I've a 4ft by 4ft windo that I am planning to use to make a cold frame. I
intend to concrete the floor then on this lay bricks to a height of 15cm at
the front and 55cm at the back giving a slope on the window (roof).

Does this sound adequate for height, we are new gardners and builders and
see it being used for seedlings to go on into the veg plot. Would a deeper
cold frame be an advantage for other plants?

On the building side would I need to add plastiser to the mortar and use a
DPC?

thanks for any tips,

Dave

Dave P wrote:
I've a 4ft by 4ft windo that I am planning to use to make a cold frame. I
intend to concrete the floor then on this lay bricks to a height of 15cm at
the front and 55cm at the back giving a slope on the window (roof).

Does this sound adequate for height, we are new gardners and builders and
see it being used for seedlings to go on into the veg plot. Would a deeper
cold frame be an advantage for other plants?

On the building side would I need to add plastiser to the mortar and use a
DPC?

thanks for any tips,

Dave



I wouldn't bother with a DPC, and as for plasticiser, just stick some
fairy liquid in the mix, it does the same job.

"Dave P" wrote in message
...
I've a 4ft by 4ft windo that I am planning to use to make a cold frame. I
intend to concrete the floor then on this lay bricks to a height of 15cm
at
the front and 55cm at the back giving a slope on the window (roof).

Does this sound adequate for height, we are new gardners and builders and
see it being used for seedlings to go on into the veg plot. Would a deeper
cold frame be an advantage for other plants?

How tall are your plants going to grow before it gets warm enough to put
outside? If crowded they may change their growth pattern.

On the building side would I need to add plastiser to the mortar and use a
DPC?

I just used a putty gun and filled in the openings against the house. I
also bought some thin stryofoam insulation and lined the inside of the box.
Then I got some plastic jugs, filled them with water and lined them around
the walls to help with the heating during the night time.

Good luck. Dwayne

thanks for any tips,

Dave

"Dave P" wrote in message
...
I've a 4ft by 4ft windo that I am planning to use to make a cold frame. I
intend to concrete the floor then on this lay bricks to a height of 15cm
at
the front and 55cm at the back giving a slope on the window (roof).

Does this sound adequate for height, we are new gardners and builders and
see it being used for seedlings to go on into the veg plot. Would a deeper
cold frame be an advantage for other plants?

On the building side would I need to add plastiser to the mortar and use a
DPC?


I can't see any merit in incorporating a dpc into the design, unless the
frame is to be butted up to the house wall above the house dpc level, in
which case you should incorporate a vertical dpc into the design, at the
joint with the house, to prevent damp bridging the dpc.

Personally, I wouldn't bother too much about plasticiser in the mortar for
this use, either, you're not building a house :-)

"Dave P" wrote in message
...
I've a 4ft by 4ft windo that I am planning to use to make a cold frame. I
intend to concrete the floor then on this lay bricks to a height of 15cm
at
the front and 55cm at the back giving a slope on the window (roof).

Does this sound adequate for height, we are new gardners and builders and
see it being used for seedlings to go on into the veg plot. Would a deeper
cold frame be an advantage for other plants?

On the building side would I need to add plastiser to the mortar and use a
DPC?

thanks for any tips,

Dave

Concrete floor is probably a bit OTT. I would just use a separation membrane
with some sort of gravel on top.

Rod

"Rod" wrote in message
...

"Dave P" wrote in message
...
I've a 4ft by 4ft windo that I am planning to use to make a cold frame.
I
intend to concrete the floor then on this lay bricks to a height of 15cm
at
the front and 55cm at the back giving a slope on the window (roof).

Does this sound adequate for height, we are new gardners and builders
and
see it being used for seedlings to go on into the veg plot. Would a
deeper
cold frame be an advantage for other plants?

On the building side would I need to add plastiser to the mortar and use
a
DPC?

thanks for any tips,

Dave

Concrete floor is probably a bit OTT. I would just use a separation
membrane
with some sort of gravel on top.


Good point - I've done the latter, and it worked fine.

On Mon, 27 Jan 2003 19:03:41 -0000, Rod wrote:

On the building side would I need to add plastiser to the mortar
and use a DPC?

Concrete floor is probably a bit OTT. I would just use a separation
membrane with some sort of gravel on top.

The DPC seems a bit OTT as well for a cold frame, unless as has
already been pointed out, the structure would bridge the DPC of
another. Not sure I like the idea of vertical DPC though, I think that
could trap moisture that ran down the wall. Best to leave a gap of at
least a bricks width IMHO.

--
Cheers
Dave. Remove "spam" for valid email.

Concrete floor is probably a bit OTT. I would just use a separation
membrane
with some sort of gravel on top.


Good point - I've done the latter, and it worked fine.



Thanks for the tips.

Dave

On Mon, 27 Jan 2003 12:34:35 -0000, "Dave P"
wrote:

I've a 4ft by 4ft windo that I am planning to use to make a cold frame. I
intend to concrete the floor then on this lay bricks to a height of 15cm at
the front and 55cm at the back giving a slope on the window (roof).

I'm sure you've thought of this, but please cast a critical eye over
the location of this coldframe and make sure that it isn't possible
for children to trip and fall into the glass.
--
Stuart Baldwin
news\at/boxatrix\dot/co\dot/uk

"Dave P" wrote in message
...

Concrete floor is probably a bit OTT. I would just use a separation
membrane
with some sort of gravel on top.


Good point - I've done the latter, and it worked fine.



Thanks for the tips.

Dave

I bought a cheapie cold frame from Dobbies, about £25 if I remember
correctly.. It is an upright with 3 shelves rather than a flat one. I can
take out the shelves to allow the plants height and it is covered in
polythene

Maybe if you have a look it might help you to decide about your own

HTH

Ophelia

"Dave P" wrote in message ...

I built 4 wooden frames recently - they may not last as long as brick
ones but they were much faster to complete and can be moved to where
ever I want them.

I've just looked at my sketches and see that I have 15" at the back
and 12" at the front, over a 4ft span. I'm glad to see that you also
mix you units !
This height gives me enough height to grow on seedlings and then plant
out my courgette plants.

Be aware that a 16 sq ft window will be heavy - OK for keeping down if
it is windy, but you'e ging to have to lift it. The other thing is
that at 4 x 4 ft you will have to step into the frame to get at
things.

As regards the brickwork - there s so little weight on it, I would do
what I've done on a low wall and that is to just use concrete blocks
laid on their side and cemented together for the foundation. I got
chipped blocks which were cheap.

Rob


I've a 4ft by 4ft windo that I am planning to use to make a cold frame. I
intend to concrete the floor then on this lay bricks to a height of 15cm at
the front and 55cm at the back giving a slope on the window (roof).

Does this sound adequate for height, we are new gardners and builders and
see it being used for seedlings to go on into the veg plot. Would a deeper
cold frame be an advantage for other plants?

On the building side would I need to add plastiser to the mortar and use a
DPC?

thanks for any tips,

Dave

"BAC" wrote in message
...

"Dave P" wrote in message
...
I've a 4ft by 4ft windo that I am planning to use to make a cold frame.
I
intend to concrete the floor then on this lay bricks to a height of 15cm
at
the front and 55cm at the back giving a slope on the window (roof).

Does this sound adequate for height, we are new gardners and builders
and
see it being used for seedlings to go on into the veg plot. Would a
deeper
cold frame be an advantage for other plants?

On the building side would I need to add plastiser to the mortar and use
a
DPC?


I can't see any merit in incorporating a dpc into the design, unless the
frame is to be butted up to the house wall above the house dpc level, in
which case you should incorporate a vertical dpc into the design, at the
joint with the house, to prevent damp bridging the dpc.

Personally, I wouldn't bother too much about plasticiser in the mortar for
this use, either, you're not building a house :-)


Best plasticiser for small job use is a squirt of washing up liquid in the
mix.

Steve

"Dave Liquorice" wrote in message
ill.network...
On Mon, 27 Jan 2003 19:03:41 -0000, Rod wrote:

On the building side would I need to add plastiser to the mortar
and use a DPC?

Concrete floor is probably a bit OTT. I would just use a separation
membrane with some sort of gravel on top.

The DPC seems a bit OTT as well for a cold frame, unless as has
already been pointed out, the structure would bridge the DPC of
another. Not sure I like the idea of vertical DPC though, I think that
could trap moisture that ran down the wall. Best to leave a gap of at
least a bricks width IMHO.


I agree it would be better to leave a gap, but IMO, if the structure is to
be butted to an existing house wall, with the top of the frame brickwork
above house dpc level, and without incorporation of a horizontal dpc at same
height as the house dpc, a vertical dpc at the junction would help prevent
rising damp bridging the house dpc via the cold frame's brickwork. No dpc is
going to prevent rainwater getting on the external bricks above dpc level.
Treating the exposed bricks with a water sealant (encouraging water to run
off the surface rather than soak into the bricks) might help, if the design
of the 'lid' doesn't protect the adjacent brickwork.

wrote in message
...
On Mon, 27 Jan 2003 12:34:35 -0000, "Dave P"
wrote:

I've a 4ft by 4ft windo that I am planning to use to make a cold frame. I
intend to concrete the floor then on this lay bricks to a height of 15cm
at
the front and 55cm at the back giving a slope on the window (roof).

I'm sure you've thought of this, but please cast a critical eye over
the location of this coldframe and make sure that it isn't possible
for children to trip and fall into the glass.
--
Stuart Baldwin
news\at/boxatrix\dot/co\dot/uk

Thanks for this tip. I hadn't thought of it but as it happens its behind a
gate.

Dave

On Mon, 27 Jan 2003 12:34:35 -0000, "Dave P"
wrote:

I've a 4ft by 4ft windo that I am planning to use to make a cold frame. I
intend to concrete the floor then on this lay bricks to a height of 15cm at
the front and 55cm at the back giving a slope on the window (roof).

Does this sound adequate for height, we are new gardners and builders and
see it being used for seedlings to go on into the veg plot. Would a deeper
cold frame be an advantage for other plants?

On the building side would I need to add plastiser to the mortar and use a
DPC?

thanks for any tips,

Dave


I made a stand up one out of some bits of battening and a poly sheet
(sold as a dustsheet or dpm I think).
Not last for ever but it does the job. :-)


Mark S.