[Roadking]

Not sure the best place for this; could be plant propegation, construction, Alt Energy or families just as it could S&EP.

Friend of mine in construction removed a Florida room this spring and planned to make a greenhouse out of it. That is until he decided it wasn't big enough. Sooo, he asked me if I wanted it. YES! I had been planning on building an attached greenhouse for some time using sliding glass door panels, but the weight was a serious issue. I had just the day before his ofer been checking out farmtek and their attached room for a bit over $2300.

Now, this is a construction method I had never used...aluminum studs wrapped in vinyl. I screwed everything together so we can take it down in the summer if we want to.









This is the first day of sunshine since I finished it so looking forward to seeing if it generates enough heat to circulate it into the house in addition to a greenhouse. It's 11' x 4'. Still have to preety it up a bit.

Matt

 

[TRellis]

Lucky you in being able to acquire one so inexpensively and also that you have somewhere to put it to good use. I am not so lucky. Yet!

But, I am a bit confused. How will it generate much heat to cycle into the house if the eaves are open to the outside and it is not sealed against the siding of the house? Or are you going to seal the joint between the sunroom walls and siding and also close up the eaves?

And of course sealing between the end walls and the house siding will make it difficult take down in the summer, and perhaps a bit unsightly with sealant still hanging on the siding.

Just wondering...

TRellis

 

[Roadking]

Eves are insulated with foam foil board (foil facing in), and it is "attached" to the house via aluminum coil stock notched to match the siding, and then R-30 insulation between the end of the panel and the siding. The greenhouse is technically free standing except for the rafters; 2x8 lag bolted to the exterior house wall.
It is currently 88 degrees in there and 40 degrees outside.
Can't see the insulation, and still want to finish off the eves.
Total cost involved; $58 (not counting the insulation which was leftover from the kitchen make over).

Matt

 

[light rain]

Is it facing south? Can you put some block in there for thermal mass? Do you have a fan pulling the warm air inside?

 

[Roadking]

Yes, south facing. Wife has become VERY interested in trombe walls suddenly, and that is in the works for mass, along with her plantings and benches...it will be tight to work in until I work out new benches, but looking good so far.
currently 94 in there, and 41 outside with wind...can't locate any drafts...yet.

Matt

ETA: the adjacent room is the mud room with a ceiling fan, and two windows and glass door that access the greenhouse, so want to see how well the heat transfers without an additional fan...thermosyphoning in action.

 

[AngieM2]

I really like that. If I get a small house some day, I'd like that idea for passive solar heat in the cool times. Can you put in a few small black painted rocks or barrels of water for the sun to heat by day and they release the heat by night?

 

[scooter]

Looking good!

 

[Roadking]

Planning on a trombe wall...basically black barrels with water stacked.

Matt

 

[AngieM2]

Very good. Keep updating this, or make current threads as I'm interested in seeing how it works.

 

[hickerbillywife]

Looks very nice. This is one I'll be following. It's exactly what I want to do with our covered porch. Are you using some sort of kit for the windows? Will this add extra heat to that part of the house in the summer as well? I have a barn full of old aluminum windows I had been hoping to use for a green house or a small sunroom on our south side but was concerned it might end up looking junky. Yours looks great! Can't wait to see it finished.

 

[Roadking]

Have vent windows for the end walls for summer.
Don't know the manufacturer, just used former construction experience to piece it together. I was never a finish guy, so making it pretty is a work in progress.
Got to 102 and I opened the windows. Heat flowed in and didn't hear the furnace until just now.
Spent the last few hours finishing up my outdoor furnace for my shop. Wood stove tucked into a 150 gallon oil tank for forced hot air heat. I paint cars and do wood work, so don't want a fire inside,but want free heat...lots of pine and scrap wood. Will post that later in alt energy.

Matt

 

[manygoatsnmore]

That looks very much like what I want to do with the south end of my house, Matt. I have a collection of salvaged sliders and windows, just need to figure out my framing for them...of course, I've been planning this for years and STILL haven't done it.

 

[Roadking]

Been planning on this since we bought the place 7 or 8 years ago. One day at a time, you'll get there.

Matt

 

[TRellis]

Pardon my ignorance, but, what exactly is "aluminum coil stock"?

TRellis

 

[7thswan]

Pardon my ignorance, but, what exactly is "aluminum coil stock"?

TRellis

It is used to make all kinds of trim on site. So it is thin and flat and comes in a roll. Pros get large rolls and us reg. people can get smaller rolls for use like what we call Flashing.

 

[Roadking]

Yup, 7th got it.

Matt