Laying wood on the earth in a greenhouse
 

Got one of those walk in plastic greenhouses. The floor is just earth and
so I've got a few one and half foot square plywood boards to put down as a
flooring.

Will they last well enough to just lie down straight on the soil or should I
put some plastic sheeting underneath, so they might last longer and not rot
from the damp?

I was thinking of resting them on bricks at each corner, but then thought
that the slugs would just hide underneath. Grateful for any suggestions as
to how you would lay them. Thanks.

Laying wood on the earth in a greenhouse
 

On 14/05/2014 11:32, P Jameson wrote:
Got one of those walk in plastic greenhouses. The floor is just earth and
so I've got a few one and half foot square plywood boards to put down as a
flooring.

Cheap and nasty concrete flagstones would be much more sensible.

Will they last well enough to just lie down straight on the soil or should I
put some plastic sheeting underneath, so they might last longer and not rot
from the damp?

Either way they will rot pretty fast.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

Laying wood on the earth in a greenhouse
 

On 14/05/14 11:32, P Jameson wrote:
Got one of those walk in plastic greenhouses. The floor is just earth and
so I've got a few one and half foot square plywood boards to put down as a
flooring.

Will they last well enough to just lie down straight on the soil or should I
put some plastic sheeting underneath, so they might last longer and not rot
from the damp?

I was thinking of resting them on bricks at each corner, but then thought
that the slugs would just hide underneath. Grateful for any suggestions as
to how you would lay them. Thanks.



WBP ply might last a while but will eventually fail.

OSB3 would do fairly well.

Laying wood on the earth in a greenhouse
 

On 14/05/14 12:43, Martin wrote:
On Wed, 14 May 2014 11:32:09 +0100, "P Jameson" wrote:

Got one of those walk in plastic greenhouses. The floor is just earth and
so I've got a few one and half foot square plywood boards to put down as a
flooring.

Will they last well enough to just lie down straight on the soil or should I
put some plastic sheeting underneath, so they might last longer and not rot
from the damp?

Are they outdoor quality ply of marine ply?

Marine ply is very uncommon - they are likely to be either one of the
ordinary internal grade ply or WBP (water-boil-proof) which is OK for
external applications.

Laying wood on the earth in a greenhouse
 

In article ,
Tim Watts wrote:
On 14/05/14 12:43, Martin wrote:
On Wed, 14 May 2014 11:32:09 +0100, "P Jameson" wrote:

Got one of those walk in plastic greenhouses. The floor is just earth and
so I've got a few one and half foot square plywood boards to put down as a
flooring.

Will they last well enough to just lie down straight on the soil or should I
put some plastic sheeting underneath, so they might last longer and not rot
from the damp?

Are they outdoor quality ply of marine ply?

Marine ply is very uncommon - they are likely to be either one of the
ordinary internal grade ply or WBP (water-boil-proof) which is OK for
external applications.

But not standing on damp soil! Depending on lots of things, the soil
underneath such a greenhouse might or might not be dry enough.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Laying wood on the earth in a greenhouse
 

On 14/05/2014 13:04, Tim Watts wrote:
On 14/05/14 11:32, P Jameson wrote:
Got one of those walk in plastic greenhouses. The floor is just earth

Just what do you mean by a "Walk in plastic greenhouse"?
Do you mean a small poly tunnel or what, do you have a picture of it or
of it's like?
What size is it?

Laying wood on the earth in a greenhouse
 

In article , lid says...

Got one of those walk in plastic greenhouses. The floor is just earth and
so I've got a few one and half foot square plywood boards to put down as a
flooring.

Will they last well enough to just lie down straight on the soil or should I
put some plastic sheeting underneath, so they might last longer and not rot
from the damp?

I was thinking of resting them on bricks at each corner, but then thought
that the slugs would just hide underneath. Grateful for any suggestions as
to how you would lay them. Thanks.

I wouldn't. I'd use concrete slabs, which are easily obtained free or
cheap from people taking them up; try an ad in local shop, freegle etc.

Janet

Laying wood on the earth in a greenhouse
 

On 14/05/2014 17:58, Janet wrote:
In article , lid says...

Got one of those walk in plastic greenhouses. The floor is just earth and
so I've got a few one and half foot square plywood boards to put down as a
flooring.

Will they last well enough to just lie down straight on the soil or should I
put some plastic sheeting underneath, so they might last longer and not rot
from the damp?

I was thinking of resting them on bricks at each corner, but then thought
that the slugs would just hide underneath. Grateful for any suggestions as
to how you would lay them. Thanks.

I wouldn't. I'd use concrete slabs, which are easily obtained free or
cheap from people taking them up; try an ad in local shop, freegle etc.

Janet


Wood needs a circulation of air underneath, and the gap would be ideal
for slugs. Yes, slabs are the answer. £2.50 at B&Q

Laying wood on the earth in a greenhouse
 

In article ,
Martin wrote:

Marine ply is very uncommon - they are likely to be either one of the
ordinary internal grade ply or WBP (water-boil-proof) which is OK for
external applications.

But not standing on damp soil! Depending on lots of things, the soil
underneath such a greenhouse might or might not be dry enough.

Outdoor quality/WBP ply lasted 15 years without delaminating when used
as bottom boards in a Wayfarer dinghy. Most of the time the boards were
wet. The ply had a 20 year guarantee.

Damp soil is actually a MUCH more demanding environment! It's the
bioactivity that causes the damage, and most of the relevant fungi
can't tolerate seawater, so the main decomposition there is chemical.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Laying wood on the earth in a greenhouse
 

On Thu, 15 May 2014 09:24:32 +0200, Martin wrote:

On Wed, 14 May 2014 17:58:54 +0100, Janet wrote:

In article , lid says...

Got one of those walk in plastic greenhouses. The floor is just earth and
so I've got a few one and half foot square plywood boards to put down as a
flooring.

Will they last well enough to just lie down straight on the soil or should I
put some plastic sheeting underneath, so they might last longer and not rot
from the damp?

I was thinking of resting them on bricks at each corner, but then thought
that the slugs would just hide underneath. Grateful for any suggestions as
to how you would lay them. Thanks.

I wouldn't. I'd use concrete slabs, which are easily obtained free or
cheap from people taking them up; try an ad in local shop, freegle etc.

+1

I read the OP message to mean that they already had the wood boards
and wanted to use them.

If they haven't already got the wood then the answer is concrete slabs
or, best of all, real stone.

Steve

--
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Laying wood on the earth in a greenhouse
 

In article ,
Martin wrote:

Marine ply is very uncommon - they are likely to be either one of the
ordinary internal grade ply or WBP (water-boil-proof) which is OK for
external applications.

But not standing on damp soil! Depending on lots of things, the soil
underneath such a greenhouse might or might not be dry enough.

Outdoor quality/WBP ply lasted 15 years without delaminating when used
as bottom boards in a Wayfarer dinghy. Most of the time the boards were
wet. The ply had a 20 year guarantee.

Damp soil is actually a MUCH more demanding environment! It's the
bioactivity that causes the damage, and most of the relevant fungi
can't tolerate seawater, so the main decomposition there is chemical.

The boat was afloat 12 months of the year in fresh water.

Ah. That's still less demanding than the top 6" of soil, though.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Laying wood on the earth in a greenhouse
 

On Wed, 14 May 2014 11:32:09 +0100, "P Jameson"
wrote:

Got one of those walk in plastic greenhouses. The floor is just earth and
so I've got a few one and half foot square plywood boards to put down as a
flooring.

Will they last well enough to just lie down straight on the soil or should I
put some plastic sheeting underneath, so they might last longer and not rot
from the damp?

I was thinking of resting them on bricks at each corner, but then thought
that the slugs would just hide underneath. Grateful for any suggestions as
to how you would lay them. Thanks.



Could you not buy some small slabs instead - I have some 18ins by 9 and just
let them in to the soil floor on individual beds of dry sand and cement. It is
quite easy to do with small slabs.

Laying wood on the earth in a greenhouse
 

In article ,
Martin wrote:

Marine ply is very uncommon - they are likely to be either one of the
ordinary internal grade ply or WBP (water-boil-proof) which is OK for
external applications.

But not standing on damp soil! Depending on lots of things, the soil
underneath such a greenhouse might or might not be dry enough.

Outdoor quality/WBP ply lasted 15 years without delaminating when used
as bottom boards in a Wayfarer dinghy. Most of the time the boards were
wet. The ply had a 20 year guarantee.

Damp soil is actually a MUCH more demanding environment! It's the
bioactivity that causes the damage, and most of the relevant fungi
can't tolerate seawater, so the main decomposition there is chemical.

The boat was afloat 12 months of the year in fresh water.

Ah. That's still less demanding than the top 6" of soil, though.

Did you ever see the part of wooden piles near the surface after they have been
in water for 15 years and that's without Teredo navalis. OK they need salt water
but ... :-)

Yes. The facts are as I stated.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.