How to make a greenhouse from window frames with your own hands

Making the foundation

The base of the greenhouse must be made without fail, since the wooden frames weigh decently, plus it is necessary to cover the structure, other materials will be added, due to which the weight will be even greater. Accordingly, so that your greenhouse from window frames does not get damaged and does not sag over time, you need to install it yourself reliably and stably, for which you need to equip the foundation. There are various materials for laying:

1. Brick is very reliable, but not very cheap. If properly laid, it will last long enough. But it can also be damaged from constant temperature extremes or from excessive humidity. At the same time, it is absolutely stable and strong enough; it will calmly withstand the wooden structure of the greenhouse.
2. Stone is a durable material, but very expensive. Even a polycarbonate greenhouse with a metal body can be installed on it. Its base is durable and it can cope with the effects of different weather conditions. If you take an untreated stone, the price of the material will be much lower.
3. A wooden foundation is notable for its strength, it is also stable, but it will not last too long. Literally up to eight years old and he will have to be replaced. But it is perfect for do-it-yourself greenhouses.
4. Concrete is a tape version made from cement. Reliable and durable. It will last for many years.

Based on the foregoing, it is up to you to decide what material for laying the foundation for the greenhouse is acceptable to you.For the construction of the foundation, the soil should not be swampy or too wet, otherwise the greenhouse will sag very soon. Ideal when there is a layer of sand under the soil layer. If there is none, you need to do the following:

1. Cover the clay with gravel, distribute it well, and then cover the sand with a layer height of 15 cm.
2. Check that groundwater does not pass at least one and a half meters.
3. To equip the strip foundation, you will need to dig a trench up to 50 cm deep. Make the formwork. The boards can be wrapped in plastic to prevent them from “adhering” to the cement. At the bottom, put wire reinforcement or just stones of sufficiently large sizes to strengthen it. Next, pour a mixture made from: cement, crushed stone, concrete.

This must be done in such a way that the voids are completely filled.
Next, you need to remove the boards, make waterproofing using a bitumen composition, roofing material and polymer material. If sinuses form around the edges, fill them with moistened sand and tamp them. All this will take about three weeks (including the complete drying of the foundation). Therefore, count on these deadlines before you start building a greenhouse.

How to install the frame

A greenhouse made of old frames is a completely self-sufficient frame that requires proper do-it-yourself installation, fastening and covering (including lathing). In order to build a reliable greenhouse, the frame must be installed securely.Window frames must be installed on the foundation and properly secured with corners, self-tapping screws, wooden blocks, nails or clamps. It is not difficult to build a greenhouse from old frames with your own hands as a whole. The main thing is to adhere to the important rules of the simplest construction. Plan all the work in advance, think over and schedule everything in stages.

Place the frame on the foundation. To fix the components to the foundation with your own hands, use metal corners. They are inexpensive and durable enough. In order to fix it on the base of the greenhouse, you will need: welding, bolts and anchors. Then you can attach the old frames. Do not rush, do everything correctly, installing the next element on the foundation, fasten it together with the next one. Then you will be able to make the greenhouse frame with your own hands strong and stable, preventing subsidence into the ground.

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Installation of windows and frames

Since the structure itself will turn out to be quite heavy in weight, it is not worth additionally weighing it down with windows. However, some reproduce their greenhouses in this way, but this is mainly for small structures. The best shelter option is a polyethylene film. To equip it, you need to make an easy version of the lathing around the perimeter of the upper part of the greenhouse. Use steel wire, rail or mounting profile. When the crate is installed, you can stretch the film. Use clamps and clamps to secure it, and you can also make regular holes for fasteners.

Roof installation

When you are only planning the construction of a greenhouse in your own hand, think about what kind of roof it will have: one or a gable. For example, if the details are not enough, then, of course, you will only be able to make a single-slope version. It is arranged in the simplest way, the main thing is that the slope is sufficient, and the water can drain without difficulty during and after rain.

The gable version of the roof is much better, and regardless of the material that will be used for its construction. The blanks of the processed frames are stacked in a standard way, they are nailed down and covered with a ridge (made of wood or plastic) from above. It is important that the surface is airtight, especially at the joints between glass and wood. Indeed, in the event of leaks, an unfavorable environment can be created inside the greenhouse, for example, the same mold or plant diseases.

If the walls of the greenhouse are made of old frames, they work well with polycarbonate. For example, in case of a shortage of materials that you prepare for arranging a roof in a greenhouse, you can use polycarbonate or greenhouse film. Of course, this is not glass, but in terms of properties, the microclimate inside the greenhouse will not become worse if instead of glass there is another material. To make a good, solid greenhouse, it is not necessary to make drawings, the main thing is to be able to tinker and be a smart gardener. Upon completion of all work, from laying the foundation and ending with stretching the film, double-check yourself how correctly you did everything.

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