How long does it take to remove and reassemble an 8′ x 6′ greenhouse?  In theory it should take a day or two, but 11 days??

Our good friends Teeny and Di offered us their old greenhouse which they never used as long as we took it down and removed it.  That was the easy part and took about an afternoon.

Prior to that we had agonised from a week or so as to what sort of base it would best sit on and eventually decided on using some of the tanalised timber originally cut when we were doing the pond.  This turned out to be an inspired choice as the door wouldn’t have worked otherwise.  {2 days}

It was while we were pulling it apart that we noticed that some kind soul had decided that the glass would be better stuck in with solid mastic rather than nice rubber glazing strips.  This caused a few more panes to be broken and then two full days with blow torch and scraper getting the gunge out of the glazing bead channels!  {2.5 days}

I ordered the glazing beads on Monday night and they should have been delivered on the Thursday, but dear old ParcelForce were at their worst and after three exasperating phone calls we finally got them on the following Monday.

In the meantime I set too with saw and welder to make the staging. Bespoke staging at probably three times the price of something bought but again recycling to the fore as I used offcuts of oak from the bench work and more of the ‘pond’ tanalised timber.  Steel was stuff I’d ordered for other jobs, so can be easily re-ordered. {2.5 days}

The glazing strips were fine, but took about a day to squeeze into the narrow gaps all around the frame – about 60 metres all told. {1 day}

Then we started to wash and install the glass, which took best part of a day and allowed us to work out what replacement glass was needed. {1day}

Ordered the glass and picked it up the following day – unfortunately I’d measured one wrong and forgotten about three pieces – so back to the glaziers for more.  Got them home and found I’d mis-measured!  Fortunately I was able to cut them to size and all was now in place and the door hung. {1 day}

Sue then sorted out her path bricks and started to fill the space while I hunted around on the ‘net for the final bits – door seals and gutter ends that will make it a wonderful addition to the garden.  {1 day}

Hopefully these will be resolved shortly and I’ll be able to sit back and admire it!

PS Chris at Gardencraft in north Wales (gcraft.co.uk) has just identified it as an old Paragon, not manufactured since 1970!! He has the parts I need!!