Author Topic: Dismantling a greenhouse (Read 11918 times)

Little Bean · « **on:** January 07, 2006, 15:38:00 »

I have been offered a greenhouse from a friend but it is still intact in their garden so we will have to dismantle it first.

Has anyone any hints & tips or lessons learnt from taking down a greenhouse?

What tools will I need to use? Are there any special tools or equipment? Anything else to bear in mind (ie, lots of material to wrap the glass in to minimise breakage).

It isn't a very old greenhouse, I'd say it has been in-situ for 4 years at the most.

All ideas gratefully received :)

adam04 · « **Reply #1 on:** January 07, 2006, 17:02:58 »

right, i have done this before.

i didnt do this, but its worth doing, take piccies, that way if you get any problems you have something to look at.

get all the glass out and stack up somewhere where the wind wont catch it.

then break down the greenhouse, first the roof. make a pile

then the front, make a pile, then the side, amke a pile and so on.

tie the different parts up with tape and label. eg, left side, front, front apex etc.

most of it will come up apart easily, just bolts, the glass will have clips in that will need to be flicked out using either a screw driver or a pair of pliers. some you might have to keep it in place if there jammed. but if nto you can angle grind them off. or get a chisel behind them and the head of the bolt will knock off.

transfer to car. take out. as for the glass.... i was told after at a glass factory your better having it sideways. so in your car, put a sheet on your seat and lay the glass along the seats like this \\\\\\ against the seats and after every bout 5 pieces put a chucnk of paper or card etc. tie in place using soem rop or soemthing so they dont fall forwards.

get home, put back together. it will be a bit of a jigsaw but it soons goes abck toegther, obviously frame in parts, so build the front section and sides then put all these together. then glaze, you will proably have different size glass. so this is where the pics come in handy. i would also clean the glass before putitng it in to save a job, get all the grime off it. you may need to get some new to. if thye ahve any spare glass at your friends, even if not the right size, you can buy a glass cutter and do it yourself, os it will be cheaper.

Delilah · « **Reply #2 on:** January 07, 2006, 17:18:00 »

Yep we did it pretty much the same as you Adam, cept we laid the glass in the car (estate car) and wrapped in dustsheets etc.

It really is a bit of a horrid job Little Bean, especially washing all the glass, BUT don't be despondant tis well worth it and you'll be proper chuft when its done and you've got yourself a fabby and very nearly new greenhouse :)

adam04 · « **Reply #3 on:** January 07, 2006, 17:22:36 »

well we laid them flat, but as we went over bumps a couple cracked.

when we went to get some replacement glass, the guy told us, stack them that way (\\\\) and they wont break, as you go over bumps, and thye just slide against and past eahc other.

Delilah · « **Reply #4 on:** January 07, 2006, 17:26:55 »

am a very careful driver Adam ;) ;D :D :)

OK Little Bean take no notice of my glass advice and listen to a man who knows \\\\\\ is the way to go ;) :D

lynndan16 · « **Reply #5 on:** January 07, 2006, 17:27:38 »

Take some wd40 with you and spray any bolts that are stiff and a couple of small spanners.

cleo · « **Reply #6 on:** January 07, 2006, 19:53:36 »

Agree with everything-take your time. I am guessing it is an aluminium house?. Just watch you do not bend any of the bars.

Cleo

glow777 · « **Reply #7 on:** January 07, 2006, 20:35:00 »

Also broke glass moving panes like adam (BTW Green Day rock!) so next time I try I'll go \\\\\\ to.

My tip use gloves and take the door and window of first.

Oh and make sure you secure it soundily they can blow over easily and place somewhere where vandals can't throw stones at it.
Ian

adam04 · « **Reply #8 on:** January 07, 2006, 23:00:06 »

o yes, hold the glass close to your body when moving it. dont hold it at arms length, if it shatters it will blow in your face. its only thin

Little Bean · « **Reply #9 on:** January 08, 2006, 14:29:10 »

Wow, thanks for all of your helpful replies, I feel much more confident about tackling it. Now if I can just persuade my husband to help.............. ::)

KevB · « **Reply #10 on:** January 08, 2006, 17:09:38 »

Nice one Adam, i couldn't of put it better myself!!
when taking pics, make sure you take them of how the sides and roof etc join together!!
Alas when i moved one i lay the glass flat!! ooops costly mistke!! but i wasn't on here then either!!
good luck Bean, you may have to make a "promise" to get your hubby to help!! LOL
Kevb

ipt8 · « **Reply #11 on:** January 08, 2006, 19:06:53 »

Make absolutely certain you get the framework square when you put it together again or th eglass wont fit.......

redcow · « **Reply #12 on:** January 10, 2006, 13:37:14 »

Hi Little Bean....

Me & my OH went to collect a greenhouse last summer which was already dismantled......... It was like a huge jig-saw but after a few hours it was up. So the pictures are a really good idea.

A word of warning if the frame is not square the glass will not fit (however much you try.......) All our glass was mixed up in a huge & heavy box so it took some sorting out - and some cleaning....

Good Luck... :)

Zippy Seale · « **Reply #13 on:** January 10, 2006, 21:33:45 »

I greenhouse we got for a small donation to charity, was dismantled in 2 evenings. but I found the bolts, thier are the square typr, sheered. but I found you can purchase then cheep enough on the internet. so 100 bolts cost me about 8 quid.

adam04 · « **Reply #14 on:** January 11, 2006, 15:22:44 »

good point CG, i got all new glazing clips from ebay, you can also get the bolts and other spare bits fairly cheaply.

beautifullove · « **Reply #15 on:** February 15, 2006, 23:45:07 »

A difficult job indeed.

Little Bean · « **Reply #16 on:** May 29, 2006, 22:09:08 »

At last, after some delay, we have finally taken the greenhouse down (would you believe that the previous owner had sealed each pane of glass to its neighbour and the frame with silicone sealant so it took 3 days just to get the glass out!)

My question now is, how best to lay the foundations? I have done some research and had conflicting advice varying from paving slabs and bricks concreted in, to laying it on treated wood in shallow trenches (which I am sceptical about). I want to keep it on open soil with a path down the middle so I can grow toms etc in grobags.

It is 3m x 2m (9' x 6' approx) in size and has tempered glass which is heavy so it will need strong foundations (I assume).

valmarg · « **Reply #17 on:** June 06, 2006, 23:23:57 »

I've no idea about what sort of base you need for the greenhouse, I am sure someone else on this site will give you the benefit of their knowledge.

When it comes to errecting the greenhouse, my hubby has dismantled and erected more greenhouses than you can shake a stick at, and he always recommends building the sides first.

In our greenhouses, one 8' x 10' and the other 20' x 12', we have strawberries, tomatoes, cucumbers, climbing french beans, peas, courgettes. Other than the tomatoes, alll of these are in containers in order to get an earlier crop

Little Bean - welcome to the joys of greenhouse growing!!

valmarg

MrsKP · « **Reply #18 on:** June 07, 2006, 07:31:47 »

following Tel's advice, i've got a 4"x2" wooden base hammered in the ground and screwed the g/h to that. it hasn't moved so far despite much provocation from the wind.

;D

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Author Topic: Dismantling a greenhouse (Read 11918 times)