How should I insulate a log cabin?

[Julie Wood]

Thank you for adding me, you guys sure do know your stuff.
I am taking delivery of a 3x4m 44ml log cabin, we want to insulate the floor,walls and roof.

from reading many posts I am worried I might cause moisture to build up by applying the product wrongly.

Floors - Do we use Kingspan/Celotex so it touches the floor bit, leave a small gap between the Celotex and the base which in my case is slabbed. Will that give an airflow?

Roof - planning on having an EDPM rubber protection. So do we put a vapour barrier later in the top of the wood roof, then Celotex, then marine ply and then the EDPM? Walls? thanks

 

[GlenBoy]

You might want to watch this....

he also has some other videos that may interest you about the roof etc.

 

[Julie Wood]

Thank you, most useful

 

[GlenBoy]

Hi Julie in his series he will show you how to insulate the floor as well....

 

[Julie Wood]

Thank you,me very days is a learning one, wish I could afford to pay someone to do it all for me.

 

[motorbiking]

Did mine that way, to be honest it’s not complex to build the whole thing from scratch.

mine is 15m2 and insulated with 100mm of celotex walls and roof and 100mm of polystyrene in the slab plus 45mm celotex in the floor. Whole project tool about 3-4 weekends and cost 4-5k

 

[Julie Wood]

Reassuring, Hopefully we will be the same. When you say polystyrene in the slab what do you mean please? We have had a solid gazebo on the site where it’s going, it’s had patio slabs sitting there for 11 years with a hot tub, very solid and even so we are building Iver then with the frame, is this ok? Have you concreted then put poly down? Thanks Julie

 

[IT Minion]

Reassuring, Hopefully we will be the same. When you say polystyrene in the slab what do you mean please? We have had a solid gazebo on the site where it’s going, it’s had patio slabs sitting there for 11 years with a hot tub, very solid and even so we are building Iver then with the frame, is this ok? Have you concreted then put poly down? Thanks Julie

I'd guess he laid a new slab, with the insulation underneath. Which is a different approach to yours where you have an existing slab.

It's not a problem, just a different design.

What make and model of log cabin are you buying? That'll help people steer you to the most appropriate guide or give tips on the detailing.

 

[Julie Wood]

Hi,

We have ordered a Sussex 1 3x4m from Cabin Living

 

[IT Minion]

This one then.

http://www.cabinliving.co.uk/cabin....in=Sussex 1&ident=561&range=&cabinoptions=561

Are you sitting it on the slab directly, on some pad stones or on a timber frame? I believe all three are supported options for that style of shed (pun not intended).

 

[Julie Wood]

I think my husband is thinking directly onto the paving stones but as we want to insulate it would make sense to raise slightly to allow air flow, That way we could fit the Celotex firmly into the floor frame, what would you suggest?

 

[whatsthenews]

Thank you,me very days is a learning one, wish I could afford to pay someone to do it all for me.

Ha ha, we feel a bit like that at the moment too. At least yours is a new structure not like our rickety 1960's flat roof utility. If we can do it so can you (not that we've done it yet!)

 

[motorbiking]

Sorry didn’t see the reply on this thread. When I dug out the foundation. I put 100mm of compacted hardcore. Layer of sand, damp proof membrane. Then 100mm of polystyrene, then pored the concrete on top.

there is no reason you can’t raise it up to achieve the same but you have to be careful about staying under 2.5m