Construction Plans for a Custom Designed Low (Mini) Tunnel

Centering the tunnel cover

Preparing cover end prior to securing to frame

Securing cover end to frame

Next, install the tunnel cover. Do this on a calm day to make the job easier. Make sure the cover is centered over the hoops. Gather the cover at one end of the tunnel and twist it into a tight spiral. If you're covering a corrugated sheet metal bed, tie off the twisted end of the cover with a piece of rope and secure it to the middle two sucker rod stakes at the end of the bed using the rope. Repeat the process on the other end of the tunnel, pulling the cover towards you prior to securing to the stakes. Stretching the cover removes excess slack in the material.

With one exception, the process is the same if you're installing a tunnel on a rubber lumber bed. We use a 1-foot-long U-shaped stake made from a 3/8-inch-diameter piece of rebar to secure the tied off ends to the soil at both ends of the bed.

Next, make the hold-down straps. Select 1/4-inch-diameter rope to use for the straps. To reduce the amount of abrasion that occurs when the cover is raised and lowered, choose a rope that is soft to the touch. We've had good results using nylon braided rope. Two hundred feet of rope is more than enough to make the hold-down straps for a 30-foot-long tunnel, reinforce the end hoops and tie off both ends of the cover. Prepare the straps by cutting the rope into 16-foot pieces. You will need one strap for each hoop.

U-shaped stake