Greenhouse with a regular roof?

[Dirt Dobber]

I had picked up 2 sets of double glass doors to make some cold frames with the promise of another in the spring (supposed to be 4 sets but one was thrown out by mistake). 

I was talking to a friend of mine the other day and he offered me a sliding glass door (both glass panes) and a large window...like a bay window I believe, but I'm not sure.  I haven't seen it yet.

I was thinking, with the addition of a few more recycled windows, I could get a modest greenhouse out of it instead of using cold frames.  The use being the same - to start plants to transplant to the garden and to extend the growing season for greens.

I was wanting to put a regular roof on it.  What do you think?

We live on a wooded lot and my husband and I agree that if there's glass on the roof, it's going to get broken if a tree branch falls on it, and that's a good posibility.

Would having a regular roof on a greenhouse be worth it?  Would it function well?

[mhpgardener]

Would there be a way to put in some skylights or something? Maybe using the clear acrylic panels? I think a solid roof would be too restrictive as far as the sunlight that the plants would need. A friend of mine is gonna turn a metal carport into a GH. I don't think its a good idea because the only sunlight will be from the sides, but he's determined to go thru with it.

Bobby

[Cartoad]

I think if I were confronted with this problem, I'd tilt the South glass wall back at the top (amount possibly dependent on latitude) rather than build it plumb and install a wire mesh 'awning' over the glass to protect the glass from the falling branches and not significantly impede sunlight.  Here, I'd probably also use the wire awning to support shade cloth in the summer and insulate the non-glass walls and roof heavily so that I could use the greenhouse to some degree in our sub-freezing winter.

[Dirt Dobber]

Thank you very much for your input and thoughts.

Yes, I think a skylight or two would be best.  I just can't have a full glass roof - it wouldn't last 2 years.

Thanks again!