Which shed base

This forms a very solid foundation for your shed to sit on, but going through all three steps can prove to be somewhat costly. This type of shed base typically involves a number concrete molds into which you set 4 x 4 wood piers onto which the wood frame of the base is mounted. This type of base is designed to keep your shed up off the ground.

While this type of shed base framing can definitely create a very solid foundation for your shed. Wood, however, even pressure treated, is subject to rot and pest infestations including mice, rats, ants, and termites.

Something well worth thinking about depending on where you live. Concrete makes an excellent material for use a base for your shed, however, you will probably need to call in a professional to pour and form it. When properly poured, concrete will provide you with a perfectly flat surface to anchor your shed to.

In fact, you can have bolts installed into the concrete as it is being poured that you can use to anchor your shed. The most important thing to remember is that the slab must be perfectly level and flat for you to get the best results.

When it comes to choosing a base for my latest plastic shed, I knew I needed something that was going to provide a solid strong foundation, be resistant to most forms or rot or bug infestations.

I also wanted a base that was relatively easy to put together, affordable, and environmentally friendly. Enter the plastic shed base, my personal choice. With a little research, you will see that there are several different brands and styles to choose from. Some such as the "Ecobase" brand use thinner plastics that range from 3 to 6 millimeters in thickness, others as "HawklLok or Forest Plastic Base" are much sturdier. These use thicker plastics and are built from multiple plastic pads that are designed to physically lock together.

When assembled, these bases form a completed pad that is almost as strong as a poured concrete pad. There are many benefits associated with plastic shed bases, starting with the simple fact they are not very heavy. These bases are great for anyone who doesn't want to risk messing up their back.

Not only are they less stressful to work with, but you can get the whole family involved in building them and make a fun family day out of the project. These are only a few of the benefits of plastic shed bases. For me, I based my decision on all the above and the fact I had a short timetable to work with.

The fact that most plastic shed bases are relatively simple and quick to assemble is perhaps one of the most important benefits.

This eight-piece plastic shed base kit can be used to create a base large enough for a 6 x 6 shed. Each square measures approximately 18 x 18 inches. Each piece is designed to interlock to form a much stronger final assembly. If your shed is larger than eight pieces, you can always do what I did and buy more than one kit. Once you have the final assembly put together, you should fill the grid in with pea gravel to form a sturdy base for any type of shed, wood, metal, or plastic.

The heavy-duty plastic used to craft the gridwork is UV resistant and made to last for years. One more great thing about these grids is that they are strong enough to handle the weight of your car, truck, or SUV and can be used to help hold the gravel of your driveway in place if you have any left over. If you are still not sure whether or not one of the various plastic shed bases are the right choice for you, perhaps you might want to consider contacting your shed's manufacturer.

Many of them offer their own shed base kits. These shed base kits should come with everything you are likely to need to build the base and then secure your shed in place. Advice on laying timber, plastic, paved and concrete bases A firm, level base should be the starting point for any shed or garden building.

These four methods are how to lay: a timber base also known as a portabase a plastic base a paved base, and a concrete base Both paved and concrete bases can't be laid straight onto soft ground and so require a sub-base. Take time to consider a few things before building your shed base. Planning permission Sheds are generally classified as temporary structures so you won't usually need planning permission unless you live in a conservation area.

Access You will need access to all sides of the shed during construction and to apply an external paint, stain or varnish if your shed is made of wood. Electrical supply If you have plans to add electricity to your shed, consult with a qualified electrician before building the base. For this project, we will show how to install the Forest timber shed base on grass. Safety first Wash hands thoroughly after handling treated timber and especially before eating.

Wear protective safety gear when necessary. You will need: Materials Timber shed base - as bought individually or supplied with a shed and its fixings Tools Power drill 2mm drill bit, countersink bit and Philips screw bit - we recommend a drilling set Club hammer Long spirit level Tape measure Square Pencil Protective kit Rigger gloves. Step 1 Spread out the timbers into position, roughly where the shed is to be located.

Step 2 Make two pencil marks on each end of the frame's two longer beams. Step 3 With the pilot holes drilled, it's now time to fit the two mm screws as provided with the kit. Fitting an OSB floor If fitting an OSB Orientated Strand Board shed floor to a portabase, place the floor onto the frame before the centre beams are fixed and mark out where the floor beams meet the frame. Step 4 Move the frame into its final position and use a square to check the frame is square. Step 5 With the frame in the final position, fix the L-shaped feet to the inside of the frame.

Keep checking that the frame is level. Step 6 To secure the base to soft ground, hammer in the spikes at each corner until they are level with the top of the base.

Step 7 Continue to check the base is level with a spirit level and secure the spikes to the base with the screws provided. Drill pilot holes using a 2mm drill bit and then secure the screws into the pilot holes.

The shed floor can now be positioned onto the base. There is no need to screw this into place. Below we show how to install a plastic Hawklok shed base onto firm, level grass. Step 1 Measure out the site and hammer a peg into each of the four corners.

Run a builders line from each of the four pegs. This will help you visualise the site. Clear the area. Use an edger to cut into the lawn for a straight cut, and then use a spade to remove the turf. Step 2 Once the site is prepared, lay down the membrane. Step 3 Lay out the required number of plastic grids for the shed. Step 4 Remove the locking pins from the grids and clip them together.

Once all grids have been clipped together, insert the locking pins into the centre of the grids. Step 5 With all the grids in place, the base is now ready for your shed floor. When your shed is in place, trim any excess membrane with a knife. For a paved base: This requires 5cm of compact hardcore underneath the paving slabs.

For a concrete base: This requires 7. For a paved base: This will be about 12cm deep to allow for the sub-base, mortar and paving slabs. For a concrete base: This will be about 15cm deep. Step 1 Measure out the site for your sub-base and hammer a peg into each of the four corners. Step 2 Use an edger to cut into the lawn for a straight cut, and then use a spade to cut the turf into strips, then roll it up and remove.

Step 3 Dig the area to the correct depth and hammer in wooden marker pegs spaced 1m apart to mark the finished hardcore level across the site. Use a long spirit level to check the level of the pegs. Step 4 Tip in enough hardcore to fill your sub-base to just above the top of the pegs. Step 5 Compact the hardcore with an earth rammer or a vibrating plate compactor, as used here. Step 6 Cover the surface with a thin coat of sharp sand or ballast and rake it level.

Safety first If you are laying slabs mm x mm or larger, you must have someone to help you lift and lay them. Always wear protective safety gear when necessary. When using cement, always wear a dust mask, gloves and goggles. Wash your hands after use as wet cement can cause burns. Step 1 Before you begin to lay the slabs, hammer in wooden pegs into the four corners of the site and attach builders lines to mark the final height of the paving slabs.

Use the trowel to lay the mortar onto the sub-base. Mix together one part cement and eight parts sand thoroughly. Pour the dry mix into the hole and spread out evenly using a rake. You will need about 4cm of dry mix. Make sure the cement-sand mix is nice and level. Starting in one corner, take a paving slab and lay it down carefully.

Use a rubber mallet and tap the slab gently. Check whether the paving stone is even with a spirit level and move on to the next slab. Take your time laying the stones. Keep checking whether they are evenly laid and butted close together. When you have finished laying the final stone, take a step back and look to see whether your paving stones are straight and perfectly level.

If they are not, make minor adjustments with the rubber mallet and re-check. Brush the surface and remove any excess cement and sand mixture; or, if there are any gaps between the stones, add some more dry mix to plug them. If you have done a good job, the end result will be a perfectly flat, level and solid base for your timber shed.

For a quick, easy and inexpensive way to create a secure base for a shed, create a foundation using pressure treated timber bearers. Pressure treated wood is resistant to rot and will last for many years. As such, it is a good base for a shed. However, this method will only work if you have a level area upon which to construct your shed.

Any major lumps and bumps will make it difficult to achieve a level foundation. The bearers will need to be placed beneath the joists of the shed. Bearers should be positioned every two feet, so use the dimensions of your shed to work out how many bearers you will need. These can be bought from any timber merchant. If the ground is slightly uneven, extra support can be provided in the form of old paving slabs. Place the paving stones in areas where the ground is lower.

Timber decking makes an attractive and solid base for a wooden shed. As with other types of shed foundation , the ground needs to be as level as possible before you start.

Choose a location away from trees, foliage and significant rocks and rubble. You should also avoid any areas where you know there are buried pipes and cables, as it is not helpful to inadvertently sever a pipe or cable when digging down.

Start the job of laying timber decking by clearing the area. Lift turf and dig up weeds. Dig down mm. Once you have removed any excess material, check the level of the area using a spirit level and if there are any uneven bits, rake over the surface until it is flat. When you have a level section of ground for your timber deck, cover it with weed control membrane. This will prevent unsightly weeds from growing back under the decking area when it has been completed.

Always buy good quality weed control membrane, preferably the thicker the better, so that it lasts as long as possible cheaper membranes tend to break down after a few years and it is difficult to kill the weeds effectively when the area is covered by a deck. Next, add gravel on top of the weed membrane up to a depth of between 40 and 50mm. Rake it until it is level.

For a quick, easy, and inexpensive way to create a secure base for a shed, create a foundation using pressure treated timber bearers. Pressure-treated wood is resistant to rot and will last for many years. As such, it is a good base for a shed. However, this method will only work if you have a level area upon which to construct your shed.

Any major lumps and bumps will make it difficult to achieve a level foundation. The bearers will need to be placed beneath the joists of the shed. Bearers should be positioned every two feet, so use the dimensions of your shed to work out how many bearers you will need.

These can be brought from any timber merchant. If the ground is slightly uneven, extra support can be provided in the form of old paving slabs.

Place the paving stones in areas where the ground is lower. Timber decking makes an attractive and solid base for a wooden shed. Clear out and level the site you intend to place your shed on. Cover the site with a weed control membrane. This will prevent unsightly weeds from growing back under the decking when it has been completed.

Always buy a good quality weed control membrane, preferably the thicker the better. Cheap membranes tend to break down after a few years. Timber decks should always be constructed on-site because they are heavy. The outer-sub frame of the deck needs to be assembled first. Use countersunk coach screws to fix the frame at each corner after drilling guide holes, checking the angles each time to ensure a square fit. When you have built the other frame, cut your inner joists to size and fix them in place using pilot screws or galvanized screws.

If you need to join joists together, use an offcut and fix it securely to either side of the joint using eight coach bolts. Use a deck screw as a spacer. All timber that you use should be pressure treated so that it is protected against the weather. If your shed site has a drainage issue, it can make your timber decking rot, even if it is pressure treated because it will end up sitting in water for long periods of time. To fix this issue, sit your timber decking on concrete pads.

Note, that you may have to add a set of steps to allow for access, as decking is often much higher than traditional shed bases. You may even need a ramp to be able to move lawnmowers in and out, etc. Your email address will not be published. We will only send you awesome stuff!