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Hello All-
I am getting ready to build a 22 x 24 shop building and looking at various foundation options. I’ve read up on frost protected shallow foundations and like the sound of that (I’m in Vermont) BUT hesitant about spending the next 50 years stomping on a concrete floor.
In several documents including the HUD paper on FPSF’s there is a reference to building a shallow wall with a crawl space and wood floor, but I cant find any specs on such a thing. Does anyone have any info/experience on building this way? Any problems to report such as heaving, critter infestation, whatnot? Thanks for your help…
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hotsawdust - what does FPSF stand for? - yb
*Bob, it's the Frost Protected Shallow Foundation.
*Hot, seems doable... you'd want to have a thick poly vapor barrier down in the crawlspace, and I'd consider a bunch of PT for my floor framing... or steel.PT ply as a rough subfloor, with either diagonal sheathing boards or plywood as my subfloor. You might consider a rough sawn 5/4 hardwood floor for the shop... try a local family-run sawmill.
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May I Suggest?
I'm not familiar with that type of application but I feel you'll get a qualified answer at hoskinghardwood.com from Jeff Hosking, the hardwood flooring consultant for This Old House shown on PBS. His knowledge with hardwood flooring applications in New England is the finest there is. You'll find Jeff and I in the Harwood Forum. Jeff is the expert on finishes and older home restoration, whearas I fill in for new construction issues.
Best Wishes To All
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Yeah, you can get a fine wood floor for your shop at a mere 5/10 dollars a square foot uninstalled. Maybe Norm will install it. Maybe Richard can put in a boiler and install radiant floor heat under it......sorry but Hosking hardwood seems to be a bit of overkill for this shop. I like George's method
*Hot-manDo you New Englanders have any wrecking yards that sell reclaimed flooring. . . Hardwood, or Fir from a demo'd factory would be just the ticket. . . pre-distressed :)What about pouring the pad and installing sleepers and wood flooring. . . potentially cheaper $$ than FPSF???-pm
*Patrick, the old house market has most of the salvage timber/flooring business sewn-up. Cost for a 150 year old wide pine floorboard rivals Select Red Birch or Walnut! For his shop, I'd go to my local mill and ask for rough sawn 5/4 or better, do the S3S myself, and facenail or counterbore for screws and plugs.Maple, Beech, Ash, Hickory, Red or White Oak, Butternut all grow locally. Pick one or several if the price is right!
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Hello All-
I am getting ready to build a 22 x 24 shop building and looking at various foundation options. I've read up on frost protected shallow foundations and like the sound of that (I'm in Vermont) BUT hesitant about spending the next 50 years stomping on a concrete floor.
In several documents including the HUD paper on FPSF's there is a reference to building a shallow wall with a crawl space and wood floor, but I cant find any specs on such a thing. Does anyone have any info/experience on building this way? Any problems to report such as heaving, critter infestation, whatnot? Thanks for your help...