Buying or building a greenhouse?

What size leanto are you thinking about ?

The Glazing is usually the most expensive part, we had to fit polycarb due to football damage but used the 10mm twinwalled type, really holds the heat in during winter, and does not get as hot as glass in summer.

If doing a wooden construction you can use wooden glazing cappings or use the metal/plasitc ones they use on conservatory roofs.

 

Hi,

Could you please let us know what these methods and substances are ?
Sure it would be very useful for many folk as the commercial wood preservers can be both expensive and not that friendly.

 

@ricky101 I've posted the mix on several occasions, but here it is one more time. Equal parts of Pine Tar oil, Balsam Terpentine, and Boiled Linseed Oil. This gives pine a rather nice golden colour. If a colour is required, then pigment can be added. The traditional one is soot, and the one I use. Of course, not many people would want a black wooden greenhouse, but other colours can be added. Windows incidentally, are fitted using linseed oil putty, then treated with the mix after a week or so.

One other thing. There are quite a few studies that have shown polycarbonate to be a prime cause of disease in greenhouses. Dont get me started on the devils material, aka aluminium!

 

Another, very cheap method is to troll through your local free ad pages. Friday-ad, freecycle and the like will have people advertising greenhouses which are free to take away. You'll probably have to dismantle it yourself, but if you're not wanting wood but don't mind a nose round somebody elses garden....

 

Hi @Sandy Ground many thanks for the recipe, had not seen it before.

When treating pine for the outdoors how many coats would you recommend and when it comes to end grain cuts do you just brush it on or put it in a bowl and let it soak up ?

"shown polycarbonate to be a prime cause of disease in greenhouses"

Well thas a new one on us, we have always read " the benefits of polycarb in greenhouses" Again could we trouble you for any info / links on how this can cause diseases ?

Can only imagine its if the ends of the polycarb are not well sealed and things can grow in there and then may get into the greehouse.
We have had ours up for about 10 years and cannot say we have had any unusual problems ??

 

Life maybe short and, like me, so are peoples availability of spare cash!

 

Its brushed on until "puddles" start to appear on the surface. This excess is brushed ont the drier parts. Its then left to dry (oxidise is the correct term). After that, the process is repeated until the wood will take no more. To say how many coats is not really possible. I would brush end grain.

As I understand things about polycarbonate, its the actual surface that provides a safe haven for the things that cause disease.

 

It's a money/time issue in both cases:

1)investing loads of time and effort to build own - you'd like to make it from the best materials available, you'd need tools to cut/process materials - expensive - may go wrong with measurements/materials;

2)buying ready one - £600 (?) for aluminium one - you can buy 100 kg tomatoes costing £6/kg instead. Plus installation. Don't think it pays back as investment.

I was lucky to receive my 6X8 greenhouse free. Free relatively of course . Spent 2-3 hours dismantling.
Then preparing the base (slabs) in the garden, removing turf, installing frame - another half/day.
Then putting glass panes back - another half/day - cut finger tip - had no fingerprint for a month.

 

Buying would be easier. However if you are building yourself you could cover with poly tunnel plastic. Depending on size could be a weekend project, especially if building a lean too type.

Rusty

 

Thanks again.

We often wash down the inside of the polycarb with a greenhouse disinfectant so hopefully thats been doing its job ok so far.

 

Lots of images out there for wooden greenhouses out there, suppose its down to @Black Dog as to how much time he has, perhaps locked down like some of us here ?

As said probably little difference between diy and bought cost, though a new aluminium leanto can be a lot more costly than a similar sized apex one.

Though you could find many free or lo cost second hand greenhouses on the web, think those days are gone as so many folk went after them due to Covid, if you look now very few around and those that are half decent are going for a fair price.

Think like any part of the garden, its not really about cost effectiveness but the pleasure of doing it yourself and enjoying the produce.

 

@ricky101 I have three polycarbonate greenhouses and I've never noticed any problems with diseases. I'll "google" this claim to see what comes up as I'd not heard that one. Puzzled

 

Hi Lori,

Yes Sandy Gs comment did surprise us too and we also failed to find any web info about it.

Even more interested in his comment about Aluminium, thought it was one of the better metals as so much of it is recyled etc, but sounds like its a sore subject for him ??

Still think like any greenhouse a bit of disinfectant and cleaning helps keep most things at bay, though often feel guilty when the spiders are running for shelter as they are so good at eating the bugs; try to give them time to go to another safe area.