Build a Greenhouse from Old Windows!
Even though the first day of Spring was in March, the physical manifestations of warmer/sunnier/frost-free days sometimes don't arrive in Portland until mid-May. But for those of you itching to get some greens into your garden (or just get an early start on your garden starts), the perfect solution could be adding a greenhouse to your home.
There are numerous types of greenhouses available, commercially, if you've got the money but not the time. Polytunnels, lean-tos, prefabs, greenhouse kits, and the like dominate the market. But if you're short on cash, have even the most basic of DIY skills, and have borderline hoarding tendencies, you can build your own custom greenhouse for a fraction of the cost.
First, start collecting old windows and doors, as well as any salvaged 2x4s you can find! Portland's "free strips," also known as "verges" (the strip of grass or plants, and sometimes also trees, located between a roadway and a sidewalk) are filled with finds from homeowners looking to keep building supplies out of the city dump. If you don't have the patience to wait around for free ones to appear, you can also purchase used windows, doors, and building materials at many reclaim/salvage stores around town.
Once you've acquired your windows and doors, start plotting them out. Lay them on the ground, take some measurements, and figure out how to best connect them together with 2x4s. Consider using wider planks of wood for the base or even salvaged bricks (if you can find some). Make sure you sketch everything out, with dimensions, before moving on to the build itself.
Once you've got your plans in order, it's time to build the frame. For any wood that will be coming into direct contact with the ground, use pressure-treated lumber. Using nails to hammer everything in place will be a less expensive option, but for stability and ease of disassembling, consider wood screws. Finally, don't forget to consider the roof! Whether building a lean-to-style or coupled roof, build for the type of sun/warmth you'll need for your greenhouse.
Once the frame is built, add the windows. Drawing a simple diagram/plans and labeling your windows will make putting everything together much easier. With windows and doors in place, consider adding corrugated plastic roof panels, which will withstand Portland's sudden bursts of hail and graupel during cold seasons. Once your greenhouse is assembled, you can paint, decorate, and/or add whatever siding you'd like, to help add style and durability to your build.
The greenhouse pictured here cost approximately $400 to build, using mostly found materials (windows and door), supplemented by salvage lumber (found and purchased), and newly purchased hardware (again, screws will cost more than nails). Optional add-ons can include gardening shade cloths and fans (to help keep the greenhouse cool during the hottest parts of the day), a potting station, running water, and/or electricity. You are only limited by your imagination... and your budget!
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About Us
Hippo Hardware is an eclectic building salvage store specializing in hardware, lighting, architecture and plumbing from 1860-1960. We offer assorted collectibles, trinkets, whatnots, and whoziwhatsits depending on what we get in. The spirit of Hippo Hardware is to rejoice in the individual, the unique, and the original.
Hippo Hardware was officially established in 1976 after the founders Steven Miller and Stephen Oppenheim decided to turn a life of swashbuckling adventures into a second life of swashbuckling adventures. We live in the local, even for our customers far away. That means you will probably hear a story about burying a Porsche in a state park while you are asking about a faucet or meet Fred the shop dog while you're paying for a light fixture. We strongly support community projects, teachers, artists, adventurers, dreamers, and one-man-bands.
If you're looking for a hard to find hardware pattern or can't find the match to your lamp shade, we'd be happy to tell you if we have it, seen it, or know where you could get it.
To make sure you get what you need, we offer the following services:- Lighting and Lamp Repair - We have a fully UL certified lighting repair shop. We can repair and rewire most vintage or antique fixtures. You may want to call or e-mail if it's newer, but we can sometimes fix those too. Shop prices are $80/hour plus parts.
- Customizing - We do our best to make sure it looks just right. Our lighting shop can customize length, finishes, plating, and configuration. Our plumbing department will coordinate refinishing with local companies. The hardware department is able to darken, refinish, clean, and rebuild. Our services can vary depending on staff so please contact us with your project details.
- Returns - Accepted for any reason within 2 weeks of purchase. That means if it doesn't fit, if your sweetheart doesn't like it, if it doesn't match your paint scheme. Receipt required. Returned to you the way you paid and items MUST be in original packaging and condition. Defective or damaged items will not be eligible for a refund.
- If your items were shipped: Shipping refunded only in the case of defective items. Hippo does not refund original OR return shipping cost.
- Online shopping - Conveniently browse our online section of items! Please note: our online section is much smaller than our store selection, we do offer returns for online purchases but do not refund original shipping or provide return shipping. We ship on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.
- Trade in - Bring in what you have and we will offer you in store credit or cash. Email pictures first if you'd like to talk about it before you get here.
- Mortise lock repair - Hippo is the only hardware store in Portland that offers full mortise lock repair--including French Door mortises and closet mortises! Our repair shop can diagnose and repair your mortise lock or perhaps we have a replacement if a repair is not an option. Shop prices are $80/hour. Please call our store and ask for Colin to speak about your repair!
Hippo Hardware has three glorious floors and 30,000 sq feet of building salvage to explore. Our inventory, and staff, is divided into four departments: Hardware, Lighting, Plumbing, and Architecture. We do our best to highlight our inventory full of unique items and reproductions on our website, but most of our stock is not online yet. Please contact us if you're looking for something you don't see here.
We donate to: NARAL, Planned Parenthood, Portland Women's Crisis Line, Benson High School, Sunnyside Environmental School, Junk to Funk Recycled Fashion Show, SE Works, Vision Northwest, Multnomah Playschool, Union Gospel Mission, Community House, The Friendly House, Marylhurst Childhood Center, Portland Lions Club, Sabin Elementary School, Oya No Kai supporting the Japanese Magnet Program, Lee Owen Stone Preschool, Public Interest Law Project, Jefferson High School for the Performing Arts Theater Department, imago Theater, Reynolds High School, David Douglas High School, and Milagro Theater.
Diane
October 14, 2022
Very cool!