Use 60% Aluminet instead of the usual 63% black shadecloth. It's the modern and superior way to go. Check it out on this site:

http://www.greenhousemegastore.com/category/shade-cloth

Nick

I like light without rain to control the amount of water. 50% sun lexan roofing. It comes 4' wide and 8' to 24' long. It has creases to overlap the seams. Hurricanes breaks most orchid structures including the lexan roofing. Will your structure be in the shade or sun? Lexan needs to be in the sun.

Also with the Lexan, there is possibilities for heating in the winter. I have roll down curtains of Eisenglass that go down and stay down all winter. Most of the year they are rolled up and out of the way. I can maintain 50 deg. with an outside temp of 38. If it gets lower I add duct tape. Fill the cracks.

It is nice to have a electric for a fan, lighting and heating. And water and a bench. A big utility sink not hooked to the main drain. Some shelves for supplies. The best wood to use is cypress. It is rot resistant and stands up to the weather. It is a Florida wood. It is replenished as fast as it is cut. Reasonable price. There are a few very expensive and exotic woods that are better but due to price and very good longevity along with local greenness, the pick is cypress.

Thanks guys for the info, much appreciated.I saw some pics of nice shade house someone built.I would love to have one of these.

Allymarie

Hi
I was given 10 flowering size plants was my first introduction to orchids lol I hung them in the so called attached screen room. First major conversion was to a finch aviary used vinyl lattice over the screen along with hardware cloth, have never used shadecloth due to vines growing on the roof . The BIG problem was overheating even in winter. Never forget during a particularly cold spell I covered with plastic sailed through the 27 degree night at 50. Came home at 5 outside temp 60 inside 135!!! last attempt at climate control was frostcloth still had overheating but not as severe . Generally speaking I've had about equal luck hanging in the trees and cost a whole lot less money
When you think about it the temps here are only intolerable about a week or less for the entire year.
Most of my orchids are outdoors either in pots or attached to trees much simpler and cheaper lol Good luck gary

I have my collection on wire shelving on the front porch, it faces south w/an overhang and gets sun in there in the winter as the sun tracks southerly, but summer it is no sun just bright...I can go out and turn on the hose to spray water when dry, and they get rain if the wind comes from the south.... I hang a bed-sheet in back duriing the winter to block the sun and when we get a cold-snap I drape sheets and then a plastic over them to protect them... cheap cheap cheap and seems to work....LOL, sally