Bath Stone Walls, Damp, and New Kitchen Cupboards

I'm fitting a new kitchen, and would appreciate some "advice" on whether I'm worrying too much... I've spent the last few days searching/reading here!

The house was built in 18-something out of Bath Stone with no visible damp course (as most seem to be round here), and I've lowered the outside ground level to below the floor level now. The kitchen floor seems to be concrete laid over a plastic sheet, and is dry.

The kitchen has cupboards against two outside walls. These aren't "wet", but are currently quite cold to the touch, so I'm worried they will get damp when enclosed, as the old kitchen cupboards did get a bit damp inside.

The new kitchen has a gap between plinth and cupboard bases which the old one didn't (and is completely open underneath with plastic legs), and there will be a new extractor which there wasn't before.

Hopefully enough waffle - my questions are:

Should there be enough ventilation through the plinth gap to prevent damp?

Should I paint/varnish the hardboard backs backs to stop them absorbing moisture?

Should I put small vents in the back of each cupboard?

Should I just stop worrying and get the worktop fitted?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

Rich

You should not need any further work just ensure the kitchen fan is used when cooking, is there an external vent to the room?

foxhole said:

You should not need any further work just ensure the kitchen fan is used when cooking, is there an external vent to the room?

Click to expand...

Thanks - i was hoping I was being paranoid!

There is a window permanently "ajar" in the adjacent "conservatory" (it sounds posh...). Is that what you meant? The extractor is vented to an outside wall. I was just wondering whether the air behind the cupboards would get "stagnant" and cause moisture to build up... maybe?

You cannot get stagnant air, air is always moving in a home.Ideally should be a vent in kitchen.

Thanks - there is a vent in the kitchen, it was the "damp" air that will be trapped behind the cupboards I was slightly concerned about - I've whacked a coat of gloss on the back of the hardboard though, hopefully that'll help something!

Now I just have to decide whether to put the floor down first, or the end panels. Decisions decisions :/