How to Make a Mini Tabletop Greenhouse

Make a mini tabletop greenhouse by recycling old picture frames. Miniature greenhouses and small terrarium kits sold in stores and gardening centers can be costly. You can save a lot of money by taking the project on yourself and putting a serviceable greenhouse together with scraps from your attic or low-cost secondhand shops. A small greenhouse that can sit on your table is convenient for starting early seeds, growing herbs all winter or protecting your most delicate plants from deadly drafts.

4 wood frames of the same size
Fine-grit sandpaper
Drill with bit for pilot holes
8 half-inch wood screws
Latex or acrylic paint
Craft paint brush
Clear plastic sheeting
Ruler
Marker
Scissors
Clear gel glue

Instructions

- 1
  Remove the backing and glass from the frames. Clean them thoroughly. If you plan to paint the greenhouse, sand the frames lightly with a fine-grit sandpaper.
- 2
  Make a cube shape with the picture frames. Match up the sides of two frames, holding them together so they form one corner of the greenhouse. The fronts of the frames should be facing outward.
- 3
  Drill a small pilot hole through one frame and half-way into the other. Make one about an inch from the top and the other about an inch from the bottom. Screw 1/2 inch wood screws into each pilot hole to secure the two frames together.
- 4
  Hold the third frame so one side rests against the free end of one of the frames that are screwed together. Hold it so it creates a second corner to give your cube its third side. Face the front of the frame outward. Drill pilot holes and screw the third frame to the structure.
- 5
  Complete the cube shape by adding a fourth frame to close it. Drill pilot holes and screw it in on each side so that all four corners are secured together.
- 6
  Paint the wood frame, if desired, with latex or acrylic craft paint. Allow it to dry thoroughly.
- 7
  Cut four pieces of heavy, clear plastic to measure the same size as the frames and fit inside the insert where the glass once went. Measure the length and width of the top of the structure. Cut a piece of plastic to the same measurements as the top of the structure.
- 8
  Apply clear drying gel glue to the inside of one of the frames in the groove where the glass used to fit. Put a piece of plastic sheet in its place to cover the opening. Repeat the process with the other three frames.
- 9
  Glue the final piece of plastic sheet to the top of the cube, creating a roof. Leave the bottom side of the cube open. Cover your potted plants or small seed trays by placing the cube over it.

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