My DIY Tent Design *Critiques?*

Well, I'm getting ready to move and my wife has given me permission to take over the extra bedroom as long as we can use some of it for storage. SCORE!!! I love my wife! Anyway, I decided to build myself a couple of simple grow tentsThis first design is to be used for vegging, unter T8's and CFL until I can afford a good T5 or two. I will be working on the flower tent soon, following the same basic design.

I plan to eventually run odor control, I think. Stealth isn't TOO high a priority for my situation, however I will use weather-stripping to create an airtight tent by using it on all pertinent joints/seams. I plan to veg 20-30 plants per grow in this. I will either add a prefab sheet-metal catchpan on the floor or use cut-down rubbermaid totes as catchpans, probably the latter.

So, I guess my question is, do you see any faults in the design or any way to cost-effectively improve it? I don't think I'll have to worry too much about temps in veg since I'm using fluoro, but would like to at least leave it open to be modified for cooling.

Thanks in advance for all you help!

The only thing I would change, is having the door on the schematic in the last picture open from top to bottom, or bottom to top, instead of left to right or right to left. I think you would want hinges on the side with the most length, so the hinges are less stressed. The way you have it opening from the side, the top hinge is liable to buckle under pressure and pop screws out.

Just a designer preference, probably not a big deal.

Hm, actually I just read that it says its hinged at the top..maybe I just dont know how to read a schematic properly. I dunno.

I very well could have mis-stated or drawn my "paint" schematic wrong. I was thinking of having the door hinged on the top 6'wide side. Kind of like an overhead luggage rack on a plane.(couldn't think of a better example) Idk if I will keep it open using a stick to prop it up or more likely use a couple of eyehooks and a little chain.

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Originally Posted by budlover13

I very well could have mis-stated or drawn my "paint" schematic wrong. I was thinking of having the door hinged on the top 6'wide side. Kind of like an overhead luggage rack on a plane.(couldn't think of a better example) Idk if I will keep it open using a stick to prop it up or more likely use a couple of eyehooks and a little chain.

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If there is a home depot nearby, they have these awesome spring powered hinges for pretty cheap. They basically go inside of the enclosure and when you open it, the springs are loaded or something to where they stay open on their own. something like this, more or less.

Awesome find! I've seen them, but never really thought about them. You have just made the first outside improvement! Thank you! I wonder how much my 4x6' door is going to weigh? When I build the larger one, I plan on allowing access from front AND back since it will have a footprint of 4X8'. Those doors will be hung conventionally though with double doors on each side.

For those types of hinges, its best to go in store to check em all out, so that you can see exactly which type will fit your needs best. I just had to do a bunch of hinge stuff so yeah.