OT - Any shed experts?

[guest18]

Of the garden variety rather than the "Ubershed" variety unfortunately...

As part of the house move, looks like I'll need to put up a garden shed to take my shelving with spare parts etc (think car engines, gearboxes and other not very light stuff.

Never having put up a shed before I wondered what the norm is, (I don't want to put down a concrete base). Is it just a case of levelling off the ground and maybe putting down some sand before building the shed on the selected area or is there more to it?  

[Steve H]

I put mine on railway sleepers. Cut them into the ground level and then put the shed on top.

[Richard]

If you don't want to lay a concrete slab then you could try a sand base with paving slabs on top.  You will need some sort of wooden frame for the bottowm though as lots of DIY store sheds don't come with one.  Easy enough to knock up.

I wouldn't just go for a sand base as it evil to anythinjg mechanical, bearings etc.......and will slowly just wash away.  I know some folk have used pallets and put planks on top for a floor.

Richard

[bobby554]

Where I live on the south coast we have a group called Freegle (formally Freecycle) where anyone with surplus goods can pass them on free to people who can make use of them.
Often its hardcore and or bricks and concrete blocks. Its worth a Google.

I would lay blocks flat on sand and site your shed on those just proud of ground level.

[guest18]

Ahah! I had foolishly (in my ignorance!) assumed a shed would come with a floor. All becomes clearer now. Thanks for the advice chaps 

[Mark]

If you use a wooden floor allow air to pass under it to stop it rotting and to keep it dry inside.

[themoudie]

Aye Smudge,

Your engine woes seem worse than mine, so I'm sending some sympathy along with this! 

As for sheds (back 'on message') , sleepers, 100mm or 150mm blocks all good. Bed into sand if needed.

BEFORE ERECTING SHED/LAYING FLOOR ON TOP, LAY A STRIP OF 100mm DAMP COURSE/HEAVY ROOFING FELT DOWN AND THEN SIT THE WOODEN BITS ON TOP. STOPS THE CAPILIARY ACTION OF THE WATER COMING UP THROUGH THE BLOCKS AND ROTTING THE ARSE OUT OF THE FRAME/FLOOR!  One reason why 30 + year old timber frame houses rot out the bottom of the frame, due to 'jerry' builders!

Allow air-space beneath floor, but watch out for 'longtails' and other vermin taking up residence! 

Off to sheet alley and see if Sally will co-operate tomorrow, cam chain timing marks at the back of the alternator! Bah! Humbug! Grump!

Slainte, Bill. 

[guest27]

4x4 fence posts

Car tyres fillled with rammed earth topped with slabs

old pallets (rotted)

Have all done good service for my sheds in the past.

When it is up and before you put anything in it, lay some stirling board over the floor and fix down - most sheds do not have a strong enough floor.  You can even if you are feeling flush beef up fthe floor framing before you lie it down - 4X2s treated all over etc. What you do not want is to find the floor sags under the weight of an engine etc.

If you are putting in shelves make sure there is a good bracing piece under the floor and supported by the 'supports' for the front legs of the shelves to sit on.

Then paint the whole lot with a couple of coats of white paint inside - makes an amazing difference to what you can see.

R