Growing Dome Technical Specifications

The Growing Dome^® is a greenhouse kit ready for owner assembly or Installation by a Growing Spaces crew.

We provide a detailed Instruction Manual, Owner Supplied Items List, and Installation Video along with many other useful documents to ensure your success in installing the Growing Dome.

Geodesic Dome Structure

Structural units of the Growing Dome are 2x3, 2x4 or 2x6 Douglas Fir lumber (#2 & better) treated with Lifetime Wood Treatment, ready to fasten to connecting hubs of 1/8" aluminum. The Growing Dome includes a 5 year warranty on the structure.

Foundation Wall

The wall is built from 2x4 or 2x6 lumber studs and plates clad with fiber cement exterior siding. It is insulated with R-12 insulation and lined with galvanized metal flashing. The Bottom Plate of the wall comes standard as pressure treated lumber to prevent rot and termite damage. You may upgrade to Redwood Bottom Plate, if you prefer.

Most Dome sizes come standard with a 16" high foundation wall, however the 12' Dome has a 32" wall, while the 15' and 22' come standard with a 24" foundation wall).

Any 16" wall can be upgraded to a 2ft wall; enjoy the benefits of extra height as well as raised bed gardening!!

Outer Polycarbonate Glazing Panels

The high quality POLYCARBONATE GLAZING is a clear translucent covering that allows 62% to 80% light transmission. It resists breakdown by ultraviolet light and harsh weather impacts, like hail. Life expectancy is over 20 years and both glazing densities come with a 10 year warranty by the manufacturer against yellowing and hail damage. You and your plants will love the soft diffused light inside!

The 8mm double or twin wall glazing STANDARD carries an R value of 1.8, whereas the 16mm five-wall or PREMIUM glazing is rated R 3.2

Premium glazing is recommended for Domes in harsher climates.

Features included in the Growing Dome Kit

North Wall Insulation:

Pre-cut Reflectix® insulation panels are provided to cover the northern 2/5ths of the dome, cutting down heat loss in the winter months and shading the water tank in the summer months, thus keeping the dome warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. The reflective surface increases the available light inside the Growing Dome.

Automatic Opening Vents:

Temperature activated openers open and close the vents and prevent the Growing Dome from overheating. The openers are adjustable and work by the natural heating and cooling of a tube of compressed wax.

Cooling System:

The 26 foot Dome is the only size that comes standard with a thermostatically controlled, solar powered, 12V cooling fan (a $465 value), as well as four automatic opening window vents.

 

The larger domes (33'-51') come standard with 110V cooling fans which require an electrical power supply. Solar powered cooling fan upgrades are available at additional cost for those who live off-grid, or simply prefer to use solar energy.

Undersoil Heating/Cooling System:

A small fan blows warm air in winter and cool air in summer through a duct under the soil, raising the soil temperature to enable plants to grow better during cold weather conditions. The kit contains the fan and distribution box. The fan is powered by an included photo-voltaic cell that is mounted high on the outside of the Dome. The duct is one of the locally purchased items on the Owner Supplied List.

Water Tank:

The main thermal mass of the Growing Dome is a large vesica pisces (elliptical) shaped water tank for the 12'-26' domes. This is an oval tank similar to an above ground swimming pool. However, round tanks are standard for the larger domes (33'-51'). Pre-drilled brackets, hardware, & pond liner are provided by Growing Spaces. Locally purchased items include sheet metal and a few over-sized pieces of lumber to complete the tank.

Dome Size	Dimensions	Volume	Sq. Ft.
12'	7'x3'x4'	400 gallons	15'
15'	9'x3'6"x4'	600 gallons	25'
18'	9'x4'x4'	700 gallons	30'
22'	12'x4'6"x4'	900 gallons	35'
26'	13'x5'x4'	1200 gallons	45'
33'	11' circular	3000 gallons	95'
42'	13' circular	4250 gallons	145'
51'	(2) 11' circular	2 @ 3000 gal	190'

The water tank can double as an indoor pond to grow aquatic plants and fish, and is a critical feature of the domes passive solar design!

See our Solar Waterfall option!

Owner Supplied Items

Some necessary items are bulky, costly to ship, and readily available at your local building supply store. These items are not included in the kit; doing so lowers the overall cost to the Dome owner.

A detailed list of Owner Supplied Items with measurements and quantity will be provided along with the Installation package.

Owner Supplied Items include: undersoil temperature management duct, perimeter and wall insulation, sand, 3/4 inch washed gravel for base and perimeter, cement, sheet metal, and lumber for the water tank (sheet metal can be found at a heating & air conditioning or sheet metal supply store.

Estimated cost of Owner Supplied Items:

Dome Size	Est. Cost
12'	$550
15'	$550
18'	$600
22'	$700
26'	$900
33'	$1200
42'	$1600
51'	$1700

(Costs vary according to local suppliers)

Installation Options

• Complete Owner Installation
(26' Domes and smaller)
• Growing Spaces Full Crew Installation (Required on 42' & 51' Domes)
• Growing Spaces Supervisor to assist your local crew (Required on 33' Dome)

Please see our Installation page for more information on each of these options.

Shipping & Delivery

The overall cost of the Growing Dome Greenhouse Kit does not include Shipping/Delivery or Crating/Loading. We can provide you with a custom estimate to your location.  

• Shipping: We use several freight companies to ship all over the country and internationally. With our special discounted pricing, we will get you the best rate possible. Crating costs also apply when the Dome is shipped. International crates cost more.
  
• Delivery: We can deliver Dome kits within so many miles of Pagosa Springs when our per mile rate is lower than the cost of shipping by freight.
  
• Customer Pick up: Most of our Greenhouse Kits fit in the back of a standard sized pick-up truck. However, the larger domes may require a trailer, but we are always happy to advise depending on your situation. Keep in mind that when picking up the Dome at our shop, you will be required to pay 6.9% tax.

Please see our Shipping & Delivery page for more information.

Additional Details about our Hobby Greenhouse Kits

Seven Features of our Hobby Greenhouses: The seven features of the Growing Dome when combined set it apart from all other hobby greenhouses and make it possible, even in harsh climates, to grow during all four seasons!

8 different Sizes: Choose from our 8 sizes of greenhouse kits to ensure that your Growing Dome is right for your interests and needs.

Compare to other Greenhouses: Compare our greenhouse kits to others on the market and you'll find that ours not only costs less per square foot, and is designed to grow food during all four seasons!! ...Not true with the typical Hobby Greenhouses.