Very cool (and frugal and green!) greenhouse

Babycakes · Post by **Babycakes** » 08 Apr 2009, 13:59

I was pottering around on instructables and I came across this :

http://www.instructables.com/id/Greenho ... d_Windows/

I like it!! I would definately try to build one like this if I had my own house!

Post by **p.penn** » 08 Apr 2009, 15:03

That's fab! I rescued a window last year to use as a cold frame but it opens inside out ( confused>

) - sorry, can't explain!

My grandfather was the original eco warrior and recycled everything. He used old tv screens to bring on his plants and made a super mini greenhouse/cold frame from windows for his cucumbers (that's what I was hoping to do with mine!)

But nothing as ambitious as your person BB!

Babycakes · Post by **Babycakes** » 08 Apr 2009, 15:06

p.penn wrote:
My grandfather was the original eco warrior and recycled everything. He used old tv screens to bring on his plants

I am intrigued......can you explain??

Post by Mo » 08 Apr 2009, 15:13

Well, there are lots of recycled windows, but also a lot of 2x2 to screw it to. Timber is not cheap.

Babycakes · Post by **Babycakes** » 08 Apr 2009, 15:18

Mo wrote:Well, there are lots of recycled windows, but also a lot of 2x2 to screw it to. Timber is not cheap.

I thought that too, but I reckoned that anyone around here who was gonna try it would find a way around that )t'

I wonder what the cost of the timber would be for a frame that size and how it would compare to buying a wooden framed greenhouse?

Post by **p.penn** » 08 Apr 2009, 15:20

He had all of these old tv screens - they used to be glass - and he either propped them up or placed them over his plants to bring them on, like cloches. They also warmed the earth in the early spring.

His garage and tool shed was full of scraps of string, paper etc etc. He made his own wine, grew all his own veg, grew tobacco and made his own preserves. He used to mend his own shoes and was generally very frugal. Shame DTL wasn't around then!

Kath · Post by **Kath** » 08 Apr 2009, 15:30

The greenhouse made from old windows looks good. Have you seen the greenhouse made from plastic drinks bottles? It takes about 1500 I believe. A few schools in UK have made these as a project.
Link is: www.makingyourown.co.uk/make-your-own-p ... house.html
Very interesting.

daveindeal · Post by **daveindeal** » 08 Apr 2009, 18:06

Babycakes wrote:I thought that too, but I reckoned that anyone around here who was gonna try it would find a way around that

my wifes geodisic dome greenhouse that im building has 120 struts that are a meter in length, total cost from timber merchants for 120 meters of 2x2 = £1 pm = £120 + screws.

i have collected 50 non-return pallets from the local building site (normally get burnt on site or smashed and put in the skips)

thay have 3 struts supporting the slat's that are 1.5x2 a hammer and effort later i have got 150 1.5x2 inch timber that is 1.075m

daveindeal · Post by **daveindeal** » 08 Apr 2009, 18:08

also i now have a nice sized pile of smashed wood, ideal for lighting my fire befor the big logs are added.

Ryan · Post by **Ryan** » 08 Apr 2009, 18:27

Nice find Babycakes - there is always getting rid of windows on freecycle and I might have to chat to my mum and dads neighbour, a window fitter!

He always has some old ones hanging about and will give them away as he has to pay to dump them.

Oooo, ideas hatching

Post by **AL37** » 14 Apr 2009, 20:56

Babycakes,
I posted a few pics of my version a while ago
here it is )t'

http://www.downthelane.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=8380