Polycarbonate greenhouse door
Many summer residents build greenhouses on their land plots for growing vegetables. Such designs are often made by hand. When creating them, it is necessary to provide for a small door. It can be made from various materials, but most often polycarbonate sheets are used. In the article we will talk about how to make such a door with your own hands.
Types of structures
Polycarbonate doors for greenhouses can be made in different versions. Three varieties are most commonly found.
- Swing. Such a door is a one-piece structure that is installed using several furniture hinges. The number of hinges should ensure the strength and tightness of the door closing.
- Sliding. This option is considered the most practical and convenient. Doors of this type are able to prevent the curtain from hitting the door frame. In this case, the tightness will be ensured by an additional seal.
- Window design. Such a model can be installed only if the frame of the greenhouse itself allows it. But in any case, the window will have to be opened manually.
What should be the dimensions of the door?
Before cutting the polycarbonate to create a door, you should accurately measure the dimensions of the frame structure. At the same time, there are standard door sizes that can fit almost any structure. In this case, the height of the door should be 1.5 m, and the width - 1 m, if you plan to roll in a garden wheelbarrow inside the greenhouse. You can reduce the width of the door to 60 cm, if you don't need to bring any equipment inside the structure.
How to cut?
After determining the size of the future door, you can start forming it. To properly cut polycarbonate, it is better to use a circular saw or a regular construction knife for this.
When cutting, any polycarbonate residues that form can be removed with a jet of compressed air. Often the door is not cut out separately, but in place - in the greenhouse itself. In this case, it is almost impossible to make a mistake with the dimensions. If necessary, you can cut out a small window at the top.
To install fasteners, small holes are made in the material using a construction drill. A standard metal drill can be used. The drilling itself is done between the stiffeners. All holes made should be removed from the surface of the sheet by 40-50 mm.
After cutting the sheets, the finished product, if desired, can be coated with paint. In this case, it is better to additionally cover the surface with a special protective compound. Before painting, the door is carefully sanded so that there are no irregularities on the surface.
How to install and insulate?
You can fix the finished door using ordinary self-tapping screws. In this case, it is necessary to take special thermal washers that will protect the polycarbonate sheets from damage during installation.
To ensure sealing, it is better to take a special self-adhesive tape made of aluminum. You can also take perforated material. These elements will prevent the accumulation of dust and other debris on the structure, as well as ensure the drainage of condensate.
When assembling, it is necessary to install the awnings on the door frame. This will give the door good stability and reliability. The greenhouse may not close tightly, the presence of side slots is permissible, but at the same time it is worth taking care of insulation.
If the greenhouse has a frame, then the door installation process can be a little difficult. During installation, it will be necessary to control that all corners of the structure are straight. Otherwise, distortions may appear.
Remember that the finished frame should be slightly smaller than the doorway (1-1.5 mm).
If you want the greenhouse to have a sliding door, then you will have to separately mount the mechanism for this. In this case, you will need to monitor the tightness of the product.
For insulation, special seals should be used. A popular option is rubber material. It helps to retain heat and moisture inside, protects the greenhouse from bad weather and sudden temperature changes.
The rubber seal, in addition, can even increase the strength of the entire structure, since it reduces vibrations that appear due to gusts of wind. The rubber seal has a neat appearance, it will not spoil the overall design of the door and the greenhouse as a whole.
This seal is not adversely affected by ultraviolet radiation. Even over time, it will not deform.
Do not forget that the door must have a handle. It can be made of metal or durable and high quality plastic. If a design with a window is performed, then you can separately make a small handle for it.
How to make and install a polycarbonate door in a greenhouse, see the next video.
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