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When planning a garden shed, it is necessary to integrate a moisture barrier. It protects the substructure from rising moisture from the ground.
In a nutshell
- Moisture barriers ensure that no moisture penetrates the foundation into the wood of the substructure
- This prevents mold and rotting wood
- modern moisture barriers are made of robust materials such as rubber granulate
- A level foundation is required for use
Moisture barrier: benefits explained
When it comes to choosing a garden shed, you have a number of options. There are a variety of garden houses that are designed and built in different ways. Among the most popular are variants that have a wooden substructure and are connected to the ground via storm brackets as required. The use of a moisture barrier, which is used between the foundation and the substructure, is necessary for such garden houses. It prevents a variety of damage that can occur due to excessive moisture:
- Substructure rotted
- mold growth
- Risk of breakage due to material fatigue
You can prevent this problem with a moisture barrier, as the substructure is slightly raised and no longer rests directly on the foundation. But that's not the only benefit offered by the lock. The following list gives you an overview of the properties of the lock:
- protects against rising damp
- acts as an impact sound absorber
- non-slip
- cannot slip
- not breathable (moisture is not absorbed)
- enables optimal air circulation
- dimensionally stable
Notice: If you opt for a garden shed without a wooden substructure, you do not need the moisture barrier. One example are summerhouses with tiles that completely do without a substructure.
material
Moisture barriers for garden sheds are made from materials that can be used over a long period of time as they do not rot and cannot transport moisture. Rubber granules in the form of rectangular or square pads are most commonly used. Rubber granulate consists of small plastic balls that are pressed into the required shape and can thus be used as pads. This gives the moisture barrier a surface that is ideal for use under the garden shed. The anti-slip properties in particular ensure a good footing, as the pads are weighed down by the weight and their surface gets caught on the foundation.
application
When using the moisture barriers, the most important thing is the correct position of the individual pads. It has a great influence on the stability of the garden house. If they are placed incorrectly, the garden shed will lean in one direction, which can cause damage. For this reason, you have to make sure that the individual pads are well placed and, above all, in the right places. The following applies:
- Distance between pads: 10 to 20 cm
- Distances can be narrower
The reason: Depending on the soil conditions and foundation, the inclination has to be compensated. This is often the case when it is not a spot or poured foundation, but a variant made of concrete slabs. The tilt is offset by shorter spacing and multiple pads stacked on top of each other. In this way you allow a level stand for the garden house. You should also note the following points when using it:
- Place the substructure on the foundation first
- Place a moisture barrier under the substructure
- Number of pads varies by foundation
- Check and adjust with a spirit level
- optional: attach storm angle
- Assemble the garden shed
Notice: Another benefit of the barrier is its drainage function. Since the substructure is raised, excess water does not collect under your garden shed.
frequently asked Questions
Can moisture barriers be retrofitted?If it is not too big a garden shed, you can move it for a short time and equip the foundation with the lock. However, make sure that you measure the positions of the individual pads as precisely as possible, since you cannot simply remove the substructure. You would have to dismantle them to do this. Then check the position of the garden shed with a spirit level.
For which foundations are moisture barriers not suitable?If you opt for a garden shed that is not firmly bolted to the foundation, you can easily use the moisture barriers. For this reason, for example, foundation screws are not suitable for the barriers, as they are firmly connected to the substructure. With a point foundation, the individual foundations must have a sufficient diameter.
What should be considered when choosing the lock?In most cases, moisture barriers for garden houses are available in ready-made sizes (e.g. 50 x 50 x 6 mm). Do not order too few, because depending on the size of the garden house or the slope of the ground, quite a few pads are required. They should be 100 percent rubber so they don't rot, which would also corrode the wood.