Glazing an enormous second-hand greenhouse

[Julie Pattisson]

Hello, fellow growers - this looks like a great forum! I'm hoping to find some expert advice (plus real-life experience!) among you good people.

We have been lucky enough to come by a former commercial greenhouse, approx 20ft by 10ft, which is probably two greenhouses put together. Following shot-blasting and powder-coating it looks magnificant, but like many others on this forum, we are having trouble putting it up! We think the metal structure is just about square, but are now facing getting the glass in. Is it better to leave the bolts in the structure a little loose to allow some play while the glass is going in, or tighten it all up and hope it doesn't need to move to accomodate the glass? And what order to glaze in, roof or sides first? All advice appreciated....

Julie

[lainey lou]

Hello Julie and welcome! can't advise re the greenhouse sorry but glad you decided to join the gang!

[Protea]

Hi Julie, welcome to the vine!

The first time my hubby and I (well, mostly him actually!) put our greenhouse up, we found the glass didn't fit that well - once we loosened the bolts we could tap the frame around so that it fitted.

So yes, i would leave the blots slightly loose and have a small hammer close-by!

Very jealous of your huge greenhouse, i've only got a poxy 6x6 and its faaaar too small, but i am acquiring a 6x8 from my neighbour shortly so that'll be exciting (i we can dismantle it and remember how to out it back together!!)

[nick the grief]

Still won't be big enough ....

Welcome to the vine Julie. I asked bloke who put greenhouse up for a living what they do once ... it terrified me!!

he said that they nip up all the bolts, then glaze it with just a couple of clips and then undo the bolts and give it a shove to square it all up and tighten everything ... when I got my new GH I didn't have the nerve to try it

[NOG]

Yep thats the way.

The glass is structural in a greenhouse.

I put the frame up then nip it up to keep it up.

Then Put the roof in.

then the sides. .Then as long as the base is level it should be plum.

The frames move to accept the glass. then tighten the frame.

[bluemoon]

OK, this could explain why my OH manages to break as many panes as he get in. My greenhouse was a graduation present and the whole family chipped in, - well it seemed better to ask for something I'd actually use than getting loads of bits of jewellery or whatever - anyway that explains how I ended up with a top of the range model which is still going strong many years later, even though it's lived in three different back gardens and now one allotment. But 'Greenhouse Erection Day' usually involves much swearing, accompanied by the crack and smash of breaking glass. So when I say the greenhouse is many years old, I'm really working on the Trigger's Broom Principle, as in 'I've had this broom ten years....it's had three new heads and two new handles'. Hope we never have to shift it again, but if we do I'll bear this in mind - or at least I'll make OH read it.

[wellie]

Hi Julie!

You've joined the right forum here for friendly good advice (and lots of giggles too...).

I invested in a 16'x8' aluminium one a few years ago, as I was following Geoff Hamilton's sound advice of buying the biggest one you could afford, or you'll soon run out of space.... I see you've read the book/got the T-Shirt too. Clever Julie!

Trousers is Chief Erector & Glazier in our house, because what bluemoon says is indeed correct: 'Erection Day' involves much cutting of flesh, accompanied by tinkling sounds and a lot of very very rude words, and he's of the NTG's mates erection technique.

Wellie wants to take it to France with her, so it's going to have to be dismantled and erected YET again. (See Trousers bang his head against the cottage wall, crying into his Vin Rouge....)


My friendly advice Julie, is this: Don't forget to screw The Erection down once it's up!!