Handmade Greenhouse

Fancy Greenhouse

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I made this oak-built greenhouse because when you look after a large garden, you need somewhere to keep your baby plants.

Where I live, it’s extremely hard to find a timber supplier that specialises in hardwoods. Everywhere seems to sell CLS (Canadian Lumber Stock) and treated softwoods. There is nothing wrong with that, but when it comes to making a really pretty greenhouse, it’s the wrong timber.

So I decided to use the ubiquitous oak ‘railway’ sleepers. I put the word railway in single quotes because these were never designed for railway use. They are used to make garden walls, benches and other features.

Luckily, I have the tools to machine this difficult-to-use natural resource.

Making The Frame

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I started by ripping the ‘railway sleepers’ down to lengths of around 50mm square (2 x 2). These formed the frame and roof.

After that, I used the offcuts to make the thicker and curved sections of the door. The curve was simply made by drawing it with a trammel — a piece of wood screwed at one end — and then cutting it out with my bandsaw.

Stained Glass Windows

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The stained-glass windows were rescued from old, rotten doors. I fitted them by rebating the wood and then fitting a 10mm (¼ inch) bead in front of them.

Below that, I cut very thin strips to create a panel and fitted the panels all around the structure in the same way as the windows.

The Door

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The door was attached with standard ornate ironmongery.

Floor

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Inside, I built a little diamond-shaped patio to keep with the whimsical theme of the structure. leaving soil each side for plants to be added later.

Behind the greenhouse, I placed weed membrane and 50mm (2") of gravel to keep the weeds at bay.

Shelving

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The shelves were made from more of the same 50mm timber, cut in half through the middle.

Windows

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I built my own custom windows, hinged in the middle so they could be opened easily from the inside.

Perspex

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Instead of glass, I used clear Perspex for safety.

Carved Oak

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I finished the top off by removing the spike I had made and carving a custom tulip motif from some of the leftover timber.

Hanging Baskets

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I added hanging basket brackets to support plastic guttering made from old downpipe and, of course, hanging baskets too.

Shiplap Wall

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Here’s a photo of the inside. I covered the back wall with shiplap cladding because it was up against the fence and no light would get through anyway.

Bonus Project

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This is a bonus photo. At the same time as making the greenhouse, I made a trellis for plants to grow against, using my old shed frame.

The Finished Greenhouse

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Once it was oiled and filled with plants, my partner immediately fell in love with it.

I hope you enjoyed this project. Feel free to read my other posts, and don’t forget to follow me on my socials.