Sheds ned to be on a good foundation, though not necessarily
as substantial a foundation as is sometimes thought. A large solid concrete slab
will of course be excellent, but is a considerable amount of effort to mix and lay
the concrete required for even a modest shed. If you decide on this route, then
the slab should be at least 100mm - 4" thick. Generally the larger the shed and
the more it used as somewhere to work - walking in and out regularly, the more substantial
the base needs to be.
Wooden sheds always come with a wooden floor, usually consisting
of tongue and groove boards held together with battens, these will come into contact
with the ground and no matter how well soaked in preservative they are, they will
rot if placed directly on the soil and so need something to keep them off the soil.
The purpose of a shed base is to provide a level platform for the shed so it can
be erected properly and to keep the wood away from damp soil. If anything it is
useful to have the shed base standing slightly proud - half to an inch will do -
of the surrounding soil.
Perfectly adequate for the majority of purposes for simple storage
sheds up to about 8ft x 6ft is a base of paving slabs laid dry onto levelled soil.
1/ Mark out the area of the shed, strip off the turf
if there is any and smooth out the the soil as well as you can.
2/ Lay a string line along 2 edges of the shed and
place the first slab in the corner, level it using a spirit level for most purposes,
soil is perfectly adequate to level the slabs except if your shed is being placed
somewhere fairly damp or perhaps low lying.
If you want a more stable and solid base or if the
area is damp or low lying, a dry sand and cement mix of 8 parts builders
sand to 1 part cement could be laid as a bed below the slabs to a depth
of about 2 inches. This will also make it easier to level the area and to ensure
the slabs are horizontal above it as the sand-cement is easier to move around
than soil and settles less.
3/ Lay the next slab against the long edge and level
it with the first using the spirit level. Continue until the first row are all
laid, then start on the second.
4/ Put the wooden shed base on your slab base and build
the shed. I'd always give the underside of the base a really good couple of
coats of preservative before it goes down as you'll probably never see it again.
You can get by with less than a complete covering of slabs, as
long as you have the full length of the battens that hold together the floor supported
- I have a shed in the garden that houses my mower and bags of compost, it had precisely
this kind of base laid 10 years ago and is still as good now as it was when first
erected. The shed itself will keep the base dry.
Related Questions Received
Q.
How do I calculate a template to ensure the corners for my shed base are square?
the size of the base is 14ft X 10 ft
A. You could buy a "builders square" or "framing square" a large set square
with arms about 18-24" long or alternatively make yourself a triangle with sides
in the ratio 3:4:5 and you'll get a perfect right angle. Wood is the best material
and can be whatever is to hand, just knock a nail or screw through the joints. The
bigger the pieces the more accurate it is i.e. 3,4 and 5ft work better than 30,
40 and 50cm.
You can check if you have it right by measuring the diagonals, if they are identical,
then you have four right angles, if not, then start again!
Mark out the base of the shed with pegs and string first before you start to
dig it out and prepare the foundations.
Q.
How do
I lay a base for a small garden shed I have just bought?
A. Follow the instructions for
laying a patio if you want
the best foundation. Just lay slabs on soil if a simple basic base will do for a
small storage shed. The main thing is to keep the wood dry and off the soil.
Wooden shed |
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have your shed, you will want to use it properly
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A
good practical choice as a material for sheds, steel and aluminium are both
very durable particularly if they have been treated during manufacture to be resistant
to corrosion. They are usually completely maintenance free, though are less popular
due to their appearance. Whereas most people are happy for a wooden shed to be seen,
metal sheds are less visually attractive and are probably better when hidden. Many
metal sheds are therefore usually small and are more tool-stores, like a large outdoor
cupboard, than a traditional walk-in shed.
Shire Tongue & Groove Single Door Solid Sheet Garden Store 2' x 2'
Trimetals Senator Single Door Pent Store
Trimetals Sentinel Single Door Pent Gas Store
Trimetals Sentinel Single Door Pent Store
Trimetals Senturion 151319 Single Door Pent Store
Trimetals Senturion 247 Single Door Pent Store
Trimetals Senturion 447 Single Door Pent Store
Trimetals Single Door Pent Bicycle Store
Trimetals Single Door Pent Stowaway Store
Trimetals Storeguard Single Door Pent Store
Yardmaster Double Sliding Door Apex Shed
Yardmaster Double Sliding Door Apex Shed
Yardmaster Double Sliding Door Apex Shed
Yardmaster Double Sliding Door Apex Shed
Yardmaster Double Sliding Door Apex Shed 2420 x 2800 x 1930mm
Yardmaster Double Sliding Door Pent Shed
Yardmaster Double Sliding Door Pent Shed
Yardmaster Metal Storage Unit 1800 x 835 x 1100mm
Yardmaster Shiplap Double Sliding Door Apex Shed
Yardmaster Shiplap Double Sliding Door Apex Shed
Yardmaster Shiplap Double Sliding Door Apex Shed 2430 x 1970 x 2150mm
