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Having trouble building a shed base.

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Mar 16, 2012 at 1:12 PM #1

Mark A Hi,

I am having a bit of trouble building a shed base. I decided on a 2" x 4" pressure treated
frame, but I was going to sit this onto piers to lift it off the ground. Only trouble is that I
have bought medium density concrete blocks, that I have now found out wont do as they
crumble over time :/.

I bought ballast and cement to make concrete and was going to dig out 8 holes, 4 each side,
Capodecina
then put the blocks onto the concrete pads. Then sit the timber frame on top of this.
Joined: May 19, 2005
Posts: 17,984 Is there anything else I could do? I don't really want to spend any more money on this if
Location: Lancashire
possible. I'd also like to use the blocks up some how. Maybe smash them into hardcore?

The shed is fairly large at 10' x 8' and the site its going on is turf at the moment, with clay
soil under.

TIA

Trust

Mar 16, 2012 at 1:24 PM #2

touch Is there a reason for having it off the ground?

When we put up our shed, we had it sitting straight on a base of paving slabs.

Capodecina

Joined: Oct 28, 2006

Posts: 11,365
Location: Sufferlandria Trust

Mar 16, 2012 at 1:28 PM #3

Gregster I built my shed from 305cm lengths of 14cm x 3cm. I leveled the ground and placed 12
patio slabs down and built the base on that. They keep it nicely off the ground.

/
 Caporegime

Joined: Sep 24, 2008

Posts: 37,834
Location: Essex innit! Trust

Mar 16, 2012 at 1:33 PM #4

Hagar Keep to your plan,

bed and render the blocks in sand cement mortar 1/2" all round, this will weatherproof
them. Some old quarry tiles on top or a thin steel plate to provide a bearing and spread the
load.

Sgarrista

Joined: Mar 1, 2010

Posts: 7,701
Location: Prev. Nkata
Cheshire Trust

Mar 16, 2012 at 1:36 PM #5

anything I don't mind I was always taught to put that black thick plastic sheeting down under
concrete/cement/stones/paving etc.

PermaBanned

Joined: Dec 28, 2009

Posts: 13,054
Location: london Trust

Mar 16, 2012 at 1:42 PM #6

Gregster groen said: ↑

I was always taught to put that black thick plastic sheeting down under
concrete/cement/stones/paving etc.

Yes Sir. I did this.

Caporegime

Joined: Sep 24, 2008

Posts: 37,834
Location: Essex innit! Trust

Mar 16, 2012 at 1:47 PM #7

Mark A I was going to go for paving slabs but with the soil being heavy in clay I was advised I would
have had to put a thick layer of hardcore down. So that would mean a lot of digging out,
having to get rid of the topsoil, having to buy a lot of hardcore and then having to buy the
paving slabs. Would have also had to hire a wacker to compact it and my local tool hire
charge £45 for the day.

Just seemed simpler, cheaper and quicker to use pier foundations and a timber frame. Just
wish I had read up properly and got a suitable material for the piers.
Capodecina

Joined: May 19, 2005 /

Posts: 17,984
Keep to your plan,
Location: Lancashire

bed and render the blocks in sand cement mortar 1/2" all round, this will weatherproof them.
Some old quarry tiles on top or a thin steel plate to provide a bearing and spread the load.

That's a good idea. I didnt think about rendering them. I dont have any materials for on top
to spread the load though, so If I have to go and buy something I may as well just buy
bricks or something and use them instead.

One Idea I did have was to dig out a trench the same size as the timber frame. Then fill it
with the all in ballast that i ordered to make the concrete. Then sit the Timber frame onto
the ballast. That way the ballast would provide drainage so the timber isnt sitting on damp
ground.

The timber is pressure treated so should last a while before it starts to rot. I do also have
some pvc trim that i could nail to the under side to help stop water getting to the timber.

Would this work?

Trust

Mar 16, 2012 at 2:34 PM #8

Hagar Mark A said: ↑

One Idea I did have was to dig out a trench the same size as the timber frame. Then fill it with
the all in ballast that i ordered to make the concrete. Then sit the Timber frame onto the ballast.
That way the ballast would provide drainage so the timber isnt sitting on damp ground.

Sgarrista
The timber is pressure treated so should last a while before it starts to rot. I do also have some
Joined: Mar 1, 2010 pvc trim that i could nail to the under side to help stop water getting to the timber.
Posts: 7,701
Location: Prev. Nkata Would this work?
Cheshire

My shed, not as big as yours at 8' x 6' sits on a 4" x 2" treated (tanalised)timber frame on
ballast so that the base of the frame is at ground level. This has worked for about 8 years.
The shed floor is 4" above the ground. We had the same ground, thick clay. I placed a 6"
layer of ballast, then levelled the frame on blocks, then tamped ballast around the frame
and blocks using a 4" x 2" pole with a piece of 9" x 3" nailed to the end

Trust

Mar 16, 2012 at 2:45 PM #9

Frozennova Our 12x10' metal ship lap shed sits on a 6" concrete base with 4" of hardcore, base is
around 14x12' iirc. bit overkill but it does the job and we'll never have to worry about it
going anywhere

Man of Honour

Joined: Nov 13, 2009

Posts: 11,239
/
Location: Northampton Trust

Mar 16, 2012 at 3:07 PM #10

Mark A nkata said: ↑

My shed, not as big as yours at 8' x 6' sits on a 4" x 2" treated (tanalised)timber frame on
ballast so that the base of the frame is at ground level. This has worked for about 8 years. The
shed floor is 4" above the ground. We had the same ground, thick clay. I placed a 6" layer of
ballast, then levelled the frame on blocks, then tamped ballast around the frame and blocks
using a 4" x 2" pole with a piece of 9" x 3" nailed to the end

Capodecina Thanks. I might give this a shot then. If the worse comes to the worst it wont be too hard or
Joined: May 19, 2005 costly to replace the treated timber frame if it did rot.
Posts: 17,984
Location: Lancashire My old shed was just sat on red bricks, directly on top of the soil and that lasted a good 15
years . It was a lot smaller though at about 5' x 8'.

Trust

Mar 16, 2012 at 4:18 PM #11

j.col a good tip, even though the base of the shed is already pressure treated, i always give it
another coat of fence paint, its not going to be seen.

Mobster

Joined: May 31, 2010

Posts: 4,028
Location: Bedfordshire Trust

Mar 16, 2012 at 4:31 PM #12

Mark A j.col said: ↑

a good tip, even though the base of the shed is already pressure treated, i always give it
another coat of fence paint, its not going to be seen.

Thanks. I have some Ronseal shed and fence treatment. I was wondering if you could use
that over the top to add more protection, so its good to know you can. The shed I have
bought is also pressure treated so I'll probably give that a coat as well.
Capodecina

Joined: May 19, 2005

Posts: 17,984
Location: Lancashire Trust

Mar 16, 2012 at 4:41 PM #13

Tom0 Here is a shed me and mate built from scratch last year on a base, granted it was easier
because we had slabs to build on but could get the same base with hardcore/rubble to keep
things level and such.

Sgarrista

Joined: Aug 29, 2003

Posts: 9,623
/
Location: South Wales

/
/
/
 Edit: Sadly I don't have a picture of the completed thing.
Last edited: Mar 16, 2012

Trust

Mar 16, 2012 at 5:40 PM #14

kwerk I would do 4 concrete piers using sonotube forms and strongtie connectors, like this:

http://www.shedking.net/shed-foundation-piers.html

I've built a deck that way and it's fairly easy to do by yourself with a post hole digger and
wheel barrow. Just make sure you get the forms square and level and that the concrete goes
down below the frost line.
/
 Wise Guy
When I built mine I did total over kill but my deck is about 1000 sq.ft.
Joined: May 23, 2009
Posts: 5,748
Rented a tow behind hydraulic auger (great fun, cuts like butter).
Holes dug 4-1/2 feet deep, wider at the bottom than top.
12" sonotube forms.
Few inches of gravel at the bottom.
Rented a cement mixer, ended up mixing about 100+ 80lb bags uggg
Stuck 2 pieces of 1/2" rebar vertically in each pier.
Set some massive hot dipped galvanized J-bolts in the middle of each pier before it set.
Attached 6x6 posts with HDG strongtie post bases.

It's solid as ****.

Trust

Mar 16, 2012 at 5:41 PM #15

Mark A Tom0 said: ↑

Here is a shed me and mate built from scratch last year on a base, granted it was easier
because we had slabs to build on but could get the same base with hardcore/rubble to keep
things level and such.

Edit: Sadly I don't have a picture of the completed thing.

Capodecina

Joined: May 19, 2005 That is one strong base! Looks great.
Posts: 17,984
Location: Lancashire Hmm, that gives me an idea. What if I was to dig the holes for the concrete pads. Then
make up some 1' square by 4" timber frames and sit them on top of the holes, then fill in
the concrete up to the top of the timber. So it would be just like using the concrete blocks
but it would be solid concrete instead of the blocks.

Would I be able to smash up the concrete block to use as hardcore?

Trust

Mar 16, 2012 at 5:42 PM #16

Arnie I like the base, I like the brickery, concrete base.

Last edited: Mar 22, 2012

Banned

Joined: Dec 8, 2010

Posts: 707
Location: The Choppa! Trust

Mar 16, 2012 at 6:09 PM #17

Mark A kwerk said: ↑

I would do 4 concrete piers using sonotube forms and strongtie connectors, like this:

I think what I'm planning to do is similar to this, albeit on a much smaller scale.
/
 Capodecina Something i just noticed in that article:
Joined: May 19, 2005
Posts: 17,984
Location: Lancashire I always suggest that buyers of my storage shed plans check with their local building inspector
to make sure which method of anchoring your shed floor is acceptable in your particalar locality.

Do you have to get planning to build a shed in the states?

Trust

Mar 16, 2012 at 6:49 PM #18

bitslice As long as the base is kept dry, out of standing water and well ventilated it should be good
for 10 years at least.

kwerk said: ↑

I would do 4 concrete piers using sonotube forms

PermaBanned
I see Americans using these all the time and they are such a great idea, pier foundations are
Joined: May 18, 2006 a much more efficient use of concrete, but does anybody know where I can get Sonotubes in
Posts: 9,041 the UK/Staffordshire?

Trust

Mar 16, 2012 at 7:44 PM #19

kwerk bitslice said: ↑

As long as the base is kept dry, out of standing water and well ventilated it should be good for
10 years at least.

I see Americans using these all the time and they are such a great idea, pier foundations are a
much more efficient use of concrete, but does anybody know where I can get Sonotubes in the
Wise Guy
UK/Staffordshire?
Joined: May 23, 2009
Posts: 5,748
You could probably use a thick cardboard postal tube if you packed the earth around it
before you pour so it didn't burst. You probably have to coat the inside with grease or
something so the cardboard doesn't suck the moisture out of the concrete as it's setting.
That's all a sonotube is, basically a waxy cardboard tube. 8" piers are big enough for a shed
I'd think.

Trust

Mar 16, 2012 at 8:27 PM #20

Fuzz cut bottom out of a bucket.
Dig holes for you piers
Fill hole with concrete mix
When filled to ground level place bucket upside down over hole and continue to fill.
Level off at required datum height.
Repeat for other piers until complete

Capodecina

Joined: Aug 3, 2003

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Posts: 15,298
Location: Cheltenham ;-) Trust

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