Topic: greenhouse words of wisdom please

[legless]

this weekend (subject to no active precipitation or deep snow) we ara taking down the falling down glasshouse, with view to rebuilding it the weekend after (not my idea, i wanted a polytunnel)

i can pour foundations and lay a brick base (i knew college would come in handy sometime) and hubby did an engineering degree and is convinced he can do the rest. we should have almost enough glass, but would a polycarbonate roof be ok or would it cut down the light too much?

any words of wisdom on the subject of glasshouse construction/

should be worth a laugh debs if you're down this weekend at all!

[tim]

- immediate thought ? Beatles - 'let it be. let it be'?? = Tim

[cleo]

Hi Legless, I reckon a polycarb roof will be fine-but do think about top vents.

As to taking down the old one please do be careful if there is glass in a precarious state,better to look a little silly and tie a rope to things and pull down that way than spend valuable garden time in casualty-I speak as one who almost made that mistake a long time back.

Stephan

[legless]

its got to come down cos its falling down



all the polycarb you see on it has had to be taken off as it was blowing off, the end wall is bowing out worryingly causing a lean at that end....

its just the rebuilding i have a problem with!

[legless]

thanks for the advice stephan, yes we will be careful taking it down, been around a lot of glasshouses when younger and have a healthy respect for them.

was considering louvre vents at the tops of teh sides rather than roof vents, would these be ok?

[Ceri]

what? you are getting rid of Whitley Bay's answer to Kew' glass houses?  What are you thinking - there'll be nothing left for the tourists to see this summer!

[legless]

restoration weren't interested ceri, couldn't be saved. the new stained glass version should draw the crowds though!

[tim]

- make sure you have concrete paths? = Tim

[cleo]

Legless

That looks a fair size,I would put louvres in the sides and automatic vents in the roof. I know that will cost a bob or two but ventilation is so important.

Stephan

[tim]

So true!! Yes, I've said it before - we have 24 vents in our thing, and it's not too much. = Tim

[legless]

well as those in the north east will know, the weather here is not good for allotments - i doubt i'd find it in the snow.

i have an update however, i have persuaded my stubborn husband that a polytunnel is a better idea than trying to build a glasshouse. hooray!

[legless]

quick update - this afternoon we removed as much glass as we can - the rest is too well stuck/ treacherous.

tomorrow we shall smash the remaining glass - hopefully most of it will fall inside the glasshouse and onto spread out poly sheet, then proceed to pull timber frame down with rope, trying very hard not to bring shed down too.

[legless]

greenhouse is no more - only injury ustained was a slight graze while cutting some hardboard to cover a hole in the shed. we still don't know what was holding it up as none of the bits seemed to be holding any weight and the brick base wasn't actually cemented together!!

[Ceri]

congratulations legless - are you going to put your polytunnel in the same place?

[Bannerdown]

Better if the greenhouse runs East/West, think about where the door is going to go and if you do not have sufficient glass to complete the task of glazing DO NOT START! All it takes is a slight gust to get in underneath the panes and they will be off! ! ! Have fun, Cheers, Tony.