Topic: Glazing clips;

[Tee Gee]

I did think of putting this article in the shed but as it has to with greenhouses I thought I would put it here!


I would appreciate your opinions on the following idea;

This past two years I have had a great deal of glass blown out of an 8 x 6 greenhouse  I have, but it hasn't happened to my other two greenhouses nearby.

I put it down to the W glazing clips are not man enough for the job!

I think possibly for economic reasons and easier fixing the wire gauge has been somewhat reduced in diameter causing them to pop out in high winds.


Now for my idea;

I am thinking of reglazing using the same clips ( because I can't get stronger ones) but this time I am thinking of pointing the glass edges with silicone,

The plan is to run the silicone down the side of the glass (not under it) and over the clips.

Note; To place the silicone under the glass would block the drainage channels in the glazing bar/s


My hope is the silicone would allow a bit of flexibility but be strong enough to hold the clips in place!


What do you think?


Or has anyone found another way over this problem

I look forward to your replies...Tg

[telboy]

Interesting theory. Would it be easier to just double up on the glazing clips?

[gavinjconway]

TG - change the clips from one of the good GH to the bad GH and see if it happens to the other one ....     

Just kidding.... seriously I'd double up as it's easier than siliconing them all.. doubt the silicone would do much tho.

[Chrispy]

I would also just double up.

Bit surprised to say you can't get stronger clips, the ones I got from Wilkos a few years back were incredibly strong, will have a look at them next time I am in there to see if they are now weaker.

[Tee Gee]

Interesting theory. Would it be easier to just double up on the glazing clips?

Have done thanks!

TG - change the clips from one of the good GH to the bad GH and see if it happens to the other one

Oddly enough I have tried this as I had some spare clips of this variety (Alton) and it worked, but sadly I do not have enough and Alton do not produce these clips any more!

See I have done my homework 

Just kidding.... seriously I'd double up as it's easier than siliconing them all.. doubt the silicone would do much tho.

Part answered above, and I just thought they silicone would just offer enough resistance to keep the clips secure!
 

I would also just double up.

Bit surprised to say you can't get stronger clips, the ones I got from Wilkos a few years back were incredibly strong, will have a look at them next time I am in there to see if they are now weaker.

Part answered above, regarding the possibility of stronger clips, I was thinking of taking a sample with me and comparing them around the various suppliers in town, including Wilkos.

Thanks for you input guys its appreciated!...Tg

[Nigel B]

Hi Tee Gee.

My old greenhouse is a rescued frame that I glazed from the skips behind the local double-glazers. It had been a 'Dutch Lights' type so finding pieces big enough was impossible and I had to resort to overlapping three or four panes per section.
I doubt there are more than two or three pieces the same size in the whole of it. Even the widths vary more than is probably prudent, and I have lost a few panes over the eighteen years its been up. Its fair to say its seen its share of storms in that time.
Those wire 'W'-shaped clips are good, but, as they age they do tend to spread.


I  bend them back into a shape more resembling an 'M', then clean the glass where I'm about to blob some silicone on both glass and frame. (I know it can upset the flow of water, but hey, what's worse, an eventual drip or two, or having to pick broken glass out of the pond in the middle of winter?), and put them back using long-nosed pliers while ignoring every health-safety regulation there must be.
*When twisting the last leg of these things things into place, safety glasses are a must. A welders mask would be better. If it slips, all the energy you put in is released much faster than you can see, and they can ping off out of both sight and earshot like hot snot down a chrome nostril.*

So.
Re-bend.
Clean the spot.
Silicone.
Replace wire.
Spend the afternoon in trouble because you used one of 'her' dusters to try to get the excess silicone off the glass and your pliers.

;-)

[rabbitman1955]

Hi i run a Rabbit rescue based in Telford and was wondering if the waste manure/hay mix would be of any use to your allotments as i have read it is very good for soil and you can use it right away also with the hay mixed in it would be a great mulch... anyone interested please get in touch you are welcome to collect it for free

[Nigel B]

Haha! :-D... You fixed it while I was rambling.

Such is life. ;-)

[gavinjconway]

Rabbitman - yes its great. It is a cold manure so does not burn like other manures.  I get from a local lady and spread it on my sweetcorn that love it. I wish you were closer so i could get from you... Note to self - put an ad in freecycle!!

[rugbypost]

I bought some extra ones off ebay last year when I put up new g/house they were cheap good quality bought extras and used on long sheet of poly 10 per sheet and on small 8 per sheet. Look on ebay if you need spares 

[Deb P]

Both of my greenhouses use the 'G' shaped stainless steel glazing clips which seem to hold well in windy situations, they are for sale on eBay in various sized packets so may offer a solution to your problem?

[Tee Gee]

Went to eBay and bought some clips reputed to be "strong" and found them not to be any stronger than the ones I got from Wilcos

Thanks for your suggestion Deb however;

A plot holder on our site gave me a 'G' clip to try but they do not fit the rebate of my greenhouse.

I have ended up squeezing the legs of the clips to make them more ' M' shaped rather than 'W' shaped and they seem to be a bit tighter, plus I have used extra clips.

I haven't used the silicone I considered using!

Now the funny bit;

I was asked to review my sales experience so I replied by saying I was happy with the prompt service and the product but I would have been happier if they had been a bit stronger, which was the truth.

The following day I got an email telling me off for saying I would have liked them to be stronger

He said my statement suggested they were an inferior product and that I shouldn't have written what I did.

So that's one dealership I won't be using again.

Finally thanks guys for your input my greenhouse is nearly completed just three panes to go in tomorrow

[euronerd]

If you haven't already solved your problem, I'm thinking along different lines: in order for the glass to be blown out the wind must be coming from the inside, so I'm assuming you have a vent somewhere presumably for air circulation, which is allowing the interior air pressure to be greater than on the outside. Is it possible, if your vent is a louvred panel, to either close it or change its position? If not, maybe a baffle to slow down the ingress of air might do the job. Failing that, could you try opening another vent somewhere, to stop the build up of pressure? If I'm thinking along the wrong lines, how about some little timber wedges to push in to fortify the W clips? As you can probably tell, I'm not a fan of squeezing glue and sealer all over the place 

Geoff.

[vidcare]

I did think of putting this article in the shed but as it has to with greenhouses I thought I would put it here!


I would appreciate your opinions on the following idea;

This past two years I have had a great deal of glass blown out of an 8 x 6 greenhouse  I have, but it hasn't happened to my other two greenhouses nearby.

I put it down to the W glazing clips are not man enough for the job!

I think possibly for economic reasons and easier fixing the wire gauge has been somewhat reduced in diameter causing them to pop out in high winds.


Now for my idea;

I am thinking of reglazing using the same clips ( because I can't get stronger ones) but this time I am thinking of pointing the glass edges with silicone,

The plan is to run the silicone down the side of the glass (not under it) and over the clips.

Note; To place the silicone under the glass would block the drainage channels in the glazing bar/s


My hope is the silicone would allow a bit of flexibility but be strong enough to hold the clips in place!


What do you think?


Or has anyone found another way over this problem

I look forward to your replies...Tg

The best strong W Clips i found are from Two West & Elliott 25 for £1-99
 

[kt.]

My spare clips come from B&Q.  Had no problems and none of my glass is siliconed in.  I have 3 greenhouses.  One on allotment No.1,  one on allotment No.2 and one in my back garden.