Shed base..best option and costs
Discussion
If i can fight my way passed the council's listed building guy I fancy a workshop in the garden where i can store my mowers, other garden kit, my various scaffold/ladders and collective crap. I think I am looking at something about 25 sq meters.
Best base?
I was put off a concrete base by potential cost of adigging out, disposing of the spoil and laying a concrete slab. If I slab it, digging out is still required.
Has anybody tried these eco-base?
OR......I was wondering if a substaintial timber frame (e.g. railway sleepers?) filled with compacted stoneinside might do it with the shed sitting on the top ( I can ramp to the entrance)?
Best base?
I was put off a concrete base by potential cost of adigging out, disposing of the spoil and laying a concrete slab. If I slab it, digging out is still required.
Has anybody tried these eco-base?
OR......I was wondering if a substaintial timber frame (e.g. railway sleepers?) filled with compacted stoneinside might do it with the shed sitting on the top ( I can ramp to the entrance)?
The "best" base is concrete, with some slabs on top so the water can't sit near the wood. It's what I did a few years ago, although the area was significantly smaller than 25 square meters. Will certainty last longer than the shed it supports.
Anything else than a solid base and you increase the risk of water absorption into the bottom of the shed, and potential rot.
Anything else than a solid base and you increase the risk of water absorption into the bottom of the shed, and potential rot.
The keys are to keep timber out of contact with anything that might stay wet, and to have it stable.
25 square metres is quite a lot but if it's just a shed then you don't really need a concrete slab.
Options would be
1) plastic grids filled with pea shingle
2) dig out 50mm, fill with hardcore, 1:4 dry mix and paving slabs on top
3) dig out 50mm, fill with hardcore, timber or concrete fence posts
4) timber frame raised on pads or stakes
For something as big as 25m2 I'd go with option 2. Paving slabs come up on gumtree free for collection quite frequently and hardcore is cheap to buy or again can be had free for some graft. I did this recently for something about half that size and the base is absolutely rock solid. Keep the sub base exactly the same size as the shed base if you can.
Alternatively option 1 would work and is quicker but you need a level site and it would cost about £300 for the plastic grid and another £100 in shingle.
25 square metres is quite a lot but if it's just a shed then you don't really need a concrete slab.
Options would be
1) plastic grids filled with pea shingle
2) dig out 50mm, fill with hardcore, 1:4 dry mix and paving slabs on top
3) dig out 50mm, fill with hardcore, timber or concrete fence posts
4) timber frame raised on pads or stakes
For something as big as 25m2 I'd go with option 2. Paving slabs come up on gumtree free for collection quite frequently and hardcore is cheap to buy or again can be had free for some graft. I did this recently for something about half that size and the base is absolutely rock solid. Keep the sub base exactly the same size as the shed base if you can.
Alternatively option 1 would work and is quicker but you need a level site and it would cost about £300 for the plastic grid and another £100 in shingle.
PhilboSE said:
The keys are to keep timber out of contact with anything that might stay wet, and to have it stable.
25 square metres is quite a lot but if it's just a shed then you don't really need a concrete slab.
Options would be
1) plastic grids filled with pea shingle
2) dig out 50mm, fill with hardcore, 1:4 dry mix and paving slabs on top
3) dig out 50mm, fill with hardcore, timber or concrete fence posts
4) timber frame raised on pads or stakes
For something as big as 25m2 I'd go with option 2. Paving slabs come up on gumtree free for collection quite frequently and hardcore is cheap to buy or again can be had free for some graft. I did this recently for something about half that size and the base is absolutely rock solid. Keep the sub base exactly the same size as the shed base if you can.
Alternatively option 1 would work and is quicker but you need a level site and it would cost about £300 for the plastic grid and another £100 in shingle.
Land is pretty level so grids could work 25 square metres is quite a lot but if it's just a shed then you don't really need a concrete slab.
Options would be
1) plastic grids filled with pea shingle
2) dig out 50mm, fill with hardcore, 1:4 dry mix and paving slabs on top
3) dig out 50mm, fill with hardcore, timber or concrete fence posts
4) timber frame raised on pads or stakes
For something as big as 25m2 I'd go with option 2. Paving slabs come up on gumtree free for collection quite frequently and hardcore is cheap to buy or again can be had free for some graft. I did this recently for something about half that size and the base is absolutely rock solid. Keep the sub base exactly the same size as the shed base if you can.
Alternatively option 1 would work and is quicker but you need a level site and it would cost about £300 for the plastic grid and another £100 in shingle.
I bought those eco-grids and found them to be rubbish on anything except a perfect level which if you have already you might as well lay slabs.
My house is built into a slate quarry so a massive slope but levels-off a bit near the shed. In the end I went for spikes to make it easier to level.
Ended up with a joiner doing the work and he said he would have just laid slabs.
My house is built into a slate quarry so a massive slope but levels-off a bit near the shed. In the end I went for spikes to make it easier to level.
Ended up with a joiner doing the work and he said he would have just laid slabs.
rustyuk said:
I bought those eco-grids and found them to be rubbish on anything except a perfect level which if you have already you might as well lay slabs.
My house is built into a slate quarry so a massive slope but levels-off a bit near the shed. In the end I went for spikes to make it easier to level.
Ended up with a joiner doing the work and he said he would have just laid slabs.
Look very cool! My house is built into a slate quarry so a massive slope but levels-off a bit near the shed. In the end I went for spikes to make it easier to level.
Ended up with a joiner doing the work and he said he would have just laid slabs.
I don't see the point in doing the entire area. You don't need to lay the supporting joists/beams flat on ground along their full length. Doing so only adds to the surface that can be in constant contact with water.
You can set the timbers on piers/supports, like the spikes above. But if your choice was shingle grids, then dig out one grid width, pack some MOT, put grid on top and fill with shingle. Repeat for each pier supporting the timber. Alternatively, and this is my choice, you dig out say 400mm square down to solid earth, pack with MOT, and then lay dense concrete blocks (mortar if desired) to the height required.
You can set the timbers on piers/supports, like the spikes above. But if your choice was shingle grids, then dig out one grid width, pack some MOT, put grid on top and fill with shingle. Repeat for each pier supporting the timber. Alternatively, and this is my choice, you dig out say 400mm square down to solid earth, pack with MOT, and then lay dense concrete blocks (mortar if desired) to the height required.
bimsb6 said:
I have a keter shed for keeping the ride on in , appears to be mouse proof with its built in base and
Has been great , its not a horrible grey one ,its brown resin with a wood content .
This, we have one (Oakland) and it's great. Costco have some deals on them at the moment.Has been great , its not a horrible grey one ,its brown resin with a wood content .
https://www.costco.co.uk/Garden-Sheds-Patio/Garden...
worsy said:
bimsb6 said:
I have a keter shed for keeping the ride on in , appears to be mouse proof with its built in base and
Has been great , its not a horrible grey one ,its brown resin with a wood content .
This, we have one (Oakland) and it's great. Costco have some deals on them at the moment.Has been great , its not a horrible grey one ,its brown resin with a wood content .
https://www.costco.co.uk/Garden-Sheds-Patio/Garden...
bimsb6 said:
I have a keter shed for keeping the ride on in , appears to be mouse proof with its built in base and
Has been great , its not a horrible grey one ,its brown resin with a wood content .
With keter, do you need to build a foundation base since you said it has a built in base?Has been great , its not a horrible grey one ,its brown resin with a wood content .
chukwe said:
bimsb6 said:
I have a keter shed for keeping the ride on in , appears to be mouse proof with its built in base and
Has been great , its not a horrible grey one ,its brown resin with a wood content .
With keter, do you need to build a foundation base since you said it has a built in base?Has been great , its not a horrible grey one ,its brown resin with a wood content .
I built mine initially on some level ground with a slate chipping base. They are heavy sheds but can be picked up by one/two people in order to rake levels and adjust. They need to be level of course otherwise the doors won't line up.
I've recently had a patio laid and had the guys build a proper concrete base for the shed whilst they were here.
worsy said:
It has a floor not a base.
I built mine initially on some level ground with a slate chipping base. They are heavy sheds but can be picked up by one/two people in order to rake levels and adjust. They need to be level of course otherwise the doors won't line up.
I've recently had a patio laid and had the guys build a proper concrete base for the shed whilst they were here.
Thanks worsy for this information. First I need to look for a builder or handyman to build a concrete base. I heard you need a digger but I don't access to bring heavy equipment to the garden as the access is through an existing side garage which stores my combi boiler and other stuffs. I built mine initially on some level ground with a slate chipping base. They are heavy sheds but can be picked up by one/two people in order to rake levels and adjust. They need to be level of course otherwise the doors won't line up.
I've recently had a patio laid and had the guys build a proper concrete base for the shed whilst they were here.
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