Greenhouses v. Polytunnels
 

On Nov 4, 4:59 pm, Martin wrote:
On Sun, 04 Nov 2007 16:10:41 GMT, Stuart Noble
wrote:





Martin wrote:
On Sun, 4 Nov 2007 13:09:31 +0000, Janet Tweedy
wrote:

In article , Sacha
writes

Apropos the remark above about painting the greenhouse every 2 years, isn't
it possible to buy teak ones that won't need painting? I'm sure they must
cost more but perhaps there's a saving in the long run if all that's needed
is a slosh of oil over the wood?

Ha! Sloshing oil over the wood of an Alton greenhouse takes as much time
and energy s painting the thing Sacha . I did mine very year since 1979
but it now has a sagging roof and all the base pieces are rotten, the
glass slides off if you don't put your own screws on the end to hold
them in and I think the roof panes are now dangerous as they could slide
off if the screw come out of the rotting wood up on top.
For some reason Alton rest the panes on a, (well for non technical
people such as me) plank of wood running along the length of the
greenhouse, with about 2 inches exposed, so.............. the rain comes
off the roof straight on to the wood.

For some years now we've been treating the teak on our boat with Burgess Wood
Sealer. Other than that it turns a dark brown after about a year, it has worked
very well.

Real teak is resinous and water resistant to start with. It would be a
mighty expensive way to build a greenhouse

The surface of real teak needs looking after. My real teak is 34 years old
--

Martin- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I used to have real teak and I oiled it every year - alas I don't have
it any longer.

Judith

Greenhouses v. Polytunnels
 

On 4 Nov, 10:16, "judith.lea" wrote:
On Nov 4, 4:59 pm, Martin wrote:
On Sun, 04 Nov 2007 16:10:41 GMT, Stuart Noble
wrote:

Martin wrote:
On Sun, 4 Nov 2007 13:09:31 +0000, Janet Tweedy
wrote:

In article , Sacha
writes

Apropos the remark above about painting the greenhouse every 2 years, isn't
[....]

Ha! Sloshing oil over the wood of an Alton greenhouse takes as much time
and energy s painting the thing Sacha . I did mine very year since 1979
but it now has a sagging roof and all the base pieces are rotten, the
[....]

For some years now we've been treating the teak on our boat with Burgess Wood
Sealer. Other than that it turns a dark brown after about a year, it has worked
very well.

Real teak is resinous and water resistant to start with. It would be a
mighty expensive way to build a greenhouse

The surface of real teak needs looking after. My real teak is 34 years old
--

Martin- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I used to have real teak and I oiled it every year - alas I don't have
it any longer.

Judith

About 20 years ago I "finished" a gazillion
board-feet of ordinary pine and some plywood
with "Watco Dark Walnut Oil Stain" which was
advertised to "oxidize" the outer layers of
the wood as it sealed the surface.
I can't find it now on 3W, but perhaps it
has been renamed Watco Danish Oil, which I do
find...
Anyhow I can't recommend it highly enough:
After 20 years even the pieces that have been
constantly exposed to the sun/wind/rain,
although now dulled, still display a beautiful
depth and emphasis to the underlying grain
Last week I had occasion to cut-up one of the
boards with a skil-saw to provide extra inside
shelves for a cabinet. It went well until I
reached the final 3/8 inch of the cut (every cut!)
where the edge literally exploded: the wood was so
*hardened* by the oxidizing stain that the saw
*could*not*cut* that outgoing-edge without it
splintering explosively. I always had trouble
driving nails into it, usually needing pilot
holes, but I'm flabbergasted that it is so
hardened that a circular saw couldn't cut it.

I give Watco my highest possible recommendation.

P.S. It remains completely weatherproof and
rot-free. Even the pieces I have sealing the
gaps around my window air-conditioner, which
is fully exposed to South and West sunlight,
and our frequent (Seattle) rainstorms. (I'm
sure by choosing the darker color I also get
extra protection from ultraviolet rays.)

Greenhouses v. Polytunnels
 

Thank you very much to all you kind folk who offered their opinions re.
Greenhouses v. polytunnels, I am sorry that I have been so long answering
but I have my 6 month old granddaughter staying with us and every day is a
joy with her around us.
I have however decided that I will settle for the biggest greenhouse that I
can get, the bigger the better :-) We are still moving to Scotland but have
not decided exactly where as yet, it needs to be in commuting distance of
Edinburgh so I am hoping that the gardening conditions will not be too
different from Gloucestershire, famous last words maybe, thanks again

kate

Greenhouses v. Polytunnels
 

On Thu, 8 Nov 2007 15:44:30 +0000, Kate Morgan wrote
(in article ):

Thank you very much to all you kind folk who offered their opinions re.
Greenhouses v. polytunnels, I am sorry that I have been so long answering
but I have my 6 month old granddaughter staying with us and every day is a
joy with her around us.
I have however decided that I will settle for the biggest greenhouse that I
can get, the bigger the better :-) We are still moving to Scotland but have
not decided exactly where as yet, it needs to be in commuting distance of
Edinburgh so I am hoping that the gardening conditions will not be too
different from Gloucestershire, famous last words maybe, thanks again



You could always look here for inspiration :-)
http://www.transglobal-emporium.com/products/greenhouse-calendar/index.html

--
Sally in Shropshire, UK
Burne-Jones/William Morris window in Shropshire church with conservation
churchyard:
http://www.whitton-stmarys.org.uk

Greenhouses v. Polytunnels
 

snip


You could always look here for inspiration :-)
http://www.transglobal-emporium.com/products/greenhouse-calendar/index.html

--
Sally in Shropshire, UK
Burne-Jones/William Morris window in Shropshire church with conservation
churchyard:
http://www.whitton-stmarys.org.uk


nice one Sally, thanks for that :-)