modifying a greenhouse

[seneca]

hi folks,

A friend has just moved into a house that and has a 12ft x 6ft aluminium lean-to that he wants to get rid off. Now, I wouldn't mind having it and putting it in my garden, but I won't be able to have it as a lean-to. I'd like to put it along the garden fence, but not have the fence as the wall side, if you follow. What I was thinking of was creating a shed like wall for the fence side, and then creating a ridge for the roof and have it meet the shed like wall. Hope thats clear! Do you think it's possible?

The difficult part is creating a ridge and then a short sloping part for the shed wall. I have a small aluminium greenhouse that I can canabalise for parts & glass, but the difficult part is the ridge. Anyone have any ideas? I seem to recall polycarbonate roofs (the kind used for conservatories and carports) use glazing bars that are similar.
any ideas are welcome . Thanks.

 

[ColJack]

photo's and drawings would help us envisage what you're deling with and what you're trying to achieve

 

[i_am_fubar]

Agree with pictures being useful.

But 2 or 3 4x4 fence posts concreted in with exterior grade sheet material could do the job?

 

[LeadFarmer]

Buy a new greenhouse, cut it in half, and use that.

That didnt really help, did it!

 

[daneski88]

It sounds easy enough, providing the half shed tyou intend to construct can me made rigid enough. As for the ridge, this can be made watertight by a length of self adhesive aluminium flashing.

 

[seneca]

 

[seneca]

here's a stock pic showing a similar lean to greenhouse

 

[ColJack]

don't need the img tags if you're clicking the pics in from "show my images" ..


I'd go with fubar's idea.. couple of fence posts concreted in then build the stud wall between them and fix your glass on..

 

[seneca]

A bit thick of me I know, but i an never get the hang of images on here.

I may not break up my small greenhouse for parts and consider something else (thought I might give it to my neighbour, as the old dear never has much success growing toms outdoors!) I may build my own wooden frame roof instead. Is it posible to make a sloping wooden and glass roof? How do they do on those fancy cedar woodenhouses, and how do they get a water-tight ridge?

My concern is how to join the 2 sections together. I can bolt a wooden batten to the aluminium framed sides, so that part is sorted. The ridge section is a bit trickier. I'd rather not use the flashing tape on glass, it looks a mess. Also, unlike a vertical brick wall, I won't have a flat edge to smooth it against. It will be a bit bumpy around the join.

just as well i can vent my thoughts here. If I mentioned it to the family, they'd have me locked up!

 

[Thermo]

when all is said and done it is a greenhouse, so it doesnt need to be over the top in design. build the side wall first with a decent framwork to the outside edge. a decent mastic bead all the way around between the frame and the aluminium will more than do the trick.

 

[seneca]

Oh come on thermo, can't we have our flights of fancy. Nothing like an elaborate, over-engineered solution to a simple problem. Always fun to over-complicate things before having to make do with the straightforward and simple solution. Indulge me, before you call for the men in white coats.

Won't tell the old story of adapting a shed to grow grapes