Do-it-yourself greenhouse from window frames. Window frames as a building material: pros and cons

Old wooden windows that have served their time and have given way to plastic ones are usually sent for recycling. But for summer residents, such material may be suitable for creating a temporary or stationary greenhouse. There is not always enough money for factory structures made of polycarbonate, but here - a free, solid and very beneficial material for plants. Glass transmits light well and has high strength. So get your greenhouse out window frames resist any precipitation and let it inside most ultraviolet rays needed for plant growth.

From window frames, you can create both a temporary collapsible version of a mini-greenhouse for growing seedlings, and a large stationary structure. It all depends on the crops that are planned to grow there, and the local climate. If the weather is warm in summer and most plants survive well in open ground, that is, it makes sense to limit ourselves to several greenhouses, which, after transplanting seedlings, will go to the barn until next spring. But in a cold climate, you will have to build a greenhouse “for centuries”, so that neither wind nor snow spoil it in winter, and spring floods do not wash it away.

Regardless of which greenhouse structure you choose, the window frames need to be prepared for the new function. The entire metal arsenal - latches, hooks, handles, etc. they will not be needed in the greenhouse, so they are dismantled.

To make it more convenient to fix the frames to the frame, it is better to remove the glasses and fold them aside, marking the numbers with a marker (in order to insert them exactly into the same frame later). So it will be easier for you to manage the installation, and the glass will not crack during operation. If necessary, replace cracked rails and rusty glazing beads.

Since the windows were in use, the paint in them, of course, peeled off. All layers of varnish and paint must be peeled off because the wood needs protection from moisture. The climate of the greenhouse is unfavorable for wood, and so that it does not rot in a year, the frames must be treated with an antiseptic.

It's good to paint on top with a layer of white paint. The sun will heat the frame less and shorten its service life. However, for a greenhouse, this is not necessary.

While the frames are drying, take care of the structure itself. To begin with, you can practice creating a mini-greenhouse, and only then decide on a large, non-separable one.

Markup and preparation of material

In greenhouses, window frames usually serve as a roof, which is mounted on wooden base. For a day, the roof is slightly opened, allowing the seedlings to ventilate. Therefore, estimate the size of the mini-greenhouse so that its width matches the width of the frame. The length is calculated based on the number of windows with which the roof will be laid out. Most often there are 2-3 of them.

For the frame you will need boards and 4 beams. The bars are dug into the corners of the future greenhouse, and shields are knocked down from the boards. Since the greenhouse must have a sloping roof for rain to roll off and maximum passage sunlight, the front shield is knocked down from 3 boards, the back one from 4, and 4 are also used in the side ones, but the top board is cut off at an angle along the length so as to create the desired height transition from the front shield to the back. Prepared shields are fixed on the bars with the help of self-tapping screws.

For a greenhouse, they usually don’t make a foundation, but if the soil is swampy, then you can put a row of single bricks under the bottom

Creating a roof from window frames

Since the greenhouse is easy to assemble, the glass from the frames is usually not removed. Therefore, proceed immediately to the installation.

• The frames are laid across the length of the greenhouse and fixed to the rear (highest) wall of the frame. For this, window hinges are used.
• It is best to leave all windows mobile, not fastening together, but only tightly joining. Then, for airing and caring for seedlings, it will be possible to slightly open any of the parts of the roof.
• For reliability, each frame is fixed on the short side of the frame with a door hook, and handles are screwed on top to make it easier to lift the windows.
• stuffed with inside front shield bar, lowering it 2-3 cm below the edge top board. It will become a support for a stick or a bar, with which the roof is raised for ventilation.

The handles are fixed on the edge of each frame with self-tapping screws to make it easier to open one of the parts of the roof to ventilate the seedlings.

Installation technology of a stationary greenhouse

If there is not enough greenhouse or climatic conditions do not allow growing plants in open ground, you can create a more durable structure that will not be disassembled for the winter and will last 3-5 seasons. But a stationary greenhouse made of old window frames is the heaviest of all the options for such structures. Therefore, it requires a well-fortified foundation.

Foundation work: pouring options and technology

The need for a foundation for the greenhouse is also due to the fact that the height of the window frames does not exceed 1.5 meters. This is an inconvenient size for normal movement inside. Ideally, if the height of the walls is 1.7-1.8 m, because mostly women take care of the plants. Therefore, the missing centimeters need to be “increased” with the help of the foundation. Another plus is that the tree will get rid of direct contact with the ground, which means that there will be less rot.

The height of the above-ground part of the foundation is calculated based on the total height of the structure, so that the frames, together with concrete, create walls inside which you can move without bending down

The most profitable is the strip foundation made of concrete. It is made as follows:

1. The site is laid out so that the greenhouse is from north to south (with this arrangement, the plants will be under the sun all day). Pegs are driven in at the corners, twine is pulled.
2. They dig a trench 15-20 cm wide, up to half a meter deep. If the level of freezing in your area is deeper, then dig up to 70 cm. This will make the greenhouse frost-proof and allow you to plant plants very early, in early spring.
3. To strengthen the foundation, a layer of gravel and 10 cm of sand are covered.
4. Sand is shed with a layer of concrete, stones are thrown and the space remaining to the surface of the earth is poured with concrete.
5. The next day they put up the formwork to raise the foundation above the ground. The height of the formwork depends on what final height of the greenhouse you want to get. Usually poured 15-25 cm.
6. Fill with concrete, reinforcing it with stones or reinforcement, and leave until completely dry.

Some owners do without formwork, laying out above-ground part foundation with a bar 15X15 cm. To get 30 cm in height, the bars are laid in pairs, on top of each other. So you need 8 wooden beams, which are pre-lubricated with an antiseptic or waste engine oil. They are tied together with staples, and the edges are strengthened metal corners. Between the beam and the concrete part of the foundation, it is necessary to lay waterproofing from roofing material.

For a small greenhouse, it is enough to dig a trench of 30 cm, fill it with gravel, and then with sand and immediately lay a beam on it. True, such a design can freeze through.

Frame mounting technology

Between the pouring of the foundation and the installation of the frame, at least 2 weeks must pass for the concrete to finally get tired and settle into the ground. Therefore, calculate the timing of the construction of a greenhouse from window frames in advance in order to have time to mount it before planting seedlings.

The frame consists of racks, as well as the upper and lower harness. They can be made in two ways: either from boards and bars, or from metal corners.

If metal corners are used, then the lower trim is created at the stage of pouring the above-ground part of the foundation in order to adhere the metal to the base. Side racks from the same corners are welded or connected to bottom bolts. The top trim must be very accurately calculated in height so that the window frames are not above or below the frame line.

If you use a tree, then you will need a 10X10 cm beam, which is placed on the foundation, 8 strapping boards (thickness - 4 cm), 4 side racks from a bar (5X5 cm) and intermediate, the number of which is calculated based on the number of frames that will be installed. For example, if 4 frames are installed along the length, and 2 along the width, then you will need 3 racks on one side, 3 on the other, and one on the side. A door will be placed from the second end, which we will talk about later.

When mounting the frame, metal corners and self-tapping screws are used.

The bars are connected to each other with metal corners, pre-drilling holes for the bolts, and that's it. metal parts treated with an anti-corrosion agent

Work progress:

1. We attach the ten beam to the foundation with the help of anchor bolts.
2. We put the side racks, controlling the vertical level.
3. We nail the boards bottom strapping using a half-wood cut and nails. It can also be fastened with furniture corners taken on self-tapping screws.
4. We install intermediate racks in the frame with a step equal to the width of one window.
5. We nail the top trim boards.

It is desirable to mount side racks from a bar using building level and for better preservation of the tree, cover with an antiseptic composition

Frame for gable roof it is better to shoot down on the ground, and then install on the structure. He is also knocked down from a beam. For the central risers, a thicker tree is taken, and the rafters, ridge and intermediate rafter legs can be made from a 5X5 cm beam.

It is more convenient to assemble the roof frame on the ground, since there is a support and it is much easier to screw screws into the ridge and rafters

What is the best way to cover the roof?

During the construction of greenhouses from window frames the roof is usually covered with a film or polycarbonate. Window frames are used less often, because the weight of the structure is too large, and it is difficult to fix the glass in an inclined position. In addition, the film or plastic can be removed for the winter. Nobody dismantles the windows, and in winter they will collect snow caps on themselves, reducing the life of the greenhouse.

Intermediate rafter legs can be made not from timber, but from a narrow thick board. Their pitch is usually equal to the width of the window frames.

It is better to stretch the film together, from different sides. This makes it easier to control the tension level. Fix the polyethylene to the roof frame with wooden planks and small nails.

If the gables of the roof are upholstered not with a film, but with a breathable material, like construction mesh, then you can use window frames without vents

Fixing the frames in the frame

After the frame and roof are made, they begin to install window frames.

• They are fixed with screws from the outside of the frame.
• The gaps between the windows are foamed with mounting foam, and covered with thin strips on top for complete tightness.
• Glasses are inserted, securing not only with glazing beads, but also lubricating the edges with sealant to prevent air movement.
• Check if the vents are not slanted.
• Hooks are nailed that will hold the vents closed, and fixing elements are thought out so that in open form they didn't chat.

Each window must be provided not only with a hook that will keep it closed, but also to think about it so that it does not hang open

Door installation

The last step will be the installation of doors in the end part of the greenhouse. If the design is narrow, then this end is generally not recommended to be sewn up with frames, because they simply will not fit. The easiest way is to cover the entire space between the door frame and the frame with a film.

Is being done door frame from a beam. To hang the door leaf, you can use the fittings taken out of the windows. It remains to fill the floor of the greenhouse with fertile soil, break the beds - and you can start planting plants.

What is the best greenhouse material? Each owner will answer this question differently. First of all, the choice depends on financial capabilities.

Greenhouse from old window frames - a budget option that does not require significant capital investment. This design is easy to do with your own hands. The building process does not take much time.

How to choose the right material for a homemade greenhouse

How to build:

• dig posts treated with fungicidal preparations into the ground;
• attach flexible branches to them;
• the distance between the columns - no more than 1.4 m;
• connect the ends of the branches located opposite;
• the frame is ready;
• cover .

Option number 2. Greenhouse made of metal mesh

enough to make this solid construction take welded mesh or a chainsaw:

• at a sufficient depth, fix the posts in the ground;
• perform a strapping from a bar or boards, fix a grid on it;
• Stretch a transparent film over the frame.

Greenhouses from old window frames

Many owners make plant shelters from unnecessary frames, which, after repair, some people simply throw in a landfill. Of all the types of structures made from improvised materials, this one is the most durable and strong. The cost of work is minimal.

The second life of old windows

The design deserves more close attention. Learn all the nuances of building an inexpensive and reliable greenhouse.

Design features

1. This design allows enough light to pass through and protects plants well from the effects of precipitation. Prevent high humidity regular ventilation will help.
2. The design will last more than one year. In such a building, you can install a system
3. An ordinary greenhouse can build an inexpensive greenhouse House master. It takes patience and precision. An assistant won't hurt.

The more accurately the frames are selected and fitted, the better the design looks.

Where to install a greenhouse?

There are several space requirements:

• a flat, well-lit area protected from the wind;
• absence near tall trees or high-rise buildings that create a shadow;
• the longer side of the greenhouse should be located from north to south.

Nuances to be aware of:

• choose window frames of the same size;
• make sure that the glass is intact, and the tree is not rotten;
• calculate required amount ram, take a couple in reserve;
• before installation, remove all fittings, remove old paint, treat the tree with a composition from fungi;
• after the fungicide has dried, paint the frames.

Pros and cons of greenhouses from old windows

There are more advantages than disadvantages. Judge for yourself.

Positive sides:

1. Glass transmits ultraviolet well. Plants quickly stretch and bear fruit well;
2. a properly assembled greenhouse retains a sufficient amount of heat;
3. glass is easier to clean than film;
4. Broken glass is easy to replace.

Building disadvantages:

1. heavy glass needs a foundation;
2. large hail can damage the coating;
3. without ventilation in sunny days it may be too hot inside.

These shortcomings are not so serious as to spoil the overall impression of the window frame greenhouse. Many of them are easy to fix.

How to build a greenhouse from old windows

Before you start building, prepare enough material

Pay attention to the nuances:

1. First, find enough old windows. You may need more than one day.
2. Secondly, study the material on the topic and watch the video. You must clearly understand how to act.
3. And finally, deal with time. from unnecessary frames freezes for about three weeks. For such a period, you will surely have time to find suitable frames.

Contact the installer plastic windows. Perhaps the staff will tell you the address where free material for your greenhouse will appear in the near future. Try it, it will probably help you.

If you are building a greenhouse with your own hands

The owner will be helped by diagrams with applied dimensions that can be taken as a basis. If you plan to build a structure of a different size, be sure to complete the drawing of the future structure.

Don't build by eye. Measure each frame. You will understand what size it will turn out.

Choose old windows of the same size. This will make it easier to attach them.

Pay special attention to frame placement.. Install them strictly according to the level. A skewed frame will lead to various problems.

On the drawing, indicate the location of the beds and passages. The width of the beds is about a meter. It is desirable that there is free space for walking.

If the building is large, make a passage the width of a small cart. Carrying fertilizer in buckets is a bad idea.

Frame for a greenhouse from window frames

For the strength and reliability of a homemade shelter for plants, make wooden frame. You will need a 50 x 50 cm timber or a quality dry board that fits the width of the window frames (4 cm).

Attach the long elements of the window frame to the uprights. So the gap between adjacent frames will be reliably isolated.

Frame details:

• rack;
• bottom harness;
• top harness.

For fastening use:

• nails;
• screws.

What's better? Of course, screws. They are more expensive, but the connection is stronger. Fasten frames not only with outer side. Inside, fasten on a medium thickness support board.

After connecting the frames, blow out all the cracks with mounting foam. Don't be stingy, the quality construction will keep you warm even in the cold.

Is a foundation needed?

Most of the hosts who have equipped homemade greenhouse of window frames, he does not regret that he made the basis for his greenhouse. The foundation will not only be a good support for the frame. Pouring the base helps maintain the desired temperature in the greenhouse and reduces heat loss.
Foundation types:

• tape;
• point;
• metal.

The most durable and reliable - tape. Fill depth varies by region. Check the depth of soil freezing in your area.

The foundation is poured around the perimeter. Base width - not less than 100 m. For winter greenhouse insulate the foundation from the outside. Lightweight, highly water-repellent polystyrene foam boards are suitable.

Common variant strip foundation- concrete or masonry. Check the quality of the base filling by level. Skews are not allowed.

Making a greenhouse from window frames

A detailed video instruction will be a good help. After viewing this material, any owner will easily figure out all the intricacies of manufacturing and installing a home-made shelter for plants.

Helpful Hints
There are little things that can affect the operation of a homemade greenhouse. Pay attention to them:

• Frames must not be rotten. Throw away frames without regret, even with small rotten areas.
• Check if the vents open.
• Do not forget to treat the tree with fungicidal compounds, otherwise the frames will begin to rot;
• Do not make paths less than 50 cm wide - it will be inconvenient to walk between grown plants;
• Don't forget to ventilate the greenhouse. excess moisture and heat impair plant development.
• The best material for the roof is polycarbonate or, in extreme cases, a film. The window frames are too heavy, too much sunlight passes through them, and the plants overheat.

Greenhouse from window frames photo

There are enough options for homemade greenhouses.

Build makeshift greenhouse taking into account the recommendations and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

The list of materials that can be used to make a greenhouse is not limited to plastic wrap and polycarbonate. Mini-greenhouses are assembled even from window frames, which are cheap and last for more than one year. Any gardener who has built a small greenhouse at least once with his own hands can safely start making a glass greenhouse.

Pros and cons of window frames as a material for a greenhouse

Window frames used as raw materials for the construction of a mini-greenhouse are evaluated positively because:

• pass through the glass ultra-violet rays, as a result of which plants grow quickly and bear fruit;
• glass construction retains the necessary amount of heat inside;
• glass coating is much easier to clean from dirt than film material;
• Cracked glass can be easily replaced, but torn film cannot.

The disadvantages of such a greenhouse are:

• the need to put it on the foundation;
• high risk of glass damage by hail or other bad weather;
• the creation of an overly hot microclimate inside the structure (if the greenhouse is not ventilated by opening the window), due to which the leaves of the plants may turn yellow.

Photo gallery: options for greenhouses from window frames

Each window frame can be lifted freely to ventilate the greenhouse
Two long window frames were used to create a greenhouse. In a greenhouse of small height it is better to plant seedlings of cabbage Plants in a greenhouse are planted on a layer of manure and fertilized soil A greenhouse can be created easily and with a minimum amount of materials.

Drawings and dimensions

If a gardener decides to make a greenhouse out of window frames, then he usually considers two design options. The first can be imagined as a small and low house with pitched roof, and the second - as a small building with a roof in two slopes.

Greenhouses are designed so that water does not linger on their roof.

These greenhouses have the same length and height. Only the width distinguishes them from each other. The second greenhouse, the top of which is covered with not one, but two window frames, is more spacious. But to build it, you need more materials and building skills.

Therefore, the owners of gardens prefer to build a greenhouse in the form of a house with a pitched roof. If you plan to plant in a mini-greenhouse tall plants, for example, tomatoes, then the height of the lower side wall should be increased to 40 cm.

The frame of the greenhouse is made up of vertically installed boards.

If desired, you can make an in-depth greenhouse covered with a glass frame. Such a mini-greenhouse will allow you to quickly grow vegetables in early spring.

An in-depth greenhouse is suitable for those gardeners who want to get large fruits vegetables

To create an in-depth greenhouse in the ground, a hole is dug 75 cm deep. Manure and fertilized soil are placed in it. On top of the created ridge, a window frame measuring 160 × 106 cm is placed, installed on the couples.

Southern and northern couple - materials for the manufacture of an in-depth greenhouse

A glass greenhouse can be built from one long or several window frames. by the most the best option a rectangular frame with large glass is considered because it will give the plants more light. Although there are no special criteria for choosing this building material. The main thing is that the glass is intact, and the frame wood is not rotten.

To create a greenhouse, it is preferable to take large window frames.

To create a mini-greenhouse, windows remaining after repair are suitable. You can find used windows through an ad in a newspaper or at a company that dismantles old wooden frames and puts plastic double-glazed windows in their place.

All frames taken as building materials for the construction of a greenhouse must be exactly the same. When using different wooden windows it will not be possible to make the greenhouse airtight, since the frames will not fit snugly together.

It is advisable to find window frames with vents. They will allow you to ventilate the greenhouse without raising its glass roof.

The vent of the window frame used to build the greenhouse will become an air vent

Window frames are recommended to be prepared for further use as a greenhouse material. This includes the replacement of broken and rotten parts, as well as the dismantling of handles, latches and unnecessary fittings. wooden elements window frames need to be sprinkled with an antiseptic that inhibits the process of wood damage under the influence of precipitation.

Materials and tools

To realize the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bcreating a greenhouse from window frames, you need to find the following materials:

• concrete mortar;
• bricks;
• 3 thick boards;
• 2 thick boards;
• 6 scraps of boards;
• 2 thick boards in the shape of a right triangle;
• one long window frame.

When building a greenhouse, you will need materials for the foundation, frame and roof

It is necessary to assemble a mini-greenhouse from these parts using:

• loops;
• nails;
• self-tapping screws;
• screwdriver;
• door handle.

We build a greenhouse from window frames with our own hands - a step-by-step guide to making

The greenhouse is created in several steps:

Video: glass frame greenhouse assembly features

Greenhouse in the country - necessary building. It is built from a small amount of materials and is cheap for the gardener. You can save even more on the manufacture of a greenhouse if you use window frames instead of film and arcs. From them it will be possible to build a mini-greenhouse, which is easy to open and has a good microclimate.

October 17, 2016
Specialization: professional in the field of construction and repair ( full cycle holding finishing works, both internal and external, from sewerage to electrical and finishing work), installation of window structures. Hobbies: see column "SPECIALIZATION AND SKILLS"

In this article I will tell you how to build a greenhouse out of window frames. This task is quite laborious, especially if we want to get not a temporary greenhouse, but a permanent structure, but the result is worth it. Reusing old frames makes it possible to significantly save on greenhouse glazing, so it's definitely worth the trouble.

Such structures can be erected according to the most different schemes so here I will describe general principles buildings that have been tested in practice. Having figured out what's what, you can make adjustments to the algorithm I proposed in accordance with your wishes for the final result.

Preparatory work

Stage 1. Foundation

A greenhouse from window frames is assembled according to the principle of a designer, and the most difficult moment here will be the search for the frames themselves. As a rule, construction begins after overhaul country house when multiple windows appear after replacement.

After all, it’s a pity to throw it away, but you want to attach it to some business. But alas, for enough large construction this amount is not enough, so you have to go to the neighbors and beg, barter or buy unnecessary windows.

Usually, for the construction of structures of closed ground, standard wooden structures, and it is about them that I will talk in the article. It is also possible to build greenhouses and greenhouses from PVC windows, but this is quite an expensive pleasure, and therefore this layout option is practically never found.

Be that as it may, let's assume that we have the required number of glazed frames. Now we should somehow set them on the ground.

And here we need to lay at least some foundation: without a foundation at all, you can only do completely small greenhouse, since the capital structure will inevitably sag under its own weight.

There are several options for arranging the base for a greenhouse from frames, and I will describe them in the table below:

Material	Peculiarities
Wood	The easiest way to give the greenhouse the desired shape and evenly distribute the load on the ground is to install it on a base of wooden beams. The strapping of a thick, mastic-impregnated timber is laid on the surface or slightly deepened, and a frame for glazing is already formed on it. The operational properties of such a base are satisfactory, but over time, even wood treated with a moisture-proof composition loses its strength. So the replacement of the bars (and hence the complete reconstruction of the greenhouse) must be carried out at least once every 5 to 7 years.
Brick	Columnar or tape brick base – a good option in terms of strength and durability. Brickwork, folded according to all the rules, can withstand a significant load, in addition, it also serves as additional thermal insulation in the soil layer of the greenhouse. The downside is high price high-quality building stone - however, in order to save money, you can also use used bricks.
Concrete	Tape concrete foundation or a columnar structure made of concrete blocks - an ideal base for capital greenhouse. A concrete strip or blocks reinforced with a steel bar can withstand significant loads, while waterproofing the underground parts with roofing material or mastic effectively protects concrete from destruction under the influence of moisture. The disadvantages of this solution include the significant complexity of the arrangement and serious financial costs.

Having decided to make such a greenhouse with my own hands, I settled on a combined version:

1. First removed a layer from the site fertile soil to a depth of about 30 cm. The soil was folded separately and then used to form beds.
2. On the leveled area, he marked out the foundation of the future greenhouse and dug trenches 50 cm deep and 40 cm wide.
3. At the bottom of each trench, sand was covered with a layer of 10 cm and the pillow was carefully compacted.
4. I installed the formwork from old boards, lined it with dense polyethylene and filled it with strip base from concrete. Instead of reinforcing with a steel bar, he added broken stone to the solution.
5. After the initial polymerization of concrete, he removed the formwork and covered the foundation with polyethylene to prevent drying out.

1. After 25 days (normally you need to wait 28 - 30 days, but I almost didn’t endure it) I removed the polyethylene and mounted it on concrete base strapping from a bar with a section of 150 mm. I put two layers of roofing material under the beam for waterproofing.
2. At the corners, I connected the bars into half a tree and secured them to the concrete with anchors. themselves wooden details treated with a moisture barrier.

Naturally, this scheme is not the only possible one. Moreover, it is quite labor-intensive, therefore for greenhouses it is easier to use either only timber strapping or only concrete tape.

Stage 2. Mounting the frame

A homemade greenhouse from window frames is usually assembled on a frame. It consists of an upper and lower harness connected by vertical posts at the corners.

In the case when the walls of the greenhouse are of considerable length (4 m or more), it is worth reinforcing the frame with additional vertical supports.

1. In my case, a beam laid on a concrete foundation acted as the lower strapping. On the sides, I sheathed it with boards in such a way that they protruded at least 100 mm above the timber.

1. At the corners, I installed racks made of timber with a section of 50x50 mm. The supports were fixed with self-tapping screws, pulling them to the boards of the lower trim.
2. I made the upper harness from the same beam, fixing it on supports.

I needed a small greenhouse, so I did not install additional supports and reinforcing crossbars. If you need a building large sizes, then it’s worth building all the necessary drawings and seeing where it will be possible to strengthen the structure with racks, struts, etc.

Stage 3. Roof

Much more often the roof is covered with either cellular polycarbonate or plastic wrap- so the load on truss system will be significantly lower.

This is the last option I chose:

1. From the board 100x25 mm cut out the rafters. At the bottom of each rafter leg made a selection for the top harness.
2. I connected the rafters in pairs, and then fastened them with a ridge beam.
3. On the rafters, I fixed the frame for the opening window.
4. With the help of two assistants, the resulting roof frame was lifted onto the frame of the greenhouse, installed on the upper trim and secured the rafters with metal overhead plates.

1. From above I covered the roof with a light-stabilized film (both slopes and gables), leaving only the opening for the window open.

The minus of such a roof is obvious: the film does not differ mechanical strength, and it is almost guaranteed that it will have to be changed in two to three years.

On the other hand, the cost of arranging the roof will be minimal, and the lower (compared to glass or polycarbonate) transparency of polyethylene is compensated additional lighting penetrating through walls from window frames.

Greenhouse assembly

Stage 4. Installation of frames

Now our construction is coming to the final stages: we need to install window frames, hang doors and vents, and equip the room from the inside.

Let's start the description with the installation of frames:

1. Old window frames must be prepared before installation on the frame. This preparation consists in dismantling the hinges and locking elements, eliminating the most obvious damage, replacing broken glass, etc.

It is worth changing the glass after the installation is completed: this way there is less risk of breaking a new window during installation.

1. We begin to mount products from the corner. We put the first window near the vertical support on the lower one, align it and fix it to the frame with the help of metal plates.
2. We install the following structures with minimal gaps, connecting them with steel plates on self-tapping screws.

1. If the greenhouse (well, suddenly you are so lucky!) Is assembled from plastic windows, then it is best to join individual structures using a balcony connector. It is inexpensive, fastens simply (the protrusions snap into the grooves of adjacent frames), but it provides a very strong fixation.
2. After installing all the frames, we fill the gaps between them with mounting foam.
3. Outside, we fill each slot with a thin wooden plank - it will not only help minimize heat loss, but also serve as an additional stiffener.

Everything is clear with the first row of frames, but the height of the structure will be no more than 1400 - 1600 mm. If you want to make the greenhouse higher, then the distance between top edge a number of installed frames and top harness it is best to tighten the film.

I would not put the second row of frames (albeit laying them on their side) - the base turns out to be too unstable.

Stage 5. Doors and vents

It is not enough to build a greenhouse - you need to equip it in such a way as to provide plants with optimal microclimate. And if in relation to heat everything depends on the tightness of the case, then ventilation must be thought separately.

Door to supply fresh air practically does not play a role in the greenhouse room. That is why I use the most simple design on the wooden frame covered with several layers of polyethylene. I fix it on ordinary hinges and equip it with a simple constipation that holds door leaf in the closed state.

It is much more important that there are effectively working windows in the greenhouse. It would seem that the answer to the question of how to make a window in a greenhouse is extremely simple - take and use any of the vents on the frames that now make up the walls.

But the fact is that such windows will have to be opened and closed independently, depending on the temperature inside the greenhouse - and this is quite troublesome, and there is always a risk of missing the right moment.

An automatic window that opens and closes depending on the temperature does not have these disadvantages. The easiest way is to equip it with a special hydraulic cylinder, but the price of such a device may seem unnecessarily high to many.

Therefore, in this section I will tell you how to make a structure with similar functionality with your own hands from improvised means:

1. I take a ready-made small sash or make it from profiled timber. I install axial hinges on the frame - so that the sash rotates around a horizontal axis, and in a vertical (or inclined, if we are making a structure on one of the roof slopes) position it is completely closed.
2. Outside, I attach the vents to the lower crossbar wooden block- it will play the role of a load for automatic closing.
3. I fill the jar with liquid (I use antifreeze, but you can also take water) by about 40% and close it hermetically. I put a thin tube in the lid.
4. I securely fasten the container with antifreeze and the tube under the ridge of the greenhouse.
5. I also close the second jar (smaller volume) with a lid with a tube. In the lid I make a hole with a diameter of 3 mm for air access. I fill the jar with antifreeze so that the lower edge of the tube is immersed by about 10-12 mm.
6. I drive a long nail into the upper crossbar of the frame of the opening window, to which I securely hang a small jar.
7. I connect both containers with a flexible hose.

Self-opening windows in the greenhouse work according to the following scheme:

1. When the temperature rises, the liquid from the upper container will evaporate and flow through the hose into the lower container. Besides. It will play the role of increasing pressure during the expansion of antifreeze.
2. Due to this, the weight acting on the upper crossbar of the window will increase, and the window will open, letting in fresh air.
3. When the temperature drops, the opposite process will be observed: the liquid will be drawn into the upper (hermetic) container, and the window will close under its own weight.

Before making such a design the basis of the entire ventilation system, it needs to be adjusted by selecting the optimal volumes of liquid for reliable operation of the system.

Actually, the arrangement of the greenhouse does not end there: you need to lay inside the beds, lay paths, if this is provided for by the project, install additional heating. But in any case, the design is quite reliable and functional!

Conclusion

A do-it-yourself greenhouse from old window frames can be created even by those gardeners who previously had nothing to do with construction and design. Its design is quite simple, and therefore, after reading the recommendations in the text and studying the video in this article, you can assemble this structure quickly and at relatively low cost.

If this idea interests you, then all the questions that arise can be asked in the comments below: if I can, I will definitely advise something sensible!

October 17, 2016

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A greenhouse is a great option for organizing healthy eating all family. And who will take care of him, no matter how her head? The use of a greenhouse on the site makes it possible to grow fresh vegetables and greenery almost all year round, it creates the necessary microclimate for plants, which contributes to their growth.

Greenhouses from window frames: what are they good for

For a long time, greenhouses from window frames have become popular, which are easy to construct with your own hands. The material is very affordable, so this is a fairly profitable option to acquire a greenhouse.

Wood is durable and durable material, which at proper care can last long enough. Quality processing and care makes the tree not vulnerable to rain and sunlight. In addition, natural wood is a breathable material, which is important in the construction of a greenhouse. Glass transmits light well and qualitatively protects the space of the greenhouse from the penetration of cold air.

A greenhouse made of window frames is good because any ventilation can be performed in it (if the frames are with working windows), regardless of the front door.

Advantages of window frame greenhouses

Some good points use of greenhouses from window frames:

• Profitability. It is justified by the fact that the purchase of building materials requires significantly less financial costs than other types of greenhouses.
• Practicality. Window frames are practical in that, as a rule, they are already covered with all necessary protective layers paints and other mixtures, so they are reliably protected from natural influences.
• Environmental friendliness. wood - natural material, which is most harmonious for the greenhouse.
• Durability depends on the type of wood from which the frames are made. On average, the service life of a greenhouse made of window frames is no more than 5 years, although this also depends on climate zone and also from care.
• Heat capacity. No matter how old window structures they are excellent at retaining heat. Thanks to the unhindered penetration of sunlight into the greenhouse from the window frames, it warms up naturally.
• Good lighting. Glasses have high light transmission, which allows the sun to illuminate the space of the greenhouse as well as the beds in the open air.

If the crops grown are very capricious in relation to ultraviolet radiation, it is better to stick a tinted film on the windows of the greenhouse from the inside.

• Strength. natural wood by itself - very durable material. And the processing of raw materials before use only increases this property.

If you got window frames without glass, you can use cellular polycarbonate instead - there will be practically no difference in performance. You can also use polyethylene.

Construction of a greenhouse from window frames: preparatory work

Before you build a greenhouse from window frames on the site with your own hands, you need to prepare:

1. Choice of location. in the sunniest place of the site, not covered by trees and buildings.
2. Soil selection. The soil on which crops are grown should not have a clay layer. If there is no such soil on your site, it is prepared for the greenhouse yourself. A pit is dug over the entire area of ​​​​the greenhouse with a depth of a spade bayonet or a little more. The soil "pie" consists of gravel, sand and soil cleared of roots, stones and weeds.
3. . Its detailed compilation, taking into account all the parameters, makes it possible to accurately calculate the amount of materials needed for the construction and avoid mistakes during its construction. If you have window frames different sizes, thanks to the drawing, it is possible to draw up a preliminary scheme for their placement, which will greatly facilitate the assembly of the structure.
4. Preparation of window frames. If you plan to use old frames (most often it is from them that greenhouses are built), then before installation they should be carefully inspected for damage. All fittings, glass (for safety) and old paint should be removed from old frames, rotten elements should be replaced with new ones. Then the wood is treated with antiseptics, the opening elements of the frames that are not planned for use are fixed with self-tapping screws or sealed with sealant, the frames are painted.

Walling

When the foundation is ready, you can start building walls.

• Frame. Before installing window frames, it is necessary to build a frame, the volume of which is formed vertical racks. For the frame, boards are used, the thickness of which is equal to the thickness of the frames, they should be fixed according to the drawn up drawing. Such docks will still be needed to install harnesses.
• Frame installation. The frames are attached to the racks with a long side using self-tapping screws. The resulting cracks can be foamed, but polyurethane foam tends to break down under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, therefore it is better to use silicone or another substance for these purposes. From the inside, small-section timber supports can be attached to the frames for greater stability.

Roof device

The type of roof is selected at the planning and drawing stage. If the frames are not enough for gable roof, you can make a single-sided. Frames are attached in the standard way, just like on the walls. For the ridge of a gable roof, you can use wood or plastic.

Greenhouse glazing

At the last stage of the construction of the greenhouse from window frames, the glass removed early is fastened with glazing beads.

And what and how will tell .

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