cold frame with greenhouse bases

[Elfeda]

can I buy 2 green house bases and use them as top and bottom of cold frame and fit in toughened glass ?

[bario1]

Hi Elfeda, not sure I understand - wouldn't you want the 'lid' of your cold frame to be transparent?

[Scarlet]

For the cost of two green house bases you could just buy a cold frame?

[Elfeda]

Scarlet, those 2 8x6 bases coing for 80 quid, and I am looking out to get some free glass.. donno if this is easy or am just imazining..!!!

[veggiechicken]

How would you make an 8x6 lid for a coldframe? It would be very heavy, if not impossible to open.
Also, you'd need some sort of struts to support the upper frame and some way of holding the glass in place between them.
Nope, its a non-starter, sorry.

[Elfeda]

VC, I can not lift that big lid too may be I can have opening on sides ... I do not have the frame, perhaps not too much bothered about green house. so trying to find what is possible..with one green house base and lots of toughened glass what can I do then?...I get the glass as much for free so am looking around how can I use it up, mainly for melons type of cold frames .I actually want these many to keep all my tropical vine type veg.

[Scarlet]

VC, I can not lift that big lid too may be I can have opening on sides

You would need to crawl in there to plant it up!
Personally I think it's false economy. By the time you've paid a builder to botch something together to use your "free" glass you could have spent your money on a ready made greenhouse or cold frame.

[Jungle Jane]

Hi,I saw a gardening programme once where the man was growing a grapevine outside the greenhouse & he removed a few bricks from the greenhouse to thread through the grapevine. So all the growth was inside the greenhouse,but the roots outside,saving space. So maybe use bricks & cement to support the weight of the glass. A greenhouse would be better height wise for melon/vines.

[Elfeda]

Scarlet I am looking for cold frame along half of my fence and 3 to 4 feet width an, on a second thought can't convince DH for readymade ones even it costs around 50 quids. I have a 8x6 green house at home, and a wooden cold frame with no cover on my alloment . so no more green house type structures but as much as glass frames of max of 4 feet height.

[veggiechicken]

Have you handled any toughened glass yet? Its heavy and would need a solid framework.
Have a google at coldframe plans. There are plenty of ideas.

[Elfeda]

JJ

I had a neighbour who has her grape vine out side GH and have all the grapes inside

[Elfeda]

VC , I heard the glass panes are around 5kg weight each (may be smaller in size ) , if they need sturdy frames will try doing , but will take enough time to collect the free bits and pieces . Have some collected from skips and now being used to hold the black plastic covered all over the allotment. other than builders time 2 half days which would be around 100-120£ , am looking around to lessen the costs as much.

If our friendly builder can suggest what to do , I can take my dad's help to get it lil cheaper.

all I am looking for the ideas to make frame..( I have googled though, ))..and one more suggetion looking for is what size of glass panes would be easier ..rectangular or square? lengthier is better as it would make the coldframe wider ?

[Jungle Jane]

If it's 3 or 4 foot high,with a base of 8x6,you would need to step into it to get to the middle? You could make 2 smaller size cold frames on the 8x6 base,with a 1-2ft gap between them,so you can walk through & have access to all areas. By using smaller sized glass it wouldn't be as heavy to lift the lids?

[Jungle Jane]

other than builders time 2 half days which would be around 100-120£ , am looking around to lessen the costs as much.
If our our friendly builder can suggest what to do , I can take my dad's help to get it lil cheaper.

I was just wondering did the builder suggest the idea of the cold frame? It would save you money if you just bought a ready made cold frame! I hope you're not being led into doing this,it sounds very expensive,£80 for the bases,£120 for the builder....Is the builder suggesting lots of jobs to you,you can say no thank you! If it's too much money

[Elfeda]

JJ, I understand thar green house base need to be used for green house only

so my intention is to use the glass panes and wooden bits I have collected from extention sites. or any cheap metal frames by suggetions.

I would be glad any ideas, tips ...I am not looking for a good size cold frame, but I want few lengthy cold frames strips? buy a second hand green house, moving and erecting is may be more reliable though, I am looking to use the space around where I can not definately put up green house.. or I can not cultivate. Mostly I would plant in a pot size area under any of these.

btw I can talk to my builder only after 2 weeks, if he say's no..still I like to find the ways ...probably he might help though.