Building a greenhouse out of old windows requires a little more craftsmanship than a set of prefabricated parts. This requires a lot of windows that have to be reconstructed. The reward for your time and leisure will be a very attractive and individual plant house.
What materials do you need for a greenhouse made of old windows?
Building a greenhouse from old windows requires old windows, wooden beams, locking and tilting devices, a stable foundation, roofing materials and professional tools. Please note approval requirements and contact the building authority for information.
The motivation for building a greenhouse out of old windows can have very different reasons. If you look at the often lovingly styled buildings, there is a lot of individualism involved, and certainly a little nostalgic inspiration too. It is not uncommon for the owners of such houses to beparticularly environmentally conscious and value sustainable construction,especially in the allotment garden. Such buildings often seem particularly cheap at first glance in terms of construction costs. But the time factor when restoring old windows or constructing the building itself can be very labor-intensive.
Artistic creativity meets vintage
You often wonder whether such a greenhouse made of old windows is not a garden house that, if there is a heater, you can even visit for a Sunday coffee chat in the bitter frost in winter. And if you look a little closer up close, you'll quickly notice that there was a lot ofcraftsmanship involved in the construction. What kind of material is actually needed?
Minimum supply of building materials and tools
Depending on the size, planned construction and intended use, the material requirements for building a greenhouse from old windows are much more extensive than is the case with a foil tent.
- Old windows: There can't be too many, because it's often the case that two (defective) ones are made into one, so restore them;
- Wooden beams for the corners of the house (if necessary also for the ring anchor of the foundation);
- Closing and tilting device with locking options;
- a stable foundation (solid due to the weight to be supported and not necessarily just a point foundation);
- Material for roof construction (shingles, tiles or corrugated sheets);
- professional tools (at least from the locksmith, carpenter and painter trades);
Going to the authorities can be mandatory
Depending on the area of use, building height and intended use, an official building permit may well be required for such structures. The probability becomes even higher if heating, electricity and water supplies are installed in the nostalgic house. Maybe - and this is handled differently in all federal states - a construction drawing with the necessary static calculations needs to be produced? Therefore, awritten inquiry or better yet a visit to the building authority before building the plant house is strongly recommended. Unless your plan does not involve a 50 cm high cold frame that is only to be loosely covered with old windows.
Tip
Since pictures often say more than a thousand words, today it's not an extra tip from us, but a reference to the makers of instructables, a portal from San Francisco, who have captured the construction of a greenhouse here very clearly.
