Reinstalling 25 yr.old Cedar, lean-to Greenhouse.

Portland, OR

Attempting a resurection of a 25 year old Cedar, lean-to greenhouse. About 12' by 10' by just under 8' tall. Double glass panels (not safety glass), It took my wife and I about 4 days and 5 trips to take it apart and move it home. Glass panels were held in place by 4" metalic tape with a rubber like tar on the underside. Anyone know where to get replacement tape? The cedar is in good condition and we have a good location (south facing) ready for installing. Not sure what to do about the glass...only two of the panels are cracked and one of those happened in the move. I plan to sand the cedar parts and cover with a water sealer to protect. Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated.

Gary in Portland

So.App.Mtns., United States(Zone 5b)

Gary, yoyu can set the glass on 1/4" neoprene pads. May have to get a sheet and cut to size, but it will allow for any movement from cold to hot temps. Then you may have to do wooden stops. I wish I knew the 4" material you describe, but I don't. Maybe someone here will.

What size are the glasss panels? Often folks used the standard size replacement glass for sliding glass doors, and those are fairly cheap.

Portland, OR

The five roof panels are 34" X 60". I'll get back with the front panel size. Maybe: 34" X 48"

So.App.Mtns., United States(Zone 5b)

Gary, those are too short to be replacement insulated glass for sliding doors. However in my years as a GC, I have ordered lots of custom sizes and as long as they are not curved, usually not expensive.

Just remember you need at least 1/4" on all four sides to allow for expansion and contraction.

Portland, OR

This is the 'before' picture (before we tore it down and moved it) Much of the cedar on the outside is weathered and will need to be replaced.

Thumbnail by Garykeyser
Fort Wayne, IN(Zone 5a)

The metal tape with the sticky stuff sounds to me like a repair tape used for mobile home roofs.Of course it can be used on just about any clean exposed metal (or glass) surface and is very good for waterproofing. If I remember correctly the black stuff is butyl rubber just like the stuff that comes in caulking tubes. It is very expensive (about a $1 a foot when we got it several years ago) and is really overkill for the window seal. We used it on a galvanized roof parapet and pressed it down with a rubber brayer. We got it at a Fleet Farm store but I have seen it at Lowes and Menards. A heat gun makes it removable.
Look up the Charlies Greenhouse site. They will have materials to set the glass in the frames at decent prices. I prefer to use a butyl caulk with glass and metal since it never gets hard so there is no problem with cracking and doesn't wash away. It flexes with the glass. It is easy to use, even for a beginner. It should do a good job with the cedar, too. I would try it on a piece that is unsealed to see if it works with the natural oils in the cedar. Use gloves when you are applying the butyl so the glass doesn't cut you and give it a clean edge by wiping with mineral spirits. ( I think it was mineral spirits and not turpentine. Check the tube directions) Jessamine

Post a Reply to this Thread

Please or sign up to post.
BACK TO TOP