Greenhouse From Old Windows 1.Steps with PicturesIntroduction Greenhouse From Old Windows.This is a brief guide on how I took some old windows from houses they where tearing down in my neighborhood and turned them into a small greenhouse in my back yard.I collected the windows over the course of a year and a half and the build took about 3 months, spending one day a week on it.I spent about 3. Thats almost 1.The size I built was 7 ft high x 1.But the size of your greenhouse will depend on your windows and the time you want to put into project.Step 1 Collect Windows and Plan Two Pair of Equal Sides.Building A Greenhouse With Recycled Windows For A Greenhouse' title='Building A Greenhouse With Recycled Windows For A Greenhouse' />Look for old windows and save every one you get.After you have many, lay them out and play a game trying to make two pairs of walls both the same height.Two to three inches wont matter as you can cover the difference with wood.Smaller holes will need to have glass cut for them or filled with something else.Keep in mind that one end will need a door and the other a hole for a fan.Step 2 Create a Frame.Using the windows you chose as a guide, construct a frame for each wall.Use good lumber for this, as it is the structure that holds all the weight.I used all 2 x 4s for the studs and 4 x 4s for the corner posts.Choose a length that allows at least 1.Step 3 Brace Walls.Start placing the walls up, bracing well so they dont fall over.Be sure to check that they are level.Step 4 Make the Foundation Secure.To avoid certain problems with pesky city building permits, I built the structure shed height and did not pour a concrete foundation.Instead I buried cinder blocks to stabilize the 4 x 4 corner posts.Building A Greenhouse With Recycled Windows For A Greenhouse' title='Building A Greenhouse With Recycled Windows For A Greenhouse' />They keep it from moving an inch.Step 5 Screw on Windows. Uninstall Microsoft Office Click To Run 2010 Protected . Green building isnt a fad.Green building doesnt mean living off the grid and going dumpster diving to build your home not that theres anything wrong.I used some nice coated deck screws to affix the windows to the frame.This will allow for easy removal and replacement if any break.This side facing the camera has the empty window for a fan.Step 6 Get a Floor.I was able to find someone who needed rocks removed from their yard.Using rocks or stones is good for two reasons good drainage and heat storage.Step 7 Build the Roof.This was tricky. I ended up getting siding from an old shed someone had torn down.Any material you use, look for lightweight and waterproof material.Be sure that you have some that will open for ventilation, at least 2.You can get by with less if you use a fan for ventilation.Also build the slant roof with at least a 4 degree pitch, otherwise rain may not sheet off well.Step 8 Add the Shelves and Fans.I found an old picnic bench table and this fan and shelf in the garbage.I figured I can use them in my greenhouse and save them from a landfill.Step 9 Caulk and Paint.Use a good outdoor caulk and seal all the cracks and holes between windows.Paint the wood to protect it from the weather.Step 1. 0 Update Spring 2.The winter this year was especially bad near me.We had several feet of snow weeks on end.Luckily, I had already emptied the greenhouse and removed the roof panels in late November.I live in a zone 5 area.Building A Greenhouse With Recycled Windows For A Greenhouse' title='Building A Greenhouse With Recycled Windows For A Greenhouse' />Building insulation materials are the building materials which form the thermal envelope of a building or otherwise reduce heat transfer.Insulation may be.Design and build your own yearround greenhouse with passive solar design Check out our solar greenhouse and aquaponics greenhouse designs.A Wooden mini greenhouse can be adapted to any size and need.For building this, measure the space where you are going to place your greenhouse.During the last month I brought out an electric heater to keep the temperature more consistent overnight.This year I was able to obtain a large picture window and decided to install a windowed roof this spring.It will allow much more light in and therefore heat.I used the same deck screws to affix the windows to the roof frame I already had built.For the roof vents, I took two windows and screwed them together.I found old door hinges and used a piece of PVC as a brace.I added a screw holding it to the frame as a cotter pin.Lastly, In case a huge gust of wind came along and tried to yank open the windows, I nailed a small chain to the frame and window to prevent the window slamming backwards onto the rest of the roof.I also modified the south facing bench.It connects to the frame on one end and still uses cinder blocks on the other.This will hopefully allow me to utilize the space inside better.Its filling quickly Now that the roof will allow so much light through, cooling will be a greater issue this summer.I may place some of the old panels back up in JulyAugust to reflect some of that light.I also have obtained some reflecting fabric.Lastly, I think in the future, I will completely rebuild the roof, using the windows for a gable type structure.It will force me to use some sort of poly material to cover up the gable ends.The current pitch of the roof is not enough to slope water off the windows completely.Step 1. 1 Edit Fan Window.I was unhappy with having to remove the fanvent window and having to prop it against something while cooling the greenhouse during the day.The frame was already designed to fit the window into it.I decided to have it slide up and be held in place.I started by salvaging some hinges from an old entertainment center.They are the kind that sit completely outside the door.Plus these had a unique shape that fit around a right angle.This allowed the wooden stops to swing in place and hold the window up while I was venting or when the fan is in place.Across the frame I nailed some boards to hold the fan window against the frame.Lastly, I found an old pulley and fastened it to the window so I can pull it up easily.Step 1. 2 Spring 2.Roof Vent Upgrades.Had a major score A local community greenhouse was torn down and replaced.I was able to get some great parts.Here is a picture of the new window system.It originally opened the windows on the side of the greenhouse.The wheel is turned and rotates the gear attached to the pipe opening the windows.Makes opening and shutting easy.While every window now must be open at the same time, I can control the angle at which they are open.Also pictured is a gutter claimed from the trash.The hinge side of the roof windows always leaked profusely.The gutter catches the water and stores it in a bucket for easy watering.Step 1. 3 Spring 2.Shading. Bought secondhand some rolling shades which are working great.They easily roll up and down the south facing wall while not taking up too much room.Step 1. 4 Winter 2.Here is the greenhouse in a mild winter.I overwinter many potted perennials inside.To insulate the roof, I stretch a sheet of poly across the top to keep out the drafts.Last October, 2. 01.I repainted both the inside and out.All the wood is doing well.I hope that, with care, the greenhouse will last over 1.It has changed the way I garden, making my back yard much more productive.Year Round Greenhouse Plans Ceres Greenhouse.This varies greatly by location, and what you are trying to grow.In areas with mild winters, passive solar greenhouses can grow year round without any back up heating.Greenhouses in cold areas can even grow very hardy crops year round without heating, as Eliot Coleman has proved on his farm in Maine.However, to grow a wider variety of crops, in most cold climates an energy efficient greenhouse will require some back up heating.This is usually turned on during a few very cold nights a year the extreme cold snaps when a GAHT system, thermal mass, or phase change material is not sufficient to keep temperatures high enough.Residential growers typically add an electric heater for the coldest times of the year.Commercial growers typically integrate propane or electric heat.We can help you integrate a back up heater when designing your commercial greenhouse.
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