PLEASE HELP: Shed base concern

ukamber1 · 8 January 2018 at 9:10PM

Hi,

Would appreciate any help as not sure the best action to take.

I made a decking area in the garden 8 x 6. Made up of 90cmx90cm decking tiles (square decking instead of the long decking boards) and nailed these decking tiles to 3x3 wood supports(decking joists) The decking is flat and seems solid but has a little "spring" when walking on it.

I've since decided to build a shed on the area but wasnt sure how best to strengthen (stop) that spring before building the shed on top, as worried this movement might make the shed floor uneven. I have 4 options.

1) Lay sheets of plywood on top of the decking to add strength/reduce any spring.

2) Fill the gaps under the decking with hardcore/cement mix to stop movement.

3) Do nothing as once the shed is built the weight of the shed will settle/stop any spring movement in the decking.

and the 4th option which I really didnt want to have to do...

4) Move the decking to another area of the garden and lay paving slads for the shed to be built on.

Really appreciate any help...many thanks

VfM4meplse · 8 January 2018 at 10:44PM

I know little about such things but I can say that ground does move unexpectedly (esp if its near a tree) and for that reason I had a cement base laid for a shed about 17 years ago. The shed was then mounted on planks to allow air to cicrulate and is still standing strong. The only drawback is that families of foxes also thrived underneath the shed during the mating season, but I got used to that after a while.

On that basis, I'd go for option 2.

ukamber1 · 8 January 2018 at 11:13PM

VfM4meplse wrote: »

I know little about such things but I can say that ground does move unexpectedly (esp if its near a tree) and for that reason I had a cement base laid for a shed about 17 years ago. The shed was then mounted on planks to allow air to cicrulate and is still standing strong. The only drawback is that families of foxes also thrived underneath the shed during the mating season, but I got used to that after a while.

On that basis, I'd go for option 2.

Thank you.....I guess the biggest problem I have is that when I built the decking, I never planned to be putting a shed on it and it was only going to carry the weight of a couple of people and a couple of garden chairs and knowing this I didnt make it as strong as I should have done and now I need to make it stronger to hold the added weight of a shed!;)

Thanks for your comments...option 2 does seem the best/easiest option as I only need to lift a section of decking at a time and can shovel the cement mix under the weakest points!

My own fault, should have planned better in the first place! thanks again!

TheCyclingProgrammer · 9 January 2018 at 1:20AM

If you’re just talking about a cheap wooden shed I wouldn’t worry too much about it - have you seen the size of the sticks they make those things out of?

ukamber1 · 9 January 2018 at 9:24AM

TheCyclingProgrammer wrote: »

If you’re just talking about a cheap wooden shed I wouldn’t worry too much about it - have you seen the size of the sticks they make those things out of?

Hi, thanks for your reply.

The shed/summerhouse is 25mm T&G clad walls, with T&G floor, as wanted a strong one that will last. As its a little stronger, thicker than your standard 12mm thick shed, I just wanted to make sure the base was going to be ok.

thanks again

Ruski · 9 January 2018 at 10:10AM

ukamber1 wrote: »

Hi, thanks for your reply.

The shed/summerhouse is 25mm T&G clad walls, with T&G floor, as wanted a strong one that will last. As its a little stronger, thicker than your standard 12mm thick shed, I just wanted to make sure the base was going to be ok.

thanks again

In which case, strip out and do a proper concrete base

HTH

Russ

Slinky · 9 January 2018 at 10:54AM

ukamber1 wrote: »

Thanks for your comments...option 2 does seem the best/easiest option as I only need to lift a section of decking at a time and can shovel the cement mix under the weakest points!

This sounds as bodgy a job as you made when you laid the decking. Our shed base stands about 5 inches proud of the surrounding ground, partly because it's in an area of the garden where there's a bit of a slope and it gets wet in the winter. OH dug it out then built up a bit of shuttering before having concrete delivered. Shed is also standing on battons to keep an airflow underneath to keep it nice and dry. What you're suggesting doing would appear to be asking for the base to rot out over time. Ours is 14 years old and still standing solid.

ukamber1 · 10 January 2018 at 12:08AM

Slinky wrote: »

This sounds as bodgy a job as you made when you laid the decking. Our shed base stands about 5 inches proud of the surrounding ground, partly because it's in an area of the garden where there's a bit of a slope and it gets wet in the winter. OH dug it out then built up a bit of shuttering before having concrete delivered. Shed is also standing on battons to keep an airflow underneath to keep it nice and dry. What you're suggesting doing would appear to be asking for the base to rot out over time. Ours is 14 years old and still standing solid.

Hi Slinky,

Thanks for your comments......The shed will be standing on 50mm x 50mm battons/bearings which will allow for airflow and to support the shed floor. I'm only thinking of using the decking already in place as this will help lift shed 3 inches off the wet/damp floor. Decking was treated and built on top of a waterproof tarpaulin sheet to give alittle added protection, so wasnt a complete bodgy of a job!;)

At £200 plus to get concrete mix delivered, I'm having to look at other options and buying hardcore and mixing it with a cement mix to fill voids under decking seems the next best thing, other than moving decking completely and laying concrete paving stones for the shed to sit on......I agree if money no object re-doing the base with concrete slab would have been the best option.

Kind regards

cranford · 10 January 2018 at 10:44AM

I have had a 8x6 summer house for 17 years laid on concrete slabs and 10cm battens. Nothing has moved yet. I got the best treated battens I could find and gave then extra preservative. I have also got thick wire mesh nailed to the summer house and battens to keep the rodents out.

cajef · 10 January 2018 at 12:46PM

Slinky wrote: »

OH dug it out then built up a bit of shuttering before having concrete delivered. Shed is also standing on battons to keep an airflow underneath to keep it nice and dry.

We have two large sheds and that is exactly what we did, both sheds are tanalised timber and have been standing for years.

PLEASE HELP: Shed base concern

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