[Pimento]

Hello all,

This is my first post, so greetings!   

I'm looking for some advice as on my new allotment (hurray!!) I've inherited a huge, brick-built,  double coldframe - ie 'back to back' with the highest point in the middle - about 5m long.

Potentially fantastic, but it's very old and the hinged glass which once covered it is long gone.

Please can anyone advise me on what the best (and hopefully cheapest) option would be for covering it once again? Finding some old windows seems the obvious solution, but they'd have to be big ones, and also I'd be worried about them blowing off and smashing. If I could get hold of some big old sheets of perspex or polycarbonate that would seem like a good way to go, but again, how could I fix them securely to stop them blowing away?

Any thoughts would be very welcome.

Many thanks in advance,

Pimento.

[Yorkie]

Not sure but welcome to the site 

I guess if you're concerned about safety, perhaps polycarbonate with wooden frames - perhaps wood either side of the rims of it?  (I don't really know, I'm no good at this sort of stuff but I thought it might give somebody else something to critique  )

[Pimento]

Thank you, Yorkie, I'm a Yorkie too! 

[mumofstig]

If you find some big windows and fix the hinges well then the weight of them stops them blowing away. They are more likely to blow away if they are plastic IMO.

[stompy]

Im building 2 coldframes on my allotment this winter, im using scafolding boards for the base and i will build a frame for the tops/lids useing twin walled polycarbonate to glaze.

I will be using this for 2 reasons,

1. Safety, i take the girls to the allotment with me quite frequently and these structures with the glazing being horizontal and so low can be dangerouse (they could fall/trip into it)

2. Twin walled polycarb is also an exellent insulator what heat goes in stays in for longer (simples).

The only problem with twin wall polycarb is that it doesn't let as much light in as glass does, but i am personally useing it for the reasons that i gave.

[TerryB]

Wooden frame made from roofing battens covered in clear heavy duty polythene from builders merchant or better still get some they use to cover poly tunnels.
You could also use the same idea to build walls inside the cold frame with it being 5m log.
Then if you made the cover frames to match the internal walls some lids could be left open for some plants and some left close for plant needing more heat.

[Trillium]

You don't need to replace the big window with another big window. I'd go for several narrower windows with the perspex or, if you can get it,  the double channel poly greenhouse stuff sandwiched in a wood frame to fit.

I plan to add eye hooks to the fronts of mine (attached to framing) to keep them down in high winds.