Playhouse soaking up water?

[obliquegeek]

Hi all,

I have a small playhouse set on a slab base. With the rain we've been currently having it seems to be soaking up water from the bottom and also letting some in where some of the tongue and groove joins are.

The water coming in is only on the side that the rain/wind generally comes from. This recently painted and has a new roof. It's set on some 1" wood battens that are directly attached to the bottom of the floor and then sits directly on the slabs - which in hindsight probably wasn't the best idea. The slab base also sticks out about 3" further that the playhouse on either side.

Should I try to raise it up onto something less permeable? Would it help to push the playhouse over so it's flush with the edges of the slabs on the problem side? (although the base will then stick out 6" on the other side)

Any suggestions on some relatively quick fixes?

Thanks

 

[JohnD]

Should I try to raise it up onto something less permeable

Yes

If you can lift it up and lay even a single course of bricks for it to stand on, just inside the footprint so sheltered from the rain, with DPC on the bricks, that would be ideal.

You could also lift it enough to slide paving slabs under the edges.

Don't forget to add gutters, and a downpipe to take the water away from the slab.

 

[Old Salt]

I would lift it onto 2 x 2 (50mm x 50mm) treated battens laid at 90 degrees to the existing battens. This would enable sitting water under the playhouse to dry and give improved airflow under the playhouse. You could try some clear water repellent treatments to coat the side nearest to the prevailing weather.

Something like this https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=l&ai...NWh2pz7AhWKbcAKHRicD2sQ5bgDKAB6BAgDECY&adurl=

 

[JohnD]

Any wooden battens lying on wet concrete will quickly rot.

 

[Old Salt]

Any wooden battens lying on wet concrete will quickly rot.

Not as quick as the playhouse, hence why I said treated. Easy to replace when required.

 

[scbk]

Any wooden battens lying on wet concrete will quickly rot.

Standard 3" square 'treated' fence posts would last fine, 5'6" probably about the right length for a playhouse too. By the time they rot, the kids will be at secondary school!

 

[Why Not Indeed]

Why treated timber and not plastic? Even if it's treated, timber will still absorb water and pass it on to the playhouse, whereas plastic will not do this.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Some composite decking joists would be ideal, readily available off eBay.

 

[Odds]

If you can find enough blue bricks to go around the base then i'd use them. Indestructible.

 

[obliquegeek]

Cheers for all the replies, pretty much what I'd expected, should have known better in the first place.

I've got a shed load of block paving? Would that be any good with some a strip of DPC on top? Although might be awkward to get under there. Failing that I like the idea of some composite decking joists.

Any idea how to get anything under it without having to dismantle it?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Is it fixed down atm? If it's not that big you should be able to push it upwards and wedge a brick under that edge with your foot, gradually do the same all around, that gets it in the air, then you should be able to slide the composite joists under, no need for a dpm then.

 

[Odds]

Is it fixed down atm? If it's not that big you should be able to push it upwards and wedge a brick under that edge with your foot, gradually do the same all around, that gets it in the air, then you should be able to slide the composite joists under, no need for a dpm then.

I'm not sure about that: i have a regular garden job at a home where the parents have a large playhouse that you definitely couldn't push anywhichway from Sunday. In this case maybe blocks on each corner and one in the middle on each of the longest sides would support it and allow a free flow of air underneath.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Well as mentioned it rather depends on how big the playhouse is.

 

[Old Salt]

Car jack with appropriate use of blocks and levers to lift a corner at a time?

 

[obliquegeek]

It's not that big tbh, about 8ft x 9ft, but it's quite high with a small 'upstairs'. I was thinking a car jack might work, but it's still getting that under there in the first place as it's only about an inch off the ground.

Using a plank to lever a corner at time might do it, although the bottom is quite we at the moment to I'm a little concerned about breaking something.

Cheers for all the replies