Repairing / Salvaging a greenhouse?

[DonSpillacy]

A greenhouse came with the allotment, however there are one or two problems with it (see piccy)



It's a wood framed 10ft x 6 ft (roughly) greenhouse with half the glass missing. The glass that is still intact is glazed rather than clipped in place and most of the putty is on its way out. The frame itself is badly rotted, in places almost all the way through. It's also not really tall enough for me, I keep hitting my head whenever I go inside and as the glass is wobbly I'm sensing an accident is going to happen.

Has anyone got any ideas on what to do? At the moment the only ideas I've had is burn it (seems such a shame as it must have originally cost a fortune) or cover entirely with Polythene until the rest of it falls down.

Although I don't have enough time to use it this year, If it's going to be saved I think I need to something with it soonish. There's about ten sheets of glass in the shed and a load of double-wall poly carb that I think the previous owner tried to use but it looks like it fell off.

Can it be saved??

[redser]

Yikes. I would imagine it would be best/safest to take it down and get rid. The glass and polycarbonate would be useful though. If not to you, then you could sell it on for spares?

[veggiechicken]

I'd take the remaining glass out, beef it up a bit by nailing some wood in strategic places, and cover it with polytunnel plastic.. Use the glass and polycarb to make cold frames.

[rustylady]

To be honest it looks past saving, even dangerous. I would remove the remaining glass as soon as possible before someone gets hurt.

[DonSpillacy]

Redser, veggiechicken and rusty, thanks. I guess the frame could be partially saved but you're right, the glass has to go before I fall over or something worse happens.

Any idea on how to safely remove glass that's puttied in?? Especially the roof glass. I've got a vision that once some of the glass is removed the rest will just collapse....

[redser]

That pane below where the roof vent was looks ready to slide down and decapitate someone!! I can see the headlines now

[DonSpillacy]

The sheets round the other side are much bigger. I'm thinking smash it from a distance and then pick the pieces up could be the safest way.

[Mikey]

Put an old sheet down below it and smash it, this way you catch the debris falling.

Are there metal brackets in the corners, I'd be tempted to use it as a template and remake it. with some 2 x 1 and cover with some polycarb sheeting.

[Madasafish]

Scrap .

Any repairs = more hassle than it's worth and dangerous as well unless you remove all the glass.

When you do that, it will collapse!

[DonSpillacy]

Thanks Mikey and Masasafish. It seems a shame to smash the glass, but I think for safety's sake you're right. There is a metal internal frame, so I guess I could try to rebuild/renew next year if enough of it's left after the glass smash.

[WendyC]

I'm no DIYer but my first response was that it is beyond repair. If you criss crossed the glass which is puttied in with masking tap before you broke it, it would hold it together a bit and make clearing up easier. Thinking WW2 preparations! I have a recollection of emergency glaziers doing this when we had the boys+football+ single glazing combo!

[DonSpillacy]

That's a good idea. I'm all for anytihng to make the job safer and easier. I suppose covering most of the whole pain with tape would maybe help get it out in one piece.

[Madasafish]

I would criss cross each pane with cheap gaffer tape. Ordinary tape is likely to tear with the weight when you drop one - as will happen...

[Mikey]

If you want to try and save the glass, have you tried removing some of the putty with a paint scraper Don?

If its old and worn it might come off alright. I'd tape the end of the glass hanging down to stop it sliding out on you. Alternatively you could try cutting through the uprights where it meets the roof stabilising it below with a couple of battens. You might get them out well enough to make some cold frame from them. I hate to see anything wasted.

[DonSpillacy]

I haven't tried anything with it yet. Like you I don't like wasting things, and I'm sure others on our 'lotment site would have the glass and use it for something (most of it's the wrong size for my greenhouse at home.) It seems a waste to smash the glass, but I don't want to risk injury by removing it without being sure it is safe. Coldframe's are good ideas. I've also inherited a few windows with rotted wood but they're definately being used.