Portable cold frame

Step one
Measure your window and cut the 190mm x 20mm timber into 10 side lengths: five that are equal to the length of your window and five that are 60mm shorter than the width of your window.

Step two
Cut one of the shorter side lengths in half diagonally, as shown.

Step three
Lay out two side lengths and two side widths to form a box. Stand the vertical supports in each corner of the box as shown, with the two 540mm supports at the back corners. Screw the sides to the vertical supports.

Step four
Repeat to create a second level to the timber box frame, again screwing the sides to the vertical supports.

Step five
For the third level, screw the last side length to the two longer vertical supports. Attach the two sloping side boards (from Step 2) along the short sides of the timber frame to create a sloped top edge, as shown.

Step six
Prepare your old window by removing any hardware (such as handles) from the window frame. Next, clean the window frame with Resene Paint Prep and Housewash. Rinse thoroughly with fresh water. If necessary, sand or scrape off any flaking paint.

Step seven
Apply two coats of Resene Kwila Timber Stain to all sides of the timber frame. Allow to dry between coats.

Step eight
Prime the window frame with Resene Quick Dry primer and allow to dry.

Step nine
Use a cutting-in brush to apply a coat of Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss waterborne enamel tinted to Resene Palm Leaf to the window frame. Allow to dry before applying a second coat.

Step ten
Use a glass scraper to remove any paint that has ended up on the glass.

Step eleven
Screw a handle onto each short side of the timber frame so you can move your cold frame around, ensuring it is centred and aligned with the top of the second side level.

Step twelve
Place the window on top of the timber frame, ensuring it’s aligned along each edge. Then, attach the two hinges to the back of both the box frame and the window frame.