# building a greenhouse out of glass sheets (unframed)



## Betho (Dec 27, 2006)

Hi folks!

So I was basically just given about twenty huge glass sheets to make into a greenhouse. They are about 6 feet by 3 feet or so. Anyway, I'm looking online trying to find info on building a DIY type greenhouse and I can only find info on how to make them from framed windows and whatnot.

Anybody know of any sites or places I can learn this? I specifically need to figure out how to frame the glass sheets within wood (what type of wood?) so they will be airtight and whatnot. It gets pretty moist out here. How do you seal the glass to the wood? Stuff like that.

Thanks


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## gobug (Dec 10, 2003)

6x3 may seem huge to you, but not to me. A sliding glass door is like 4x7.

Are these regular glass? Or are they safety glass?

I have about 200 5x2 panels of safety glass that I intend to someday make into a greenhouse, so I have pondered many of the questions that must be swimming in your brain.

Give more details please. Like: landscape details (flat, sloped, heavily treed, etc) orientation, adjacent buildings if in your design considerations, budgetary limitations, climate and desired dimensions.


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

This is what I used to build mine. I used red cedar. The long wall of my greenhouse was built on the south end of my shop. It was concrete block and has a lot of solar gain. I put the door on this wall so I don't come directly into the greenhouse from outside, keeps the heat in the greenhouse better....James

http://www.hobby-greenhouse.com/FreeSolar.html


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## Betho (Dec 27, 2006)

OK well this is from my landlord and this is a rental home so it stays with the home, for what that's worth. I imagine we'll be here a few more years until we can build on the property. The only suitable place on the 3 acres is a south-facing area that's just about 3 or 4 feet wide and maybe 12 feet long, right up against the workshop. So by necessity, it will need to be a lean-to type greenhouse. Not sure what kind of glass they are, but whoever got them had the intended purpose of a greenhouse.

Oh and just to explain - I live in a very heavily forested area and all the cleared space is taken up by my 19 fruit trees which is GREAT but I have next to no sunshine except that one space. It is south facing and will get most of the midday sun. I am dead serious when I say next to no sunshine... we have huge beautiful cedars everywhere but they block out most of the light. The place is also fully "developed" at least the cleared area around the house so there's not much space for a veggie garden. I'm going to do most of my gardening in containers placed in various spots because there's no one good area (except that one)

My purpose for wanting the greenhouse is to maximize heat so I can grow tomatoes and peppers... it is very very very shady, cool and moist (zone 8) here so my cole crops will do well but I was not counting on peppers or many maters.

So, I'm not thinking anything big or fancy, since it's not my permanent one. Lots of scrap lumber on the place which I would prefer to use if I can since I can't take it with me, but I will invest in some lumber if I need to because I do expect to be here at least another three years.

I think my main question is this - it's not that I don't know what to build it out of, and whatnot - but literally HOW do I get the glass panels to sit in the frame? Can I seal them to the wood somehow or should I just sandwich it tightly between planks? That's the info I can't find


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

Look in the lower left corner and click on the picture to enlarge....James

http://www.hobby-greenhouse.com/SOLAR.JPG


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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

Betho said:


> Oh and just to explain - I live in a very heavily forested area and all the cleared space is taken up by my 19 fruit trees which is GREAT but I have next to no sunshine except that one space. It is south facing and will get most of the midday sun. I am dead serious when I say next to no sunshine... we have huge beautiful cedars everywhere but they block out most of the light.


If you don't mind my saying so, forget it. If you haven't got enough light to grow anything in that small area now, you're not going to get any more with a greenhouse. Either some tall trees on the east and west sides have to go or the greenhouse idea has to go.

Martin


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## Betho (Dec 27, 2006)

jwal10 said:


> Look in the lower left corner and click on the picture to enlarge....James
> 
> http://www.hobby-greenhouse.com/SOLAR.JPG


Perfect! Thank you!


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## Betho (Dec 27, 2006)

Paquebot said:


> If you don't mind my saying so, forget it. If you haven't got enough light to grow anything in that small area now, you're not going to get any more with a greenhouse. Either some tall trees on the east and west sides have to go or the greenhouse idea has to go.
> 
> Martin


No that is the only spot that I DO have light. Out of 3 acres... lol. It's not a whole lot of space, but if I put in a greenhouse right there on that spot I should be able to grow some tomatoes and peppers, which I don't think I could otherwise because of the cooler summer temps and the amount of rain we get. Most of the other veggies will do fine stuck here & there in containers.


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## greg273 (Aug 5, 2003)

I'm in a similar situation, been collecting tempered glass sheets for a few years now, and I intend to make my own frames for them. Cut a groove in the board, cut some angles on the ends, and thats about it. Of course, I've been saying this for a while and have yet to act on it...


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## gobug (Dec 10, 2003)

I think the bniggest issue is constructing the window frames so as to allow replacement in the case of breakage. One way to accomplish that is to route a groove in the wooden portion, then use an aluminum strip with screws to fasten the window in place. It also could be galvanized metal. Either would be cheaper at a metal salvage yard rather than a big box hardware. The routed groove allows the metal strip to lay flat. With holes drilled down the center of the metal strip, it could fasten 2 adjacent windows to the wooden support structure.


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## Marcia in MT (May 11, 2002)

Old glass greenhouses used to be constructed with the roof glass sheets "shingled" one upon the other, in vertical rows with wood in between.

The glass panels were double strength window glass, about 18" x 24". The wood was grooved to accept the panes. Each pane was held in place by 4 special, flat nails. I'm also told 1" long regular finishing nails can be used. They made a bent hammer out of an old file, but any hammer with a flat face rather than a round one will do to pound in the nails.

There was caulking applied along the long edges of the panes, but not where the shingled edges (the short edges) meet.

This style might be easier to do than making frames for each and every sheet of glass. And there won't be as much problem with condensation pooling as there isn't anything to impede its runoff, as there would be with wood frames at the bottom of each sheet, eventually rotting the wood.


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