TANK

thanks for the replies guys. I'm actually not all that far from Cromwell St😯 I did look into having decking last year during lock down but decided against, partly for the same reason that I'd have to smash the concrete path up first otherwise it'd be too high. One of the other issues I have is which way to orient the fall. Clearly I want it going away from the house, but the patio area would also encompass an outbuilding, and the neighbours garage wall, all facing in completely different angles!

First time patio'er, and what I thought should be fairly straightforward has now revealed a number of headaches. It is fairly hard to describe without a photo/diagram, but I can't seem to attach anything on this site(?), so bear with... The kitchen at the rear of the house opens onto a thin concrete pathway running across the house wall. Beyond it is grass, and I want to build the patio out from the wall about 3 metres. Now, the obvious thing to do would be to smash up the path, and build in its place but the path houses various things within it including a downpipe and various plumbing for dishwasher etc that I'd rather not disturb. It also connects to a tarmac section further along which i intend continue the patio over too, which is at the the same height. So plan B was just patio over the concrete since its a good sturdy base anyway, then extend it out where the grass is. Problem is, that the path at one end is 3 bricks below dpc, but then rises up towards the other end of the house to less than 2 bricks (140mm). Anyone got any ideas on whether I might be able to trim back this higher section, and how? Or am I over-thinking, Over- complicating as usual? Many thanks.

I said I'm going to put it up between the joists. Never did I say there would be no gap. The joists are 6x2, the xtherm 50mm = Big gap.... And again 'vapour barrier pointless in a shed', you are merely blurting out a simplistic statement without backing it with reasoning, explanation, or anything which is of any help to me.

I'm on the mobile site not the pc

Why bother post that?! How about something along the lines of 'doing that would just make it worse because ...' isn't this normal cold roof construction? I won't put it up until the floor /vapour barrier is down (which I'm assuming has been the source of the condensation)..

when I click choose files to attach it literally does nothing at all.

sorry I don't know how to upload photos unless they have to be through a hosting site? it doesn't show a great deal tbf anyway.

I have a load of 50mm xtratherm been lying around, was just going to put that up between the joists. Then cover with plasterboard. I'm out at the moment, I'll get one when back.

thanks for that. so this should be remedied once I have the vapour barrier in under the concrete yeah? I don't suppose it is doing too much harm for now (I can't get the floor in until the spring). The thing that confused me was that there is no water on the undersides of the joists...

Hello guys. Been out this morning to do a bit of work inside my new block shed when I felt a drip hit my head. looked up to find all the osb was wet all the way across. It is covered by epdm, has no leaks (had loads of rain last month), so I'm assuming this is condensation? it has been incredibly frosty all week, and I'm assuming a build up of ice is melting now that the sun has hit the roof this morning. Haven't noticed it wet or felt dripping until today though which seems odd. I haven't got around to putting the insulation out plaster board up yet which is why it is bare. The floor is yet to be concreted, so I suppose could be damp rising from there but thought the fact there is a huge amount of ventilation around the building and the roof especially (the soffit isn't in yet) would negate any of this. I'm new to this and at a bit of a loss. Any ideas would be amazing. thanks Tank

it would be easier perhaps, but more expensive as I already have a decent amount of 18mm. cheers

My decision was based on the fact I already had a fair amount of 11mm, and my research indicated that it would be OK. Having seen the 11mm on action (ie on the roof) I fully understand and agree with you all. It might be viable - although far from perfect - atop 400mm centres with a good placing of noggins, but they get very much found out atop 600mm centres. I'm gonna have to think and work quick on this now, as I was banking on using this weekend's weather window to get it finished ?. Thanks again all. ps the problem with doing something for the first time is that you are learning a multitude of new skills as you go - it's harder to look too far ahead as you're so focused on one thing at a time, and inevitably problems will arise.

Bit of a strange one here. Never built anything before, but I'm now nearing completion of my block shed/workshop. As has been the case throughout the build, another rookie mistake has been made with the flat roof. Having decided to change from 400mm joist centres to 600 in a money saving exercise (I worked out from the tolerance tables found online that my 2.75m span would be OK with with 6x2 @600mm), I then proceeded to cover with 11mm osb decking... uh oh! Then realised it was a tad too thin, particularly since the noggins give zero support as the deck is now higher than them as it rests on the firrings later placed on the joists to give a slope (i know I know...). I have marked lines on the deck so I can better see the joists and know where to put my feet when working up there, and the boards do support me but I do have to take care as there is some flex if I miss the joists with my feet. I have strengthened the middle section by inserting another stretch of noggins higher up, which was a pain. So, am I over thinking this? I'm about to go ahead with putting the epdm down. Just worried that if I don't act now I might be in for trouble in the future. Will it hold a heavy snow fall? Will the boards start bowing, causing an unsightly sag? Have just acquired by good fortune a large amount of free 18mm osb (just over half the roof total space), the option I'm toying with is to place this across the top half of the roof, leaving a small 7mm 'step' down to the thinner portion of lower roof which will be strengthened later internally. Does this step sound viable with epdm on top? any help or advice or help before I take the plunge would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Tank

No I was just going to use brick. Is this a problem?

Thanks Mark. Just what I was hoping to hear. Will save me time, money and improve the build.

I can't upload one. Most lintels have a few courses of brickwork above them before the wall plate. I'm asking if this needs to be the case. I'm talking in general - I mean is it a done thing or not?

Just wondering if I can have the concrete lintel right at the top of the wall of my block shed - ie integrated into the last course of brick work with the top plate lying above it? I don't really want to go another course as I want to keep the height down to allow sunlight in to the garden, and I didn't want to drop the windows lower either as I'm tall. I can go another course if I have to, just wondering if I really need to? The walls are thermalite (just finishing the top with brick), and will only support 6x2's, osb and epdm. Thanks in advance. Tank.

Thanks Joe. Yeah I know all 'flat' roofs need a slope for water removal but mine is a bigger slope up facilitate increased sun light into the garden. So, what I'm getting at with my response to conor, and which you seem to be confirming here, is that all plates needn't meet up. I thought that all four sides were interconnected, but obviously with a step on one side, this can't happen. If this is the case, I'm sorted and can press on with my build. Cheers

Ok but what about the sides of the building where the wall plate meet the raised section?

Thanks conor. I take it your wall plate doesn't link up then on the sides where it meets the 'step'? If you have any photos of be interested to see them. I have considered half/quarter or bespoke cut diagonal blocks down the sides to match the slope of the joists, but wondered if wall plate would need to go atop this too, and if so, how to fix it to the plates at either end... I'm probably over thinking this and just need to crack on with it. Timber prices being through the proverbial (and literal!) roof are also causing me reason to stall at this point.

Hello guys Novice builder here looking for a solution to my 'problem' regarding a flat roof on my block shed construction. The building needs to be <2.5m to conform with building regs due to the proximity to the neighbours garage on the boundary around 700mm away (hence also the usage of block rather than timber), but I have decided I would like a bit of a slope to the roof to allow more sunlight into the garden. Using firrings would be the obvious way to bring a slope to the roof, but I don't think it is really a suitable solution here since it will only add more height, and starting them lower will affect the headroom inside. Ideally what I want is for the topmost part of the joists nearest the boundary to reach to around 2.45m, and then for there to be a fall of around 200-300mm to the other end, which will be 3000mm away. Although I am well over six foot tall I don't mind a slight compromise of the lower side of the building being tight on headroom so long as the middle and other side have at least 2000. Is there an obvious way to solve this? Do I just go one block higher on the high side? If so how will this interfere with the top plate etc. Any ideas would be most appreciated. Thanks Ps I am planning on using 5x2 joist. I would upload a rough diagram if I knew how..

Thanks Mark. Yeah single skin. Do you think the weight difference between blocks could make any problems also? The other idea I was pondering was inserting some form of bracket into the mortar bed itself at various course heights. I forgot to mention in my OP I intend to timber clad the building externally (which is another big reason why strong fixing points are essential), so I thought a bracket which doubles for inside and out might work well although i might be asking for trouble with it popping the mortar and creating gaps, which then leads to instability of the brackets themselves and everything connected to them!

Hey guys Im now halfway through building my thermalite block 'shed', and am increasingly beginning to wonder if I have made a mistake here which I will regret. I have come to the realisation that thermalite, despite it's various fantastic properties which attracted me to its usage in the first place, also has an achilles heel in that it doesn't take kindly to things being fixed to it. Being a novice builder (and perhaps also a bit of an idiot), who is pretty much learning on the fly, it is only now, when the walls are half up and I'm thinking about wall plates etc that the penny has dropped. It's not just the wall straps for the top plate, the walls were meant to be accommodating a hanging bike rack, and batons for attaching to benches/shelving... I have done basic research and it seems that there are ways to attach using resins, but this seems a bit of a faff. I have also read that it is not the done thing to be mixing block types due to the difference in thermal properties and expansion rates etc, but I can't help but feel that using a handful of denser concrete blocks in each wall at intervals would make my life much easier here? Or would it make life much harder in the long run when things go awry? Considering that this shed is primarily a glorified store shed, and secondarily a place to spend time in, a small compromise on the thermal properties is largely unimportant to me. It's more a structural concern that I have. Before I go any further with the walls, I thought it prudent to put this post up to see what people think. Many thanks in advance.... Tank Oh ps.. Its 6m x 3m x 2.5 with engineering brick to dpc..

Thankyou Gus for taking the time to put together such a comprehensive and informative reply. Wind posts could work, however, I'm going to take another look at putting in piers. The work involved isn't too difficult providing the is sufficient room on the footing itself, since there is only infill material (soil, hardcore etc) on top of it so far. It will just be a nuisance more than anything going back down there since I thought I was done with working at that god forsaken level breaking my back! Edit : And thank you save. Yes, interesting that you mention external piers, as I just had that thought myself last night. Could be worth a look.

Good point Mark. You are both right of course. Suppose I Was hoping for a quick fix /short cut to the problem, but it pays to get it right first time. Do the piers need to be of a certain size, and of matching material, or could I use, say, a small pier of brick all the way up? It's just that the footings aren't hugely wide and might struggle to accommodate a large pier. EDIT I probably should've included the dimensions : it's 6m x 2.75m x 2.5 high.