Greenhouse from window frames: how to make an original greenhouse with your own hands
How nice it is when beautiful translucent polycarbonate structures with an ideal aluminum profile and a whole range of related devices rise up in the summer cottage. But what to do when there is temporarily no funds to buy a finished greenhouse? Or suddenly there was a desire to do something hand-made, original? As an option - a greenhouse made of window frames, which will help kill two, or rather, three birds with one stone: erect a structure to increase yields, apply your creativity and put into action seemingly unnecessary, at first glance, window frames.
The question arises: where to get window frames? In fact, this is not difficult, given that for a small structure, only a few pieces are required. Perhaps you still have old products from the last renovation or after replacing ordinary windows with plastic ones. Maybe one of the neighbors or acquaintances also decided to change the windows or re-equip the balcony - balcony blanks are also suitable for a summer cottage.
In the end, there is a chance to come to an agreement with the employees of the company engaged in the installation of plastic structures. As a rule, old products are not needed by anyone - they are simply taken to the landfill. In this way, you can assemble the component parts and build a greenhouse from window frames.
It remains to delve into the intricacies of creating a foundation and erecting walls, as well as estimate the location of each frame, and you can begin the creative process. If there are difficulties in adjusting the dimensions of the component parts, small pieces of polycarbonate or film, self-tapping screws, polyurethane foam, sealant, ordinary cement will always come to the rescue.
Today many people change wooden windows for plastic ones. With a little ingenuity, you can build such a greenhouse from old frames
Building a greenhouse from window frames
When choosing a site for a foundation, we pay attention to important little things:
- illumination of the site;
- lack of shading from the side of higher buildings;
- wind protection;
- location - from north to south.
Separately, it should be said about the soil on which the structure will be located. Swampy or too wet ground will not work, as it can sag under the weight of the structure. To make a window frame greenhouse stable and reliable, dry, dense soil is required. Ideally, there should be a sandy layer under a layer of fertile soil. If it is absent, a pillow should be made under the foundation: gravel should be poured onto the clay soil, evenly distributing it, then a 15-centimeter layer of sand. Additionally, it is worth checking the location of groundwater: they should not pass at a distance closer than one and a half meters.
How to make a strip foundation
- Dig a trench 40-50 cm deep.
- Make a formwork - lay out the edges of the trench with boards, securing them with pegs. To prevent the boards from adhering to the cement mixture, they are usually wrapped in foil.
- Install wire reinforcement (optional) or large stones on the bottom of the trench.
- Pour with a mixture of cement (brands M-200, 300, 400), crushed stone, concrete so that no voids are formed.
- Remove the formwork, make waterproofing using a bitumen composition, roofing felt or polymer material.
- Fill in the formed sinuses at the edges with moistened sand, tamp. The foundation is ready, but it will finally harden only after 2-3 weeks.
Stage II: preparation of window frames
The preparatory work will facilitate the further design of the greenhouse frame, make it more durable and stable. Some rotten or broken parts of the blanks may need to be removed or replaced with new ones. To bring old window frames into a "working" order, you should:
- remove all accessories (latches, handles, unnecessary hinges);
- remove the remnants of old paint with a scraper or grinder;
- treat wood from all sides with an antiseptic - to protect it from mold, rot, insects;
- expose the glass - for their safety during vibration and shock, if the parts are nailed;
- fix the vents, which will not be used for ventilation, with self-tapping screws or sealant.
A solid greenhouse requires a solid foundation, which not only serves as a support, but also protects the structure from below.
Frames should be prepared and assembled taking into account that the construction of a greenhouse from window frames implies a wall height of 170 cm or higher.
Stage III: laying the floor
To begin with, you should take care of drainage, since stagnant water in the structure leads to decay. To do this, I dig out a shallow trench (15 cm) and cover it with gravel. A thick layer of sand is laid on top and compacted. If concrete is used to fill the floor, then it is necessary to arrange a small slope and a drain hole for water. The concrete surface can be partly rough so that it is not slippery, partly smooth - for easier transportation of equipment, pots, pallets.
Any greenhouse made from old window frames will look more attractive if its interior space is carefully and practically arranged. It is better to make a wooden or plastic curb on the sides of the aisles so that the fertile soil layer does not fall on the path. What other options for greenhouse paths are used when decorating the floor, besides a simple concrete coating?
- Sawdust path. It absorbs excess moisture well, it is pleasant to move along it yourself, but it is difficult to move additional equipment. It is worth mentioning that sawdust travels quickly around the building on shoes, so additional cleaning will be required.
- Ceramic tile walkway. Usually it is used in large buildings adjacent to the house and which are at the same time something like a greenhouse or winter garden. If ceramic products or their parts remain after repair, they can also be used in our budget greenhouse from window blanks.
- Wooden flooring. Thick wooden beams are laid along the structure, on which transverse planks are attached using ordinary nails or screws. The flooring is treated with an antiseptic, varnished or painted - in this case, it will last a long time without repair.
- Brick passage. The bricks are placed on a prepared sand cushion, then the cracks between them are also covered with wet sand, simultaneously tamping it. The brick path looks beautiful and lasts a long time.
Stage IV: building the walls
The plank frame will be an excellent base for attaching the main parts. For the manufacture of the frame, boards with a thickness of 4-5 cm are used, about the same as the frames. Of these, they construct the upper and lower strapping, and when installing the lower perimeter, it is better to start up two rows of boards so that the height of the greenhouse is slightly higher.
Window frames can be easily combined with other materials such as foil
The vertical struts form the volume of the frame. The long sides of the frames are attached to them using self-tapping screws. The cracks between the posts and the frames must be sealed with foam. It is advisable to strengthen the frames from the inside by nailing support bars to them. Additional bars, boards or planks can be of a smaller section.
For the stability of the structure, vertical supports are used, which can be built at the beginning of the formation of the frame. They are fixed in cement and nailed to the posts.
Any cracks and holes should be sealed with sealant or polyurethane foam, as there should be no drafts in the greenhouse. Only the vents, which will be used for ventilation, are left free.
Stage V: roof construction
Even at the planning stage, you should think about which type of roof to choose: shed or gable. To some extent, this depends on the number of prepared parts: if there are not enough of them, then you can stop at the single-slope version. It is set up in the usual way, with a sufficient slope to allow water to drain off when it rains.
A gable roof is the best choice, regardless of the material for its design. The processed frame blanks are placed in the standard way, nailed down and closed on top with a wooden or plastic ridge. A prerequisite is the tightness of the surface, especially at the junction of glass and wood. Any leaks can create an unhealthy microclimate inside the greenhouse, cause mold and disease.
Window frame walls match perfectly with the polycarbonate roof
Suppose that there are not enough prepared products to fit the roof. In this case, polycarbonate sheets or special greenhouse film are suitable. They are not equivalent to glass in their characteristics, but they may well replace it.
It is not necessary to have a lot of money to build a good greenhouse; it is enough to learn how to use your mind and basic construction skills. An owner with skillful hands, a creative streak and ingenuity will make an excellent greenhouse from window frames: photos of homemade buildings on the Internet attract with their practicality and variety of models.
A greenhouse made of window frames easily tolerates winter. Top coat can be left on, but removed before spring is best.
Do-it-yourself greenhouse from old window frames
The greenhouse perfectly solves the problem of planting crops if the weather is not warm. Seedlings take root and develop better in it than in the open field. If you need to quickly build a simple but solid greenhouse, you can take a couple of old window frames and build a simple structure.
Phased greenhouse construction:
- Choosing a place. Ideally, the slope of the greenhouse roof should be directed to the south side. In this case, the planted crops will receive maximum sunlight.
- Greenhouse site preparation. It is better if it is a dense compacted soil with a drainage layer. The fertile soil layer, placed inside the structure, must pass water well.
- Construction of the base, in other words, the walls of the greenhouse. There may be several options, one of them, the most popular, is the use of wooden boards as walls. Supports are strong bars, which are connected along the entire perimeter with prepared boards. Boards are nailed, fixed with metal staples.
A greenhouse with a gable roof has an approach from both sides, which is convenient when caring for seedlings
If a solid structure with a long service life is required, ordinary brickwork should be made using cement mortar. When equipping the masonry, it is necessary to think over the wooden inserts to which the window blanks, which will act as the roof, will be attached.
Also, the window frames themselves - their halves - are used as walls. They are placed horizontally along the length of the greenhouse. A building with a glass base will receive full lighting.
- Roof installation. As a rule, this is one or more blanks, depending on the size of the greenhouse. They are attached with hinges to wooden inserts so that they can be freely opened on one side or removed completely.
If you use decorative means during the construction of a greenhouse, it will become a real decoration for the site.
A neat greenhouse made of window frames will never become superfluous in a summer cottage. In spring it will be useful for seedlings, in summer it will play the role of a small greenhouse. And the old frames will find new life and will serve you for a long time, but already as elements of a greenhouse.