Putting a grow tent in a garage?

[jackhoffa]

I'm wondering about setting up something in my garage for possibly next winter. This would be in Colorado. I'd like to get a large-ish grow tent, and possibly either have a contractor build a small enclosure with door inside detached garage, or buy one of those storage sheds, and put the tent in that.

I want to do this for two reasons:

1. Be able to actually lock access to the tent - I'm assuming that tents don't really have much security to keep out people?
2. Be able to provide some buffer from colder temps. This garage is detached, and not heated. I could add small heater with temp control inside the shed, I suppose?

Would it be wise to try autos so that I could run the lights 24 hours and provide most heat that way? Although I'd like a large-ish tent - especially height - so that I can let the plants get as big as they can get, so maybe autos are not so wise?

Anyone else ever do something like this? Do people put heaters inside their tents? If my garage locks and most people tend not to go in there, is putting a shed around it overkill?

[Toker1]

1. yes, that is correct.
2. An insulated garage will retain heat better and keep the cold out. A small space heater may not be necessary if you are running those lights 24-7.
Autos will work. Or photos if you separate into a veg room and flower room. You can always run the veg lights on 24 with photos as well.
In my experience building a room with in a garage works well for growing purposes.

[Gingerbeard]

If you're able to build a room to house your tent, skip the tent and just build the room. A lot easier to work with, I'm sure.

[stump]

I have my tent in a 8x12 ft shed. I fully insulated it and works great.

[starramus]

I have a 150X150X200 Vivosun tent in my barn which is insulated. My tent is located in the third room which I use for a second office, storing astronomy equipment, and of course the grow tent. I use it for flowering in the fall to avoid some of my plants being pollinated. That has become a problem in these parts as, "the hills are alive with the smell of cannabis". I avoid using it in winter to avoid additional heating costs. This last winter I did a small grow in the basement of my house. Photo coming in the AM.

[oldjarhead100]

I built a grow room in my cellar when my tent broke easy enough to do but if you insulate the shit out of it and make sure theirs no drafts if you do autos you just might be ok I would try it with some bag seed then if it doesn't work your not out a ton of money

[PhantomSulker]

I have been contemplating about building out 1/2 my garage into a 4 room design, I have a 2 1/2 car garage and don't really use it for anything but storage. I want a veg room, flower room, drying room and a relax and smoke room. Ill probably do this when all the kids move out in a few years and it's just me. I already build a veg room under my stairs in my laundry room and have plans to build a 12x12 area off that one soon. Then I will take down the tents and have 2 locked rooms in basement.

[MJTECH]

I'm wondering about setting up something in my garage for possibly next winter. This would be in Colorado. I'd like to get a large-ish grow tent, and possibly either have a contractor build a small enclosure with door inside detached garage, or buy one of those storage sheds, and put the tent in that.

I want to do this for two reasons:

1. Be able to actually lock access to the tent - I'm assuming that tents don't really have much security to keep out people?
2. Be able to provide some buffer from colder temps. This garage is detached, and not heated. I could add small heater with temp control inside the shed, I suppose?

Would it be wise to try autos so that I could run the lights 24 hours and provide most heat that way? Although I'd like a large-ish tent - especially height - so that I can let the plants get as big as they can get, so maybe autos are not so wise?

Anyone else ever do something like this? Do people put heaters inside their tents? If my garage locks and most people tend not to go in there, is putting a shed around it overkill?

I would just either use a shed in the garage or build a grow room in a corner of the garage, it's not that difficult to build a room using 2 X 4 studding on 16 inch centers, if you position it properly you will only need to build two walls using the corner for the other two.

And if you garage ceiling is insulated in the attic all you need would be a single roll of insulation for the two new walls, if not you will want to insulate the area over the grow room.

Add some carefully placed outlets to eliminate the need for extension cords and you should be good to go.

If you have any other questions or need some help with designing the walls just ping me back.

My primary reason in your case to have a room versus a tent is climate control when the temps drop, it's a lot easier to control temps behind a closed door and four walls then within a tent.

Plus if you have guests by, the door can be locked.

MJT

[starramus]

Your greatest concern would be cold temperatures. Since you are in Colorado what altitude are you at? Even at 4600 feet a few years ago the jet stream sagged, and we experienced sub zero temps for quite a few days in November. Even in an insulated garage you would require auxiliary heating which can be expensive with either propane, or electric. Heating with a light might work in CA, but in Colorado under adverse conditions you would be struggling. I am growing in the house basement in winter, but have set up a grow tent for flowering in the fall in the back room of my barn. This Vivosun 5X5Xalmost 7 feet tall is a durable and cheap from Billionaire Bezos at $129.00.

[SoOrbudgal]

I learned my lesson this past winter. I'm moving my tent into a insulated area. Going on 12wks now with 4 autos in a 3x3x63? tent outdoor screened in patio. One of my many learning mistakes i'm gonna listen more to my mother nature instincts. LED does not give off enough heat even with two 450 vipraspectar.

[Gjohnstone]

I grew last winter in Canada in a unheated garage. I built a 4x4x6 grow box out of 2x4’s and sided it with OSB then rigid r5 insulation board. Wired it off my panel with a 350w baseboard heater. Worked great. The only time I had some heat issues was during a bad cold snap and it hit -35 for a week. If you want detail and pictures direct message me on here. I have built a few of these for friends now and have it down.

[oldjarhead100]

great idea base board heat probably so much cheaper than those little heaters

[jackhoffa]

I would just either use a shed in the garage or build a grow room in a corner of the garage, it's not that difficult to build a room using 2 X 4 studding on 16 inch centers, if you position it properly you will only need to build two walls using the corner for the other two.

And if you garage ceiling is insulated in the attic all you need would be a single roll of insulation for the two new walls, if not you will want to insulate the area over the grow room.

Add some carefully placed outlets to eliminate the need for extension cords and you should be good to go.

If you have any other questions or need some help with designing the walls just ping me back.

My primary reason in your case to have a room versus a tent is climate control when the temps drop, it's a lot easier to control temps behind a closed door and four walls then within a tent.

Plus if you have guests by, the door can be locked.

MJT

Thanks, yeah, I'm less than experienced with framing. I've helped my father in building things around the house including framing, but I never was involved with framing a door. I figure I'd be okay with extension cords, as I can just lie those along the rafters and right into the enclosed area. If you have any tips/guidance on how to frame, I'd love to hear it. Nothing in the garage is insulated right now.

[MJTECH]

Framing is simple, upper plate lower plate Tap-conned to the floor and studs on 16 inch centers, on your two mating corners double up on the studs so you have something for the drywall to connect to.

As for a door I pre-hung doors, that way you just rough out the opening and plumb and level the door with shims.

Insulation, if you can get access to the attic above the room lay out some batts of fiberglass precut to match the spacing of the truss's, and the same for the walls, that should give the room a decent R factor.

Now if one of the walls will be an outer wall you might want to but some sheets of 2" Styrofoam and glue it to the outer wall, by code the inner wall between the garage and the home should already be insulated.

Extension cords is where you can get into some serious trouble, cords are only for temporary use, you use will be more permanent than temp, as such you must use well made cords matched to the breaker protecting the outlet you will grab power from and considering you may add a heater you may need to find a second outlet as you should not load a 15 amp residential circuit over 1440 watts continuous.

For more on extension cords and grow room power check this link to an article I wrote on that subject..

http://matrixblackrock.com/Assets/GrowRoomPower.pdf

[jackhoffa]

Your greatest concern would be cold temperatures. Since you are in Colorado what altitude are you at? Even at 4600 feet a few years ago the jet stream sagged, and we experienced sub zero temps for quite a few days in November. Even in an insulated garage you would require auxiliary heating which can be expensive with either propane, or electric. Heating with a light might work in CA, but in Colorado under adverse conditions you would be struggling. I am growing in the house basement in winter, but have set up a grow tent for flowering in the fall in the back room of my barn. This Vivosun 5X5Xalmost 7 feet tall is a durable and cheap from Billionaire Bezos at $129.00.

That looks really nice. Is that in a smaller enclosure inside the barn that you've built? And I've been considering a tent roughly in that dimension range.

What I'd like to do, since my garage is not insulated, would be to build a box with a door just larger than tent size - enough to maneuver in, and maybe put a few items that don't need to be in tent like watering cans, ph up/down, things like that, as well as some kind of heater. But ideally not a really large space so that heating requirements are not huge.

Also, I'd like some kind of way to open up the top on demand, for say, the summer.

[starramus]

No it is a full size room on the east end of the barn. Fortunately I didn't have to add it. There is the main portion of the barn, and then another room on the west end. Plenty of room for me in various pursuits.

Hmmm removing the roof in the summer. That's kind of tricky. Amateur astronomers do build small observatories with roll off roofs. https://www.google.com/search?q=roll...w=1920&bih=944 These might be too extravagant for your needs. You said largish tent, what size are you thinking of? Have you considered a Tuff Shed? https://www.homedepot.com/services/c...E&gclsrc=aw.ds You would have to insulate it though.

[starramus]

This might actually work for you. https://vistainspireprogram.com/27-r...observatories/

[MJTECH]

How is one possibility going to open the roof of that structure inside of a residential garage with an 8 foot ceiling?

[starramus]

I meant it as a stand alone unit.....sorry. Would be great for catching some natural sunlight.

[jackhoffa]

No it is a full size room on the east end of the barn. Fortunately I didn't have to add it. There is the main portion of the barn, and then another room on the west end. Plenty of room for me in various pursuits.

Hmmm removing the roof in the summer. That's kind of tricky. Amateur astronomers do build small observatories with roll off roofs. https://www.google.com/search?q=roll...w=1920&bih=944 These might be too extravagant for your needs. You said largish tent, what size are you thinking of? Have you considered a Tuff Shed? https://www.homedepot.com/services/c...E&gclsrc=aw.ds You would have to insulate it though.

Heh, I should have said I'd like to be able to somehow vent the roof. The garage has trusses at about the garage door track level, and it goes up almost another story or so, open air. No insulation on any wall or ceiling - it's a detached garage.

[jackhoffa]

No it is a full size room on the east end of the barn. Fortunately I didn't have to add it. There is the main portion of the barn, and then another room on the west end. Plenty of room for me in various pursuits.

Hmmm removing the roof in the summer. That's kind of tricky. Amateur astronomers do build small observatories with roll off roofs. https://www.google.com/search?q=roll...w=1920&bih=944 These might be too extravagant for your needs. You said largish tent, what size are you thinking of? Have you considered a Tuff Shed? https://www.homedepot.com/services/c...E&gclsrc=aw.ds You would have to insulate it though.

That observatory is pretty cool, for sure. Not sure I was imagining anything more elaborate than just a large enough door/flap to let out enough so that things don't bake if I ran it in the summer.