Slideshow: Cold Frame Construction Details

Ruth Dobsevage, Web producer

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Carpenter Rob Wotzak has built a good-looking, cedar cold frame with an acrylic top and a heat-sensitive solar lift that opens and closes the top automatically to regulate the temperature inside. In this slideshow he talks about the design, the materials, and the construction assembly sequence. You'll see how he laid out and cut the angled side pieces, assembled the lid and box, and installed the hinges and the lift.

Rob created the plan for this cold frame using Google SketchUp, a free design tool. (It can also be used for laying out garden spaces, among other applications.) You can learn how to use it with the tutorials on the SketchUp site.

The lift shown here comes from charleysgreenhouse.com.

Rob's article, "An Easy-to-Build Cold Frame," appears in the November/December issue of Fine Gardening magazine (#136). The article includes a dimensioned drawing of the cold frame.

More SketchUp resources:
FineWoodworking.com's Design. Click. Build. blog
FineHomebuilding.com's Digital Job Site blog

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Comments (2)

DougGordon writes: Lifts from Gardener's Supply

http://www.gardeners.com/Automatic-Vent-Opener/GreenhousesSheds_Accessories,11-229,default,cp.html

$65.00 each Posted: 7:48 pm on October 5th

hrabbai writes: Where can you purchase the solar lift? Posted: 9:45 am on October 4th

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