puffernutter
Puffernutter
- Messages
- 1,882
- Location
- Wiltshire
I was going to title this - "Supporting my large erection in the garden" but I thought the mods might object!
My wife was looking for another greenhouse, we found a nice one, but it was a lean-to. We have nothing in the garden that was available for it to lean-on, so I made a purpose built "lean on".
This is a 10' x 6' greenhouse that is 8' tall. I had to build the "lean on" in situ and as I am such a novice with metal I used wood. It is not insubstantial, being made out of 3"x2" using a 400mm pitch and covered in 1/2" OSB. That was erected and braced using a 2.4m length of 3"x2" each side to rectangle of 3x2 that forms the base for the greenhouse. Glazing this thing has been a nightmare and probably the most stressful thing I've done in a long time! The roof is 5 pieces of 6'x2' toughened glass which is heavy unwieldy and will break (don't ask how I know!)
Anyway, the front was glazed the roof was glazed and then the first side. I removed the brace from 1 side (as I needed access for the glass) and that side went in without issue. Tonight I did the other side, removed the brace and the glass wouldn't fit. The "lean on" had moved forward slightly. I put a temporary brace inside the greenhouse and was able to fit all the glass, then replaced the outside brace and removed the inner one!
What this means is that if the brace gives or moves, then there will be a lot of pressure on this glass and I have concerns in high winds it might break. (Being toughened, little bits will go everywhere..........)
I don't really want to use the 3x2 as it is large and unsightly, but whatever I use for a brace has to be rigid, not move or flex under pressure, but at the same time, not too intrusive. My initial thoughts are either a steel square tube (25mm?) or equal angle (40mm).
They will need to be 2.4m long, so what in your view would be the best shape to use.
This might not be the brightest of my ideas and I know if I was doing this again a "lean to" might not be the best idea, but we are where we are! (it does give much more space than a conventional greenhouse and it was made by Robinsons and it was cheap! Those are my excuses and I'm sticking with them!)
Cheers
Peter
My wife was looking for another greenhouse, we found a nice one, but it was a lean-to. We have nothing in the garden that was available for it to lean-on, so I made a purpose built "lean on".
This is a 10' x 6' greenhouse that is 8' tall. I had to build the "lean on" in situ and as I am such a novice with metal I used wood. It is not insubstantial, being made out of 3"x2" using a 400mm pitch and covered in 1/2" OSB. That was erected and braced using a 2.4m length of 3"x2" each side to rectangle of 3x2 that forms the base for the greenhouse. Glazing this thing has been a nightmare and probably the most stressful thing I've done in a long time! The roof is 5 pieces of 6'x2' toughened glass which is heavy unwieldy and will break (don't ask how I know!)
Anyway, the front was glazed the roof was glazed and then the first side. I removed the brace from 1 side (as I needed access for the glass) and that side went in without issue. Tonight I did the other side, removed the brace and the glass wouldn't fit. The "lean on" had moved forward slightly. I put a temporary brace inside the greenhouse and was able to fit all the glass, then replaced the outside brace and removed the inner one!
What this means is that if the brace gives or moves, then there will be a lot of pressure on this glass and I have concerns in high winds it might break. (Being toughened, little bits will go everywhere..........)
I don't really want to use the 3x2 as it is large and unsightly, but whatever I use for a brace has to be rigid, not move or flex under pressure, but at the same time, not too intrusive. My initial thoughts are either a steel square tube (25mm?) or equal angle (40mm).
They will need to be 2.4m long, so what in your view would be the best shape to use.
This might not be the brightest of my ideas and I know if I was doing this again a "lean to" might not be the best idea, but we are where we are! (it does give much more space than a conventional greenhouse and it was made by Robinsons and it was cheap! Those are my excuses and I'm sticking with them!)
Cheers
Peter
