How to Build a Greenhouse from Recycled Windows

Repurpose old glass windows and doors by assembling them into a beautiful greenhouse.

Source: Mother Earth News | by Gary And Gina Blocker

We garden, can, and preserve as much food as possible each year. We wanted a greenhouse to grow plants from seed and have fresh vegetables in the winter. However, we didn’t want to spend big money for a prefabricated structure. Instead, we came up with the idea to salvage and repurpose old windows, doors, and scrap lumber for our own “green” greenhouse.

Our first job was to find old windows and doors. We searched local papers, asked friends, and visited sites where houses were being remodeled or demolished.

Greenhouse Construction

When we had what we thought would be enough windows and old sliding glass doors for our planned 10-by-10-foot greenhouse, we laid out the windows in the yard like a puzzle so that we could determine their placement on each wall.

Construction began with us building the frame and the support structure for the roof. Then, we attached the windows and doors to the frame. Finally, we painted and sealed the entire structure.