Mini glasshouse

Create this smart mini glasshouse from fence palings and a recycled aluminium framed window and finish it off with a rich green woodstain from the Resene Woodsman range.

Download pdf

Ways with wood with Mark Rayner – 56

Difficulty level: Challenging

You will need: an aluminium window with hinged bracket fitting (ours measured approximately 800mm x 800mm), five 1.8m treated fence palings (depending on dimensions of window), 65mm, 45mm and 25mm screws suitable for exterior use, 700mm length of 50mm x 25mm treated battening, coarse sandpaper, exterior pva glue, paintbrush, paint stirrer, pencil, ruler, saw, screwdriver, set square and tape measure. Resene Waterborne Woodsman woodstain tinted to Resene Rangitoto.

To get the look: Mark painted the background shed wall with Resene Lumbersider tinted to Resene Soft Apple.

Other ideas: For a darker effect stain the mini glasshouse with Resene Waterborne Woodsman woodstain tinted to Resene Pitch Black.

Step one
Measure, mark and cut two fence palings in half lengthwise and smooth cut edges with sandpaper. From the full width fence palings, measure four 800mm lengths and two 1000mm lengths. From the half width fence palings, measure and mark six 800mm lengths and two 1000mm lengths using the pencil and set square.

Step two
Cut the fence palings using the pencil lines as a guide. Smooth rough edges with sandpaper. Attach two 800mm (full width) lengths to two 800mm (half width) lengths at right angles, as shown, fixing securely with 65mm screws and PVA glue.

Step three
Attach two 1000mm (full width) lengths to the sides, as shown, to form a frame that fits the window (ours measured 800mm x 800mm). Use a set square to ensure corners are at right angles and fix securely with 65mm screws and PVA glue.

Step four
Attach two 800mm (half width) lengths to two 1000mm (half width) lengths, as shown, to create a second frame. Again, ensure corners are at right angles and then fix securely with 65mm screws and PVA glue.

Step five
Place the second frame on top of the first frame and fix at each inner corner with a 175mm piece of battening, attaching securely with 45mm screws and PVA glue.

Step six
Place the two remaining 800mm (half width) lengths across the back and fix securely with 65mm screws and PVA glue. Attach the two remaining 800mm (full width) lengths to form the two central shelves as shown, running a line of PVA glue along the back edge of each. Fix securely at each side with 65mm screws and PVA glue.

Step seven
Turn the unit over and fix the back of each shelf to the corresponding support using 65mm screws. Fix two 175mm lengths of (half width) fence paling centrally to the inner top and bottom of the unit, fixing with 45mm screws and PVA glue. Fix the window into position, attaching each hinged bracket with 25mm screws.

Step eight
Apply two coats of Resene Rangitoto to the mini glasshouse allowing two hours for each coat to dry. Position the mini glasshouse on a level surface against a fence or shed wall and attach securely at the top with two screws – this will keep the unit stable when the window is fully open.