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Post by Deleted on Feb 14, 2008 11:27:20 GMT
I'm so excited. We've managed to buy a wooden greenhouse (used) with rack, pots and parafin heater. It's a young man who's renovating a property and doesn't want to use it. It will need to be cleaned up a bit as the glass is a bit mucky, and the wood is sound, but would benefit from some more preservative. We're going down on Saturday to collect it, but I have absolutely no idea about how to dismantle it! He's throwing in the brick base as well, so we know we'll need a chisel. Have any of you moved a greenhouse like this, and if so have you got any tips? I'm not sure whether we should take all the glass out, or just take it back to sides and roof? It's not the prettiest thing, but I can't wait to get started with it.   |
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Post by snowowl on Feb 14, 2008 12:01:10 GMT
We moved our greenhouse 24 years ago when we moved house.I couldnt leave it behind.
Ours is a aluminium one though.We did take all the glass out and it was a lot easier to take the frame apart then the base was easy to get up.
It was the same when putting back together a few panes of glass got broken but its still standing and working after 30 years.
Good luck with yours its well worth the effort .
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Post by Amo on Feb 14, 2008 14:46:56 GMT
I moved an 60 year old 8 x 10ft cedar greenhouse about 10 years ago to my last property. Well worth it!
Take several varieties of screwdrivers and sockets, even saws, including hack saw incase you have to cut bolts or screws, pry bars and something that may have to cut through old putty. It's hard to see what's holding the glass in in your photos. Sometimes it's beading, sometimes clips or putty. Also take thick gloves for handling the glass, be prepared for breakages and having to replace this. Also plenty of old blankets and cardboard for the glass as you transport it, your car or van flexes, glass doesn't. Be logical, reverse order of putting one up. Glass out first if it's not pre glazed, door, roof panels and sides. If it is pre glazed, it's probably worth just keeping it in panels. My new one arrived with sides and roof glazed but we had to do the ends.
If you know the make there may still be a web site with the instructions available.
You should be amazed at the condition of cedar. The one I mentioned above was only silvered, even the bars that were on the base, by now buried, were sound. I just teak oiled, re puttied and glazed and it was as good as new.
Good luck!!
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Post by Deleted on Feb 14, 2008 15:23:35 GMT
Ooh, thanks Snowowl and Amo. Looks like we'll be removing the glass first (thank goodness we have loads of old towels and sheets) as I suspect it's not pre glazed. I'll contact the guy to find out if he knows the make and also confirmation of how the glass is fixed. I hadn't thought of the gloves at all  so thanks for that, and very useful tip about the hack saw. We have no idea how old it is, but the wood is sound, and it is on two layers of brick all round at the bottom. There is one pane missing in the roof, and one of the other pieces has lost a corner, so we already know we have to replace those. Fingers crossed we don't get too many further breakages. We have a glazier nearby. However, I'm still pinching myself at getting it for £41  |
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Post by Amo on Feb 14, 2008 17:44:07 GMT
Don't forget to ask for horticultural glass. It's a darn site cheaper than normal glass!
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Post by Rosefriend on Feb 14, 2008 18:35:33 GMT
I gave up my GH 10 years ago and I wish to this day that I hadn't been so stupid...
It was a second hand one, aluminium, and 3 of us carried it (without glass) 3 roads to our garden and we even managed not to break one pane of glass which we put into 3 wheelbarrows.
I am soo very envious ....
RF
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Post by snowowl on Feb 14, 2008 18:35:52 GMT
Dont forget when replacing any broken panes to ask for greenhouse glass its usualy cheaper it only cost a few pound at our glass merchant.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 14, 2008 20:15:32 GMT
Oh yes - good thinking about the type of glass. I'll give the glass merchant's near here a ring tomorrow.
I haven't had a greenhouse since I lived at home with my parents. We had a walled garden there, and a lean-to against that. All I can remember about helping Dad to build it was having freezing hands (it was November) and how it was a bit of a juggling act to get the glass in. That was aluminium. I'm hoping the wood will be easier.
I can remember my Dad picking off various flowers from the cucumber plants, but didn't pay enough attention to which ones. Something to do with sexing the flowers?
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Post by Amo on Feb 14, 2008 20:25:22 GMT
Male ones franqui, they make those females bitter.  |
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Post by Chuckles on Feb 14, 2008 20:42:40 GMT
It looks pretty to me Franqui ;D Will you manage to get the contents too, looks like there are a few good seed trays in there and the water butt and guttering would be handy too Good luck with moving it, not something I've ever done. Only thing I would say is get some really thick gardening gloves on for handling that glass  I'm sure you will have many happy growing hours with it  |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 15, 2008 21:28:30 GMT
Aww thanks Chuckles. It's growing on me, and I think it will look a lot better once I've cleaned the glass. I've got a bit more history about it today. It was used to grow orchids in before. Yes, we're getting all the staging, pots and seed trays, paraffin heater, the guttering and the water butt as well! He's emptied the water butt for us today. Oh and eighty litres of paraffin We've also managed to get some heavy duty DIY suede gloves from Tesco for £1 each, which will be useful for sorting out the brambles and hedge after. The glass is beaded in with wood, so we'll have a look and see if we think it will travel better in the frame, but will probably remove it. The base appears to be purpose made for the greenhouse and we're having that too, although I can't quite picture it yet. I'm getting really excited now ;D |
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Post by Ladygardener on Feb 24, 2008 18:03:45 GMT
I'm excited for you franqui, it'll be fantastic to have such a greenhouse, just think of all those happy hours and the plants you can grow from seed...... ;D
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Post by isabella on Feb 24, 2008 18:11:33 GMT
Looks great franqui - I am so pleased for you When we bought a second-hand greenhouse OH labelled each piece as he took it down - made it easier when it was put back together |
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Post by Shrubrose on Feb 24, 2008 20:17:51 GMT
How's it going Franqui?
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Post by Weeterrier on Feb 25, 2008 10:08:14 GMT
Have just noticed this thread. You'll have great fun. And the smell of paraffin in a greenhouse is such a warm cosy one.
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Post by cjhomebird on Feb 25, 2008 16:42:15 GMT
I just noticed this thread too. I love my greenhouse, but at the moment it is serving as a shed!! But when it is in use I spend hours in there. I have a stool and sit in it when it is raining just looking out at my garden. Great satisfaction gained from a greenhouse and loads of money saved too.
HOW SAD!!
CJ
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Post by Deleted on Feb 26, 2008 23:38:16 GMT
Thanks all. The greenhouse has arrived. The chipped glass panel broke on the day, as did two roof panes, but that was before we'd loaded onto the van. Thanks to all your suggestions, we managed to travel it with all glass in situ, other than in the roof and, amazingly, no more broke on the long trip home, nor being unloaded. ;D The weather couldn't have been better for us.
Now, of course, since then it has rained nearly every day and I can't decide exactly where to re-erect it. The books suggest siting it East-West, which would mean at right angles to our shed, and I think we should leave a few feet behind for the water butt and so the fence panel doesn't cut out too much light. This has made me think we should remove some of the hedge down the side, although I'd wanted to keep it, and maybe put the greenhouse the other side to the shed further down. That way it will make more of a break between the lawn and the proposed veg beds and we won't need to relocate our path.
It has come complete with a concrete blocked base fitted to the wood structure. The guy we bought it from had that rested on concrete foundations. Do you think we should put them in before the concrete blocks? I'm a complete novice on concrete, although I did help my Dad make some up years ago!
Thanks again for the help.
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Post by oldmoleskins on Feb 27, 2008 7:29:00 GMT
... I can't decide exactly where to re-erect it... It has come complete with a concrete blocked base fitted to the wood structure. The guy we bought it from had that rested on concrete foundations. Do you think we should put them in before the concrete blocks? hi franqui, take your time to decide on the siting - you won't want to shift it again and practical considerations like hedges/fences/access have to be balanced with how much you want to see it and sunshine - it needs to get some sun for some of the day to function, but probably not full sun all day and similarly not deep shade. As for foundations, they might help: in soft ground (most is) they help stability by spreading the load plus give you a level surface to work from and, by 'going down' even 6 inches you'll thwart mice that my get between or under loose-laid bricks. Either way, make sure your bricks touch snugly! Have fun. OM. |
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Post by Amo on Mar 12, 2008 7:24:49 GMT
Well, how goes it franqui? Is it still safe? Is it up or are you still waiting for a break in the weather? (Aren't we all :  |
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Post by flowersfriend on Mar 16, 2008 17:43:16 GMT
I love working in the greenhouse..... good luck with positioning it. Hopefully, you will be in time to really get going with toms and things... FF x |
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so thanks for that, and very useful tip about the hack saw.
