CONSTRUCTION OF A TIMAPUU OUTDOOR BUILDING

Foundation Work

Site selection

Ensure that the location for the hut is stable and suitable for construction. For example, building near property boundaries is usually not allowed in zoning areas without special permission.

Choosing a Foundation Type

There are various options such as concrete, lightweight, or wooden foundations. The choice of foundation is largely a matter of preference, but it’s important to also consider any requirements imposed by the construction site. For example, a wooden foundation is suitable when the building site is difficult to access, such as on an island reachable only by boat. If needed, we are happy to help you find the right solution.

Preparatory Groundwork

The foundation must be strong. Therefore, it’s essential to remove any organic, frost-prone soil, such as dirt and clay, from beneath the foundation. It’s also important to ensure that moisture does not rise through capillary action into the structure. This can be prevented by placing 20 cm of gravel or crushed stone beneath the foundation. For a concrete foundation, it’s recommended to lay insulation boards, such as 50mm Finnfoam, under the slab, which will also act as a capillary barrier. If the foundation is to be built on piles, a capillary break is not required, but it’s still a good idea to remove the grass from under the future building.

Foundation Construction

CONCRETE FOUNDATION: A concrete foundation is a poured slab in a mold. To begin, install a wooden stake in the center of the expected slab area. The concrete foundation should be built by digging out any excess soil, filling the area with gravel, and then constructing a mold to the required dimensions. Place insulation board, such as 50mm Finnfoam, at the bottom of the mold, followed by reinforcement mesh. Once these steps are completed, the concrete slab can be poured. A concrete foundation is the most expensive type, but it’s the only recommended solution for saunas, as it’s durable, insulated, and sloped for water drainage

It is also possible to use a hybrid option, where 400 x 400 mm concrete slabs are placed over the entire foundation area on top of the insulation boards.

LIGHTWEIGHT FOUNDATION:

The foundation can also consist of a compacted and leveled sand, gravel, or crushed stone bed. In this case, it’s advisable to place reinforcement slabs at the corners of the building foundation to prevent the elements from sinking into the base.

WOODEN FOUNDATION:

A wooden foundation can be used for huts, saunas, or summer houses. The wooden frame should be a terrace at least the size of the building’s base, on which the building will be installed. If a wooden frame is used as the foundation, the stove/grill must be placed on a non-combustible base.

Measuring and Marking the Foundation

All Timapuu garden buildings are octagonal. Here’s an easy way to measure the corners of an octagonal building:

1. Drive a stake into the center of the building’s planned location.
2. Attach a string to the stake with a sharp stick at the other end. The length of the string (the distance from the stake in the center to the stick) should be exactly half of the building’s diameter.
3. Using the stick, draw a circle on the ground while keeping the string taut.
4. Make a measuring stick with the length of one side of the octagon.
5. Choose the first corner from the drawn circle. Using the measuring stick, you can then mark all the other corner points along the circle.

It’s important to clearly mark all the exact positions on the ground while working. You can use marking paint, stakes driven into the ground, and strings connecting them to help with marking.

Ventilation pipe

In a building where fire is used, ventilation air is required. Therefore, the foundation must always include a sufficiently large ventilation pipe. One end of the pipe should be positioned at the center of the building, beneath the grill, and the other end should exit under the foundation. The pipe diameter depends on the size of the building. The minimum diameter for the pipe is 200 mm. For larger buildings, several pipes are used to ensure sufficient airflow. For saunas, a smaller pipe is enough, e.g., a 110 or 160 mm pipe behind the stove.

Surface Treatment

A Timapuu yard building with a good foundation is durable in itself. It is well protected from moisture, and every part of the structure is able to breathe and ventilate. An untreated building will weather beautifully to a grey color over time. However, with the right surface treatment, you can gain additional benefits. Over time, sunlight will degrade the surface of untreated wood, exposing it to environmental pollutants such as pollen, soot particles, and fungal spores. Surface treatment also allows you to apply a color of your choice to the building, helping it blend into its surroundings, whether that’s nearby structures or nature.

Ask about surface treatment options at hardware stores. There are many alternatives available. Ultimately, your preferences will determine which method is the right one for you.

Maintenance

Wooden buildings should be regularly maintained to ensure they serve for as long as possible. For example, near trees, leaves, needles, and pollen may accumulate on the roof and surfaces of the building, which trap moisture and, over time, may damage the structure’s surface. It’s important to clean off any impurities regularly. It’s also advisable to refresh mold-resistant treatments every few years. If the building is painted, UV radiation from the sun will cause the surfaces, particularly on the south side, to weather. Therefore, it’s a good idea to monitor their condition and, if necessary, repaint the surfaces.