3 Vital Steps To A Good Shed Foundation-Building A Shed

May 23
08:04

2011

Terry Legaleto

Terry Legaleto

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A good shed foundation is critical to the success of your shed building project and the longevity of your shed.Today I outline 3 key factors to consider..

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The purpose of the shed foundation is to bear the weight of your shed and ensure that the weight of the shed and its contents are evenly spread across the ground.

You would also be wise to include damproofing to ensure that rising damp and growing vegetation does not pose a problem in the future for the base of your shed or the contents that you may store on the floor.

Size of Shed
Smaller sheds may not need a foundation at all and it will be fine to just site the shed on a hard stand or patio. But larger sheds will need to be protected against ground movement through the heating and cooling of the ground and frost heave as well as moisture can be a major contributor to the movement of your shed over time.

Some movement of a shed over time is acceptable but if you are investing good money in a substantial structure that you want to stand the test of time then you should not skimp on putting in a good foundation.

Location of Shed
So before deciding on the type of foundation you might use,3 Vital Steps To A Good Shed Foundation-Building A Shed Articles you need to decide about the size of your shed, it's proximity to growing trees and vegetation and where you are going to locate it.

If your shed is less than 8foot by 6 foot then you should consider the options which include siting your shed on paving slabs, railway sleepers or on nice, level crushed stone or filling. There is also the option nowadays of a plastic shed base.

For bigger sheds you need to put in a solid foundation and this generally will be a concrete slab with a layer of damproofing in it and it is a good idea to also include insulation to ensure that your shed does not become a cold,damp place which will not do justice to your investment.

You will need to dig out the soil to a good, firm, level base to ensure that your concrete slab will be level when the concrete is poured.

Value of Your Shed Investment
The value of your shed as an addition to the value of your property will be greatly enhanced with a good, well constructed shed because the last thing you want if you are selling your house is for any potential purchaser to look at your badly built shed and say "the first thing I will have to do if I buy your house is to have that thing removed".

In summary, firstly assess your needs in terms of your shed and it may well be that a small shed is perfectly adequate for your needs. But you should always try to look further down the road and consider that if you have a growing family then a bigger shed will serve your needs more adequately and if that is the case then do not skimp on your shed foundation.