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Preparing ground for shed

zoothornrollo_2
zoothornrollo_2 Posts: 315 Forumite
Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Combo Breaker
Hello. We have a bike shed arriving in a couple of weeks. It will go in front of our house in a corner where the ground is currently bare soil.
The shed comes with a wooden frame base but I've been advised it's not a good idea to put that straight on to soil, even if it's level.
My thinking is that I will buy a sheet of one-way membrane, put that down, and put 2 or 3 inches of gravel on top of that.
The question is whether to dig out a shallow rectangle for the membrane and gravel, so the top of the gravel is flush with ground level? Will that just create a little 'bath'? I don't know how well these membranes work but if the soil is compacted I'm not sure how well it will drain?
If I don't dig a hole, presumably the gravel will not stay in place.
One friend has suggested it's better just to get some paving slabs...
Thanks in advance
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Comments

  • ka7e
    ka7e Posts: 3,113 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic
    If the ground is totally level and not subject to standing water after heavy rainfall, a paving slab base should work OK. It's what I have for my potting shed, although the base was slightly raised compacted earth from a previous shed.You can even use second-hand or slightly damaged slabs.
    "Cheap", "Fast", "Right" -- pick two.
  • FreeBear
    FreeBear Posts: 17,328 Forumite
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    How I did two shed bases - Mark out the area and get it level & square. Dig down 150mm or so and put in 100mm of hardcore. Top off with a 50mm layer of fairly weak concrete.

    For a small shed in a very temporary location, level & compact the area best you can and then put a few slabs down - Bed them on a layer of sand - It will be temporary as the council will probably tell you to move the shed round the back of the property unless you have planning permission for it.
    There are moves to allow bike shed at the front under permitted development rights, but don't count on that happening any time soon.
    Her courage will change the world.

    Treasure the moments that you have. Savour them for as long as you can for they will never come back again.
  • ka7e said:
    If the ground is totally level and not subject to standing water after heavy rainfall, a paving slab base should work OK. It's what I have for my potting shed, although the base was slightly raised compacted earth from a previous shed.You can even use second-hand or slightly damaged slabs.
    Thanks. I am thinking if I get slabs then probably no real need for a membrane - particularly if we set the slabs proud of the surrounding soil? 
  • JIL
    JIL Posts: 8,794 Forumite
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    Theres a good YouTube video using gravel that looks very straight forward and quick. I keep telling my husband but he doesn't seem to appreciate me sharing this information as the base still isnt down.
  • I would dig the shallow rectangle and then line with weed membrane and then fill with gravel, thats what my shed sits on and it seems OK.
  • shinytop
    shinytop Posts: 2,131 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    You could use gravel, but in plasic mesh frames - Google "plastic shed base" or similar.  They look quite neat and stop the gravel spreading around.   
  • zoothornrollo_2
    zoothornrollo_2 Posts: 315 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Combo Breaker
    edited 3 August 2021 pm31 1:32PM
    I would dig the shallow rectangle and then line with weed membrane and then fill with gravel, thats what my shed sits on and it seems OK.
    Thanks for this, and it's what I had planned: but then thinking about it the membrane will just create a mini-pond won't it? i.e., it might stop rising damp / weeds but it will also collect and hold water from above / the sides?
    I am thinking of just putting the aggregate down in a c.6cm hollow, slightly larger than the base. Then put the wooden base - which has been treated - down into that. 
    The membrane could if anywhere go between the base and the shed floor - given that hopefully no water ingress will be coming down on to it from the shed floor?   
  • FreeBear
    FreeBear Posts: 17,328 Forumite
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    A weed membrane (geotextile) will allow water to pass through, but will prevent the gravel from mixing with the subsoil.
    Her courage will change the world.

    Treasure the moments that you have. Savour them for as long as you can for they will never come back again.
  • Section62
    Section62 Posts: 8,696 Forumite
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    The shed comes with a wooden frame base but I've been advised it's not a good idea to put that straight on to soil, even if it's level.


    How big is the shed (length/width)?

    And are you putting it up yourself, or do you just need to prepare a base for others to do the erection?

    The chances are the floor will be something like 9mm OSB on as few 19mm bearers as the manufacturers think they can get away with. If so, the floor will bounce and sag almost regardless of what base you provide.

    If you are putting it up yourself then check how the floor is made, and if it isn't substantial then you are likely to be better off investing in some treated 3x2" or even 4x2" to strengthen the floor up first. If the new bearers run in the shorter direction and the shed isn't that large then you may only need to support the bearers at each end.

    Most of the surface area of slabs/gravel/concrete under a timber shed is not actually supporting anything. It's just wasted materials.

    Investing time and money in strengthening the wooden floor (rather than the base below) makes more sense if - as FreeBear rightly points out - there's a good chance the planners will soon tell you to move the shed out of your front garden.
  • molerat
    molerat Posts: 33,544 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited 3 August 2021 pm31 9:59PM
    My shed sits on a few rows of concrete blocks, a friend put theirs on fence posts - just keeps the shed base off the ground.
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