how to avoid a disasterous summerhouse base

[seege]

Hi.

My wife and I have bought a 12ft x 8ft summerhouse that weighs a flipping ton and sits on its own wooden base.

We have started by leveling out the soil as much as possible and have got some membrane down with 5 bags of sharp sand at the ready as advised by the merchant who sold us all the material for the foundation. We have also got enough concrete paving slabs to cover the area: 450mm square by 32mm.

Now we weren't planning on cementing as we thought the weight of the summerhouse essentially on the soil wouldn't shift that far anyhow... but is this a massive oversight? Never done anything like this before, haven't got much cash and most importantly, it's a rental house and we aren't planing on being here forever. Landlord has given is free reign. But we aren't thinking this base is for life... It's just for christmas... so to speak.

What would happen without the cement? Water wont get to anywhere central and the base isnt on a mountain of sand.

Maybe I'm missing fundamental in the point of sharp sand where a level patch of compacted soil wouldn't do the same thing?!?!?!

Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[rjm2k]

I think following the instructions of the supplier is probably ok. Sharp sand and soil act differently when wet, soil goes slushy and will move when wet, sand pretty much stays put. Think Glastonbury in wet weather vs a beach in wet weather, which one has big pools of mud sloshing around making it difficult to walk on etc? Personally I'd probably put some pea shingle down first (it's like £1 per bag) then sharp sand on top but I don't know if that's really needed.

 

[tsnover]

Think Glastonbury in wet weather vs a beach in wet weather, which one has big pools of mud sloshing around making it difficult to walk on etc?

I can say from personal experience that a wet Glastonbury is *far* more of a challenge to walk on (especially with a few pints in you!)