Concrete Base for Shed

looby-loo_2

I'm showing this to other half - I asked why we couldn't use slabs but he said Noooooooooooooo not strong enough. I suggested the load would be spread but what do I know? I'm just the wife:rolleyes: Our smaller garden sheds (5' x 7' & 10' x 8') have stood for 15 and 20 years on slabs and are perfect. (I spent all day today putting preservative on them so I do know this for a fact:D ) What wives are for:mad:

Nobleck

Don't use normal patio slabs, go for the big council slabs, they weigh a tonne but don't break very easily at all.

foreversummer

Thank you everyone to your input.

Hubby has already bought ballast and cement, so I guess we will go with a concrete slab base but without the hardcore.

So you can guess what we'll be doing this weekend!

Hope you all enjoy yours.

Foreversummer

Avoriaz

foreversummer wrote: »

..Hubby has already bought ballast and cement, so I guess we will go with a concrete slab base but without the hardcore. ..

That is possibly the worst of your options.

Seriously, I don’t intend to be rude but, if you are laying a concrete base you might be wasting your time if you don’t do it properly. Without a properly prepared base with compacted ground and a layer of hardcore, you risk the concrete base settling unevenly and tilting or even cracking.

Can you not return the ballast and cement for a refund and go with wooden beams, or get some hardcore and do a proper job?

Personally I would just forget about the concrete base and go with wooden beams even if that means taking a loss on the ballast and concrete.

My opinion, you may disagree.

wallbash

Still Spamming , admire your persistence :spam:
Reported

27col

I have built several large sheds over the years. If you are going to have a wooden shed, it is much easier to have it on a base of timbers. If it comes with a floor then all you need is a base the same size of 4"x2" or 6"x2" joists supported at regular intervals by concrete blocks sat on sand. You can bed them on mortar if you like. It is essential to get the base as level as possible. If it comes without a floor then you still build the same base but you install a floor onto it as well. Then assemble the shed on top. Building a nice shed is very therapeutic. Unless I was building something that had to support heavy weights like cars, I do not think that I would bother with a concrete base. It is a lot of work and expense for no particular advantage.

keith969

I put the shed in my old garden on breeze blocks. It survived 15 years quite happily.

wallbash

OP , as the post is over two years old , might just have sorted a base out .

Still spam