If at first you don't succeed - well, try again

I'd like to share a project that I've had in the works a very long time. Four years ago my grandmother passed away leaving me all of her houseplants and just a small amount of money. I wanted to build a greenhouse. I began collecting windows from people doing replacment vinyl windows in their houses. I had difficulty getting DH onboard with the project and it sat unfinished for over three years. I've recently made some life changes and through the blessings of my son and some good friends willing to do the work, my greenhouse has been moved to my new place and is being reassembled. This time I have a committment that it will be finished to my delight, dreams and wishes. It's a patchwork quilt of windows and the ultimate recycling adventure. I have a few pictures to follow along the process.
Today we got the rest of the rafters up and facia boards back in place. Tomorrow the double layer plastic will go over and be battened down. Then we'll install the windows back in their spots.

Swoz

Here's one of the side views.

Looking all the way through from the front..

Framing shot with rafters.

And the back wall.

I am so excited to get this project back on track. I can't tell you how much I 've dreamed about this space and the plants that I want to raise there...

I hope you will enjoy this with me.

Swoz

Oops - wrong picture...

Assembled with love too!

congrats swaz its to be admired, i have mine almost done ive been wanting one for years there was this sort of used window store on my work route and id go by every mournig and dream and then the store was gone. and all those windows probaly in the dumpster.but when i moved into my new house i bought a kit or i never would have got one,so i look forward to seeing yours done and all green inside.. keep us posted!

Thanks guys - I need all the encouragement that I can get... I have neat ideas - and now grace from above is helping it all happen.

This message was edited May 28, 2010 5:21 PM

It going to be a great functional conversation piece, nice job recycling.
Dave

That's a lovely greenhouse; graceful design with an old world look. So glad you're getting help!

Good job.

Notmartha also has one made from recycled windows and doors.

That's about the neatest thing I ever saw...good job on your labor of love

Zep - thank you for the observation of "old world look". I 've had that in the back of my mind too. A lot of folks who've seen it have'nt gotten past what they see and where it's going.

Well, we had 30 mph winds here on Sunday - so the covering did'nt go up on the rafters. Gotta keep these guys on the ground you know. We'll wait for a calmer day.

Once we get dried in, then I can start the recaulking, reglazing and painting process. I plan to do most everything white so that I can get the most light reflection possible. I have a water barrell that will be set up on a tower built in one of the back corners both to be passive heat source and to give warm water to the plants. I have a concept for the tables - since I have a raised wood floor - to build fiberglass trays underneath to catch draining water. These will be plumbed to the outside so I can choose to drain the excess water or stopper it to help with humidity control. I plan for bars or wiring above the benches to allow for hanging plants. I have a wood stove that will fit into one of the walls to use for heat in the winter when needed. My recycling forays have rewarded me with a double well stainless steel sink for the potting area and screens for ventilation. I also have electric fan and louvered windows for temp control and air circulation. Like I said - it 's a patchwork concept, but will look much nicer when painted and flower beds planted around it. So Zep - the "out back potting shed or gardener's cottage" image fits right in.

Hey - if you guys have any ideas, things you wished you'd done differently, or new concepts you've seen - let me hear them.

Again - thanks for the encouragement everyone.

Abundant blooms

Swoz

Wow! That is so amazing! I love it, great idea! Wish I had known about something like that earlier, we just did new windows 2 years ago, what a great idea for the old ones that would have been....26 windows in this house!

Such an amazing site that is, sure are Angels Among Us to make dreams come true.

Debbie

well one thing i need to ask-what is your ventalation going to be? Do any of those windows open.
I went out to my GH today and it was 30degrees outside and 106 when i went inside-you should have seen the clothes flying off-I had to leave the door open to be able to stand it.

When i am growing in mine i can open the 4 crankouts on the roof and the 2 cranks out that are at each end. They all have screens so no bugs! If it gets to hot I add a fan to pull the air out. I want to get a screen to velcro across the door also

IT LOOKS GOOD

mine is cemented in with treated lumber and the floor is packed sand with upside down carpet
here is the building as we went along
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/572295/

My original plan was for an exhaust fan in the back wall and a louvered window in the front wall to be thermostat driven - also one of the walls has aluminum windows that opens and is screened. An auxiliary fan would keep air circulating constantly. Now that I have it apart again I can revisit the air flow situation and make changes. Since it was never finished in the first place, I don't know if what I had set up first would have worked as well as I needed it.

I built the floor as a wood covering because at the other location it was on more of a steep slope that was prone to flooding. When we reset it - still on a slope, but the front is lower to the ground on level and water can still run underneath it. So instead of the slope going from side to side - now it's front to back. I can always fill it in later with gravel - but for now I'll work with the wood and tables that are designed to capture water.

Shoe and I are trying to arrange a time I can stop by and ask questions. He mentioned that I would need more flow thru ventiliation than I had provided for the first time around. I was just out to the thrift stores looking for more louvered windows.

Now let me tell you - I can handle a temp difference like that in the middle of winter!!! hahahaha.

Thanks for the encouragement Dori and I enjoyed the walk thru of your construction process. I'm gonna study it a bit closer. BAck now - your project went so much smoother than mine because all of the windows were the same size... Mine will be patchwork of different sizes - but unique. I can't wait to get started growing things in there. Probably by the time it's ready it will be too hot to use it until the fall, but I can hang in there for one more season since I've missed the seed starts again.

Like i said first my dh measured every window we had and then he started drawing plans over and over and trying to work the windows in. The walls were easy but the roof and top of each end were tricky! He ended up using plexiglass as fill ins and was able to cut it to fit! I also said id like that north wall at the east end built out of wood-its like a 6ft area and makes for a private area where my desk sits :)

He did let go of one of the roof trusses(sp)and smacked the back of my leg and ankle-sent me hoping, but i kept smiling saying thats ok HONEY lets keep building!

I will keep a eye on this thread-if you need ANYTHING just ask! :)
good luck
dori

Thanks Dori for your experiences. My helpers were on a boy scout weekend so I did'nt get any progress made on the structure as I'd hoped. It was a glorious weekend to work too. So I spent some time cleaning up around the job site. There's a walnut tree near where we're building - the nuts on the ground make for skating - so I raked them up. I may have to keep things in pots near that tree so the black walnut toxin does'nt get into the roots.. I really would like to get it closed back in so when there's downtime from the guys - at least I can be working on preserving the wood..

All good things come to those who wait... Just a little longer, a pair of ruby slippers, click my heels three times and say....

interuption:
I have a T-shirt that says:
If at first you dont succeed, look in the trash for the instructions.

I love it - and I should have one....

i bought it at walmart in the mens department.
they have many differant sayings.
One says: Sarcasm is just one of my Free services.
Temperarely Out of Order.
Let me drop everything and help you with
Your problem.
You Can't fix Stupid (hubby shirt)
I asked hubby if that shirt was saying he was stupid or someone else was stupid.

go get one.

I want one to say:
"Gardening" is not Life or Death,
It's just most Important
Son has one like that but it says "Fishing"

Cricket

oh i luv this one
Sarcasm is just one of my Free services!!!!
and this one second
Let me drop everything and help you with
Your problem.

heheeee heeeeeeeee!

heres one more

please dont interrupt me while im ignoring you!


Cricket

swoznick,

Have you been able to make any progress? If so I would appreciate an update, I love what you are doing!!

Judy

Hey folks - no progress in the last two weeks. It's hard, but the people helping me are doing it as they can - and I'm blessed to have them. I have to wait until I fit into their schedules. Once I get the tall stuff and heavy stuff done - then I can handle the rest of it myself.. Need lots of hands and height for this stage. I'll do pictures and updates for you. Thanks for hanging with me!

My husband works for a Restoration company and he gets used windows off fire jobs all the time. I want him to build me a greenroom (jungle) off the back door of our home. I want finch birds in that greenroom but still trying to figure out if I can keep the temps regulated at a reseasonable cost. To control the temps to have jungle like plants would be fairly easy but to control the temps so i dont kill the birds is a whole new story. With or without the birds, the greenroom will be built. One idea on keeping temps cool is to paint the window panes white. Plus some how that would also help keep in the heat. Oddly.
I think I would rather have a fiberglass roof to ensure less water leaks.

Anyway---your project makes me impatient to get started on mine. We don't have time to build ours yet. Will be
Fall before we start. The greenhouse business comes first.

Happy Gardening
Cricket

Ok - I just got plumb impatient..... My volunteers are busy and I was just itchin to get into the GH and start planting something.... SOOO... being that I had a nice wood frame up there... Well - now don't laugh---

I got some heavy clear drop cloth plastic and battened it to the inside of the frame - and DS spread the top on for me. So if I can get that tacked down temporarily - then I have a place to start seeds - hopefully this weekend... It does'nt look like much - but I'll let you know if the seeds start complaining...

hey swaz why not take this oppurtunity and just use the plastic for the season and put the windows up later? youll be suprised how durable that plastic is barring a bad storm it may last all season.

Just finished building my greenhouse out of windows my friend removed from his house. Not real big but only had s much room. I'll try and so pictures soon. Never had one and alredy love it. Having a little problem with it getting to hot. What's a good temperature to keep it at?

Yeah - I'm thinking of doing the season with plastic and doing the windows as time allows. I asked for the guys to come over this weekend and get the roof on straight. That will be the big thing. I can at least get started with seeds and plants. Until the windows are in - not doing the permanent stuff like the sink - etc. It just feels good to be able to get started in there after waiting for so long.
I do have to be careful about wind though - It gets pretty breezy here in March - and thunderstorms have strong winds with them. Soon it will settle into hot and sultry. I"ll be able to manage temperatures by moving the plastic around..

portagee25 - when building did you consider spaces in your desgin for ventilation? I was given sage advice by one of our DG members - Horseshoe - to put in a fan and louvered windows so as to create a cross ventilation system. these are easily wired for thermostat controls. Also folks keep a fan running inside the gh all the time to create air circulation. That keeps down the chances of fungus growth. Why not start a thread and post some pictures...