Having a shed in your yard can be an advantageous and valuable asset. To make sure it will last for many years to come, we need to start at the very beginning of the build, the base. The base of a shed is like the foundation of a house. It is the most important step in making it last for many years.
The base of a shed doesn’t need to be bigger than the shed. But there are a few advantages to making it that way. First, it serves as a place to anchor the shed down to protect against stormy weather. It also reduces the chance of rot developing and eliminates ground erosion from rain.
Rain can cause a lot of damage if the base of the shed is the same size as the shed. Over time, the splashing of drops can cause a buildup of moisture that will lead to mold and wood rot.
That’s why having the base of the shed bigger than the shed will decrease the maintenance and benefit both you and the shed in the long term.
If you are thinking of getting a metal shed to avoid getting the mold and rot, metal has its own type of mold, it gets corroded due to moisture then leads to the metal rusting, so at the end of the day, your shed base would still need to be bigger than the shed.
Anchored or Not Anchored
The size of the base will also make things easier for anchoring the shed. Why anchor the shed you may ask yourself? Is it necessary to go through the trouble of anchoring my shed?
Some countries have more natural disasters than others, like earthquakes, heavy winds, etc. Anchoring your shed can help prevent some of the damage caused by these disasters.
The size of the base matters if you want to anchor the shed to it. If it’s the same size as the shed and you drill into the concrete, it might crack or crumble. By making it bigger you will avoid this from happening.
How Much Bigger Should the Base Be?
The base of the shed should be about 12″ (300mm) bigger than the shed itself, so if the shed measures 10’x12’, the base will need to be 12’x14’ in size all around the shed. This will help if your shed has a big roof overhang.
Water will run onto the base rather than onto the ground or grass, which will eliminate the chances of water puddles and make less of a mess next to the shed.
This will not only help you with moisture problems, but it will help a lot when the time comes to do the maintenance, you will be able to move around the shed freely.
Perfectly level Shed Base
This will help when anchoring the shed to the base. It will also ensure that everything lines up perfectly and seal 100% of the base protecting the shed from moisture.
Some people like to add a sloped edge to the perimeter of the base from the point where it extends past the shed walls, this helps to drain any excess water, and having less water evaporate after a rainy day helps prevent any major moisture build-up from occurring.
What happens if a shed is not level?
It’s crucial that the base is level all around the perimeter of the shed, usually at the bottom of the walls and doors. An uneven foundation can lead to many problems. As with any structure, the shed will settle, and if the base isn’t level, it won’t be a structurally sound building.
It will cause the shed walls to lean towards the lower part of the base. After that, the door of the shed won’t be able to close properly. Another problem is you can’t seal the shed fully from moisture and you will eventually need to rebuild the shed.
An uneven base can lead to so many other minor problems. It’s best to get things done right the first time to avoid any of them potentially popping up in the future.
Do Sheds Need To Be On Concrete?
There is one thing on people’s minds when it comes to a base of a shed. Most of them believe that concrete is the best material for a shed base. I agree with them for the most part as it can last years if done correctly.
By correctly, I mean it needs to be bigger than the shed itself because you are going to be drilling into the concrete, otherwise, it will just start cracking or crumbling. I believe alternative methods like extending it with gravel, wood, or pavers have been proven to work just as well.
In most cases, it’s costly compared to these alternative methods. And just like the other materials, it has its pros and cons that come with it. If done correctly, any of the above-mentioned materials are good to use as a base for your shed.
If you have the capital, it’s easier to maintain a concrete base over the others. This is when I would say it’s best to invest in a concrete base or even a paver base.
The Importance of Base Depth
Just like it is important for the base to be wider than a shed, the depth is also very important because you don’t want any moisture to come through the base to the bottom where it is impossible to detect mold or rot at an early stage, let alone maintain afterward.
So if you’re planning on making the base 2″ (50mm) above ground level, you will have to sink the base by the same amount.
This will prevent any moisture from rising through the surface onto the bottom of the shed. Keep in mind to treat the shed with the required treatment needed for the materials used to build the shed.
The Minimum Base Hight
This will be different and depend on the base material or if the shed will be standing on top of a slope. Generally, a shed base is 2″ (50mm) to 4″ (100mm) above the surface to prevent any moisture from reaching the shed.
But keep in mind with concrete and gravel bases, you will also then need to go 2″ (50mm) to 4″ (100mm) into the ground to make sure the base is solid.
It is important to make sure the base is thick enough if you’re planning on storing or using heavy equipment in the shed. If it’s too thin, it will get pressure cracks under things like cement bags and heavy tools.
Materials That Can Be Used for A Base
There are a few different materials that can be used to lay the base of your shed, namely:
- Lumber
- Gravel
- Concrete
- Pavers
These are all perfect to build a shed base with. The decision on which one to use will depend on the environment that you are living in and the laws concerning the base, and of course, the design that you want.
When it comes to the design, keep the rainfall in mind as the water that drops onto the ground or grass will start making puddles and can lead to problems in the future.
Conclusion
As we now know, the base of the shed is just as important as the foundation of your house, so we need to pay extra attention when planning the base of the shed. If bolting down the shed is within your plans, having the base bigger will ensure that it doesn’t break around the edges.
Making the base bigger is crucial to extend the lifetime of the shed by a few years. It not only helps by making the shed last longer, but it cuts the maintenance required on the shed in the future, so you can spend more time using the shed rather than maintaining it.