
- Elbow joints to top of side verticals into which half-hoop frames are connected. Hoops connected at top of frame using fixing integrated clamps. (Ridge poles fitted at this stage.)
- Corner stay bracing bars fitted. (Nuts, bolts and clips)
- Timber end frames cut to size, bolted to end frames (top) and inserted into ground.
- Polythene draped and centred - battened to door frames
Option 1 - Buried in shallow trench around perimeter of your structure for maximum ground holding.
Option 2 - Timber base rail fixed to section of ground tubes protruding from ground. As the side verticals or ground tubes are the only things holding the structure down in this instance, they should be concreted in. The polythene is battened to the timber base rail using battens that are rolled into the polythene while applying tension then fixing the batten to the top of the timber base rail.
(Detailed instructions for polythene fitment with tensioning sequence to follow is included with all polytunnel kits.)
CLOCHE HOOPS -
- Ground tubes inserted into the ground.
- Hoop frames slotted into ground tubes. There is no ridge pole with the cloches. The hoops are designed to fit tight and free stand.
- Drape your polythene over the frame. Access is required to your produce so the cover must be removable or you need to be able to roll it back. There are two basic cover fitment options:
Option 1: Drape the cloche film over the frame pull it tight at the ends and stake/tie it to the ground. Release one of the stakes to open the cover over the structure.
Option 2: Drape the cloche film over the frame. Shallow trench bury it along one side (length) and to one end (fixed end). At the open end, pull the polythene tight over the structure and stake/tie it to the ground. Release this staked en to open the cover over the structure.