Hi, new to this DIY lark and would be v grateful for any help from the experts!
I recently bought a house which had wet rot damage to ground floor joists and floor boards. There is a two feet space beneath the floor and then it is just earth (mainly clay(. I have ripped the wood out and am trying to do the necessary to prevent it from happening again (more ventilation, etc.).
I have read that it is also worth putting damp sheet directly on the earth beneath the floor to prevent moisture in the earth evaporating into the sub-floor air space and then condensing on the wood.
I was originally going to lay it down, and weight down with bricks along the edges of the room. However, it dawned on me that the earth underneath would then be permanently damp, not being dried by the air flow, and might start to smell. So then I thought perhaps I should fix down the edges of the sheet to the brick work just above the earth and attempt to seal it properly.
On the other hand, I have read elsewhere that I should puncture this sheet in a few places in case of water ingress (flooding etc - I live in Gloucester so this is a risk!) so any water can drain into the earth.
Any guidance on the above would be much appreciated.
I recently bought a house which had wet rot damage to ground floor joists and floor boards. There is a two feet space beneath the floor and then it is just earth (mainly clay(. I have ripped the wood out and am trying to do the necessary to prevent it from happening again (more ventilation, etc.).
I have read that it is also worth putting damp sheet directly on the earth beneath the floor to prevent moisture in the earth evaporating into the sub-floor air space and then condensing on the wood.
I was originally going to lay it down, and weight down with bricks along the edges of the room. However, it dawned on me that the earth underneath would then be permanently damp, not being dried by the air flow, and might start to smell. So then I thought perhaps I should fix down the edges of the sheet to the brick work just above the earth and attempt to seal it properly.
On the other hand, I have read elsewhere that I should puncture this sheet in a few places in case of water ingress (flooding etc - I live in Gloucester so this is a risk!) so any water can drain into the earth.
Any guidance on the above would be much appreciated.