Dear all,
I've recently built a 44mm thick wood log summer house - one of those models where the (floating) can be independently fitted inside after the whole building is erected.
In the standard layout, the structure is designed to stand on a flat surface such as an even concrete subfloor. Treated floor joists would then be evenly laid on this subfloor and floarboards would be nailed to them.
However, as I already had a (sloped) slabbed base, I decided to do things a bit differently: I built a 100 to 200mmhigh level brick wall (with one airvent brick every 400mm) and I erected the summer house on that wall. Now for the suspended floor: the joists are sitting on pillars 300mm far apart; each is made of one brick (45mm) plus a suitable length of 75mm treated fence post. Slabs and brickwork are treated with Hyprufe (a kind of bitumen) to prevent ground dampness to reach the slabs and then the lower side of the suspended wood fllor structure. In fact, slabs sit on cement with no damp proof barrier and in humid and rainy days dampness was very evident even if the whole area was already inside the floor-less summer house.
By having the slabbed area well sealed, a suspended floor hanging on the average some 150mm higher, and suitably placed airvent bricks, I am expecting the resulting cavity to be basically well ventilated and virtually dry in all weather conditions.
The wood floor structure (joists and battens) is already there and I am now am planning to install rigid urethane panel cuts between joists, a damp proof barrier over it, a 18mm thick ply and 18mm floor boards in this particular order. The Kingspan urethane panels have some aluminium-like foil on both sides, so they should address heat loss by radiation. This should allow the floor to be both strong and well insulated.
However, I am wondering if I am forgetting something essential and/or doing something wrong, so here I am asking for suggestions/validation/ criticism. Any hint will be appreciated.
Kind regards
W.