Garden Room Workshop: Part 5. Timber floor

[@ursamajor6546]

Just re-watched this video in 2022. Heartbreaking seeing how cheap timber was 4 years ago! 😢

[@N_iko]

Snap Even worse now

[@willeggleston6990]

@@N_iko 😭😭

[@MrJonpac]

This series is brilliant . You've done a great job my friend and im just starting mine. Its your videos that have made me do it. A pool table has always been a little dream of mine and i will be there in 8 weeks i hope . Thanks for this

[@omugz9444]

This is the second time I am watching Ali's complete series - and I agree with the comment below, timber prices in fall of 2022 is ridiculous.

[@paulguimaraes5384]

Mate, you are a saviour. You dont realise how long ive been researching my build. Very similar to yours but smaller (4m x 3m). ihad so many problems and dilemmas that I coudnt find a solution for online...but your channel has addressed every single issue I couldn't work out. Cant thank you enough. Watching all your videos also highlighted some issues I hadn't considered , so has saved me massive headaches down the line. Cant see wait to see your finished build. I'm as far as the floor frame and have started cutting up insulation. Keep up the great work!

[@AliDymock]

That's great Paul! Lovely feedback. You'll have to get in touch when it's done so I can give you a page on the website!

[@davidhaugh801]

@@AliDymock Hi Ali, in your Part 9 video you have your roof make-up at 350mm which is fine, but it says you have a 230mm floor above ground level, am I missing something because 150mm is top of pier and then the floor make-up is 143mm ish giving you 293mm not 230mm, im just checking internal ceiling heights.

[@paulfearns7132]

Hi Ali i wanted to congratulate you on your build for not being a tradesmen of any sort i'm a joiner myself and was amazed at your planning and attention to detail with no prior experience in the videos so far looking forward to seeing how you progress with the build well done so far.

[@andrewmason4004]

So so pleased to have stumbled across your videos. As others have said, they seem to be exactly what I need to enable me to actually make some progress. I have been bogged down the myriad of options and considerations. Thank you so much. I have binge watched to this point and look forward to continuing tomorrow.

[@AliDymock]

Glad you like them! They get better as they go on as I learn to edit.

[@andrewmason4004]

Ali Dymock Honestly the editing to this point has been well above average. I will check out what channels you sub to, but my favourite for carpentry/construction is "Scott Brown Carpentry". Part of his appeal is the mix of editing, content and delivery. I think you demontrate all three too. Love the fact you drop into education bits, they add so much value to those of us who want to emulate you, not just be entertained.

[@AliDymock]

@@andrewmason4004 Thanks dude, that guy was a good shout. I watched his decking tips video. Yeh I try to make them fun as informative while telling a story.

[@michaelwalkling8851]

These videos are absolute gold. I’m starting my garden workshop this year. I cannot believe the price of timber now compared to when this video was done. It’s literally twice as expensive! £££££

[@joemorris1282]

Tell me about it, thanks in no small part to Brexit for it climbing above inflation, yay! Still, I'll probably still go ahead with my build this year anyway, if I can afford it that is!

[@Colesy1978]

It’s Easter weekend and after many months of planning, consideration and thought I’ve started my build. 2 days in; piers are down, the base is built and I’m now enjoying a beer. Insulation and ply tomorrow, followed by a week of walls, roof and windows. I’ll be sure to send you pics for your website. Your videos showed me it can be done! Happy Easter!

[@Rodney-of8qi]

Ali - thank you. A very useful set of videos with good mix of theory and practice. Very helpful indeed for someone like me setting out to replace their garden room / work shed.

[@AliDymock]

Glad you like them. They get better as they go along in terms of production value :)

[@JonnyPardoePhotos]

Absolute gold, thanks Ali for taking the time to make and share these. Been binging on this series over the last couple of weeks and today I start making my 18 feet x 10 feet Garden room with a lot more confidence thanks to your help!

[@AliDymock]

Great to hear Jonny!

[@redseantlworld]

I'm going to watch everything again and make notes. The wealth of information is phenomenal.

[@AliDymock]

🗒

[@royw65]

Brilliant stuff, about to start 16’x8’ workshop, will use this block method for foundation and two 8’x8’ frames.. thanks. Best video’s I’ve found for this.

[@AliDymock]

Cheers Roy, best of luck with your build

[@andrewhoulihan7940]

Love the pencil your using!! Ladbrokes special. Great videos by the way. They have been a great help so far. Love from Ireland 🇮🇪

[@intelligenltd3332]

Excellent series Ali. Very clear and concise with just the right level of additional info. I have a greenhouse, summerhouse, and large deck to build on what was once wasteland on the Crown Estate up here in the Scottish Highlands. It's going to be much easier now as I can follow your ideas. I look forward to completing the series. Great stuff. Keep up the good work.

[@AliDymock]

Cheers! That sounds like a lovely location!

[@intelligenltd3332]

@@AliDymock Hi Ali. What is the music you have on the Garden Room build videos please? Cheers, John

[@AliDymock]

@@intelligenltd3332 Fan are we? Good man :) Have a look in the description of each video, I link the artist or song.

[@tulle7358]

Thank you so much for taking the time to do this much work for the rest of us to follow 🙏🙏😊 That is such a nice way to learn and to follow when starting the project building!!! There must have been so much work and time put into making all of those videos - so thank you so so much 🙏🙏🙏 From Denmark 🇩🇰, Hi 😊

[@AliDymock]

Hi From UK .You're very welcome. As it turns out, yeh the videos are way harder than the build lol.

[@tulle7358]

@@AliDymock following some garden youtubers for some time now, I get that impression 😅😀 but this series is in its own league 🙏 also why I need-it to let you know!! So much appreciation and respect from me to you!! Thanks again! 😊

[@felipecontreras5608]

These videos are exactly what i needed! the others videos i found don't explain properly the building steps. Thank you for Share, regards from Chile.

[@AliDymock]

Glad they are resonating with you. Note to Chile, can we have the sun back please?

[@felipecontreras5608]

@@AliDymock 😂😂

[@muniquri8210]

Thank you so much I love watching your videos because so much details and very clam

[@paulfearns7132]

Top job on laying and squaring up your floor deck for sure the way i would have done it myself and i do this kind of work for living also good calls on both the joist hangers and twist nails there a great fixing nail for there size top work so far Ali enjoying watching your build come together so far big thumbs up :)

[@davidwhite1660]

Superb series, clear, intelligent, detailed & thoughtful. I rarely do the ‘comments’ thing but wanted to send big thanks for your generosity in posting this series- it will help me enormously as I work through the stages of my own project. All best & good health to you & yours. Dave

[@AliDymock]

Well thank you David, that's kind of you to say. And to you!

[@Jaydee750]

Excellent set of videos. Really good format and very easy to follow. You describe what you did, and how you went about it in such a clear and easy to understand way. I'm going to pretty much replicate what you have done for my garden room build. Last time I built a log cabin base I went completely overkill with foundations - took me ages and was really expensive. Yours seem so much easier - I wish I'd seen this before. This is incredibly useful info thank you so much for taking the time to create these.

[@AliDymock]

So glad you like them Jeremy!

[@garyr1522]

Hi Ali, as others have said, excellent series. Just the right balance of detail and getting on with it. Good stuff and thanks for taking the time and trouble to put such an informative video(s) together. Good man

[@AliDymock]

😊 glad you like it

[@jamesfoster5748]

Been looking for a channel like this good explanations looking forward to watching all the videos 👍

[@thepeginator2556]

Watched a few shed/garden building build vids now, these have been the best by a country mile!!! Very much enjoying the series. Length isn’t an issue, people watching these kinds of videos want details, not just some eye candy shots of screws being wazed into timber - we all know what that looks like!! Have sub’d, keep up the good work.

[@AliDymock]

Thanks! I try to do a bit of both - informative but a bit of entertainment too :)

[@clgrm1]

Many thanks Ali...produced just for people like me that don't have a lot of experience but are keen to try !

[@AliDymock]

Precisely

[@starman9921]

Very god video best I have seen with all the info clearly explained on how to build such a floor thank you I have now subscribed to channel.

[@petemyster101]

Great video series Ali. One thing I don't understand is, how did you determine the spacing between the plinths? Using span tables to determine the length/spacing for the joists makes sense, but since your joists are attached to suspended beams how did you determine the length/spacing/capacity of those beams (which determined your spacing of plinths)? Each beam is suspended/spaced itself and is taking the load of several joists at a time.

[@tomfindlay5415]

Hi Ali, This is just exactly what I was looking for, great vids and content. As you mentioned all other vids are montages so this is by far one of the best series I've come across. Just watched all 5 vids and I'm hooked! Really interested in building my own (in summer) so can't wait till your finished, so that I'm all clued up. Thanx for sharing and keep up the good work mate.

[@AliDymock]

Hey Tom, that's great feedback. Thanks! It's pretty cool to be able to build you own building that you can admire from your house forevermore! What will you use yours for? Next vid out towards the end of this week.

[@sandratesseyman5953]

These are great videos which I am working my way through, very informative, great detailed information which I will be referring to when I build my shed when the weather improves. Really enjoying seeing each stage come together. Thank you.

[@richardjsdavis]

Hello Ali Some very useful videos - thanks. I wondered if I might pick your brain a little bit, about floor/weight spans etc on a timber floor? I'm also building a summer house, that will be used as a gym. It's 5mx4m, and has a concrete slab base (nearly 7 tonnes worth!). The timber frame is sat directly on the concrete base, with a DPM between them. I've just installed the rigid insulation, and am getting to the first fix of wiring, internal vapour barrier, internal walls, and then flooring... This is my question: How to best floor it? I think my two options are basically: 1: Lay the rubber gym floor tiles straight onto the DPM, so that the concrete base is directly taking all of the weight of everything that will be inside (Power cage / Olympic weights / treadmill / rower / x-trainer etc etc). My query here isn't really about weight-bearing, but about moisture/heat-loss, that sort of thing.... 2: Create a false floor, by simply laying 2" x 2" joists directly down onto the DPM / Concrete base, and insulate the gaps with some 50mm rigid insulation and then lay 18mm plyboard on top of joists to create the floor, and then lay the rubber floor matting on top of the plyboard. I'm inclined to go for option 2, but in doing so, wondered about good/strong spacing between the 2x2 joists to take the weight of everything that will sit on top of it, bearing in mind that they are resting directly on the concrete slab. I always go super-strong as a general principle (roof joists are doubled up/paired 5x2's as the span is more than 3m, for example, to take the weight of the roof itself and a damn good full snowfall in the winter for example), so I was thinking the floor joists should have 300 or 400mm spacing? Does it matter if they are laid front to back / side to side? (Genuinely don't know if that's even a relevant question!) I would also be inclined to chop up some additional 2x2 and insert them as spacers / noggins to keep them evenly spaced and secure. Would be grateful for any thoughts on the flooring? Many thanks in advance for any reply.

[@Toyotaamazon80series]

Well explained and narrated Sir, good series, 👍 🔨 🇮🇪

[@AliDymock]

Thanks, bit dodgy in these earlier vids but I improve along the way :)

[@stormvent2572]

Great set of videos. If you have the frames already screwed together how are you making any adjustment by lifting the frame to the right?

[@douglasjames4307]

Ali fantastic video, to help anyone along quickly to get a true square floor is use a sheet of 18mm 8x4 foot ply, start in the corner then adjust, used this method for years building skateboard ramps, best giant tee square.

[@AliDymock]

That's a great tip Douglas!

[@88Frank]

Really enjoying this series, I'm watching them all. Very inspirational. Surprised you didn't buy more things to make your life easy. I would def have gotten myself a nailgun and a bigger square 😂 Im a sucker for a new tool

[@AliDymock]

Yeh later on in the series I make the point about coming to realise that the right tool for the job is generally worth it. But with budget limited, you have to make do!

[@dannycampbell6223]

Awesome Ali, you have made a great series of videos that are really helpful. Well done mate.

[@AliDymock]

Thanks Danny!

[@leegunnerz1830]

I think it was a really good & helpful video, thanks for making them

[@ArifUK]

By far the best video on the topic

[@debbieford8542]

great job really enjoying this series, especially as there aren't too many well made, easy to follow UK-based one's. It really makes it more awkward when you have both Imperial & Metric sizes to work with and you have to keep mentally cross-checking to keep things straight. I recently purchased some land to the rear of my house, it has a small stable block which is in quite bad shape as far as the timbers go, the concrete base is sound. It is over 50 yrs old and has withstood some harsh Scottish Winter's with little to no maintenance. it's relatively dry and great for storing my seasoned wood. I debated knocking it down and moving it closer to the log store/wood splitter but I'm a female on my own so rebuilding would be quite some undertaking, especially as it only needs moving about 2 metres! I too debated a kit but they are far too expensive plus access is awkward to impossible with larger crane/lorry combos and all materials have to be manually carried up a 1:6 slope from the gate making labour costs v expensive. I decided to go for a repair instead but have found your video series v helpful and easy to follow. I hate those where they speed up construction and if you're a novice like me, it makes the video virtually useless as an aid, or else they use v specialised tools that you might use once. Certainly might make use of the base method you decided on to construct a larger log store, pallets last no time at all and are quite hard to come by. my local recycling centre have them dumped regularly but once in the compactor, you can't remove them!

[@AliDymock]

Sounds like you have quite a job on your hands. Hope it's going well Debbie!

[@debbieford8542]

Ali Dymock repair finally completed just need to spray some deep penetrating preservative on though i was hoping to leave the roof but a couple of leaks mean this will need to be replaced.

[@keithgriffiths6626]

Excellent visual and most importantly the narrative

[@AliDymock]

Cheers Keith. Welcome to the series!

[@skyhigheagleer6]

Much easier to nail the joist hangers on to the joist before fitting, I made the same cluster of clamps when doing mine and only realised after the fact

[@largecrainium]

This is amazing! This is exactly what I have been planning to do for ages. Definitely going to crack on with mine in the next few months. Your videos are so informative and I'm so happy to see you haven't got some awful lift music playing throughout. Can't wait for the next one!

[@AliDymock]

haha... *goes to delete theme music from the next video*. Glad you like the format. Definitely get cracking with yours!

[@leuizeknunes]

Hi there. Amazing series. Do you have an overall of breakout costs?

[@conorbrann]

Brilliant video

[@IsHeMad]

Fantastic course!

[@AliDymock]

Glad you think so!

[@ralphhardie7492]

Seriously good stuff Thank you

[@sgg12427]

Hey what's the black material between the wooden base & contreate block, great build 👍🏽

[@demelitia]

Using tanalised/pressure treated timber with normal yellow passivated screws can often cause the screws to corrode away to nothing in short order, especially when exposed to moisture. Organic coated or stainless fasteners are the right choice. Be aware that stainless work hardens and has a lower shear strength than a lot of normal screws so it’s easier to snap then when driving them in, and way easier when backing them out again. Pre-drilling is sometimes required with stainless. Lots of the cheaper stainless screws available are A2 which isn’t as good as A4. It’s worth using A4 where budget permits.

[@AliDymock]

Great info there, thanks! I'm glad I used joist hangers!

[@maheshmepani1765]

Hello Ali, I’ve watched you’re vids a number of times and you’ve convinced me to give it a go myself. I’m going to be making the same siz3 could you pleasedshare what quantities of materials I need. Thanks

[@grahamstaddon9990]

Just watching this video for umpteenth time 😂 when you build your four frames and adding the extra timber to all sides to achieve the size you want how are you fixing them together, coach bolts/ screws? Many thanks. Graham.

[@MrJohnnynapalm7]

Very good video - thanks for sharing 👍

[@MrDavies84uk]

Great videos really are a lot of help. I was wondering why have you tripled up on the timbers are one end on the floor instead of double? Thanks

[@AliDymock]

Good eye. It was because I had initially planned for the wall to sit right on the joists and then fill in the middle with ply so would have need the third joist on each side. In the end I decided to cover all with ply first (part 6) then sit the walls on the ply so 2 joists on the side would have been fine.

[@MrDavies84uk]

@@AliDymock ah makes sense, thanks for clearing that up mate your video's have been a huge help

[@st4849]

@@AliDymock I'm so glad I found this explanation. It was killing me once I spotted it :)

[@guyp6814]

Great vids Ali. Incredibly informative. I'm working on a 4x4m garden office at the moment. I'm committed to a slab now, but starting to wish I had tried the plinth method! I'm not totally sure how to prevent water pooling, and whether i should raise my timber floor up off the base with shallow concrete blocks. I'd like to fix straight down to the base really. Thanks for all the vids and sharing your research.

[@AliDymock]

Thanks Guy! You could build the floor/walls out to the edge of the slab and then have battens and cladding extending over it so that any rain can run off into the ground rather than onto the slab! I think a slab is a good way to go so don't worry about that 🙂

[@guyp6814]

Thanks Ali, good idea. Plenty of options I think. Got a couple of busy weeks ahead... Winter is coming :/

[@jameswinterbottom7983]

Great well considered videos, just what I’ve been looking for before starting my own project.

[@triathlon529]

Fantastic videos ; can I ask please why you have triple thickness frame at both ends ?

[@nowthenad3286]

Thank you so much for doing this video series. Absolutely brilliant. I could be watching Killing Eve but instead I'm watching this. Who'd have thought?

[@AliDymock]

Not me! I’m delighted that you like them 👌

[@LondonStuff.]

Great video, what’s the required timber for 4.7 span for roof joists?

[@MrOliverjwhite]

Hi Ali, great videos just wondered why you used 3 timbers on the ends of the building. I can't find you saying it anywhere. Thanks!!

[@georgebarr5102]

Ali, great series, one question; why not cement the blocks down, which anchors the build for storm, im planning an apex roof with a big overhang for creating space for log storage. Is it because the build is so heavy even freak weather wouldn't lift it? Im old enough to remember the 1987 storm, quite a few sheds tumbling down the roads lol

[@AliDymock]

I did cement between the blocks but not to the hardcore underneath if that's what you mean. In hindsight I would have or at least poured concrete around the blocks to make sure they were really secure.

[@paulclemson6382]

Hi Ali, What a great really useful series. We moved house over 5 years ago and you have aspired me to empty the 18ft x 10ft concrete panel garage which I should have taken the contents to the dump at the time of moving. oops!!! I would like to extend the garage by a further 6ft making 24x 10 come summer house, gym and cinema room if planning allows. Could I please ask you what span /spacing you suggest for permitted for flooring my intention is to take down the garage door side and extend out. We have great river views and this project would certainly make our summer(day) up here in Scotland. Could I please ask regarding the subject of not buying a nail gun?

[@roscoefamilyable]

These videos are just brilliant. I'm a none DIY'er so the way everything is broken down and explained in simple terms is fantastic. Just out of interest do we get a view of the finished product?

[@AliDymock]

No builder talk here ;) yeh definitely, just a bit more of a wait.

[@Carl-x9e]

Am thinking of using 2x4 timber what would you recommend the foundation spacing be apart

[@teacake4922]

Superb videos! Really professional, detailed and informative.

[@AliDymock]

Cheers Ralph!

[@jmom687]

Would sips floors of been a better or cheaper option and quicker to install ?

[@davidmiddlemas1511]

Really well made video . Thanks and can't wait to watch the rest of your series

[@AliDymock]

David Middlemas thanks David, glad you liked it.

[@DamedGhostStory]

Hi, glad I found your videos ill definitely be using them. Thanks for going into such detail. I have been looking but couldn't see what the overall cost was

[@AliDymock]

Hey Laura, I haven't gone through the outlay yet, it's on my list of things to do but it would be different from today given how much building materials prices have gone up. There are many variables such as size of building, choice of insulation and cladding and many others so really the range can be from a few thousand to well into the tens of thousands. My next build will be a lot cheaper than this one, that's for sure, but will come with compromises.

[@edwardcharles9764]

I might be wrong but assuming your walls drop down in front of your frames, you'll find your piers protrude beyond them. Despite your damp proofing on the pier, (which will only prevent rising damp from the ground), you may find the rain will run down the walls and onto the protruding pier. This will give rise to water possibly seeping underneath the frame at all the outer wall pier points. Then resulting in soaking and probably rotting the timbers at these sections. I would of ensured the piers were slightly inside, with the walls and floor timber protruding the piers to ensure a full run off. When finished it his is the case you might want to look at some form of drip rail to take the rain water beyond the pier and thereby prefect these timbers.

[@AliDymock]

I designed the piers to protrude a bit beyond the floor as the battens and cladding will take the walls past the blocks. However, I added some DPC to the walls to prevent what you say - see Part 12! 🙂

[@clivevassell2064]

@@AliDymock that’s cleared that up just about to start preparing my base now Thanks

[@recce45]

What OSB board did you use. Tongue and groove 18mm? Good job thanks

[@Tez73]

What you can do Ali to square up base . Join all sections together then get a long ratchet strap from one corner to the diagonal and tack a long brace on . You do the same thing on long walls to stop racking . You’ve done a brill job pal . You should go into house building

[@AliDymock]

That sounds good! I was definitely bootstrapping the techniques early on!

[@dugbert9]

if you had used nails instead of screws to secure the floor joists would you still have fitted the joist hangers?

[@AliDymock]

Yeh I think I would have as nails can bend. I err towards over-engineering for the floor and foundations. You can be a bit more relaxed for the rest of the build.

[@davidwillsone429]

Hi could you use treated fence posts as floor joints

[@chrisbirks2929]

Great series, were the joist hangers a planning/building reg requirement or just good practice?

[@abidmahmood8961]

Fantastic video series. V informative. What's the next project.

[@rjleatherstudio1368]

Hi Ali. Thanks so much for your such in-depth videos they are absolutely brilliant. I'm building a 5m wide x 5.5m long studio and am going to follow your steps as they are so informative. I wondered if there was a reason you didn't use long timbers (6.5m and 5m) on the floor joists ? Was it due to the span requirements from the span tables ? I was hoping to make mine with 5.5m + 5m treated c24 5x2 timbers. Thanks in advance for your info. Bex

[@AhSoul]

Really great video series! I've got a 4x4 concrete slab in the garden (not sure if it has DPC in it) which is level with the turf (so not raised). I've got to keep under 2.5m so I'm trying to work out how to lay the floor frame with the least height loss. I was thinking of using 100mm joists and sit them on 10mm rubber to lift them slightly off the slab. Would that work? Or would another approach be better?

[@abbbee8918]

What is the reason for attaching to the blocks? Everyone seems to do it but I don't understand what it could possibly achieve except for splitting the block or loosening the block. If there is any slight movement from distortion in the building it would seem best to to let it slide across the top of the block. Surely its not fixed down to hold it in a strong wind! PS I have just started my own build (half the size of yours) and your videos are a large part of gaining the confidence I had to muster to take on project like this. Thank you.

[@AliDymock]

Precaution mostly and maybe because it feels right? I can't give you a scientific reason for doing so. Most sheds aren't fixed to the ground after all. My hunch is that it would be fine if you didn't do that step 👍

[@garethsmith2016]

I have found the rubber roof material EPDM at my local pet shop, pond liner rubber for roofs wanted £380 I got it from a pet shop for £165 8mx5m.

[@johnmclaughlin9971]

interesting... is it the same thickness?

[@christopherbushrod1571]

Hi Ali. My garden room is monstrous. My son wants to put a 3/4 size snooker table in it . I'm having the canopy the same sizes as u on all sides. Thinking of a concrete base because of the weight of the table. The size I'm looking at is 8x6 metres. 3 m high in the front but not sure what height the rear should b. Can I get roof joists to span 6 metres with also the 60 and 15 over hang

[@azzamody]

I made a mistake by leading the timber on slab not allowing a cavity space , but I added a dpm , now I am noticing water leak on the edge timbers , I am thinking to add dpm liquid to seal the timber from inside , any advise to overhaul this issue ?

[@cubeh8331]

Hi Ali, where do you find out what dead load to expect when planning your project? Is there a general rule for single story garages not expecting to go above 0.5 dead load?

[@4i04]

Hey Ali, hope you are ok and your workshop also. Would like to ask you what do you think to paint the wood frame with some protective product like Barrettine Wood Protective etc? Some of my friends recommend using "old style" to use black jack emulsion. I will build by summerhouse above very wet ground, it is just a garden inside estates but my garden is one of the last ones on the lowest points so all rain waters and general ground waters are present under. What do you think?

[@MrJohnnynapalm7]

Really informative video - thanks for sharing. PS I really like the music but couldn’t find the track using your link in the description???

[@AliDymock]

weirdly it's linking to someone else despite the name in the URL so google DJ Quads, I can't remember the exact song though, sorry!

[@antalszabolcsdesign5189]

Is the floor/foundation of this garden room sturdy enough to be used as a gym? Power Cage(70kg)+Weights(200kg)+User weight(~75kg). My main concerned would be all this weight being in a small part of the room while doing deadlifs. If I would drop a load of 150-200kg on the barbell from 0.7m would that damage the structure of the garden room? Btw your DIY videos are amazing. Keep up the good work! :)

[@AccountantDoesDIY]

Hi, I'm in process of building a garden gym and more or less following Ali's videos and set-up. My kg's are similar to yours for the cage weight and plates, although i'm about 10kg heavier than you (diet never my strong point....). I've decided to use thicker ply for the floor (22mm) and I will also put extra noggins between the floor joists in the part of the room that will house the rack. I think this will be sufficient. Could also build a deadlift platform in due course. I have an aversion to dropping deadlifts, preferring to get the additional workout from a slowish eccentric movement. That said, if you're going for a one rep max sometimes it's impossible not to drop it!

[@Randomvidz07]

Hi you mention using ply or osb for the floor, could you have used moisture resistant chipboard allowing to work to metric dims? Thanks just wondering on best product use

[@AliDymock]

Yeh for sure. Even regular chipboard is fine as long you are able to keep it dry. I wasn’t so opted for ply. All will do and the moisture resistant stuff will do well when wet.

[@chriscleary1501]

Can I ask did you need to create pilot holes for the screws?

[@benjaminbedford2761]

Hi mate how do you hide the dense blocks after wards? When the build is finished the dense blocks will be sitting proud off the building? Have you any tips on how to hide them?

[@deuxbiers]

Hi Ali. Really enjoying your videos. Just one question regarding the DPC over the concrete pillars. The overhang seems quite large and I wondered if there is a spec for this. I'd be concerned of rain water hitting the top of the DPC and running between the joist and the DPC. Interested to understand how this is controlled.

[@chrtravels]

Excellent video series, thank you! I plan a project just like this very soon.

[@karenbirkett5634]

I love your channel! I'm one of the women who have watched them all. I will be the Project Manager/Designer - husband and I will do the build. We want to avoid Building Regs and Planning - because we have 4 protected trees and we are having to relocate our existing shed very close to them in order to put in garden room. Don't want to draw attention to ourselves. Our planned build would be something like 5.5m x 4.2m and because of the height restriction of 2.5m we would have been looking to reduce the depth of floor and keep a greater depth of insulation in the roof as it will be used as an office all year round. But from all of the information you have given presumably 50mm timbers wouldn't be sufficient? The garden room we were looking at buying only has a 45mm floor. Can't wait to see your finished room - hope it is finished anyway.

[@AliDymock]

Good to have you Karen! Okay so remember that building regs U-values have gone up loads in order that new homes take much less energy to heat. So if you are buying one that doesn't meet the U-values for b regs it doesn't mean it won't be warm - you just might end up leaving the heater on for a couple extra hours during the day. As I said in one of the videos, even if you have the bare minimum of insulation it will be better than most houses. I just went for the high end so don't feel like you need to copy exactly :) If the floor is only 45mm I presume it's designed to rest on a concrete slab?

[@karenbirkett5634]

@@AliDymockthanks for response - yes they recommend a concrete base - or their rapid grid foundation system. Another company we spoke to though didn't recommend concrete floor - as you need air circulation, and you can get warmth from the ground - but theirs was also only 45mm floor. That's why we're exploring self-build - we hope it will be better spec. If we were to use smaller joists - do we need more block pillars?

[@AliDymock]

@@karenbirkett5634 I think the point about circulation is fair though in practice should be okay as long as no water gets on or between the floor and concrete base. You could opt just for a concrete base with walls fastened to it, less thermal efficient but cheaper initially. Yes, the thinner the floor timbers the closer your pillars should be but I'd argue 45mm is far too thin. 2x4s (95mm) should be the minimum really. If you are thinking of the 2.5m height, you could excavate downwards and have your floor sunk below ground level. I've seen another viewer who has done just that though of course it causes more potential for issues with circulation, damp etc

[@MostlyCreativeVideos]

@3:43 C24 Grade has an enormous impact on the 2.5m restrictions as much narrower timber can be used on both the floor and roof. I gained an extra 8cm using C24!

[@AliDymock]

Absolutely right - those 8cm can be critical for ceiling height!

[@MostlyCreativeVideos]

​@@AliDymock Thanks for acknowledging. The documenting of your project has been invaluable! i wake up in the morning following dreams of mm and inches, grab the laptop and manage to shave off a few more pounds on creative/stable adjustments. Many thanks for your vlog - It has been most valuable. Would love to see your final result ;)

[@AliDymock]

Haha I remember that stage - dreaming of how everything inter-connects. It's coming along: kzbin.info/door/4UDFzeOPhEkPJMuIqoVqTAcommunity

[@alanmacdonald486]

Hi Ali, maybe this might seem like a dumb question but what is the purpose of bolting the frame to the foundation. Surely the building is going to weigh quite a few tonnes and doubtful it'll move through things like wind. I only ask as I'm emulating your build but staying in the 15m 2.5m max rules and as every mm in height counts I've gone for 50mm clearing which means joints sit on bricks cemented on a concrete base and if I drill into the bricks I have a feeling they will break. What's your advice?

[@shahin237]

Hi lovely job I went to learn this job

[@Pipes1975]

Hi Ali, thanks for the videos. Quick question. Why did you put the joists in place before attaching the joist hangers afterwards?

[@ryanaldred1]

Struggling to find the right joist hangers. I'm new to this but all 47x125 hangers appear to be for masonry and have plates that sit on the top-side of the timber. Is this a problem when i comes to flooring on top of that? Anyone with an appropriate link would be massively appreciated.

[@AliDymock]

The place where I bought them seem to have stopped selling them but, but it's no problem if you get the type that wrap over the top of the joist.

[@AGStudiosUK]

Hi Ali, Great videos and very well researched info - I really enjoyed them. I have a question concerning my build.. I wonder if I could trouble you to a little advice please? I have laid a flat concrete base 6m x 6m and plan to put 4x2 laid flat on it. I thought I would add a membrane between concrete and the 4x2 wood floor base. could you recommend a material? also - If I then give excess around the edges and kind of lift up on the wall struts about a foot or so.. is this a good idea? or will it restrict airflow etc & cause problems? Many thanks if you get time...

[@jameskelly6615]

Great videos Ali. Is there any reason you didn't go straight on top of your old concrete garage floor?

[@AliDymock]

It was just a mess, subsidence, bind weed and brambles coming up through the cracks. I suppose I could have left it and just taken out the bits where I wanted my block piers and thrown a weed membrane over the rest but I felt I needed to get back to the the earth and it wasn't clear what was causing the subsidence and cracks. I reckon you can be a bit more relaxed about other parts of the build but you really want to get your foundations right. if you have a pre-existing slab in good condition, definitely no point in taking it up though 👍

[@jameskelly6615]

@@AliDymock Great thanks Ali. I'm looking to replace my current shed with an L shaped shed/office/annexe, so half would be on the current concrete base which looks sound and half on earth. I might start with a clean slate like yourself. How did you finish the bottom of the building? We have rodents in this area and I don't like the idea of them in the void below! Not so bad if they're managed i suppose.

[@platinumvipchauffeurs9178]

Hi Ali, all your videos are fantastic and of great help thank you, I’m just in the planning stage with my 8m x 4.2m build on 15 block piers (3 rows of 5), I’m having a dividing wall at approximately 2.1m so building 4 or 6 individual frames, would you advise doubling up along along all of the 5 piers or simply on the outer ones and where the wall will be positioned? Thank you for your time.

[@AliDymock]

I'd say doubling up on the sides is where it's most imperative but if you are making individual frames then you'll automatically be doubling up where they meet. You could put a double under where the partition wall will go, but one would be sufficient I would say.

[@Zephieish]

Can you put the DPC under the concrete blocks instead of on top? I want to use piers and would be difficult to add DPC between these and the timber due to their design

[@Oscar-te6xu]

Hello mate, loving the videos and excited to do mine! Needed advice on how many joists and of what thickness they should be (the floor) .. my shed size will be 21ft x 25ft .. needed advice on the floor joists and the wall. Thanks in advance! 👍👍👍👍

[@AliDymock]

Hey Oscar, I'm away from my span tables right now so can't tell you for sure but that's pretty big so I reckon you'd need 2x6 joists OR up the number of piers to 16 (4 x 4) and go with 5x2 timbers

[@Oscar-te6xu]

@@AliDymock - Ali, thanks for the reply mate, quick question, would it be cost more effective to go for a huge concrete filling instead of all the headache of a timber frame??? Thanks

[@AliDymock]

hard to say on cost, it depends on how far a company has to pump the concrete, where you are etc but i do think a concrete floor is a really good option and if you have a good level site, probably a good way to go! If you email me at [e-mail] I can send you the span tables if you like.

[@terrycotter4630]

Hi Ali great video, I'm looking to start my 3.2m x 3.2m and will use the 16" spacing but not sure what type of or size timbers I Require any tips would be great

[@AliDymock]

Hi Terry, start here when looking at spans: www.alidymock.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Span-Tables-Ali-Dymock.pdf Also watch Part 16 before committing to 16". It's good for the floor if you're using ply but if you're going with OSB you can get metric sized sheets that fit nicely with 400mm spacings.

[@paulboyle9605]

Fantastic and brilliantly informative. I’m hooked 😊

[@reshab1388]

Absolutely great information thanks! As I am looking to build a 12x28 shed tiny house in the spring this is helpful. How far should my spacing be between my concrete blocks? I was thinking 12 concrete blocks total, 4 on each side and four in the middle. Do you think this will be enough to support the house?

[@AliDymock]

You could probably get away with 2 x 4 (100mmx50mm) C24 timbers as you span will only be 1.82m or less but thicker is stronger :)