DIY Recycled Window Greenhouse

Greenhouse Frame

• 1

  Select a location that receives at least eight hours of sun daily. Measure a space for an 8-by-10 foot greenhouse, with the 10-foot side facing south.

• 2

  Remove all vegetation and soil to a depth of 8 inches from the greenhouse base with a shovel.

• 3

  Dig a 24-inch post hole at each corner of the excavation area. Add 6 inches of crushed gravel and compact it tightly into each hole. Fill the post holes with water and wait for the water to soak into the soil.

• 4

  Place a post into each hole, with the two posts on the north side of the greenhouse perfectly vertical. Align the posts on the south side at a 60-degree angle toward the north side of the greenhouse.

• 5

  Fill each hole with dry fast-setting concrete mix. Add water to the holes and mix the concrete with the shovel. Check the alignment of the posts with a carpenter's level. Allow the concrete to dry completely before proceeding.

• 6

  Add 6 inches of crushed gravel to the base of the greenhouse. Compact the gravel with a plate compactor. Sprinkle the gravel with water and compact it again.

• 7

  Arrange the 2-by-6 boards on their edges on top of the compacted gravel and butted tightly to the outside of the corner posts. Pre-drill two holes through each board and into the posts. Bolt the boards and posts together with lag bolts and nuts.

• 8

  Hold a 2-by-4 board up to the 8-foot side of the greenhouse and aligned with the top of the posts. Pencil a line onto the posts along the top of the board. Cut along that line with a saw.

• 9

  Position a 2-by-6 board up against the outside edges of the south-facing posts and aligned with the top of the posts. Pre-drill two holes per post through the board and posts. Attach the board to the post with lag bolts and nuts. Repeat the procedure on the other three sides of the greenhouse.

• 10

  Measure the north side of the greenhouse. Cut the sheets of 1-inch OSB board to fit vertically across the frame, with two sheets at approximately 6-1/2 feet high and 4 feet wide. Cut the third sheet to the same height and 2 feet wide to finish covering the 10-foot-wide wall. Pre-drill through the OSB board into the 2-by-6 boards and the posts; space screw holes every 6 inches. Screw the OSB to the greenhouse frame with deck screws.

• 11

  Install rafter hangers every 24 inches on the north and south sides of the greenhouse, by screwing them to the 2-by-6 boards. Measure and cut 2-by-4 boards to fit from hanger to hanger across the width of the greenhouse. Insert the boards into the hangers and secure them with deck screws.

Window Installation

• 12

  Measure the south side of the greenhouse. Place the recycled windows on a flat surface arranged in a rectangle to fit onto the south wall.

• 13

  Measure and cut 2-by-4 boards to fit around the windows. Pre-drill through the boards and screw them together with deck screws to make frames for the windows. Insert each window into its frame and screw it to the boards.

• 14

  Lift the wall of windows up to the greenhouse frame. While a helper holds the wall in place, pre-drill every 6 inches through the outer perimeter of the wall and into the frame. Screw the wall to the frame with deck screws.

• 15

  Repeat the process of building window walls on the east and west sides of the greenhouse. Incorporate a door into one side for easy access into the greenhouse.

• 16

  Spray foam insulation around every window to fill every crack and crevice. Also spray insulation into the corners and around the frame to prevent drafts.

• 17

  Measure the roof. Cut to size and install 3/4-inch OSB board onto the rafters with deck screws. Screw flashing around the entire perimeter of the greenhouse roof. Cover the OSB board with rolled roofing paper or shingles.