DIY

How to secure a greenhouse to a patio or concrete base

Last updated on July 14th, 2021

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Just recently, I purchased a new greenhouse, nothing too fancy, just an aluminium 4 x 6ft polycarbonate greenhouse by Palram. I created a new patio area for it using some 45cm x 45cm concrete paving flags and laid them on a dry mix of concrete to hold them in place.

With my base now ready and my greenhouse constructed, it was time to secure the greenhouse to my patio. I will mention that this guide is ideal if you have a fairly lightweight greenhouse you can move around a few inches once built. If you have a heavier greenhouse that once built cannot be moved, then you can still use the process but you will need to build just the greenhouse base first and then secure that to the ground before building the rest of the greenhouse. In my case, I was able to build the full greenhouse beforehand as it was easy enough to move around.

If you don’t already have a patio to use as a base, read my guide to learn how to make a greenhouse base from paving slabs

What you will need to secure your greenhouse to the ground

  • Hammer drill
  • 6-8mm Masonary drill bit
  • Rawl Plugs
  • Screws (4mm x 50mm)
  • Washers
  • Black marker or pen
  • Screwdriver (cordless screwdriver or drill driver is easier)

How I secured my greenhouse to the ground

Positioning greenhouse on patio area ready for securing to ground
Positioning greenhouse on patio area ready for securing to the ground

So the first thing I had to do was make sure the greenhouse was placed where I wanted it to be permanently secured. Inside the greenhouse, there will be some holes in the base where it can be screwed to a hard surface (such as a patio or concrete base) if this is what you have. In my case, I had a small patio I put down especially for my greenhouse.

Mark the holes in the base with a marker pen so you know where to drill your holes

The size of your greenhouse will ultimately decide how many screws you will need to secure your greenhouse. My small 4ft x 6ft Palram greenhouse has two holes in each corner and one in the centre of each side so a total of 12 holes for securing the greenhouse.

I have marked all 12 holes in the base with a black marker so i know where i need to drill the hole
I have marked all 12 holes in the base with a black marker so I know where I need to drill the hole

Now mark these holes with a black marker pen so you know where you will need to drill the holes for securing the greenhouse. Sometimes it can be easier to mark it with a sharp pencil.

Drilling the holes for the rawl plugs

Now move the greenhouse to the side a few inches so you can see where you have marked on the ground with your marker pen.

About to drill hole where I have marked with a black marker
Drilling all 10 holes that I have marked with marker pen ready to insert rawl plugs
With the greenhouse moved slightly I now drill all 10 holes I marked out previously

Next, drill where you have marked your holes with a 6-8mm masonry drill bit using a hammer drill. It is important to make sure it is in hammer mode or you will quickly wear down your drill bit. I actually used an 8mm drill bit when securing my greenhouse.

8mm drill bit used for drilling holes to secure greenhouse to patio
8mm drill bit used for drilling holes to secure the greenhouse to the patio

If you are unsure, start with a smaller drill bit first. It is easier to make the hole a little larger will a larger drill bit, however, it isn’t that easy to make it smaller again.

Insert the rawl plugs into the into the holes

Now insert your rawl plugs into the holes you have just drilled, and tap them in with a hammer.

Inserting rawl plugs that I will screw the screw into when securing the base
Inserting rawl plugs that I will screw the screw into when securing the base

Once you have inserted all your rawl plugs, carefully move your greenhouse back to its final position. You will need to make sure that the holes in the greenhouse base line up with the holes with the raw plugs inserted.

Now secure your greenhouse to the ground with screws

Now it is time to screw your greenhouse base to the floor with your screws and screwdriver. This is much easier with a cordless screwdriver or drill driver. I used 4mm x 50mm screws but you may need more substantial screws for larger greenhouses.

Screwing base to the patio but also using a washer to help prevent the screw head from being pulled through the thin aluminium base
Screwing the base to the patio, but also using a washer to help prevent the screw head from being pulled through the thin aluminium base

I also recommend putting the screws through some washers first before securing the greenhouse to the ground. This will stop the screws from being pulled through the base as most domestic greenhouse bases are usually made from thin aluminium.

That’s it, your greenhouse should now be securely fixed to the ground like mine is and ready to use. Now it is time to enjoy growing all your favourite seeds or overwinter tender plants.


Welcome to my site, my name is John and I have been lucky enough to work in horticultural nurseries for over 15 years in the UK. As the founder and editor as well as researcher, I have a City & Guilds Horticultural Qualifications which I proudly display on our About us page. I now work full time on this website where I review the very best gardening products and tools and write reliable gardening guides. Behind this site is an actual real person who has worked and has experience with the types of products we review as well as years of knowledge on the topics we cover from actual experience. You can reach out to me at john@pyracantha.co.uk

2 Comments

  1. John Moore

    Hi Jeanne, around the base isn’t water tight so it can drain away, plus it can drain between the flags. By doing this I’ve had no issues with drainage.

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