"Temporary" Patio

[towser]

Hi,

my daughter wants to locate her guinea pig hutch in a certain area of the garden over the summer, currently a neglected vegetable plot that has sleepers used to section off areas.

I've dug it out with the idea of using the sleepers as the "foundation" for a temporary shelter that the hutch can go into for some extra protection.

I don't want to put the hutch on bare earth do I was thinking of slabbing the area - I don't think this will be a permanent fixture in the garden so would just laying slabs onto levelled MOT1 and not mortaring them work?

Any other ideas welcome!

Edited by towser on Sunday 20th April 18:05

[The Gauge]

Could spread a layer of sharp sand over the MOT 1 to allow a level surface for the flags. Plus if it gets removed in the future the sharp sand can be dug into soil in the borders to disperse it. I've had a 12ft x 10ft wooden summerhouse stood on exactly that type of base for 15yrs now.

[hidetheelephants]

For a hutch even what you describe is overkill; slabs on levelled earth would do, they'll probably start to move due to settlement, drainage, critters etc. but be good for at least a couple of years. Slabs onto MOT1 would be good indefinitely unless you were driving on them.

[anonymous-user]

hidetheelephants said:

For a hutch even what you describe is overkill; slabs on levelled earth would do

This. Don’t overthink it. If all you want to do is keep the hutch off the ground, even putting it on some old fence posts or a bit of polythene (or both) would do the trick tbh.

[skeeterm5]

A couple of old pallets with some sheet material would work.

[Tisy]

Paving slabs free on FBMP. Pallets won't fit in a car.. Put some screws in the legs of the hutch so that the wood isn't sitting on a surface where water can pool and rot them. Tack some roofing felt over the top to keep it waterproof. Make sure the mesh on the front is a strong gauge as foxes will go through chicken wire in 2 seconds.