cabin flooring high humidity

[Dustoffer]

If it is that humid, you might want to think of a concrete slab (s).

[Nick Rosen]

if your going to use wood products, make sure its all pressure treated, i would even use a marine grade plywood for the decking. if you do that and build so you have it just a little off the ground, so air can circulate under it you should fine and it should last you for a good 20 years or so. if your worried it being open and critters or cold, build you some framed walls to the ground and kind of like what a mobile home would have for skirting, as far insulation goes, i would go with nothing less an r-19 value in the floor, r-13 in the walls, and at least an r30 in the ceiling, if your using convential construction materials just your regular fiberglass insulation will do fine. geta foil face batting insulation and just staple it to the floor joist. hope this helps good luck, also if you ever decide to build a community type thing let me know,

[somanyanimals]

ty bikechuck every little bit of info helps. i didn’t realize they had marine grade plywood great to know.

[somanyanimals]

Hi my name is aarden , I have read this site for a couple years and finally have a reason to post. Me and 3 others have just purchased our dream land in missouri. I know how I want to build my foundation and I have a general design just a basic a frame cabin , for know I am trying to find out what the best way/best materials for protecting against the high humidity in the flooring I want it to last, i am far from an expert but will have plenty of help. i guess i am mainly confused about vapor barriers and different floor insulations

Ty in advance to all helpers

[Dustoffer]

Treated lumber is expensive and has to be cut edge treated and the whole waterproofed. Read the fine print on the labels. I’ve replaced a few decks that were treated lumber never sealed.

Crawlspaces must be vented properly and kept animal proof.

[Anonymous]

Up here we find big rocks and place the first round of timber on top, as high as possible, the higher the dryer so to speak, then it’s just a matter of leaving suffienct space between “under-floor” and “upper-floor” and fill it with whatever is handy, like sawdust. I would recommend putting tarr paper beneath the insulation…

[Dustoffer]

My cousin’s cabin had R-30 with tar paper backing stapled up between his floor joists. Squirrels got in and ripped off the tar paper and shredded the fiberglass. Mice and rats also got in and the whole thing was full of their excrement. He had to clean it all out through the access hole and didn’t bother re-insulating it.

Probably the best way is to use non tar paper lined batts smaller than the joist depth by 2″, push in after all plumbing and electric is done. Use 3″ nails on each side every couple feet to keep the insulation up. Drill 1 to 2″ holes at the rims and through any solid blocks and staple metal screening well, or install vent caps from the outside (in the area clear of insulation). Then use 3/8-1/2″ plywood or OSB nailed up with ring shank 8Ds or screwed with 1 5/8 drywall screws. At jigsaw cuts for plumbing, spray expanding urethane foam insulation in the small gaps. Then it will be vented for proper wood life, and be animal proof.

Most of the time there is a crawl space with vents and an access panel that is animal proof. Then there is no need for the rim vents or plywood to make the insulation animal proof. Often insulation is pushed up and in and then a mesh is stapled on the bottom to keep it vented with the crawl space vents installed every 12′ in the stem walls, and to keep the insulation from falling out (fiberglass or other batts).

Some crawl spaces require sump pumps if there is a water problem, and others require wrapped pipes, sometimes electrically heated.

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