Renovation of a greenhouse (double glazing) with corrugated PVC sheets that have become opaque

[Christophe]

How to economically and ecologically (econologically?) Renovate a garden greenhouse and improve its thermal inertia? Easy: using double glazed recovery frames (instead of dumping them)!

We were fortunate to be able to recover (not for free but at a fair price see "budget" below) the wooden double glazing frames of our neighbors who have just changed them. The dimensions went almost perfectly (stroke of luck) with the existing greenhouse! We didn't hesitate!

It is (well it was) an old greenhouse in corrugated PVC plates over 20 years old and which have (necessarily) aged very badly. A structure in aluminum profiles + concrete threshold holds everything together via kinds of "wooden battens" (exact name?) Which maintain the center distance and the PVC plates. Most of these battens were still in good condition (so we haven't changed them).

The plates have become opaque and brittle as can be seen in the first 2 photos:

A) Before the renovation




In short it was not very pretty seen from the road ...

B) Arrival of "loose" frames (not light these crap!)

Directly recovered (wheelbarrow) on the site from the neighbor + some "bonus" such as a glass door.

These are 60 mm hardwood frames (meranti) "well treated" (but the treated parts are on the outside so less risk for crops ... then given the age of the varnish ...)



C) Beginning of chassis installation

The technique is very simple: the PVC sheets are turned and the aluminum structure is used as a "support" for fixing the frames.

They are fixed to the aluminum profiles using metal brackets (where it is going well, at the top and / or at the bottom) which are screwed into the frames (we appreciate the hardness of the wood in certain delicate cases!)





The frames are placed directly on the concrete threshold.
A finishing strip will be put afterwards.

In addition, the frames are fixed to each other "with" flat "or" T "metal fittings.

D) End of the "1st part"

Here is the result after 2 1/2 days (I think) of work.



We were "a little" lucky, since 3 skylights supplied with the frames almost perfectly matched the dimensions of the last hole !!




We can see the aluminum profiles (which necessarily, for purists: do not correspond with the amounts of the chassis but it is frankly not very hard)!

The continuation (gable and roof) with the next episodes!

[Christophe]

Episode 2 the pinion! Sorry, I don't have too many pictures on this stage, however there were a lot of "struggles":

A) Details on the fixing of the chassis of episode 1 on the profile



The skylights (this is the most "fragile place I think"):


B) "Foundations" of the gable

It is not possible to use the existing threshold to install the frames because it is "flush" with the aluminum profiles.

So 2 possibilities:
a) redo a concrete threshold
b) move back the aluminum profiles

Solution b) seemed rather delicate to us (a lot of work for not much) and I didn't want to pour too much concrete for a greenhouse. So we found a compromise:
c) make a wooden threshold

I had some autoclaved 9x9cm recovery post lying around: it made a good threshold after having made a small drainage (20 to 30 cm deep) with stones history that the wood does not stagnate in water!




D) Fixing of the chassis on the beam



E) Gable almost finished

Still very lucky because the whole "door + vertical window" stuck almost "perfectly" in the triangle!



The "double" rectangular frame at the bottom right and the triangle are made to measure (what? It shows? I heard you ) with scraps of hardwood (I wanted no non-hardwood outside):

a) the rectangular frame is made up of 2 double recovery windows that I received naked from Tigrou des forums (against some Rochefort I remember more ...)

b) the triangle (trapezium in fact) on the right is made of polycarbonate (2 times 10 mm) after trying to cut unsuccessful single glazed panes (angle probably too sharp ) (see this topic: cut double glazing )

The rest ... later!

[bleusideral]

bravo, big work done, it is understandable by seeing all this
I am also in the process of building an ossi, with glazed frames including one enormous in tempered, but no double glazing, I am in the south, the Gard
I made a bet, make a garden greenhouse for 0 € !!
that the recovery, even the structure in galvanized and aluminum, it's crazy what can be wasted .... I simply go around the joinery and stored an impressive number of glazing, and also the recycling centers
here is a photo tit of the work in progress, it is progressing very slowly because not much time has that!

[chrisleblay]

Well done great job!
This is the kind of project that I find really ecological and which with a nice coat of varnish (marine resistant to sea water) will give a superb result!

chris

[Christophe]

bravo, big work done, it is understandable by seeing all this

Thank you but wait, the presentation is not over

I made a bet, make a garden greenhouse for 0 € !!

Ah well that for us it's good ... we got it for around 1100 € (yes anyway but good for the result it's not so expensive):
- 550 € of chassis (this is the price of a single new wooden door and 1/2 glazed hardwood)
- € 450 polycarbonate roof and aluminum rail included (purchased from a French discount store)
- supply and painting for around 100 €

Interesting remark: if we had bought the PC in Belgium (double the price of the hard discount), the m² would have cost as much as the double glazed window frames! (and there are 4 frames and a rab door)

that the recovery, even the galvanized and aluminum structure, it's crazy what can be wasted ....

Well, we can never say it enough ...

I just went around the windows and stored an impressive number of glazing

Well if you are a friend with a carpenter you are lucky

This is the kind of project that I find really ecological and which with a nice coat of varnish (marine resistant to sea water) will give a superb result!

Yes, it is applied econology, the opposite of blah that annoyed me a lot and that I read here.

But we will not varnish we will paint (otherwise everything would have had to be severely stripped): the interior is already done but not the exterior. Here is what it gives on the interior side (with a remainder of facade paint "all weather"):



To compare with:


Ah I forgot the most important for the thermicians that we are: before, during and after the works I started a long-term temperature measurement with this device

It must be finished now, I can't wait to see if we see the gain in thermal inertia (the reverse would surprise me greatly).

[Hasardine]

Wow ! I want the same !

She is very cool! it remains only to take the tools!

Well, as far as we are concerned, we are absolutely not at this level of evolution, I'm in the stage of recovering windows !!!!

But everything is just right for who knows how to wait! it's like my vegetable garden, it became very beautiful, after four years, and nobody believed it !!! the greenhouse will come in turn and at my own pace! I will put the photos on the occasion.

[Christophe]

Yes I am happy with this work (results / ecological cost although we had to buy new "plastic" for the roof ..): it is a mix between a veranda (materials, inertia and insulation) and a greenhouse ( function) now.

But for your recovery do not despair!

We had been thinking for 2 years that we had to redo it and everything accelerated in less than a month with the neighbors' work and we were very lucky that the dimensions "stick". ..In your case if you start from 0 it may be easier on the luck side!

A good example of "good opportunity rather than rush". It goes for a lot of areas in life ... and yet I am born impatient!

Friday evening quiz: on the pictures above, find "material coincidences" with the paddle wheel during manufacture

Hint: "Collect"



By the way question recovers: kk1 knows what happened to the tens of thousands of old telephone booths? There were thousands of potential verandas / greenhouses there ...

[Hasardine]

I never noticed that they were gone !!!

Those of my country are still there, no!

I'm going for a walk in the trash this morning (to the great soul of my husband, with a little luck I will come across a good profile or something in style!).
Seeing others' projects succeed sometimes gives a bit of courage to get one's people afloat!

In fact, I tan my landlord so that he changes the windows of the house (real colanders !!!) after all for the price I pay, there can at least be corectes windows!

If we come to that, my greenhouse is all done! a beautiful French window for the entrance, and the others on the tower, the windows of the toilets and bathroom for ventilation in the roof and I only have to find the rest of the roof. Of course, the hardest part, as always, is to persuade my husband that I can't put this puzzle together by myself! well, that's another problem.
In the meantime, I hunt around, I search and with a little luck I find.
But I still find! there is hardly that my wind turbine which does not advance! I got confused, exhausted and put it aside! (I'm not in the habit of giving up, but there! it far exceeds me!)

[Christophe]

Ah well I understand you Hasardine, "to hunt well" is a real job ... and luck helps a lot in this job.

Yes, the ideal is to take advantage of a complete change of chassis of a home, as you are sure to have the same style of chassis and several dimensions.

And as I said above: better to wait than to rush ...

With us (Belgium) we can not recover in the recycling centers, so it is a little harder but I think I have never seen a chassis in the dumpsters ... I do not know where they end up. Here I am going to call the local carpenter with whom I have already worked to see what they do with it ...

ps: in cities 90% of France Telecom cabins have gradually disappeared with the rise of GSM (surely problem of profitability)

[Hasardine]

here either we normally do not have the right to help ourselves in the recycling centers, but if you know people a little, you can manage!

On the other hand, I made a flop with the local carpenter, for the chips! like it’s just a person problem!