Grow Your Own Magazine

Having done a search on sheds and greenhouses on this site (and been put off - ever so slightly - by the 'sheddie' forums) I would like to ask members for their experience of ground preperation for shed (ahem!) erecting!

These seems to be a drainage issue; for which you may require some sort of base: gravel or sand with patio slabs for stability.

Some people talk of drilling into slabs to hold the (ahem!) erection to the ground in high winds.

Does anyone have any other useful comments or web addresses that would help before I jump two size tens into throwing the 'freecycle' shed at a fairly steep slope on clay soil.

Thanks all!


dave

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I had a new shed on my allotment last year.
All I did was lay 8 slabs & errect shed on top.
Just make sure the slabs are level & the area they cover is larger than the base of he shed.
Oh! the people I bought the shed from also erected it for me all I did was lay the base.
My shed has survived all this winter (winds 60mph) with no ill efect.

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I cook with wine, sometimes I even add it to the food.
W. C. Fields

We had a 10 x 12 shed built in our garden a couple years ago to house the freezer, washing machine and tumble drier.

All we did was put down breeze blocks and make sure they were level - no other preparation required. The shed hasn't moved - too darned heavy even for the winds here last winter!

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Happy Gardening,
Shirley

http://www.honeyjukes.co.uk

What can I say - they have it all! Laid a base, shed was slabs on gravel, greenhouse is slabs on earth! No hassle!

I think I've built about a dozen sheds from scratch over the years ranging from 6 x 4 to 15 x 8. I mark out where the shed will go up, drive in metposts every 5 or 6 feet depending on the size and bolt in 3"x 3" fencing posts. Nail 3" x 2" timbers for floor joists and use scrap scaffold planks for floor boards and sides. The roof is usually corrugated iron.
When up, the whole thing is so heavy an Oklahoma hurricane won't shift it.
The 15 x 8 was needless to say the most expensive.... ehem...erection. Cost me nearly £60.

Great replys, thanks!

Given me the confidence to just have a go and try and make as level a sturdy base as possible..

will post pics when I do

thanks again

BVP

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Hi BVP - ours was erected on an existing slab base -it has so much gardening equipment in it that nothing would shift it. I think that as long as the base is stable you'll be fine. You ARE going to fill it aren't you? Gardening gear makes excellent ballast!

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Earth laughs in flowers. Ralph Waldo Emerson

www.vegheaven.blogspot.com

Updated November 30th - Mr Stinky's Excellent Adventure (and a Christmas Cake)

You could always Mount it ( Ahem ) on railway sleepers an whack some big nails or better still Frame fixing screws into it.

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ntg

Never be afraid to try something new.
Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark.
A large group of professionals built the Titanic

http://grief-encounters.blogspot.com/

My little shed is mounted on a couple of pallets.
Bernie aka Dexterdog

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Appreciate the little things in life because one day you will realise they are the big things

I have to tie mine down! Got four bottle screws concreted into the drive and attached to the shed. The shed still lifts a bit though in high winds!

Glad you asked this BayViewPlot, some very helpful answers here for the rest of us. Hope the shed putting up goes well for you

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All at once I hear your voice
And time just slips away
Bonnie Rait