Coldframes

I've seen some websites that offer practical advice about making coldframes, but as a DIY disaster area, would you rather buy or make one. Any advice welcome!!

 

My method is to go to a local window fitting/glaziers Co who remove old horizontal sliding, secondary glazing frames and for the price of a pint take my pick.
Then build a brick/timber frame to support it on,then rattle in a few screws to hold it fast.
I'm getting one this week I hope and will probably use turf being dug up next door as the support frame...not that I'm tight you understand but I do believe in recycling :D

 

Thank you Paladin, I'll have no problem charming the pants off the local builders for old glazing, though I doubt my skills go as far as building the entire frame. I'll let you all know!!!

 

I'd rather make one LC, but unless you have a source like Paladin of cheap 'bits' or like me a pile of timber you've been storing 'just in case', you might find it cheaper to buy a cheap and cheerful flat pack from BQ.
My 20 year old wooden sided cold frame has finally collapsed, but the cover a very old 4 foot by 5 foot sash window obtained from the local joiner is still intact and will be RE-re-cycled.
A great place to shop for your gardening hardware is your local skip. Sadly ours has now gone, but not before it provided two petrol powered lawn powered mowers, about a 1000m of bailer twine and a fair bit of constructional timber plus a few other goodies.

 

to simplyfy construction make the top 1/3 a fixed light, then hinge the lower portion

 

Thank you everyone for the advice. I'm going to take the plunge and make one. As a member of Freecycle - a builder has just posted lots of wood that he wants to get rid of, so hopefully he'll have a window sash lying about too. Again, thankyou.

 

You could try your local council tip. Things like double glazed panels are sometimes seperated and sold off for a few pence at mine.

 

Thanks Peter, but Freecycle is trying to minimise the stuff people take to landfill. We're doing our bit for the environment and there is lots of useful items people no longer want that are in excellent condition. All free too! If you want to look to see if there is an active forum in your area do a 'google' for freecycle and take a look. Happy times!

 

Freecycle sounds a good idea - I had never heard of it. I have just found there is one for my town, so I tried to sign up. But you had to do it through Yahoo, giving your full name, postcode and e-mail address. That is a unique identification - so I opted not to join - shame though.

Now if they had a section for plants. :D :D :D