Building a greenhouse yourself from window frames

To build a greenhouse from old window frames is a cost-effective solution, which is also extremely practical. Photos and videos of the process will help to understand how to make a greenhouse with your own hands as functional as possible and in a short time, while saving money on the purchase of additional, even inexpensive, materials.

Building a greenhouse from window frames is a profitable and practical solution in terms of saving time. Because, one block can cover from 0.4 to half the walls of the greenhouse. That is, it is possible to make such a greenhouse quickly, and then additional installation of material for sheltering the greenhouse is also not required.

Plus, this plus should also be said at the very beginning, you do not need to think additionally about how to make ventilation. It can be seen in the photo and video that the sashes are already hung and they will definitely function at least at one window frame. We suggest phasing out the main points of how to make a greenhouse out of old window frames with your own hands.

Advice! In order to build a greenhouse with your own hands on the basis of old window frames, you can take frames, both wooden and plastic, even aluminum. For all frame options, the main stages of construction will not be different. The only thing you need to think about in advance is the organization of the right foundation.

Design and choice of roof

Of course, ordinary projects will not work for a home-made greenhouse from window frames. Because, whatever one may say, but it will be necessary to collect the greenhouse from different modules.

Therefore, you can make a drawing yourself if you carefully watch the video from this material and follow the following tips:

1. Lay out the frames selected for construction on the ground and try to spread them evenly on the ground. Here you have to put together a mosaic to determine which frames are best for side and end walls.
2. Modules measure, record the basic values.
3. Make a drawing on paper, where to mark the layout of the frames and indicate the installed dimensions of the module.
4. In terms of the dimensions of this drawing, it will be necessary to make a second drawing, which foundation needs to be built.
5. A third drawing is also needed - this is a schematic illustration of a frame on which window frames will be installed.
6. Another mandatory step is to pay attention to the roof, to determine its shape and material. If there is no time to make a greenhouse with your own hands, it will help greenhouse "Snowdrop".

What to choose for a roof?

If you choose window frames that fit in geometry, then they are great for organizing a roof with your own hands. However, you can always opt for such practical and inexpensive materials as film or polycarbonate, glass.

The easiest way is to make the roof of the film, but here it should be borne in mind that it will last only for one season and next year you will again have to make something for the greenhouse with your own hands. When using a greenhouse in the winter, a film roof is categorically not suitable, because it has a strong heat loss.

Selection and installation of the foundation

To build a greenhouse from old window frames, you will definitely need to first make a foundation. Its shape and installation features depend on how many seasons it is planned to use the building. And this indicator, in turn, depends on the frames used. For example, window frames made of aluminum or plastic will last from five years or more.So, for them you need to make a solid strip foundation.

If the window frames are wooden, but strong, then the greenhouse can be operated for four years and a strip foundation here will be preferable, but not required. In principle, a columnar foundation made of concrete or brick is suitable for wooden frames (it will be necessary to process a strong beam for tying with bituminous mastic and wrap it in roofing material so that it lasts 3-4 years).

Advice! Sometimes a do-it-yourself greenhouse is constructed from old window frames as a temporary greenhouse for 1-2 seasons. In this case, there is no point in bothering with a complex foundation, you can make a harness from a timber laid in the ground. Wrap the boards additionally with roofing material to protect against moisture for several years of future operation.

Let's say you want to make a greenhouse strong and reliable for many years. Therefore, we take plastic window frames and for such a greenhouse a strip foundation is required. Read about the benefits of a polycarbonate greenhouse.

It will be necessary, before building the foundation with your own hands, to make a trench 50 cm deep and 30 cm wide. Then pour 15 cm of crushed stone to the bottom, lay the reinforcement connected by a steel bar on top. For the plinth, a 40 cm formwork is made at the edges, use boards or plywood (additionally protect from moisture)

A solution based on cement and gravel, as well as sand, pour in two steps. The first level of the foundation, in order to make the greenhouse strong, you need to fill it flush with the ground level. Then pour flush with the edges of the formwork (as an option, they can not reach ten centimeters).

Important! There is no need to make a gap between fills. Mix portions of concrete immediately and from above just cover with a film each layer for preliminary solidification. Three days later, do-it-yourself formwork with your own hands, cover with a film. Four days later, you can begin to build a greenhouse from window frames.

Assembling the frame:
1. Lay strips of roofing material on the foundation, and on top make tie rods. Elements are fixed using steel angles so that the do-it-yourself greenhouse is durable.
2. Mark the harness for the installation of vertical supports. Installation is carried out using steel corners. First put the corner posts, and then move on to the intermediate stands.
3. Make temporary fixation so that the greenhouses do not tilt under their own weight during installation. When the supports are exposed, fix everything with corners, remove the temporary fixation.
4. Two vertical front struts are required for the roof frame. Also make a skate and rafter legs on each side of it. First, install the racks themselves, then throw the beam, lean the rafters on it.

Installation of window frames

To finish the greenhouse, you need to start the last and important process - to install the frames themselves. Everything is done here very simply, because they are screwed to the frame through the holes that are already in the frames (they were when installing the frames for the window in the apartment).

Sometimes it happens that the frame does not match the dimensions of the frames. Therefore, it will be necessary to change its position. If the cells are too small, then the extra tree from the frames will need to be removed. If the cells are large, then it will be necessary to put strips of thick rubber under them. Foam for these purposes is not suitable. Way PVC pipe greenhouses do it yourself.

Building a greenhouse based on window frames is perhaps one of the easiest and cheapest options. However, here you should also take into account all the nuances of the building and remember that you can’t do without a foundation in any situation to get a solid greenhouse for at least one season.