Methods for Building a Garden Shed Base

Having a garden shed can be a nice addition to your backyard and garden. It can act as a storage area and perhaps even a working area for the garden. You are probably riled up about getting your shed in place so you can begin to take advantage of it. But before you can worry about the shed, it is vital you focus your attention on building a solid garden shed base.

It is absolutely vital you construct a firm and stable base for the shed. Every shed requires a level base of some sort. While you can pay someone to construct one for you, you can also get the job done yourself with a little bit of knowledge and detailed instructions of how to complete the job.

Prior to building your shed base, there are a few things you want to take into consideration. First, do not place the base too close to walls or fences in case the shed has an overhanging roof. Next, cut any branches that may be in the way if you are to purchase a large shed. Lastly, allow for sufficient access to the outside walls for regular treatments.

Once you have taken these precautions, it is time to determine which method you will use to construct your garden shed base. There really are three methods you have to choose from; concrete, paving slab and timber bearers. While each is different in its own way, there are benefits and downsides to each.

Regardless of the method, the first step is to always mark your area. This allows you to clear any crops you may have. You can mark the area with string and pegs so you know exactly where it is going. It can also allow you to visually picture where and how the garden shed will look in the place you have it.

The first method we will go into detail about is the concrete base method. This is typically recommended for large sheds and log cabins. After you have marked your area, you will excavate the ground approximately 6 inches deep. From there, you will lay 3 inches of scalping or brick rubble that will act as sound foundation. Once laying this, you can remove the pegs and string.

The next step is to cut and fit four timber rails to act as a frame for the concrete that will set on top of the foundation. Finally, it is time to lay the concrete. As with the foundation, you will lay approximately 3 inches of concrete to fill the entire 6 inches you dug up. You have your option of either purchasing bags of dry mixed concrete and adding water gradually or making a mixture of ballast, cement and water yourself.

It is important you lay the concrete evenly, spreading it to all areas of the outline. Then, cover the concrete with sheets or a tarp to allow it to dry naturally. If the weather is dry and warm, spray it with water lightly so it does not dry too quickly.

The next method you can use to build a garden shed base is a paving slab. For this method you will excavate the ground 2.5 inches deep and lay a mixture of one part cement and eight parts building sand 1.5 inches deep.

After leveling this mixture, you can then begin to lay paving slabs starting from a corner. You will want to tap the slabs down with a rubber mallet to ensure the top of the slabs is higher than the surrounding ground.

The last method you can use to construct a base for your garden shed is the timber bearers method. For this method, you will excavate the ground 2 inches deep and lay 1.5 inches of gravel or soil. You will equally space concrete or timber bearers approximately 16 to 24 inches apart. If it is necessary, you can use a rubber mallet to tap the timber bearers down.

How much supplies you need for each method will all depend on the size of your shed. It is vital you have a plan drawn up for how you will construct the garden shed base, how big the base will be, and what kind of shed you are going to purchase. From there, simply follow the instructions for one of these three methods and you will be on your way.
Sara Lungley wrote the Article 'Methods for Building a Garden Shed Base' and recommends you visit http://www.a1articles.com/article_153049_27.html for more information on garden and storage sheds.

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