Greenhouses from re-purposed windows . . . ?

[Kathie in Thorp]

I want to put up a small greenhouse -- maybe 10 X 12 or so. Absolute craziness to do a hoop house here, as we have regular 15 mph winds and 30-50 mph frequently. Have a friend with a glass business that keeps a bone pile of used windows, so thinking maybe something wood-framed using old windows. Have any of you built one? Lots of pics and info on the internet, but looking for your personal experience/suggestions. Our winter USUALLY starts late October and we can't put plants in the ground with any certainty of no freeze until May. Thx!

 

[Bigfoot]

My neighbor used to have one built out of windows. He heated it with an old pot bellied stove. Seemed to work fine for him. He had very little in his. The post were locust post. The roof was lexan, if I remember right.

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

My neighbor used to have one built out of windows. He heated it with an old pot bellied stove. Seemed to work fine for him. He had very little in his. The post were locust post. The roof was lexan, if I remember right.

Yeah, the roof would need to be something like that, BF.

 

[M5farm]

My neighbor used to have one built out of windows. He heated it with an old pot bellied stove. Seemed to work fine for him. He had very little in his. The post were locust post. The roof was lexan, if I remember right.

Yeah, the roof would need to be something like that, BF.

I ordered some 3`x12` white fiberglass panels for a customer this week. They run about 45 $ a panel. Use something like that for the roof and Windows for the sides. The white panels will allow enough light and heat transfer into to house.

 

[CottageFarm]

We used the panels from sliding patio doors, but same idea.
greenhouse is 8x16, glass on both short and one long side.
The other long side is North facing and conventional framed and sided
Designed it with a shed roof rather than a standard gable. The north wall is 10' and has 3 tiers of shelves for standard 1020 trays.
We used clear lexan panels for the roof, however, I had trouble with too much heat and draped the interior with light weight row cover fabric. The other long wall is all glass and has 2 tiers for trays as well as a slightly raised planting bed. I use heat mats for the roots zones and 60 watt light bulbs and "tent" the shelves to retain heat. I germinate in the house for best temperature control, but move transplants to the greenhouse in March. The way I have it set up, it handily accommodates 110 1020 trays, which is anywhere from 1800-7500 plants depending on cell size.

In short, it works great for me..

 

[plumber_greg]

I think lexan panels are what I am looking to use. We bought a 12x16 greenhouse from Farm Tek, about twelve years ago. Can't complain one bit. THe panels that were like plastic are now about shot. To replace you have to dismantle the greenhouse. I am thinking about taking one of the hooped like rafters to the local truss plant, have them build them out of 2x4 and screw the lexan panel on the outside. Easy to replace if something happens. The wind has blown out the panels, we now use pella window tape to replace them. When one blows out, it can't be put back in like it was.
I have to have a new greenhouse just like the one I have cuz' I built the end of in the 16x20 potting shed. We heat that with a wood stove, with propane backup, and turn a fan on to blow it in the greenhouse if needed. When it gets too hot from the sun, we have a shade to cover it. It's usually on most of the spring and summer. sg

 

[millstreaminn]

Here's one I built 2 years ago. It's 16X12, triple wall poly on the south and east facing sides of the greenhouse. The north and west facing walls and roof are conventional. It sits on a 4" heated concrete pad. As I recall, the poly for the two walls cost as much as the rest of the greenhouse.

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

That's gorgeous!