A couple of "why?"s about cold frames

[MrsCordial]

I was thrilled to get a load of windows from Freegle last week (I'm easily pleased), which are currently stashed in the barn. Somehow, as if by magic, these are going to be transformed into something that merits the name 'cold frame'. There are two ways this is going to happen, as I am a complete stranger to the drill.

1. I build little window-shape and -size walls of bricks and lay a window on top. Ta daa.

2. I wait til hell freezes over for my husband to get round to making something a little more flashy. He's more than capable, but.

I've been reading up on cold frames and they all have sloped tops. Why is that? If I went for my brick idea just for the hell of getting something rigged up this autumn, would it work at all? I appreciate it's not as good as something properly designed and yada yada yada, but would it be of any help? We have shedloads of bricks hanging around. I know nicely-designed cold frames are great and don't get me wrong, I'd love one and I know DH could do it (he designed and built the henhouse from scratch), but I could have a long wait on my hands so am wondering if my 'interim' (ha ha) solution has any legs at all.

Thank you

[veggiechicken]

I don't have a cold frame but..............thinking about it, if the top slopes the rain will drain away and, if you build a square of bricks, with a flat window on top, the sun will only get in when its overhead..........so the slope should be towards the south, presumably

[MrsCordial]

Ah, the penny drops. Thank you

[veggiechicken]

So, all you have to do is make your square of bricks one or two rows higher at the back, and rest your windowpane on top. Job done!!!

[MrsCordial]

Well I thought that, but then wondered if the window would slide. I'll have fun tinkering about, then DH won't be able to resist striding over to tell me how it could be done a bit better, at which point I quietly wander off and leave him to it. A plan is born!

[zazen999]

'You don't wanna do it like that'
'Yes, you are right, I'm such a girl/wimp/silly blonde. It needs to face the south. Let me know when it's done. Thanks love.'

[vikkib]

Well I thought that, but then wondered if the window would slide. I'll have fun tinkering about, then DH won't be able to resist striding over to tell me how it could be done a bit better, at which point I quietly wander off and leave him to it. A plan is born!

'You don't wanna do it like that'
'Yes, you are right, I'm such a girl/wimp/silly blonde. It needs to face the south. Let me know when it's done. Thanks love.'

Sadly this doesn't work with my OH when it comes to DIY... he sees me wandering off with a hammer/drill/saw and just slopes off into a darkened room.

Works a treat with cooking though, which he has, relatively speaking, recently discovered he can do... if I start to 'tinker' in the kitchen he's in there like a shot!

[Bigmallly]

Has he ever heard the term "Seperate Beds?".........................and I'm not talking raised beds, or am I?

[zazen999]

Sadly this doesn't work with my OH when it comes to DIY... he sees me wandering off with a hammer/drill/saw and just slopes off into a darkened room.

Works a treat with cooking though, which he has, relatively speaking, recently discovered he can do... if I start to 'tinker' in the kitchen he's in there like a shot!

Nor me...I'm the DIY queen in our house.

[MrsCordial]

My father taught me all I know about DIY, ie ring someone properly qualified to do it and pay them when it's all over!

[bario1]

Cold frames are most useful in the spring, they're really meant for hardening off plants before they go outside - i built mine from two large windows i got from Gumtree, and made it quite deep, and i've used it more like a mini greenhouse/growhouse than a cold frame - now everything in it is too big for me to close the windows, and it's nice and warm anyway, so i just have it proppped open permanently. Its been great for keeping pests off my seedlings while i start them off though.