Regardless of the surface on which the cabin will stand, it must guarantee its stability and safety. Therefore, the chosen spot should be prepared especially well, hardened and reinforced.
Three steps to a solid base for a wooden structure
Preparing the ground for a wooden holiday cabin is not difficult. It can be summed up in three steps. However, each action should be approached with extreme meticulousness, because that guarantees long-lasting and safe use of a well-anchored cabin.
It is important that the chosen place for the wooden holiday cabin is also dry. A waterlogged site is a breeding ground for fungi and mold and causes swelling of cabin components, which endangers quality and significantly shortens usable life.
Clearing the ground
From the place where we want to place the cabin, remove turf, stones, branches and all elements that prevent creating a flat surface. If the soil is not sufficiently firm, it needs to be compacted further.
When cleaning the surface, it is worth slightly lowering the ground to make room for subsequent layers of aggregate. Usually about 25 cm, easily achieved when removing the turf layer.
Applying a layer of sand
The sand layer is the base for the following aggregates forming a solid ground for the cabin. This layer should be about 7 cm thick. Between two gravel layers, lay a geotextile, and compact everything thoroughly with a compactor.
Laying the layers of crushed stone
On top of the sand, spread a 10 cm layer of gravel with a large fraction, then a finer fraction of around 16 mm. Each layer must be leveled and compacted to obtain a stable ground perfectly prepared for the pointwise placement of concrete blocks that form the best support for the wooden construction or for pouring a foundation slab, which should be separated from the surface by a waterproofing layer such as roofing felt.
Remember about insulation and level
The first insulation for the ground under wooden holiday cabins is agrilike fabric laid between two sand layers. The second is waterproofing improving conditions at the interface of the ground and the wooden cabin floor.
Already during the preparation of the building site, also consider leveling the terrain and, most importantly, don’t do it by eye. For smaller areas you can use a masonry level, for larger ones a level is recommended. Properly positioning the wooden house will not only affect its aesthetics and usefulness but also protect the structure from improper rainwater runoff, snow accumulation, or even tilting due to stronger winds.
Accuracy is most important
While carrying out the next steps preparing the ground for the cabin, be precise! Only careful cleaning, leveling, compaction and reinforcement of the site will allow long-term use of the building.