maintaining wooden greenhouses

just having a think about maintaining wooden greenhouses and wondering if anyone had any suggestions on what to use to preserve the frames we use linseed paint but anyone got any preferences, just one of those things that may be interesting personal experience is always hte best way to learn :confused:

 

If they are old wooden houses then I'd continue with the linseed oil paint as the oil will have permeated the wood and it may react with more modern paints.

If replacing rotten wood then I personally use pressure treated preserved timber, paint it with 2 coats of International Bare Wood Primer (it's an alluminium type paint not the pale pink wash used by builders) Then it gets a coat of good quality oil based white undercoat, putty and glass (brass sprigs, copper clips) go on once that's dried then a week or so later I finish off with a couple of coats of oil based white brushing gloss to seal everything.

Cutting corners is a waste of time and good timber is expensive so I only use top quality materials. Safety is also important. A large house can easily have over a ton of glass up there and you don't want it coming down about your ears so you have to vigilant for rotten spars,loose panes, ageing putty and any other problems. Vitally important now as frost can get in behind old putty and lift a pane clean out and if a gale then gets inside your roof it'll take it right off.