easytunnels

MODEL ZX4700

Assembly Manual
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Thank you for your purchase

Read all instructions before Pay attention to warnings

beginning for best results. throughout the assembly
instructions.
To protect the environment, use the
appropriate recycling and discarding
methods for the packaging items.
If you have any questions, please
contact the easytunnels helpline at
+353875353535 or visit the FAQ
section of our website
www.easytunnels.com.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Tools you need ............................................................................................. p4

List of parts .................................................................................................. p4

Before you begin .......................................................................................... p6

Site preparation ........................................................................................... p7

Frame assembly ........................................................................................... p8

Preparing for sheeting ................................................................................. p10

Sheeting the tunnel...................................................................................... p11

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TOOLS YOU NEED

• Drill

• File

• Measuring tape

• Shovel or excavating machine

• Sledgehammer

• Stepladder

LIST OF PARTS

2Self-tapping screw x 30 1Ground tube x 22

Half hoop x 22

3Q-clip x 16 4Ridge bar x 10 Cross x 9

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7Bolt x 8 5Large nut x 8 6Small nut x 8

81.65m Prop bar x 4 10T-tube x 2 9Roll of Anti hot spot tape x 1

12Roll of Anti hot spot repair tape x 1 11Polythene sheet x 1 600mmx50mmx12mm

timber batten x30

13Nail x 60
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BEFORE YOU BEGIN

Polytunnels are sturdy and strong, so wherever you build one, you can be sure it will
be safe. However, if you have the luxury of space, consider the following when
choosing the location and alignment of your polytunnel:

• A location that provides a little cover (such as near a wall or hedge) is better
than an exposed location. Try to leave at least 1m of space on each side of
the polytunnel for ease of access and cleaning.

• A flat area is best, but polytunnels can still be

built on slanted ground, provided the slope is
not severe. Talk to one of our operators for
advice if you are unsure.
It is easier and safer to
• It is best not to have any overhanging assemble your polytunnel on
branches above your polytunnel, as this will a calm, dry day.
shade it from the sun and leaves will drop
onto the roof.

• Try to have one of the sides of the polytunnel facing the prevailing wind to
protect your doors from the elements.

• An East-West facing tunnel will become very warm in the summer months.

• A North-South facing tunnel will receive slightly more sunlight at one end,
giving you a warm end and a slightly cooler end.
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SITE PREPARATION

1. Clear your site of any debris or foliage.

2. Place a ground peg in corner 1 (do not hammer it down all the way yet).

3. Measure 15m and place a ground peg in corner 2.

4. Measure 5.8m from each of these and place ground pegs in corners 3 and 4.

Steps 2-4

5. Measure the length of the diagonals. If they are the same length, your site is
squared. If not, adjust the ground pegs slightly until the diagonals measure
the same length.

Step 5
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6. Drive your ground pegs down using a sledge hammer, leaving 50mm visible
above ground. Use a piece of timber as a cushion between the hammer and
the ground peg to avoid deforming the ground peg.

FRAME ASSEMBLY

1. Join two half hoops to a cross on the

ground. If the hoops do not slide on to
the cross freely, you may have to file the
inside of the hoops. If the hoops do not It is easier and safer to
slide onto the cross completely, secure assemble your polytunnel
them with a self-tapping screw so that with the help of a second
they do not slip later. For hoops that will person.
stand on either end of your tunnel, use a
t-tube instead of a cross.

Step 1

2. Stand your completed hoop up and slide it onto two parallel ground pegs. If
the hoops do not slide on to the ground pegs freely, you may have to file
the inside of the hoops.
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3. Connect the ridge bars between all the t-tubes and crosses along the length
of the tunnel. Use a step-ladder if necessary.

Be careful when operating

the drill or any other
machinery. Do not operate
without protective eyewear.

Step 3

4. Attach a Q-clip to the base of the second hoop using a self-

tapping screw. Ensure that the clip is pointing towards the
end hoop. Keep the screw head to the inside of the tunnel
so that it does not poke into the polythene.

Step 4

5. Attach a Q-clip to the base of a prop bar using a self-

tapping screw.

Step 5

6. Join the two Q-clips with a bolt and two nuts as shown.
Use the large nut as a spacer between the two Q-clips.
Keep the small nut to the inside of the tunnel so that it
does not poke into the polythene. Do not tighten the
bolts completely until you have completed steps 7-9. Step 6
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7. Attach a Q-clip to the opposite end of the prop bar, pointing towards the
end hoop.

8. Mark the point where your prop bar reaches the end hoop, and attach a Q-
clip, pointing back towards the second hoop.

9. Join the two Q-clips as in step 6. Fully tighten all nuts on both sets of clips.

10. Repeat steps 4-9 in the remaining three corners of the tunnel.

PREPARING FOR SHEETING

1. Dig a trench all around the outside of the tunnel (except for the area in front
of the two doorways). The trench should begin 150mm outside the ground
pegs, and measure 300mm wide and 300mm deep.

Step 1

2. Place anti hot spot tape over all steel surfaces which
will be in contact with the polythene sheet. This
Step 2
includes the top surface of all hoops and the
outside faces of both end hoops.

Step 2
3. Anti hot spot repair tape should be placed over old
anti hot spot tape periodically, as it degrades over
time.
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SHEETING THE TUNNEL

1. Preheat the polythene sheet either by leaving it

out in warm weather, or placing it indoors in a
warm room. This will make the sheet more
flexible, allowing for the tightest possible fit over Do not attempt to sheet the
the tunnel frame. tunnel on a windy day. Only
2. Unfold the polythene sheet and pull it over the the calmest conditions are
frame. The two gaps in the sheet should align suitable.
with the doors of the tunnel. The sheet is the
correct side down if you can read the writing on it from inside the tunnel.

3. Cut a series of sections around the doorframe, starting with the centre, each
60cm wide. Do not cut past the point where the polythene meets the
doorframe.

Step 3

4. With the help of a second person, stand at opposite doorways and pull the
sheet tightly at the centre of the doorframe (Section 1 in the image above).
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5. Starting on one side, roll a timber batten tightly in the

polythene of section 1. Roll the batten to the inside of
the tunnel.
Step 5

6. When maximum stretch has been achieved, place the

corner of the batten against the inside corner of the
doorframe and lever the batten into position.

Step 6

7. Fix the batten in place with a nail on each end.

8. Repeat steps 5-7 on the other side of the tunnel.

9. Repeat the process for each section of polythene in

Step 7
the sequence indicated in the image for step 3.
Alternate from end to end of the tunnel to ensure
maximum tension in the polythene. Leave the unmarked side pieces until
the end.

10. Place 3-4 shovels of soil into the trench between each set of hoops and
around the ends of the tunnel, covering the ends of the polythene sheet.

Step 10

Step 10
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11. Remove bagginess by pulling the sheet and soil from the centre out to each
end.

Step 11

12. Lift the sheet and tread down heavily on the soil, further stretching the
sheet. Add more soil and continue to compact it underfoot until the trench
is full along both sides of the tunnel. Do not fill in the trench at the ends
yet.

Step 12

13. Tighten the polythene sheet around the remaining side sections of the doors
using the same timber batten technique in steps 5-7.

14. Fill in the remaining trenches at the two ends using the same technique in
step 12.

15. If any ripples remain, continue lifting and compacting soil between the
nearest hoops until all but the smallest of ripples are gone.