Window greenhouse is coming along.

I've got all the windows and doors in. Though the doors need adjusting to fit properly. Now to frame the roof and sheet metal all exposed parts. Still so far to go!

Oh and the windows are filthy. At some point I'll have my babes out there with a hose and a scrubby washing them up.

Most of the windows are from our house. Some were given to me by people and I have a massive amount of ancient wood windows from my work. I used a few of them but because of the need to keep them painted so they don't rot I decided against using all wood windows.

Yes I know some of the windows are crooked. Some of them got jammed in the frame and I couldn't get them to budge. So screw it, screwed em in. That's how I roll, yo. Others, windows that were given to me, were cut out of their original location with a reciprocating saw and so the frames had parts that stuck out more here than there and yeah. I'll fill the gaps, I don't care if it's crooked, I think it adds charm.

I had a lot of family help. Hubs had to help me dig and lift most things thanks to being pregs. Kids hopped in and out to do things as they wanted. Son did help me staple windows on. Using a staple gun is fun, after all.

Kept the old stairs from the front of our house to use as shelves in the greenhouse. Happy I did! They're very well built.

I fully expect to be delayed in sheet metaling the thing. It's been WINDY lately. It's pretty early for this much wind, imo. Putting the windows in was tricky with it. So I've asked hubs to begin moving the metal into the greenhouse area if and when it isn't windy. I'll do the roof first. After that the window wall should block a lot of the wind from the back wall and sheet metaling that should be easier. I'm just nervous about having enough sheet metal at this point. It was all given to us by someone who had it replaced due to hail damage. So it's got dings, free is free!

Cool use of materials Elle!  Is the north side going to be solid or windows?  

Mike Jay wrote:Cool use of materials Elle!  Is the north side going to be solid or windows?  

North, South and west facing are windows and doors. East facing is going to be a solid wall. The greenhouse is dug "crooked" so it will get a lot of south west sun.

Have you considered earth-berming your North wall as well? I know you have an excavator and could move the dirt easily! (And I know how much you like digging with said excavator).

You may want to consider not having windows on the North side.  Typically you'll lose more light out the north side than you'll gain.  All winter for sure.  So you could insulate that side instead and keep it a bit warmer.  Just a thought.

I'd only earth berm it if you designed the wall to handle that kind of pressure from the side.  

Mike Jay wrote:You may want to consider not having windows on the North side.  Typically you'll lose more light out the north side than you'll gain.  All winter for sure.  So you could insulate that side instead and keep it a bit warmer.  Just a thought.

I'd only earth berm it if you designed the wall to handle that kind of pressure from the side.  

The north wall is small and includes a door (it's the wall in the picture of the inside of the greenhouse). My dimensions are 8' wide x 24' long. So it's only 8' on the north side. I believe I'll need the door on that side for air flow in the summer. If you think it would be better to remove those windows on that wall I could easily do so and side the whole thing.

Travis Johnson wrote:Have you considered earth-berming your North wall as well? I know you have an excavator and could move the dirt easily! (And I know how much you like digging with said excavator).

An interesting idea and I do love to dig. Unfortunately I didn't plan for that and the fence for the yard is pretty close behind the greenhouse. I don't think I could get either tractor into the space.

Oh, gotcha, I didn't realize that was the north side.  The shadows made it seem like the east.  

It's much less critical then if it has a window or not.  One window vs insulation is minor when compared to a 24' wall of the same.

So the windows were cleaned and that looks nice. The roof is done, though you can't see that in the attached pic. The back wall is nearly done. I need to cut the last two pieces of metal down to finish that. Then it's just the front and sides and those are going to be the worst parts as they'll require the most cutting.

If you turn a standard circular saw blade around 'backwards' in your skillsaw, you can cut through tin roofing very quickly and accurately.
Wear eye protection!

Chris Sturgeon wrote:If you turn a standard circular saw blade around 'backwards' in your skillsaw, you can cut through tin roofing very quickly and accurately.
Wear eye protection!

I did not realize that. I bought a metal cutting blade for it though. It works ok. I find if I tighten the blades on too tight it breaks them. Alternatively if I don't put them on tight enough they spin. oyza

Chris Sturgeon wrote:If you turn a standard circular saw blade around 'backwards' in your skillsaw, you can cut through tin roofing very quickly and accurately.
Wear eye protection!

If it's glavanized and painted steel roofing (like they sell at Menards) they say it voids the warrantee to cut it this way.  Something about how it burns the paint and allows the edge to rust quicker.  It will definitely cut it quickly though and in your drier climate, maybe it wouldn't be a problem.

Mike Jay wrote:

Chris Sturgeon wrote:If you turn a standard circular saw blade around 'backwards' in your skillsaw, you can cut through tin roofing very quickly and accurately.
Wear eye protection!

If it's glavanized and painted steel roofing (like they sell at Menards) they say it voids the warrantee to cut it this way.  Something about how it burns the paint and allows the edge to rust quicker.  It will definitely cut it quickly though and in your drier climate, maybe it wouldn't be a problem.

All my metal is used anyway. Super hail damaged but perfectly acceptable to me!

It looks marvelous!
Any plans to insulate the wall or floor?
I really want to make cardboard insulation work in my greenhouse, but foam is cheep,sometimes free,  and water resistant.

William Bronson wrote:It looks marvelous!
Any plans to insulate the wall or floor?
I really want to make cardboard insulation work in my greenhouse, but foam is cheep,sometimes free,  and water resistant.

I don't know if I will insulate it. I have some barrels I might put water in and locate on the back wall for heat sink/release. This will mostly be a spring/summer/fall greenhouse to extend my season and help with plant starting. I guess time will tell if I decide to make it more than that. Though with an excavator if I ever decide to grow things year round I imagine I'll do an underground greenhouse.

Did some more work this weekend. All of the metal is on. Need some longer screws for certain parts of the roof. Still need to put moulding around each window and caulk.

I'm having trouble with this one door. Now it only has 2 screws holding it in place because it's so lopsided. Somehow help me figure out how to get this door not so lopsided please. I hate doors!

My plan for the inside of the greenhouse is to have a long bed, about 2-3' wide, going across the entire front for pepper, melon and tomato planting. The back will be shelves and a sink/planting area. The stairs are already a great start on the shelves. I have lots of scrap lumber to make the rest but that may wait as I need to turn my attention to getting the livestock winter ready pretty soon.

The moulding and thus the exterior of the greenhouse are complete. Now to do shelves and all the things inside.

Oh except paint. I think I should probably paint all the wood moulding.

So the wind so far this year has been so bad it's blown 2 whole windows out. It survived all last winter but this one has barely started and it's falling apart. :( Old ratty windows may not have been the best idea at this point.

Burl Smith wrote:

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA I didn't see this response. You were correct with the first one, it was the closest, top window. Wrong on the second.

To be fair the first window that blew out was from a 1930's house and I really should have done something ot keep the glass contained better. The glass blew out of hte frame. THat was the issue on the other glass that blew out too. It was one of the really big windows, the part that slides blew out.

This is great to see! I am working with friends to build a solar kiln wood shed and then a green house with random old windows and doors. At first the guys were skeptical about it all, now they are proud of it as the step inside the ver warm wood shed! It’s still in progress as we ran out of weather in the fall.