Making a Greenhouse out of upvc windows

[diggernotdreamer]

Me and the Wizard went down to a local builders yard some weeks ago and bought a load of teak windows to make a conservatory on our house. We went back down to look at another one they had that was quite big and while we were there, couldn't help spotting a whole rake of upvc white windows that were only 3 years old. This upset the Wizard quite a lot and he couldn't get them out of his head, he was really out of sorts this morning and then, people; who shall remain nameless, posted pictures of greenhouses made from old windows on my fb page. This was more than he could take and we ended up going and buying them all. We now have the following

6 x 29.5 x 61" top opening windows
2 x 20 3/4" x 61" top opening windows
1 x 35 x 46.5! bottom opening window
1 x 35 x 46.5" top opening window
2 x 38.5 x 61" top opening windows
1 x 39 x 64" top opening window

We will probably have to get a few smaller windows and they are looking out for a door for us. We are hoping to have a rather nice greenhouse of a good size for under 500 quid, not sure what the design will be yet, but there are six windows the same size so that would make two sides

28th May (4).JPG (661.12 KiB) Viewed 21491 times

[CJay]

Very cool. Could you let me know how much this all cost? I'm looking to build a greenhouse myself. But have been thinking of building one that I can move with little effort.

Also. Quid? I'm not familiar with that unit of measure.

[Green Aura]

Quid is slang for pound, CJ. Sorry, you might have to get used to a fair bit of that - we sometimes forget we're multi-national.

I wouldn't build a greenhouse out of glass if you're thinking of moving it - not unless you have access to a crane! dnd's beastie will weigh a ton (or several).

[diggernotdreamer]

Those windows are really heavy, I had to dose up with neurofen plus in the night due to neck pain. We got them for 300 euro, which we still call quid or younger people call them yoyo's, so that is about 333 dollars. You would need to get a polycarbonate style greenhouse to move easily, having moved glass and aluminium greenhouses, they are quite heavy too. The Wizard dreamt of windows and building something like the crystal palace in the garden.

[CJay]

Ok. Thank you. I was thinking of building a small one for next season out of PVC and thick plastic wrap. But if I could find a steal like you did it probably go full-scale with a permanent one. I have plenty of room. But am trying to pay off my place as fast as I can so cost saving is a big thing for me.

[diggernotdreamer]

This is what the Wizard has in his head http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/arc ... 91194k.jpg

[Odsox]

Me too, although I think I need slightly more land for that.

Funnily enough I have been toying with building another greenhouse. My big greenhouse is now pretty much unusable for anything other than what's in there now. With the apricot tree on the back wall and the grape vine taking up most of the roof it gets quite dark in there during the summer. Coupled with the permanent hydroponic pipes full of strawberries in the front pipe and melons and cucumbers in the back there's no room for anything else.
Tomatoes definitely grow a lot better in a greenhouse than a polytunnel and my little 8' x 6' greenhouse only takes 7 plants. I have just the spot for a reasonable sized new lean to greenhouse, but can't make up my mind whether I'm being a bit "over the top".
After all, 2 polytunnels, 2 greenhouses and a conservatory ought to be enough for anybody.
But then, I'm not anybody.

[diggernotdreamer]

So would you go down the route of using recycled windows or a regular greenhouse? I need more windows to make the second greenhouse then, keeping up with the Odsox

[Odsox]

So would you go down the route of using recycled windows

No, and that reason is how the idea of another greenhouse came about.
When I rebuilt my big greenhouse back in 2009, I made the triangular vents in the end walls out of exterior grade plywood. Well the "exterior grade" it wasn't and the glue holding the various plies lost their stickiness and it all parted company.
You can see the triangular vents here http://www.selfsufficientish.com/forum/ ... 38&t=18367
So I was thinking that twin or triple walled polycarbonate would be a better option, but as I would have to get it mail order, you can't just get a single sheet now can you?
So what better way is there than to get several sheets and maybe, you know, build something else as well.

EDIT: Just noticed that if you look carefully at the photo of the interior of my greenhouse, hiding just behind the door you can see my apricot tree when it was just a twig, now it covers the whole of the back wall.

[Green Aura]

Twinwall polycarbonate isn't much better than polytunnel plastic, Tony. It definitely isn't up to par with greenhouse glass. Our polytunnel is covered in it as you know and although in terms of wind resistance it's much better I don't think the light levels or warmth are much different.

[Odsox]

I'm talking about the stuff that's about an inch thick, Maggie. That's what my conservatory roof is made of although you're right that the light levels are quite a lot less than glass, but it's a lot easier to work with and a lot lighter than glass which means less structural strength needed.
The walls would be glass though.

Mind you, I could well change my mind before I get to the building stage.

[diggernotdreamer]

We just bought some triple wall polycarbonate, I think it is 16mm thick for the roof of our veranda and garden room. We priced it up and it was cheaper to get it from a crowd in Devon than anyone in Eire. We did buy one extra sheet just in case we needed it, think it may be used on the Crystal Palace project.

[Odsox]

Yeah, that's the stuff. The roof of our conservatory has about 2 feet between the joists and you can just about walk on it with a modicum of care.
My potting shed has a corrugated plastic roof which is a great deal clearer than the twin/triple wall stuff, but not so easy to put roof lights (ventilators not electric lights) in so that they're weather proof. The ends are not a problem as you can get the wavy polystyrene strips to seal the corrugations.
Thinking about it as I type, it's probably not that difficult with roof vents if you take care to align the corrugations, plus it more easily obtainable from the builder's yard up the road.
Deep thought needed

[diggernotdreamer]

So a friend spotted my post on FB about the windows etc and contacted me because she had a door in white upvc, another step closer to the crystal palace

[Odsox]

I've definitely decided to make yet another greenhouse, a lean to one against a wooden shed.
Nothing too big, about 12' long and (I think) about 6' wide and will be purely for tomato plants. That will give me space for 2 x 2 foot wide beds with a path between them running the length of the greenhouse, which should allow me to have 13 plants sensibly spaced (1 in a small end bed).
With my other small greenhouse, that would give me room to grow 22 tomato plants in total without taking up space in a polytunnel.
All the fault of Mrs Odsox who has now given up work and wants the conservatory for her crafty type hobbies.