Old windows, which today are often replaced with double-glazed windows encased in plastic, are usually then sent for scrap. But they can be given a second life by using them in the construction of greenhouses. Moreover, when there is not enough money for a factory product made of polycarbonate, for example, even the profile. And here at hand is a good quality one, safe for plants and, most importantly, free stuff. Window glass has sufficient strength and perfectly transmits light, which is important for plant life.
Get old frames special labor does not amount to, especially when a small greenhouse only needs a few of them. It's good if they are preserved after disassembly old building or replacement with double-glazed windows. As a last resort, the required number of old frames can be asked from friends and neighbors who have carried out major renovation housing, or negotiate with installers plastic windows, who simply take their dismantling products to a landfill.
From the resulting material you can assemble the main parts of the greenhouse. This process is creative. You will have to delve into the nuances of constructing the foundation for the planned structure and determine the location of each window frame in it. If there are problems with fit constituent elements constructions, pieces of polycarbonate, polyurethane foam and screws, sealant and ordinary cement can come to the rescue.
In general, there are three main options for assembling a greenhouse from old windows:
- Cover the bottom of the frame wooden planks. This will guarantee that when watering the plants or digging up the soil, the glass of the greenhouse will remain intact.
- Glaze the finished frame with material taken from old windows. Then the greenhouse will look complete, and the frames can be used at your discretion.
- Join window frames into a single structure. If they are different sizes, you will have to get creative. To begin with, draw up a plan for placing frames in the structure so that the structure looks harmonious.
Advantages of greenhouses made from old windows
Due to the availability of the material and simple assembly, even a beginner in this matter can make a greenhouse from window frames with his own hands.
The advantages of such a structure are obvious:
- The wood is quite durable, with good care frames made from it will last for many years. High-quality processing wooden products makes them immune to influence atmospheric precipitation And sunlight.
- Window glass, in addition to good light transmittance, provides high quality protection inner space greenhouses from outside cold air.
- Assembling a structure from window frames attracts many people because in such a greenhouse it is convenient to ventilate through any window.
- Economical and practical. They are due to the fact that at low costs for the purchase of consumables, you can end up with a finished greenhouse protected from external influences. Most often, old frames are covered with paint and not even just one layer.
- Environmental Safety. Wood like natural material fits harmoniously into the interior space of the greenhouse.
- Durability. It depends on the type of wood that was used to make the frame. The hardiest species are oak and larch. A greenhouse with a wooden frame can last on average 5 years. However, this period varies depending on the care of the building and the climatic zone of its location.
- Heat capacity. Window frames perfectly retain accumulated heat. Unhindered sunlight passing through them helps to warm up the greenhouse naturally.
- High quality lighting. Thanks to the high light transmittance of the window glass, the greenhouse space is illuminated no worse than the beds on outdoors. Ultraviolet radiation, which is harmful to some plants, can be eliminated by gluing tinted film to the glass from the inside of the greenhouse.
- High strength wood. This quality is indispensable for the stability of a greenhouse made from window frames. It can be increased by impregnating products with modern drugs.
Advice! If there are no glasses in the frames assembled for construction, instead of them you can successfully use cellular polycarbonate or, in the worst case, polyethylene film.
Technology for installing a greenhouse from window frames
The structure of a frame greenhouse includes the support, frame and cover. Let's consider step-by-step production each of these elements.
Preparing to build a greenhouse
This stage of work includes choosing a location for the structure, its design, preparation of materials and necessary tools.
Before you make a greenhouse from window frames, you need to compose it detailed drawing with the frame layout, especially if they different sizes. Each frame will need to be measured first. The total width of all products determines the length of the greenhouse. To make it symmetrical, it is recommended to select frames of the same height.
The width of the building should be chosen in accordance with the planned dimensions of the beds and passages, convenient for walking and the passage of a utility cart. The width of the bed in a greenhouse is usually 1 m.
After drawing up a detailed drawing it will be easy to calculate Consumables necessary for the construction of a greenhouse: fasteners, key parts, fittings, etc.
When the dimensions of the future greenhouse have already been determined, you need to choose a place to place it. The functionality of the structure will depend on how correctly this is done. It needs a flat, well-lit area. There should be no objects near the greenhouse that could shade it: tall trees, fence, other buildings, etc. In addition, such structures are not recommended to be located in the path of prevailing winds. IN winter period year, this will reduce the heat loss of the greenhouse. Ideally, the longitudinal axis of the greenhouse should be oriented from north to south.
The soil for a structure made from old windows should not be damp and durable, since the mass of such greenhouses is very significant, and excess moisture for wooden structure destructive. Lucky for greenhouse farming the soil structure should consist of a lower sandy layer and an upper layer of fertile black soil.
If the soil on the site is clay, the place to build the greenhouse needs to be filled with gravel, a cushion of at least 100 mm thick made of sand should be made on top of it, compacted and refined fertile soil. For such a “pie”, you first need to remove the top layer of soil from the entire building area to a depth of 30-40 cm.
The level of occurrence is of great importance groundwater. For a greenhouse it should be at least one and a half meters down. Wet soil is not suitable for the construction of such structures.
Treatment of old windows
If you plan to build a greenhouse from old window frames, they should be prepared properly. The material must first be carefully examined for damage. To facilitate this and subsequent work, it is necessary to remove the glass and all fittings from the frames - latches, handles, etc. After this, the surface of the products must be cleaned from paint to wood. If rotten elements are found, they must be replaced with new ones.
Cleaned frames must be treated with an antiseptic, which will protect the structure from dampness, mice and insects in the future.
The presence of small cracks can be easily corrected with a special putty for wood. After it dries, problem areas need to be sanded. sandpaper. Then the prepared surface of the frames must be painted with enamel for exterior use. This paint is not afraid of moisture and frost.
The height of the walls of the future frame greenhouse should be planned at least 1.7-1.8 m. Overall height structures depends on the slope of the roof slopes. For a film coating it must be larger than for a polycarbonate or glass coating.
Construction of a foundation for a greenhouse using windows
A stationary frame structure, which is not dismantled for the winter and can last 3-5 seasons, has a significant weight and therefore requires a strong foundation. Another necessity for its construction is low height window frames, it averages 1.5 m. It is not enough for comfortable movement inside the greenhouse. Therefore, the two to three dozen centimeters missing to the norm can be built up with foundation walls. Another advantage of this solution is the elimination of direct contact of the wood of the bottom of the frame with the ground. This means that the window frames of the greenhouse will rot less.
Having decided on the desired height of the structure, it is easy to calculate the vertical size of the above-ground part of its support. The overall height of the frames and foundation walls should allow you to move around the greenhouse without bending over.
Concrete is considered the most reliable strip foundation. After choosing a location and laying out the construction site along its perimeter, you need to dig a trench 50-70 cm deep, depending on the level of soil freezing. Standard width trenches - 15-20 cm. The large depth of the excavation will make the structure frost-free. This will provide an opportunity for early planting in early spring.
The bottom of the trench must be filled with crushed stone, and a sand cushion 10 cm thick must be created on top of it. Then it must be saturated with liquid concrete, the trench must be filled with stones and the remaining mixture must be poured into it, filling the excavation to the level of the ground surface.
The next day, you need to install panel formwork to raise the foundation walls to the required height. Usually it is 15-25 cm. Stones or reinforcement can be placed in the formwork, which will strengthen the above-ground part of the support for the greenhouse. After this, everything should be poured with concrete and left for 28 days for it to completely harden.
You can ignore the formwork, making the above-ground part of the support from wooden beam section 150x150 mm. To obtain an additional 30 cm of greenhouse height, eight bars must be placed in pairs on top of each other. Before installation, they should be soaked with used automobile oil. The bars must be connected to each other with staples, and the end joints of the structure must be reinforced with metal corners. The frame must be separated from the foundation using roofing felt waterproofing.
To construct the foundation of a miniature greenhouse, it will be enough to dig a trench 30 cm deep, fill it first with crushed stone, then sand, and then immediately mount a supporting frame made of timber on top. The disadvantage of this solution is that such a greenhouse can freeze in winter.
Installation of a frame for a greenhouse from window frames
It consists of racks and two trims - upper and lower. For strapping, you can use metal corners or timber and boards. Horizontal bottom piping from steel angles should be performed when pouring the upper part of the foundation to firmly connect the metal parts to the support. In this case, the side posts of the structure must be made from the same corners, then welded or fixed bolted connections on the bottom trim. Height top harness must be determined with special care. It is important that the wooden frames do not suddenly appear beyond its line - above or below.
To make a wooden frame for a greenhouse, you will need a beam with a cross-section of 100x100 mm, eight boards 40 mm thick, four side posts and several intermediate ones. Their number depends on the number of windows that need to be installed. For example, if the frame consists of four frames in length and two in width, you will need three racks on each of its sides and one on the end.
The cross-sectional size of the timber for the racks must be at least 50x50 mm. All connections wooden parts The frame must be made with metal corners, pre-drilling holes for screws in the wood. It is advisable to protect steel parts from rust with anti-corrosion enamel.
The frame should be assembled in the following order:
- Attach 100x100 mm timber to the foundation with anchor bolts. It will serve as the basis for further installation of the frame.
- Install the side posts, checking their verticality with a building level.
- When making half-wood cuts at the joints, use nails to secure the boards that form the bottom frame of the greenhouse frame.
- Install intermediate posts. The distance between them should correspond to the width of the window.
- Make the top frame with boards along the racks.
- To protect against rot and insect invasion, the frame posts must be treated with an antiseptic.
Greenhouse covering device
It is recommended to make the covering of such a greenhouse from polycarbonate or polyethylene film. Frames are less suitable for this. The fact is that they greatly increase the weight of the structure, and it is inconvenient to attach glass to the roof slopes. Another thing is plastic or film. They can be easily removed for the winter. And glazed frames, which are difficult to disassemble, will accumulate snow caps in winter, creating additional load and thereby shortening the service life of the wooden frame of the greenhouse.
To film a structure made from window frames, the slope of the roof slopes must be large. This is useful so that water from rain does not linger on the film when it bends and flows down well. Polycarbonate sheets have greater rigidity than film. Therefore, when using them for covering, the slope of the greenhouse roof may be less than in the previous case.
Sheets cellular polycarbonate need to be fixed to the rafters and gables using bolts with wide washers. To protect the walls of the greenhouse from rainwater, it is necessary to leave the roof overhangs, which should protrude beyond the side enclosing structures by 150-200 mm.
It is convenient to mount the film on the frame simultaneously with different sides. Therefore, it is better to perform this operation together, easily controlling the amount of tension in the material. To attach it, thin wooden slats, which, after pressing the film, must be secured with nails to the roof frame.
In order to minimize the sagging of the film on the greenhouse, it is recommended to lay the covering on a mesh frame made of cord, stretched between the roof rafters.
Fastening window frames to the frame
After making the greenhouse roof, you can install window frames in its frame. Fixation of these elements of the structure should be carried out with its outside using screws. Gaps between frames need to be filled polyurethane foam, and then cover it with thin strips for maximum tightness.
Glass in frames must be laid on a sealing compound and then secured with glazing beads. In this case, the movement of air through the closed frame will be eliminated.
When installing frames, it is necessary to check the condition of the vents. They should not be skewed. If necessary, they need to be corrected. To hold the vents in closed position you need to nail the hooks. In addition, you should come up with a lock that holds them open.
Greenhouse doors should be installed at the end of the structure. If it is narrow, then its end can be left without frames at all - they will not fit there. It will be easier if in this case the entire end, except the doorway, is covered with film.
The door frame must be made of timber. Door leaf You can hang it on it using hinges taken from the window frames. After this, all that remains is to fill the greenhouse with a fertile layer of soil, make beds and start planting plants.
How to make a greenhouse from window frames - watch the video:
As you can see, you can build an environmentally friendly and convenient greenhouse from window frames yourself for mere pennies. Think about this opportunity when you are planning to replace the old windows in your home with new ones. modern double glazed windows. Good luck!
Ingenuity and thriftiness allow you to improve country cottage area at low cost. One example of using your skills and abilities is the construction of a greenhouse or greenhouse from unnecessary old window frames. Such a greenhouse will be no worse than a greenhouse structure built from new materials, but construction costs will be significantly less.
Selection and preparation of a site for a greenhouse
Important! The foundation will be finally ready after hardening. Which takes 2-3 weeks.
The main elements for the construction of greenhouse walls are window frames. They must be connected to each other into a single, durable structure.
To do this, from boards 4-5 cm thick, a frame, installing the vertical posts first in the corners of the greenhouse, and then connecting them at the bottom and top.
The frames are attached to these racks, connecting each other with their long sides. Self-tapping screws are used as fasteners, as well as metal corners.
For greater stability of the structure, it is additionally strengthened with support bars, nailing them with inside frame.
Cracks and holes that appear in the structure are sealed polyurethane foam or sealant.
The best for a greenhouse is single-slope or gable roof type, which provides the necessary slope for water drainage during precipitation.
The choice of roof type is largely determined by the availability of a sufficient number of prepared parts. If they are lacking, preference is usually given to a pitched roof.
A greenhouse made from window frames has a significant weight. Therefore, in order to avoid making it even heavier, it is better not to erect heavy roof structures over it. It's enough to make it easy sheathing of the upper part greenhouses and cover the “ceiling” with polycarbonate or film, securing it with special clamps and clamps.
For sheathing, slats are used, mounting profile or steel wire. If you plan to use the greenhouse in the future, it is recommended to do this in advance. extra seats for attaching threads that can be used to tie up seedlings.
It will become even easier to build a greenhouse from frames by watching the corresponding videos and photos with the stages installation work:
50+ photos of greenhouses with an opening top
Below you can view a gallery of greenhouses with an opening lid that you can make with your own hands. We collected photos from all over the Internet, below we indicated the sources from which we were able to determine the authorship.
Mounting methods
How to attach an opening greenhouse lid
How to attach greenhouse arcs or PVC pipes under film
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Clamps
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We insert it into the ground The method is that we plant PVC pipes on reinforcement driven into the ground. Wooden rods can be used instead of reinforcement (enough for a season) Click on the photo to enlarge
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How to attach film to a greenhouse
The simplest version of a greenhouse made of PVC pipes
A very simple greenhouse design. Easy to assemble and just as easy to disassemble. It can be moved, enlarged, reduced.
It's cheap and easy to make
.Step by step photos. Click on them
How to make a greenhouse from willow or cedar branches.
This greenhouse is suitable for those who did not expect sudden frosts.
This mini greenhouse can be done in 45 minutes, according to the author of the photo. 
To make the arcs, we used not PVC pipes, but cedar branches, but I think that in our conditions, willow branches will also work. The branches are tied together with nylon thread (it doesn’t matter what) to give it an arched shape. When the arches of branches are stuck into the ground, a block is attached on top of them to give one level, which is also attached to each arch.
To move such a greenhouse to another place, the author advises placing two long bars along the bases of the arcs, then tying each arc to these bars. As a result, we will get something like a stretcher. Taking such a stretcher from both ends, you can quite easily pull our greenhouse out of the ground and move it to another place.
Below you can see step by step photos, to enlarge, just click on them.
Telescopic greenhouse or greenhouse
Here is a very interesting version of a telescopic greenhouse or greenhouse. I moved the arches and nothing gets in the way, below you can see the fastening mechanism, click on it to enlarge.
DIY greenhouse with convertible top
Look at the step-by-step photos of making such a greenhouse. First we make a tray for the soil, then we make a frame on which we will attach the arcs, and which will recline. Then we attach this frame to the pallet on hinges and cover it with film.
Step-by-step photos of production.
Click on the gallery to enlarge
A greenhouse made of straw or hay.
As you can see, the photo shows a greenhouse, the walls of which are made of briquettes (or bales) of straw (hay). A frame with an opening top is simply piled on the straw walls. The film rolls onto the block. Such greenhouses are usually directed to the south. This design helps well when the slope of the soil on your site is directed to the north; in such cases, the sun slightly heats the earth. This kind of greenhouse will help you out in this situation..
(Dew Collector greenhouse system from Roots Up)
The greenhouse condenses up to 80 liters of water per day!!!
Soon, thanks to such greenhouses, Ethiopia will flood the world with food. The greenhouse was created for arid countries to solve the problem of drought.
During the day, steam accumulates in the upper part of the greenhouse. When night falls, special valves are opened to draw in cold air, which cools and condenses the water vapor, after which the liquid enters a special storage tank.
Excess water left after irrigation can be used for drinking.
Portable greenhouse (greenhouse) from a barrel
Easy and simple to make (45 minutes)
This portable greenhouse is suitable for growing seedlings, or plants such as parsley, cilantro, etc.
- 2 photos - we cut out square holes with a jigsaw in 1 quarter of the circumference of the barrel.
- 3rd photo - a hole with a drill so that you can insert a jigsaw.
- 4 photos - holes in the bottom to drain water from the drainage.
- 5-6 photos - attach handles on the sides for carrying.
- 7-12 photos we attach the film.
- 14 photos - drainage.
The greenhouse can be painted in green color so that it blends in with the landscape of the dacha
Portable greenhouse made of film
As you can see from the photo, the greenhouse has a lightweight version. It does not have a massive base; it is attached to the ground with reinforcement fixed to the base. It is carried as if on a stretcher using two long boards nailed to the base. It will be useful to the gardener when there is a need to cover some weak plants during a cold snap.
How to automatically open windows in a greenhouse?
A very interesting and simple design for automatically opening the window depending on the weather conditions. The principle is as follows. Between the large (3L) and small (0.5L) jars there passes a tube in the form of a communicating vessel. A large jar is suspended from the base of the greenhouse, and a small one from the window. Moreover, the small one should be balanced with the window in such a way that with a minimum amount of water in it, the window should be closed. In a hermetically sealed large jar when the temperature in the greenhouse rises. water due atmospheric pressure moves into a small jar, opening the window
A simple greenhouse option opening from the side .
As you can see, the design of a greenhouse made of film is very simple. Such a greenhouse can be easily moved and placed in a new location.
Dome greenhouse made from pipe scraps
it's ugly, but it works
The authors of the blog booth555.com moved to new house, and they had to install their own sewer system. As a result, they were left with a lot of pipe scraps, which were used by an enterprising young family to create this greenhouse. The advantages of these pipes are that they are easy to bend and at the same time stable and easy to nail down.
Look at step-by-step photos of creating a greenhouse.
As I understand from the translation of the article from English, the pipes are attached to wooden crossbars using tape. I didn’t really understand about the film, the film scraps were somehow fastened together, most likely a cord was threaded through the holes, and there is also a hint in the 6th photo.
The film at the bottom is pressed to the ground with bricks, this makes it possible to lift the film up on hot days.
I could not translate the purpose of the star (in the 4th photo), but I assumed that it was attached to the dome to give stability to the structure.
Write your options for assigning a star in the comments.
Recumbent greenhouse made of double-glazed windows or frames
The author of the blog doorgarden.com made such a recumbent greenhouse on his site from glass door(a double-glazed window), which was accidentally hit by a stone from under a lawn mower.
According to the author, such a greenhouse allows him to collect greens for salads in January, well, America, I can’t say exactly what state it is.
Look at the drawing of this greenhouse. Everything is very simple. As we can see from the photo, the double-glazed window is not attached to any hinges; it simply lies, resting against the side board to prevent it from slipping.
The double-glazed window can be replaced with any large glass or window frame.
In summer, in hot weather, when there is no need for such a greenhouse, it can be thrown over the strawberries to protect the berries from birds.
Photo source: doorgarden.com
Attention!!! Important point about greenhouses made from window frames
Whatever frames you have at your disposal, the transparent roof should be made folding (lifting upward), and not hinged or folding, as on the right in Fig. Through any vertical crack the entire warm air will instantly evaporate and the plants will be hit with cold, and the horizontal one can be adjusted with supports according to the weather and local conditions.
What should be the slope of the greenhouse lid???
Note: the optimal slope of the roof slope of a lean-to greenhouse from the vertical (90 degrees) is φ, where φ is the geographic latitude of the location; and (90 degrees)–φ is the angular altitude of the Sun at noon of the spring/autumn equinox. See below about a greenhouse with a heat accumulator.
Source of the last two paragraphs and photos: vopros-remont.ru
Cold greenhouse. (diagram-drawing)
With your own hands
Auto photo of this cold greenhouse Vince Babak, while growing vegetables for the school cafeteria, wondered if it was possible to grow fresh vegetables early winter. After studying the literature on this topic, he created this winter cold greenhouse.
The greenhouse consists of wooden frame and glass lid. The glass of the lid should always be tilted to catch as many rays of the weak winter sun as possible.
The author claims that even in winter in sunny weather, this greenhouse can heat up to very high temperatures, so the lid must be able to open upward. In order to regulate the temperature, a thermometer must be placed in the greenhouse (see photo 5), and there must also be a mechanism was made to fix the open lid at different angles (see photo 4).
Vegetables that can be grown in early winter in a cold greenhouse
BUT still, the main secret of such a greenhouse is not in its design, but in the plants grown in it . These should be plants that can easily tolerate cold. According to the author's research, there are five crops: spinach, green onions, mache, claytonia, and carrots can be grown successfully in the northern states of the United States. And also arugula, Escarole, Mizuna, parsley, sorrel, European lettuce, mustard, spinach and turnip.
My advice: Make a cardboard sheet covered on one side with foil. At night, you can cover the greenhouse with this foil, which will reflect the heat coming from the ground back into the greenhouse.
Greenhouse made of window frame and hay
Greenhouse (greenhouse) In a plastic bottle
or "How to grow seedlings if the apartment is cold"
It often happens in our domestic apartments that for growing seedlings the room is not warm enough. A way out of this situation could be a greenhouse like this in a plastic bottle.
When sunlight enters such a greenhouse, the air in the greenhouse begins to heat up. and remains warm for a very long time, even after sunset .
An important advantage will be high humidity inside the bottles and, which will be created due to the heating of pre-moistened soil. This humidity significantly speeds up the process of seedling ripening.
The manufacturing process is simple : cut the bottle, wash it, place the soil with the seeds inside and seal it tightly with tape.
How to make a quick greenhouse with your own hands
Greenhouse made of wooden gratings
The advantages of such a greenhouse:
- - quickly erected
- - stable
- - easy to manufacture
Minuses:
Not suitable for tall plants, can be used for growing early greens and seedlings.
Russian in-depth greenhouse on biofuel
About Russian pits
The simplest greenhouse is a lean-to greenhouse, sunk into the ground, with biological heating. For its construction, choose a dry, well-lit and sheltered place from the winds. It is desirable that it be a low slope facing south. To protect the greenhouse from the wind, green spaces, fences or special reflective screens, which are installed on the north side, can be used. Rotary ones are especially convenient flat screens, painted white, which allow maximum use solar energy. Illumination with reflected light increases the temperature in the beds by 2-3°, which is equivalent to moving your site, for example, from the Moscow region to the black earth regions of the country: Lipetsk or Voronezh.
Note: you can use any flat panels, covered with aluminum foil for baking.
Construction begins with the installation of a frame around the perimeter of the greenhouse made of four sanded logs with a diameter of 10-14 cm. The northern side of the frame should be slightly higher than the south. On the south side, a groove (quarter) is selected in the trim to support the frames.
At one time, the Russian greenhouse was a revelation for European farmers. It was from the “Russian pits” that the nobility of that time received green onions, lettuce, dill, parsley, radishes, and strawberries for the table in winter.
The pit is dug to a depth of 70 cm. In diameter it has the shape of a trapezoid. In dense soils, the walls do not need to be fastened, but in loose and slumping soils, fastening with horizontal boards is used. To prevent the greenhouse from being washed away by rain, a drainage ditch is installed around it, which can be closed wooden shields, facilitating approaches.
The most convenient frames for a greenhouse are 160x105 cm in size. They are made from 6x6cm bars, connected for strength with wooden pins, and then properly painted with weather-resistant varnish PF-166 (“6 = c”). Glass is strengthened with putty or glazing bead. To drain rainwater, grooves are cut into the lower sashes.
Biofuel in greenhouses is horse or cow manure.. Horse fiber is considered the best; it gives more heat. It is harvested in the fall. Manure is collected in piles and carefully insulated on all sides with straw, sawdust, peat and covered so that the manure does not freeze. In the spring, before filling the greenhouse, it is transferred to another, looser pile and heated. To do this, make several holes in it and pour a bucket of hot water into each, after which the stack is covered with burlap or matting. After two to four days, when the manure warms up to a temperature of 50-60°, the greenhouse is filled with it. The colder one is placed on the bottom, and the hotter one is placed on top and on the sides. After precipitation, a new portion is added in two to three days. The manure should lie loosely, and only at the walls it should be slightly compacted so that voids do not form.
Greenhouses - pits were usually made of 3-4, which ensured year-round use: while 1 pit was warming up after refilling, the rest were producing products. An indispensable condition for the successful operation of a Russian greenhouse is the lining of the entire complex of pits with a clay castle with a drainage ditch, otherwise the biofuel will sour.
To enlarge the photo click on it
After filling, the greenhouse is covered with frames and mats made of matting, straw or burlap. Soil is poured on top of the heated manure - garden or turf soil, compost or fertilized peat. On average, one frame requires 0.2 cubic meters. m of land. It is not recommended to exceed this amount, since under the weight of the earth the manure becomes compacted, the flow of air to it becomes difficult, and it stops burning. For the same reason, you should not over-moisten the soil.
A greenhouse of even such a simple design will make it possible to grow vegetables much ahead of schedule.
Greenhouse layout diagram
where is the best place to put a greenhouse on the site?
Only financial resources and thinking allow a summer resident to create certain structures on his site. After all, as a rule, we try to create everything with our own hands. Today we can talk about creating structures such as greenhouses, and they will be made from old window frames. This is the most budget option of all the possible ones that can exist. And you don’t have to look for materials, since old windows can be found everywhere.
Where can I get window frames? It’s very simple: windows in a neighboring house or even an apartment, in a kindergarten, or in a school can be changed. Don't waste your chance: you need to take the frames to your garage. At the same time, you will even be grateful that construction waste (such as frames) will be removed from the site.
But only availability building materials will not solve the problem. You need to know how to properly make a greenhouse from frames for.
The basis of the greenhouse: choosing a suitable foundation
It is worth noting that a foundation must be laid for the greenhouse. Without it, the structure will collapse. The weight of the frames will be so great that over time the greenhouse will simply sag.
The highest quality and most reliable material is brick. However, the material is quite expensive. But with long-term use it pays off perfectly. Excessive moisture may cause the stone to deteriorate.
Natural stone is also expensive, but will be able to withstand the strongest greenhouse structures. Natural stone can also withstand the most humid environments, which makes it possible to give advantages in use to this particular material.
Wooden foundation Wood is also a very durable material, but after five years you will have to replace the wooden foundation, which will begin to crumble under the influence of moisture and temperature changes.
Experts say that the best option is concrete. Such a foundation can last as long as possible. Of course, you can use absolutely any construction option. It all depends on what financial resources you have.
Frame of the structure
It is worth noting that the greenhouse itself, made from window frames, is already quite durable. You just need to strengthen it and mount it correctly. In order for the frame to be strong, it must be firmly strengthened with the base. Window frames are simply connected to each other on the base using corners, screws, studs and other fastening materials. Each person determines for himself what materials to use for fastening. It all depends on the budget.
So, let's look at the most common types of frame fastenings
Corners and screws are rightfully the most reliable. During the installation of the greenhouse, you will only need to properly install the greenhouse and secure it to the foundation. The parts of the greenhouse are secured with corners and then connected to each other with self-tapping screws. This way it is possible to achieve the maximum degree of stability.
You can also install the greenhouse using wood nails as well as beams. This option is even simpler than the previous method of connecting structures. Inside, the frames are connected using small cross-section beams.
There is another way that requires a minimum of time and effort. To do this you will need wire and clamps. Using the wire, you can wind it around the part of the connection and tighten it with pliers. Plastic clamps, which can be bought at a hardware store, are also used for tension.
Installation of a greenhouse from old windows
It must be said that any greenhouse structure can be created from the frames. The only thing is that you need to assemble everything correctly so that the structure lasts a long time. In order for the work to be completed efficiently, all work must be carried out step by step.
The frame and base are the most important parts of the greenhouse during installation. The fasteners must be strong and reliable so that the greenhouse lasts a long time. There may be connections that require welding.
How to cover a greenhouse from frames
Since the frames themselves are heavy, it is not recommended to use glass. In this case, the weight will increase even more. Glass is used when it is assembled small greenhouse. The best option is to cover the greenhouse plastic film. For this, a simple sheathing is used on the top of the structure. Once the film is placed over the top of the greenhouse, you can begin to stretch the film.
Once all work is completed, you need to check its quality. If no flaws are found, then you can begin planting various crops. Now on your plot at any time of the year you can plant various crops that can only be grown on the plot.
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ABOUT stand-alone devices We heard a lot of greenhouses and even saw them. Windows are an excellent material for installing translucent structures. How to build a greenhouse from window frames yourself? We will talk about this in detail, with tips and recommendations.
Let's start with the statement that building a greenhouse from window frames is difficult. There is such a widespread opinion. In fact, this is said by those who are reluctant to move the cerebral gyrus.
Of course, it’s easier to buy a ready-made structure and install it according to the instructions, and even easier - just dream about your own large stationary greenhouse. In fact, everything is limited only by the ability to get material and dream a little.
Since in Russia there is a complete replacement of old wooden windows plastic ones will be relevant for many years to come, get required quantity frames are very easy. It is enough to collect them from residential buildings. Well, experts in this article will help you with your geometric fantasies.
Greenhouse from window profile – perfect solution! Wood is a durable and stable material, not exposed to precipitation and does not soften under the sun. Glass transmits light and ultraviolet rays well and protects against cold air.
In such a structure, any ventilation can be performed, in addition to opening the main big door, since the windows have vents. In other cases we. If you add some nuances, you can build a greenhouse from plastic windows, but it will be a more expensive structure. In any case, this building can be safely left for the winter without disassembling it. And there are many more advantages.
We mean: options
You can consider an infinite number of different options for how to build a greenhouse from window frames, but there will still be only three main ones:
- Sheathing boards can be used for the lower part of the main frame. Then, when weeding the beds, you are guaranteed not to damage the glass, just as when digging, watering, and so on.
- You can insert glass from the same window frames into the finished frame. Such homemade design will look more elegant and complete.
- You can join different existing window frames, and then the view will not be very presentable, and connecting different frames will not be very convenient.
What should we do when the frames are completely different? It is necessary to show miracles of engineering, to measure the parameters of each individual element, and try to draw a diagram on a piece of paper. Very often, home-grown builders begin to assemble greenhouses from window profiles “as needed,” installing everything in order, one frame after another, without worrying about dimensions.
So you will end up with a very clumsy structure, uneven and uncomfortable. Ensuring sealing later will be very problematic. To do the roof - even more so.
"Rapid construction" plan
We list:
- Initially, it is necessary to take care of the foundation of the greenhouse, for which a trench is dug along the entire perimeter of the greenhouse with the width and depth of a shovel. The trench is filled with rubble and fragments of old bricks, then cement mortar. Often the foundation dries for a week or more, after which construction work can continue.
- The second option for the base could be an ordinary brick stand. This type is simple and does not require lengthy construction.
- To keep the latches out of the way, they are torn out. You should definitely leave the window hinges, as they are used to connect the frames to each other. It is very important that the frames must be installed with the windows inward so that they can be easily opened. It is convenient to use automatic windows for greenhouses.
- After the greenhouse is assembled, the last of the frames is screwed onto the hinges to the adjacent one on only one side; it will then serve as a door.
- All frames must be fastened with metal corners and plates.
- In the corners of the greenhouse, metal corners are driven into the ground, and between the greenhouse and the corner there is a timber 50x40 mm, the length of which is 2.5 m at the front edge, and 1.9 m along the rear edge. In this way, a base for the roof is formed, which will be pitched. Vertical bars they are fastened on top with bars, between which a sheathing is made of bars 40x40 mm.
- On the front part, two frames are installed horizontally, the gap between which is fastened with a metal plate. Do-it-yourself greenhouses made from window frames are a huge field for creativity. You can even put it at an angle.
- The roof sheathing is covered, which is attached using slats and screws. The film is similarly attached to the sides and back of the greenhouse.
- The final stage is to foam the cracks with polyurethane foam, and the door can be closed using a nail or latch.
And now what the query “greenhouse made from window frames - video” usually does not show:
Fundamental knowledge
Why is a foundation needed? Because a do-it-yourself greenhouse made from old window frames is a “weighty” structure. Not only does wood have a significant specific gravity, but glass also makes the above-ground structure very heavy. We need to take care of the “underground” construction! So that the structure does not sag, especially with constant watering, when the soil liquefies.
Choose:
- Brick is a bit expensive, but reliable foundation. If installed correctly, it will last a long time and your window glass greenhouse will last a very long time. However, when watering, the brick may become waterlogged, which, coupled with temperature changes, will lead to its rapid destruction. Unless you waterproof it, of course.
- Stone - even more expensive, but also more durable, reliable option foundation. It is acceptable if you have unused stone lying around on the site from previous construction. You can install it on it metal carcass, and even brick walls. TO external influences and treats waterlogging more calmly. If you use untreated stones, the cost will be seriously reduced.
- A window glass greenhouse is not heavy enough to require solid foundations. For temporary structures, especially those that will be removed for the winter, a wooden base is also a good idea. Will withstand heavy use 6-8 years, then it will need to be completely changed.
- Concrete – a good option, a shallow strip foundation is easy to install and lasts a long time. You will use it for a couple of decades without repair.
The most budget-friendly solution, of course, is a do-it-yourself greenhouse wooden base. Although, any of the options for self-construction, is suitable both in terms of labor intensity and cost.
Consolidation
We consolidate everything: both knowledge and frames. The construction of a greenhouse from window frames after the foundation is just beginning. We planned how to install the frames, we even adjusted them to size. All that remains is to fasten them together in place.
We are considering options:
- Wooden and plastic frames can be attached to the base and to each other using self-tapping screws and metal corners. The process is very simple; homemade greenhouses from window frames are assembled quickly and even by yourself. When working, you must use a building level and maintain vertical alignments (the horizontal alignment itself will align at the top if the frames are the same in size). Corners can be attached both outside and internal corners windows The method is reliable.
- Nails and beams- the “old-fashioned” method, effective, angry and not entirely beautiful. But simple, even simpler than self-tapping screws. How to build a greenhouse from old windows with one hammer - ask your neighbor who is a carpenter. It will be enough to use 30x30 mm bars, no more. From the inside, a block or several are simply laid on the base at any joint, to which the frames are nailed. You can repeat the process on top. As a result, the frames do not collide directly with each other.
- Fastening with wire or clamps. The method is the most economical, but the most unreliable. It’s reminiscent of the purely Russian rollicking approach, as they say, “where it hangs, we’ll tie it there.” Nevertheless, it has a right to exist and is often used in garden construction. With the note “I’ll redo it later.”
Covering
A greenhouse made of plastic windows is more complicated in this regard - keep this in mind right away. She has a profile profiled from above, such a tautology. It is uneven, so it will be difficult to attach to it. Unless, of course, we are talking about simply stretching a greenhouse film over the entire structure.
In general, the structure is already quite heavy, so it’s not worth aggravating the situation with glass on top. Just stretching the greenhouse film is a normal option. But the roof will be “flimsy”... Therefore, it is still advisable to put the frames on top.
Then let an apple fall on it from your sinful tree from the Garden of Eden, the film will not break through. You can also use a mounting aluminum profile.
How to stretch the film - the imagination is limitless. If you figured out how to make a greenhouse from old window frames, and successfully secured everything, then you can also fix the film. Even ordinary ones twisted wire will fit, not to mention the clamp clamps.
Also important!
After all the work done, after covering the greenhouse, you need to check how correctly you built everything. And don’t forget that you not only need to know how to make a greenhouse from window frames, but also remember that you need to take care of it. This means washing, cleaning, maintaining the foundation, strengthening connections, and so on. Maintain stability, ensure light transmittance, monitor tightness and constantly ventilate.
