Make a Mini Greenhouse

At DIY Depot, we know how important having unique décor in your home is to you, especially in today’s mass-produced world where you find the same pieces in many homes. This is what makes DIY so much fun – not only is the process enjoyable, but you get unique items to show off. Today we will take you through the steps of making a mini greenhouse for your coffee table.

You will need:

  • Four 13x18cm frames
  • Two 20x25cm frames
  • Two 28x36cm frames
  • 24 small screws

Method:

  1. Remove the backing and glass of all your frames and give them a light sanding them.
  2. Take one 20x25cm and one 28x36cm and align the to form an L with the back if the 25cm edge square against the outer side if the 28cm side. Drill holes near the top and bottom of the larger frames so it goes just halfway through the smaller frame. Screw these together with small screws that correspond with your drill bit. Repeat this step exactly on your remaining 20x25cm and 28x36cm frames.
  3. Place your two L shapes to form a square and attach them using the same method as step 2. This forms the 4 walls of your greenhouse.
  4. Lay two 13x18cm frames face down and attach one 13cm side to one 13cm side of the other frame. As before, drill small pilot holes and screw two 5cm mending plates, one on each side of the touching edges. Repeat this step with the remaining two 13x18cm frames.
  5. Next align these two pieces you just created and make an L shape. Attach the two pieces with a corner bracket, following similar steps to step 4. Now you have the roof of your green house.
  6. Add 2 utility hinges on one length of the base and the roof so you can easily open and close it. Follow similar steps to step 4.
  7. You now have a choice to make. Either leave the two sides of your roof open or close it plywood. If you wish to close it, trace the triangle on paper, cut it out to serve as a guide for your plywood. Cut to size and fit in the roof by predrilling holes from the outside and securing it with screws.
  8. Fill all the outside gaps and edges with a wood filler and smooth it out. For the best finish, use your hands, remembering to wear gloves for safety. Let it dry and sand it smooth.
  9. Once dry and smooth, paint your piece white and allow to dry. If you want an antique look, cover your greenhouse with dark brown furniture polish over the dry white paint. Leave it for 5 minutes then buff it off.
  10. Replace all the glass of the frames. Doing one frame at a time, put a dab of hot glue in each inner corner, put the glass in place and finally run a line of glue along the edges of the glass. Repeat with all your frames.
  11. Finally, put your little greenhouse in place and fill it with little pot plants.