Mission 1 - Base & Side Walls

Minecrafting
25th May 2014

I have built stuff before. Fiddly. Intricate. Detailed.

Not this. Just threw it down. Easy.
Groundsheet. Easy.
Bales. Easy.
Polystyrene base. Easy.
Minecraft style. I take a straw block and place it. Take a straw block. Place it. Take a polystyrene block. place it.
(In the meantime, my boys arrive and decide to build the largest tower they can with the remaining bales.)

First layer

Second & third layers

Ended up with couple of extra polystyrene sheets so decided to use as extra side wall insulation.

Then I needed a touch of muscle with the tree stakes. Well the 10lb sledge helped. Tip: Do this early on a Sunday morning to have the best effect on your neighbours. Mix in a few curses for good measure even if you don't swing and miss and connect with your shin/toe/etc.

Stake & chips

Showing groundsheet turned up to prevent groundwater seeping into bales.
(My judgement here is that I should have allowed for a bigger ground sheet - an extra 3ft in both directions)

Then on cue it rained to test my concern for me. Enter builders damp proof membrane stage right plus another bigger polysheet (one I should have used for base!!!!)

Rain stops play.
(The grass down by the trampoline is new turf laid on the top soil. At least something likes the rain.) 

Only built up 3 sides to allow for the typical May weather - burnt to a crisp or drowning

Outcome is that I need a small drainage channel at the bottom end to help take water away. Just dug a channel for now. Maybe a half drainpipe and a few rocks will be enough.

Plywood next - when the rain stops. (It rained a lot. Good job I left a wall out.)