Toddlerproofing and Repairing Greenhouse

rosenallis

Hi there,

Hoping for some advice...

Toddler now running and kicking ball. We inherited a greenhouse with the old single glazing. About 75% left, 25% broken.

Looking to make safe, and fix the greenhouse to become useable. I think these are my options:

- replace glass with re-inforced glass (expensive!)
- add single glazing panes to where missing panes are and use safety film
- replace all with polycarbonate sheeting.

Final option seems like the best, but seems a shame to take down all the original glass for plastic.

Thoughts?

looksee

With a toddler in the garden I would not leave ordinary glass windows - would there be any practical difference in glass with safety film on it and polycarbonate sheet, in terms of use and appearance.

rosenallis

rosenallis wrote: »

Hi there,

Hoping for some advice...

Toddler now running and kicking ball. We inherited a greenhouse with the old single glazing. About 75% left, 25% broken.

Looking to make safe, and fix the greenhouse to become useable. I think these are my options:

- replace glass with re-inforced glass (expensive!)
- add single glazing panes to where missing panes are and use safety film
- replace all with polycarbonate sheeting.

Final option seems like the best, but seems a shame to take down all the original glass for plastic.

Thoughts?

How about replace the single glass and put a trellis between the glass of the greenhouse and the football pitch?

rosenallis

looksee wrote: »

With a toddler in the garden I would not leave ordinary glass windows - would there be any practical difference in glass with safety film on it and polycarbonate sheet, in terms of use and appearance.

I think glass is far more opaque in appearance and looks better from what i can find online. Poly may go yellow over time also.

Safety, obviously #1 priority here, and poly seems like the option to take but wondering if anyone else has been in the same position!

rosenallis

Deleted User wrote: »

How about replace the single glass and put a trellis between the glass of the greenhouse and the football pitch?

Definitely thinking of trellis gate beside the greenhouse entrance anyway. The lawn area is very small so im not sure about building another structure. (Maybe 5mx8m)

prinzeugen

Poly-carbonate can be as expensive as toughened glass.

Have you thought about perspex?

First thing that came up was this.

http://www.365plastics.ie/3mm-acrylic-perspex-sheet-3050mm-x-2050mm.html

€129 for the 3mm stuff does not seem to bad!

rosenallis

prinzeugen wrote: »

Poly-carbonate can be as expensive as toughened glass.

Have you thought about perspex?

First thing that came up was this.

http://www.365plastics.ie/3mm-acrylic-perspex-sheet-3050mm-x-2050mm.html

€129 for the 3mm stuff does not seem to bad!

I haven't to be honest. I would struggle to explain the difference between the two....

I saw pretty big poly 4mm in B&Q for 45.

prinzeugen

rosenallis wrote: »

I haven't to be honest. I would struggle to explain the difference between the two....

I saw pretty big poly 4mm in B&Q for 45.

Polycarbonate would be the 2-ply stuff with a air gap between. Better insulation but tends to get moss growing in/on it.

Perspex is basically a plastic version of plain old glass.

If you only need to kid/football proof part of the greenhouse, then maybe pop the perspex/poly in the danger zone and use any reusable glass to patch up the other bits?

Shemale

Personally I would go with polycarbonate, my 3 year old is a messer and he has on occassion ran up and kicked the panels not sure glass or perspex are good options, better to be safe imo.

rosenallis

prinzeugen wrote: »

Polycarbonate would be the 2-ply stuff with a air gap between. Better insulation but tends to get moss growing in/on it.

Perspex is basically a plastic version of plain old glass.

If you only need to kid/football proof part of the greenhouse, then maybe pop the perspex/poly in the danger zone and use any reusable glass to patch up the other bits?

The danger zone is pretty much three sides as it's exposed to garden. So will have to saftety proof three sides of glasshouse anyway. The fourth side is against wall.

rosenallis

Shemale wrote: »

Personally I would go with polycarbonate, my 3 year old is a messer and he has on occassion ran up and kicked the panels not sure glass or perspex are good options, better to be safe imo.

Have you done the same yourself with poly? Is it easy to put in place?

Shemale

rosenallis wrote: »

Have you done the same yourself with poly? Is it easy to put in place?

My greenhouse is poly, it is very flexible and strong. My greenhouse had a terrible design(there were bolts under the panels so the wind could get in behind and pop the panels out) so I lost some panels. I ordered more panels, put them in and used strips of wood at the top and bottom to stop the wind getting in behind.

I have lost no panels since and none of the panels have discoloured.

rosenallis

Shemale wrote: »

My greenhouse is poly, it is very flexible and strong. My greenhouse had a terrible design(there were bolts under the panels so the wind could get in behind and pop the panels out) so I lost some panels. I ordered more panels, put them in and used strips of wood at the top and bottom to stop the wind getting in behind.

I have lost no panels since and none of the panels have discoloured.

Do you use the wood as a holder for the poly? Trying to figure out how to attached it the the frame. There's the greenhouse pins attaching the glass so wondering if they will do the job with poly.

Shemale

rosenallis wrote: »

Do you use the wood as a holder for the poly? Trying to figure out how to attached it the the frame. There's the greenhouse pins attaching the glass so wondering if they will do the job with poly.

Sorry I don't now what they look like.

Mine had W clips but the wind could pop them, so I got the strips of wood which I painted with green exterior wood paint and then put a small bolt through the wood, panel and aluminium to hold it firm and I left the clips on the side.

Take a picture of the frame and the pins so I know what you have.

rosenallis

Shemale wrote: »

Sorry I don't now what they look like.

Mine had W clips but the wind could pop them, so I got the strips of wood which I painted with green exterior wood paint and then put a small bolt through the wood, panel and aluminium to hold it firm and I left the clips on the side.

Take a picture of the frame and the pins so I know what you have.

Aluminium frame, W pins as well.

This is effectively it: http://thisisthefirst.com/12378-garden-greenhouse-design/small-garden-greenhouse-design/

prinzeugen

The poly is held in using the w clips as well.

When I worked in Homebase, we sold glazing kits for those greenhouses separately. Not sure if they still do it though.

Poly kits for a 8' x 6' were about €250-300 if I remember. This was back in 2005 so no idea what they cost now.

beer enigma

rosenallis wrote: »

Hi there,

Hoping for some advice...

Toddler now running and kicking ball. We inherited a greenhouse with the old single glazing. About 75% left, 25% broken.

Looking to make safe, and fix the greenhouse to become useable. I think these are my options:

- replace glass with re-inforced glass (expensive!)
- add single glazing panes to where missing panes are and use safety film
- replace all with polycarbonate sheeting.

Final option seems like the best, but seems a shame to take down all the original glass for plastic.

Thoughts?

I replaced the side panels with perspex and its been in place for 2 years without discolouration. I left the roof as glass as the light transference is better and the kids couldn't get to it. I also put a lock on the door - partly to stop the kids getting into in when its hot, but also if the ball did go throught the roof, they couldn't get in to the broken glass to retrieve their ball.

rosenallis

Andip wrote: »

I replaced the side panels with perspex and its been in place for 2 years without discolouration. I left the roof as glass as the light transference is better and the kids couldn't get to it. I also put a lock on the door - partly to stop the kids getting into in when its hot, but also if the ball did go throught the roof, they couldn't get in to the broken glass to retrieve their ball.

I didn't think about keeping the top panels as glass, sound advice