Day 48 - floor slab finished, varnished and covered

We finished all of the remaining small pieces of the flooring, and now the structural slab is complete.

We decided to varnish the surface of the OSB board in order to protect it in case some water came through the plastic. Also, there is a good chance that we will move in to the houses before they are finished, before the final hardwood flooring is in place, and the varnished OSB board will be a better floor in the interim.




We covered the entire floor slab surface with two sheets of silage cover, reusing the old one and adding a new one on top.


We hope that this plastic will last until the roof is in place and plan to place the wall panels directly on top of the plastic. So we secured the edges with batons and covered the surface with pallets and sheets of wood to prevent the plastic from billowing up too much in the wind.

Day 47 - almost finished the floor slab

We almost finished the ground floor slab today.

All that is left are a few small pieces to finish around the octagon.

Holes were cut in the boards to allow for all of the waste water pipes, the heating system pipes, and the water supply pipes. What we ended up with is a wooden version of the concrete slabs with pipes sticking out of them, which a lot of the other houses have.

Day 46 - continuing with the floor

We finished more than half of the floor sheeting, and the weather continues to work in our favor.

Opening left in the floor for access to the cellars.

The floor was designed so that all of the edges of the OSB board are supported by either joists or blocking, to which the board is glued and screwed.

Day 45 - starting to put in the floor

Before the OSB boards (more eco version of the dreaded chip board) can be screwed and glued to the joists, the top surface had to be scrubbed with a wire brush, primarily to remove the lime, but it helps to roughen the wood so that the glue can form a stronger bond.



Aoife and Leontien wait patiently.

The new wood slab sitting on the perimeter piers - this one at the dividing line between the two houses. By gluing and screwing the top surface to the timber joist and beams, the entire surface will act as one ridged slab structure, capable of transfering all of the wind loads from the walls through to the central cellar. The surface of the board on the underside of the slab is not structurally necessary, but helps to form a solid insulated slab that is ventilated underneath.

We fixed about 25% of the floor today

Day 44 - finished the hemp and lime insulation

Day 43 - and more hemp/lime

Day 42 - large quantities of hemp/lime insulation

Day 41 - first mix of hemp/lime insulation

Day 41 - dealing with water

Day 40 - starting the plumbing

Day 39 - bolting down the floor