The Victorian era saw British explorers visiting new lands, bringing home exotic flowers and plants that couldn’t survive the English climate. To accommodate these plants, fantastic and beautiful conservatories and greenhouses were constructed, becoming one of the hallmarks of impressive public buildings and wealthy estates. Today’s indoor gardener can re-create Victorian beauty by building one of these structures in the backyard, using traditional materials like glass and iron or modern components like PVC pipe and polythene film. It’s possible to build one from materials found at most DIY stores, but complete kits are also available.
Step One
Measure the potential building site and become familiar with building codes in your neighbourhood. These two factors have a significant impact on the project you select and construct. Determine how tall your project can be and how much square footage it will enclose. Assess your carpentry skills.
Step Two
Choose the building materials you'll use for your project. Victorian greenhouses and conservatories can be framed from rot-resistant wood, aluminium, PVC pipe, or traditional cast iron. Glazing, the clear portion that admits light, can be traditional glass or a modern synthetic such as acrylic sheets or polythene film.
Step Three
Measure and cut the framing materials using a measuring tape, indelible marker and saw, if the frame is wood or PVC. Metal frames are usually best purchased ready-made. Erect the frame using screws and nails as fasteners with a screwdriver and hammer.
Step Four
Measure and cut the glazing material into pieces that fit the frame. A special cutter must be used with glass. A saw cuts acrylic easily. If using polythene film, a heavy pair of sharp scissors makes short work cutting it to size.
Step Five
Attach the glazing material to the frame. Glazier's points and glass putty are required if using glass panes. Screws work better than nails when installing acrylic. Heavy-duty tape that can withstand outdoor conditions makes a good seal when using polythene sheets.