Home  5  Books  5  GBEzine  5  News  5  HelpDesk  5  Register  5  GreenBuilding.co.uk
Not signed in (Sign In)

Categories



Green Building Bible, Fourth Edition
Green Building Bible, fourth edition (both books)
These two books are the perfect starting place to help you get to grips with one of the most vitally important aspects of our society - our homes and living environment.

PLEASE NOTE: A download link for Volume 1 will be sent to you by email and Volume 2 will be sent to you by post as a book.
Buy individually or both books together. Delivery is free!


powered by Surfing Waves




Vanilla 1.0.3 is a product of Lussumo. More Information: Documentation, Community Support.

Welcome to new Forum Visitors
 Join the forum now and benefit from discussions with thousands of other green building fans and discounts on Green Building Press publications: Apply now.




Housing - Renovation: 'Garden room' renovation

Bottom of Page

1 to 5 of 5

  1.  
    • CommentAuthorballen
    • CommentTimeJun 28th 2023
     
    When we purchased our house we inherited a garden room/shed - one of these interlocking tongue and groove timber structures (something like this https://www.tuin.co.uk/Aiste-Log-Cabin-5-x-3m.html). It hadn't been particularly well looked after, guttering had only been installed on the front and that was discharging straight onto the oversized concrete slab.

    Having sat in a puddle of water for a number of years, the floor was completely rotten, the walls on one side are starting to go - the whole thing has dropped on the left hand side, causing the front wall to bow.

    I'd like to try and save it, if possible - my idea was to jack up the wall that's failing, cut a foot or so off from the bottom and build a dwarf wall from engineering brick to sit it back down on. I plan on replacing the floor with a floating floor i.e. glued tongue and grove chipboard over celotex.

    We're not entirely sure what we'll be using the space for - perhaps purely a summer house/games room or possibly as a home office. This got me thinking about insulating the structure, such that it might be useable all year round.

    Given that its looking a little tired externally, the idea of installing EPS EWI and rendering is appealing, I wondered if anyone had any thoughts on this given the structure. The manufactures suggest things should not be fixed to the walls without allowing for seasonal movement of the 'logs' - I don't know how much this would be reduced by the installation of EWI. I'm also wondering if its a terrible idea as far as fire rating goes.

    It seems most manufactures insulated by battening internally (on slotted brackets), filling with mineral wool and adding a VCL before cladding with wood (although I suspect this could be plasterboard if desired) and i suspect this might be a more sensible route.

    Either way I would appreciate any thoughts
    • CommentAuthorowlman
    • CommentTimeJun 30th 2023
     
    I think jacking up the whole shed is doable allowing you to remove, say the bottom couple of boards. However, it's not a job for the faint hearted and you are going to need some hefty timbers and bottle or trolley jacks.
    When these interlocking T&G type sheds are built they often use long screws, screwing each board to the one below as you build. Assuming you manage to raise the shed you may also need something like a reciprocating saw to separate the bottom rotten stuff.
    Before you start you'll also most likely have to brace the walls to keep the shed rigid.
    •  
      CommentAuthorfostertom
    • CommentTimeJun 30th 2023 edited
     
    Posted By: owlmanbrace the walls
    diagonally in their vertical plane, but also criss-cross in horizontal plane at eave level and lower, near floor level.
    • CommentAuthorJonti
    • CommentTimeJul 1st 2023
     
    I have raised this sort of thing a few times over the years. I use four lengths of 2x4 attached to the walls to form a ring around the building a good foot up from the base ( attach every foot with m6 screws of a suitable length). Leave some excess on the 2x4 over hanging and then with a scissor jack for a car at each corner placed under the lower 2x4 jack the building up. If you have four people it can be done all together otherwise you can do a couple of turns on one then move to the next and repeat until you have the required height.
    I have never had to add extra bracing though it is a good idea to put solid support under the building during the process as a safety should one of the jacks slip.

    Sorry if this is not so clear but it is difficult to describe exactly without being longwinded.
    • CommentAuthorrevor
    • CommentTimeJul 1st 2023
     
    What jonti has proposed seems very sensible and doable. A trolley jack would be handier and if you have 4 axle stands they are quite affordable you may be able to do the job quicker and safer. I would be mindful of not causing issue with planning or BC if you start to convert the "shed" to something that they might object to.

1 to 5 of 5

  1.  
Add your comments

    Username Password
  • Format comments as
 
Back to Discussions Top of Page
   
The Ecobuilding Buzz
Site Map    |   Home    |   View Cart    |   Pressroom   |   Business   |   Links   
Logout    

© Green Building Press