I am installing a 20' x 100' hoop house with 5' spacing between each of the hoops. The arch is about 10' tall. The hoops are galvanized chain link fence top rail. 3 rails inserted into one another makes one arch. The hoops are inserted into 2.5' vertical posts which have been pounded into the ground about 2'. From there it is a caterpillar style hoop house. There will be a three ridge poles. One down the center and one on each side. The end hoops will have double hoops with 1" x 8" fastened to them with wiggle wire channel fastened to that. There will be diagonal supports at both ends spanning two arches. There will be a single layer of plastic pulled over the building. From there I will use 550 cord (parachute cord) to lace over the plastic in crisscross fashion.
Is pounding the vertical posts into the ground good enough in a strong wind? Or should I also put some cement around the base? Any other ideas to keep this style of structure from being up-rooted in a storm?
Best Answer
I'm not sure if you have already built this or not, but ideally you should build footings just like you would for a deck or a fence. How should I build the concrete footings for my deck? is a particularly good example.
Essentially, dig post holes down past the frost line or whatever is suggested in your area. The holes should be bigger (mushroom out) on the bottom. Set your posts and fill the hole with concrete. Now as long as you have a solid way to attach everything to the posts, it's probably about as strong as you can get it.