A Beautifully Efficient DIY Dome Greenhouse

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Geodesic dome greenhouses are beautiful, for sure, and they have many advantages that make them a great option for backyard food growing.

The dome shape gives a large volume for a small surface area, with plenty of space inside for vertical gardening. The shape also maximizes sun exposure so plants get the full benefit of the sun from all angles.

One of the greatest features of a geodesic dome is its strength. The triangles in the frame distribute weight equally throughout the structure, so no internal supports are needed.

Geodesic greenhouse by Astrid de Groot

Geodesic domes hold up very well to wind and other elements, making them ideal for just about any climate. Just ask the family who built their entire home within a geodesic dome greenhouse in the Arctic!

The size of a geodesic dome can be easily scaled up or down by expanding or reducing the size of the base and adding or subtracting triangles accordingly.

Geodesic dome greenhouses can be purchased as kits ready to install, or they can be built from scratch to save money. They are not as complicated to construct as they appear.

A DIY geodesic dome greenhouse

This dome, built by Astrid de Groot in Wales, is a gorgeous example of a handmade geodesic greenhouse.

This is the sketched layout showing how the triangles are assembled to create the dome. In this case, there are a total of 104 triangles, plus 4 more for the entrance.

Astrid de Groot

They began with the base, which consists of 15 pieces of wood with the ends cut at 12-degree angles. The pieces were glued and screwed together, then the base was leveled.  

Small stones were used to fill in the gaps left under the base after leveling, then roof plastic was placed over the whole base to keep it sealed.

Astrid de Groot

Once the triangle pieces were built, they were covered in polytunnel plastic. The plastic was heated and stretched over the triangles, then tacked down at the edges.

After the plastic was placed over the triangles, the greenhouse was ready to assemble. The triangles were pieced together and held in place with screws, starting at the bottom.

Astrid de Groot

The very top piece is a doubled pentagon that acts as a vent for airflow with a cover to keep water from running in.

Astrid de Groot

After the dome was assembled, the interior of the greenhouse was finished beautifully with a pallet floor, a round tomato planter in the center, and planting beds around the perimeter. Raised beds on tables above the planters help take advantage of the vertical space.

Astrid de Groot

As you can see, this relatively small structure has room for a very nice garden and can be used throughout the year.

Astrid de Groot

See more pictures of the building process of this amazing hand-built dome on Astrid de Groot’s website.