26 Amazing Greenhouses Made From Salvaged Windows (2024)

Calling all used awning windows, bay windows, storm doors, and clerestoriesback to service.

1) Recycled Window Greenhouse, Minnesota

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Greenhouse made from recycled windows by Jan and Ed Vitse of New Look Floral (a garden and floral business) in Rochester, MN. This little gem, made from recycled windows was built in 2003. The structure is 12 feet long by 6 1/2 wide, and 10 1/2 feet tall.

2) Tinker House, Indiana

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Donna Reyne of Indiana built Tinker House from reclaimed doors, windows and millwork from a home renovation. The doors are old pocketdoors on slides, slid open in this photo.

3) Recycled Window And Tile Greenhouse, Texas

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Old window greenhouse by Karla and Steve Ritchey of McKinney, Texas. Used Mexican roofing tiles from a mansion in Fort Worth frame thehydrangea and variegated liriope-filled flower bed.

4) Recycled Windows And Doors Greenhouse, Texas

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Re-purposed windows and doors. Linda J. ofMcKinney, Texas built this greenhouse using old windows and french doors. It has a chandelier inside and icicle lights that set it off at night. Originally found at “https://www.hometalk.com/455305/re-purposed-windows-and-doors”

5) Greenhouse With Materials From The Neighbors

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Old window greenhouse, using recycled windows from one neighbor who was replacing all the windows on her house, and a couple of old doors from another neighbor who was getting new ones installed.

Must-Haves For Greenhouse Owners

Potting Soil

Seedling Heat Mats

6) Montana Greenhouse

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Greenhouse from recycled materials by Montana Wildlife Gardener. To see additional information on building a greenhouse, visit their site for pictures and information on each step of the process.

7) Greenhouse From The Piny Woods Of Texas

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Built with reused materials, the owner also incorporated trellises for vining plants.

8) Old Window Greenhouse

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Old window greenhouse by Lucy and Stephen Marr. Photos by Todd Selby attheselby.com.

9) Old Window Greenhouse, Asheville, NC

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Kathy of Moss & Twigs in Asheville built this greenhouse from old windows she’d collected over the years.

10) Greenhouse From Donated Windows

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Neighbors donated used windows for this greenhouse. It was built to fit the windows, without plans. It has 3 sliding windows for ventilation.

11) Salvaged Wood Greenhouse, San Francisco

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Greenhouse by Jesse Schlesinger at The General Store, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

12) Old Window Greenhouse, Ohio

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A mom in Northeast Ohio made this greenhouse from old windows.


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13) 45-Window Greenhouse, North Carolina

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Greenhouse built from 45 old windows from all different places. Some bought most donated. Wanted to keep the shabby chic, vintage look so added Mason jars lights with Edison bulbs inside. The owner/builders Eric and Elizabeth love garden veggies and wanted to be able to do it year-round, and threw in flowers for pops of color. No plan, just started building and this is what it became. Lincolnton, NC.

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During construction of the above greenhouse in NC. Greenhouse turned out to be 10′ x 15′. Interior shelves were built from pallets. Gutters collect rainwater runoff. By Eric and Elizabeth.

14) Small Re-Used Window Greenhouse

This Instagram post is a great reminder of how a greenhouse doesn’t have to be large. A small greenhouse can be easily built with a few windows for herbs year-round.

15) Asian-Influenced Greenhouse

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Tall greenhouse with an Asian influence, bywww.fadedprairie.com.

16) Recycled Window Home In Copenhagen

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Glass house Made from recycled windows in Copenhagen’s 40-year-old Freetown Christiania Commune. Considered “architecture without architects” there is a strong political will to tear the houses down—they are illegal, follow no building code, have no permit. Image by Seier + Seier via Flickr.

17) Salvaged Window And Door Greenhouse, Ontario

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A gardener in Ontario built this 10×16 greenhouse. She used salvaged windows for the glass, and salvaged doors. Half of the floor is an old deck, the other half is discounted paving stone.

18) Garden Shed

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Reclaimed window garden shed. Photo via downsizemyspace.com

19) Small Greenhouse From Old Windows

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Old window cold frame. Photo via downsizemyspace.com

20) Cold Frame From Old Windows, South Carolina

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Adina and Walter of Campobello, South Carolina designed and built this cold frame using an old window.

21) Small Greenhouse

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Small greenhouse from 3 storm windows exactly the same size. Love this! Instead of using her find of 3 old storm windows for a low cold frame, Anne decided to go upward.

22) Greenhouse From Salvaged Doors

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Old door greenhouse by Tara Dillard. Love this. Just attach old doors to a side of your home.

23) Lloyd Kahn Greenhouse, With Adobe Walls

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Greenhouse built by Lloyd Kahn with used windows. Says Lloyd: “The rear wall consists of stabilized adobe bricks made with a CinvaRam, a compression tool I learned about in the ’60s from the Whole Earth Catalog. There’s a solar-powered fan for cooling and a small solar-powered trickling fountain inside. Note: using old windows like this requires a lot of time puttying and/or painting.” Lloyd’s latest book is Tiny Homes: Simple Shelter. For more info, see: www.shelterpub.com

24) Greenhouse Made From Leftover Building Materials

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Recycled window greenhouse by Holly Willgress and Fraser Koroluk of Bella Coola, B.C.. In the process of renovations with a new roof and third floor added onto their lodge, they had a lot of old and leftover building materials. They maintain a “no new stuff” theme to their backyard. Originally found at bcmountainlodge.com

25) Greenhouse InRockwood, Tennessee

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This greenhouse was constructed by Amy Moore with reused windows for walls, and a foundation made of old railroad timber. An assortment of wood planks were used for the frame.

26) Asymmetrical Salvaged Wood And Window Greenhouse

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Recycled window greenhouse by artist Shannon Rankin and friend.

27) Tall Old Window Greenhouse, Washington State

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Old window greenhouse by Angela Davis of Washington State. Read more aboout it on her blog Gardening in My Rubber Boots.

28) Old Windows Frame A Clear-Awning Roof

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A clear-awning roof allows lots of light to enter this greenhouse made from lots of different old windows.

29) Greenhouse From Salvaged School Windows

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Sara of Davison, Illinois made this garden shed from windows salvaged from an old school.

30) Old Window Greenhouse From Mooresville, Tennessee

The greenhouse above uses a larger amount of wood in the design to reduce the amount of windows needed in construction.

How to Build an Old Window Greenhouse: Supplies

A few ideas on how to get the materials you’ll need.

  • Ask your neighbors: They may have old windows sitting in their garage they’d be happy to get rid of.
  • ReStores:A nationwide chain of used building material stores run by Habitat for Humanity.
  • Architectural salvage stores: Such as the online salvage store Olde Good Things.
  • Salvage yards: You can look for one in your area.
  • Antique stores: Omero A Well Traveled Home is one of the antique stores you can find online.
  • Craigslist:To look for items for sale in your area.
  • Freecycle:A collaborative effort to reuse materials by exchanging reusable items for free.

How to Build an Old Window Greenhouse: Online Resources

The Best Greenhouse And Gardening Books

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26 Amazing Greenhouses Made From Salvaged Windows (2024)

FAQs

Do old windows make good greenhouses? ›

Don't get rid of them just yet. One of the best things you can do is to make your own greenhouse from old windows! While it's not the most common home renovation project, the months of staying in due to the pandemic have led to a surge of homeowners taking up gardening.

Can you make a greenhouse with single pane windows? ›

All in all, single pane glass greenhouses are a good choice for gardeners who will not be heating the greenhouse or who strongly desire an aesthetically pleasing greenhouse.

Can you build a greenhouse from scratch? ›

Many hardware stores sell building kits for standard greenhouses you can build yourself. If you want something bigger or more customized, you may want to hire a professional.

Do glass greenhouses get too hot in summer? ›

Whether they are constructed with glass or plastic, greenhouses can get very hot during the summer months. So, to give your plants the warmth they need but also protect them from the heat, it's important to keep the greenhouse cool.

How do you insulate a window greenhouse? ›

Insulating Your Greenhouse
  1. Bubble wrap can be used to insulate greenhouses.
  2. A blanket of snow can provide supplementary insulation.
  3. Bubble wrap can be laid over plants for additional insulation.
  4. Plastic bottles can be recycled as mini cloches within your greenhouse.
  5. Recycle polystyrene boxes to insulate trays of seedlings.
Nov 2, 2017

What are the best windows for a greenhouse? ›

In our opinion, polycarbonate greenhouse glazing is the better choice. It is more durable and shatter-resistant than glass, and it diffuses more light. It also retains heat better than glass greenhouse glazing, making it a better choice for colder climates.

How much does it cost to build a glass greenhouse? ›

Most hardware stores sell greenhouse-building kits that allow you to build a standard one yourself. But if you prefer something larger and more customized, consider hiring a professional. Building one can cost between $2,500 to $25,000, or about $15,000 on average.

What is a window greenhouse called? ›

Garden windows are like mini-greenhouses that extend out from your home. You can grow herbs and other plants year-round in a garden window, which makes them perfect for a kitchen window.

How much weight can a greenhouse window hold? ›

Most garden windows can hold between 25 and 100 pounds. That said, overloading your garden windows is never a good idea.

Is glass or plexiglass better for greenhouses? ›

Light Transmission: For plants and flowers to grow successfully, they need a lot of light. The visible light transmission rate for glass is typically around 90%. Acrylic actually lets more light through than glass as its rate is 92%.

What is the easiest greenhouse to build? ›

The first common type of greenhouse is a cold frame. The smallest and simplest kind, these greenhouses are affixed onto the side of a house. They usually have a wooden structure about three feet tall with a hinged glass lid on top. If they have access to sunlight, an additional heat source isn't required.

What is the most inexpensive way to build a greenhouse? ›

DIY greenhouse ideas – 10 budget-friendly ways to add one to your yard
  1. 10 simple yet clever DIY greenhouse ideas. ...
  2. Add a cover to a basic shelving unit. ...
  3. Create a greenhouse area in a raised bed. ...
  4. Re-use old windows to shelter plants. ...
  5. Make a basic greenhouse using plastic bottles. ...
  6. Buy a DIY greenhouse kit.
Mar 11, 2023

Is it cheaper to build or buy a greenhouse? ›

A lot of people will think that they can build their own greenhouse at a lower cost than buying a kit. That is not necessarily so. If you are buying a standard size kit with no modifications to it, you may be able to find this at a lower price than what it would cost you to assemble all of the materials you will need.

Do you need special windows for a greenhouse? ›

Most greenhouse windows are of clear glass as that not only allows for more natural light but also makes the grown plants and hubs happy. There are different glass packages that you can choose for your windows.

What type of windows are best for greenhouse? ›

Tempered glass is a better choice than annealed glass for greenhouses. There are different varieties of tempered glass (single tempered, double tempered, and more) with various tensile strengths. Glass is the highest-quality, highest-price option for greenhouses.

What kind of windows can you use in a greenhouse? ›

Glass can be single or double pane. Single pane glass provides little to no insulation and can cause sweating in a winter greenhouse. Double pane glass offers significantly more insulation and protection, although it adds considerable expense.

Do old windows let heat in? ›

Older windows are especially problematic as they are less energy-efficient than newer windows. One of the main reasons for this is that older windows are not as well-sealed as newer windows. This means that they allow more air to escape, which leads to increased heat loss.

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