homemade greenhouse mk2 the allotment

[hollychap]

finally got round to starting the greenhouse down at the allotment . the brickbase was already there just in need of a few bricks re cementing down which i decided to leave until i got the greenhouse up and glazed . since getting the allotment at the backend of april the plot itself had not been dug for some 10 yrs (told by other allotmenteers) so the main thing was to get digging the beds and leave the greenhouse till autumn / winter . placing ads on freecycle for upvc window frames got me the 4 largest frames for nothing. i also scoured ebay and picked up most of the rest (most 99p) and a couple from skip drive byes . once i had got enough it was time to start trying to piece something together that resembles a greenhouse. the brick base measures 12 ft x 20 ft so its quite a biggy . i started off by first standing up the largest upvc frame on the back corner (side) then i simply took the next frame and sat it on the back corner (back). there was a difference in size so i simply made an oblong panel to make the frame the same height as the largest one (you should be able to see what i mean from the pics) it was then just a case of working my way round the base frame by frame . to make the frames fit the base to the edges i made a square panel out of 3 x 2 and nailed slate laths to the inside to create a window frame type of thing . once all the sides were in place (2 sides and back ) i then set about making the roof trusses which i made on the floor and then sat in place and fixed . lucky for me i have a friend who owns a steel fabrication business that as the contract for the council bus shelters, raiding is skip supplied me with all the plastic panels that glazed the roof and windows apart from the double french doors (£10 ebay) ready glazed . the plastic panels are simply sat in place then you pre drill and screw into place with woodscrews . i ended up stopping short of 20 ft so its finished up being 17 x 12 only because it was easier to do so . once the roof was on and glazed i then set about building the front double french doors were hung first there center was determined by the size of the windows .then finished off by glazing the windows .the roof joints were sealed using heating duct tape (aluminium stuff) which sticks like that stuff to a blanket . at the roof top the panels dont meet (on purpose) i left a 2" gap to act as a permanent vent which i am going to cover with an upturned old 4" plastic gutter again screwed to the roof.cost wise the greenhouse as finished at about £150 thats mainly the wood used which was all tanalised and it took me 4 days to build . the inside is my winter project . hope you like peeps

[hollychap]

pics 2

pictures 6 7 8

[Newton]

Well done......

[Bren In Pots]

Does look good

[pauco]

Hi hollychap, Thats a cracking job done there, every credit to you.
Should have a great start for your growing next year.


paul.

[Sanjo]

Love it!!! And no problems with ventilation - all those lovely opening windows. It all looks so neat too. Well done. Sanjo

[hollychap]

11 openers opening on all 4 sides . you can not tell from the pics but where the roof joins the walls i put in 4" fillet pieces which can be quickly removed come mid summer

[veggiechicken]

Brilliant!

[Potstubsdustbins]

Ace job now what are the words of that song. Ah yes 'feed the world' size of that I hope you have a good appetite. Well done.

Colin

[chris]

Looks great

[singleseeder]

I cannot tell you how jealous I am................ and those cold frames .....drool!

Well done.

[Aberdeenplotter]

Looks great

and some . Very well done. A great growing space to enjoy in future

[Currysniffa]

Looks awesome \o/ we're not aloud to build anything like that on our lottie

[SarzWix]

I love that, just brilliant Please can we see some more pics when you have it planted up?

We only have one 'hand-made' greenhouse on our site, which is a shame I think, that sort of innovation and creativity is what allotmenteering should be about, but I think people just don't have those skills so much these days. I know I don't anyway!

[lottie dolly]

oooh just seen this,you have done a brilliant job,WELL DONE,
aprox 3 years ago we made a wooden frame covered in plastic,but now it's nearly recovered in the double glazed units,and plastic roofing sheets,hope to finish it this winter,you will find a very big difference in growing in that,than a single glazed grow house,others that have been inside ours say wow,look whats still going,tis only the daylight that spoils it lol,and you WILL need them windows open,it got past 80 in ours,with windows and door open,
these idears of building your own,are great,but only if you got some know how first,so lets hope other can take insparation from your great pictures.
forgot to say ours is 10 x 18 feet,