Re. Flooring in observatory?

Hi,


Can anyone provide information regarding the flooring material in a roll off observatory? Work will start soon and I am not sure if the floor should be similiar to a deck for better ventialtion, or a solid floor. I will have a pier for an equatorial newtonian.


Thanks,

Marc Zukoff

Mark, if you truly have the option, try to go with an elevated floor of OSB or thick plywood on top of floor joists connected to supporting beams held up by concrete piers. You can then cover the floor with indoor/outdoor carpet; looks and functions great.
The telescope piers should go into the ground at least 3-4 feet, and be isolated from the floor by about an inch around the pier, with that gap filled in with a soft, expandable material. This type of floor will have low density and mass, and therefore adjust to changing temperature much more rapidly than a concrete slab.