CROP 09 · STRUCTURE NOTES
Mushrooms need darkness and insulation, not light and vent.
A mushroom house inverts the usual requirements: the cover must exclude light, the structure must hold insulation, and ventilation is controlled rather than maximised.
The structural consequence of blackout is weight: insulation panels, blackout film and racks all hang from or sit on the frame. A mushroom house is a shed with a controlled environment, and the steel has to carry the insulation as dead load.
| Item | Effect |
|---|---|
| Blackout cover | double layer, no light leak at joints |
| Insulation | panel weight on purlins |
| Controlled vent | filtered inlets, fan ports |
| Racks | floor load, aisle width |
| Humidity | corrosion risk at wet interfaces |
Humidity is the corrosion driver. In a mushroom house, pre-galvanised at a cut end is a weak point within a season. Hot-dip after fabrication, or a sealed detail, is the right answer — and it is cheaper than replacing a frame.
Insulation is a load
Ask the insulation supplier for kg/m², add it to the dead load, and check the purlin spacing. Build-up panels are heavier than they look.
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