Blog from a greenhouse builder

Nearly there - Caernarfon

17/5/2018

I'm so excited to show you the completed Caernarfon greenhouse in natural accoya. Unfortunately, it's a few days off being completed yet - but here's a taster, before I finish cleaning the brickwork up, fitting the shelving, and glazing the surrounds.

Although accoya is guaranteed for 50 years without any protective coating, I decided to apply a preservative oil to all the timber - and look how it fetches out the grain and colour of the wood,

The photo above shows accoya in white before application and after.

6 Comments

Graeme

23/5/2018 10:15:02 am

Looks great Robin. Tell me would you recommend Sapele wood for building a greenhouse.

Graeme

Robin

23/5/2018 12:14:34 pm

Thanks Graeme,

Definitely - Sapele would be incredible - tough and stable. I use mahogany for all the crested ridge as it needs to be tough to shape into fine details.
You wouldn't paint it would you, but I'd be tempted to use an oil-based preservative just to help it along. It would be great to see how it weathers in - it's not supposed to grey like other woods.
I have a theory that water plays a large part in greying of wood (it's always the exposed parts of oak buildings that grey off) - so I'm interested to see how this accoya one fairs over the years as it's unaffected by water.
Sorry - rambling on a bit there. Thanks for your comment Graeme and I wish you well with yours.
Kind regards
Robin

Graeme

29/5/2018 10:23:01 pm

Thanks for that Robin. I have decided to go for the Sapele. I priced the acoya it’s quite expensive and the only supplier is in Dublin which is 150 miles away. Also they don’t have enough of it. The Sapele comes in 6x2 and 8x2 so I’ll get a local joinery firm to cut it and plain it to 3x2 and 4x2 or I was thinking of buying a Makita table saw and cut it myself. Robin what deep and height of router lines would you recommend for the glass panels to slide into. I will be making the rafters out of 4x2. Once I’m finished this project I’ll send you few photos. But remember I don’t work in the construction industry lol.
Graeme

Robin J S McGregor

31/5/2018 06:37:10 am

Hi Graeme,
I'm sure Sapele will be perfect. Accoya has exploded in use everywhere so suppliers are struggling to keep up right now. I make the width of the routed channels 6mm (for 4mm toughened) and between 13 and 15mm deep - I oversize the glass by 10mm each side of the gap so it sits firm inside but still have about 5mm room for expansion in the wood.
I'd love to see photos but come back again if things crop up - e-mail direct if you prefer.
Kind regards
Robin

Graeme

16/6/2018 08:51:57 am

Robin just wondering did you receive my emails.

Robin J S McGregor

16/6/2018 02:25:53 pm

Sorry Graeme - it's been manic for me here. I've just responded - please give me a call - 077966 80761 - when you are ready and I'll talk through how the sides are constructed. I won't have time to draw diagrams etc. - not sure how useful they would be anyway.

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