When deciding on what type of foundation to use underneath of your new shed, you’ll find that you have many choices to consider. This short FAQ should answer some of your questions, and give you some direction in deciding what would work best for your particiular needs.
Q: What type of foundation are there for my shed?
A: The three most popular types of shed foundations are:
1: Cement patio blocks
2: Gravel pad
3: Concrete pad
4: Posting and post-and-beam
Q: What type of foundation should I use underneath of my shed?
A: That really depends on what your needs are. Here are some general guidelines for the types of foundations most commonly used.
Cement Block Foundation
Over 90% of our customers are very well served by using the cement patio blocks for their shed’s foundation. If your shed is going to be used for general storage, such as a heavy lawn tractor, snow blower, bikes, and lawn furniture, this foundation type will be easily strong enough for the job, and will cost you very little in terms of time and money.
Posting and Post-And-Beam Foundations:
However depending on your specific situation, another option may work better for you. If your yard is drastically sloped, greater than 20″ over 12′, you may want to consider talking to us about some inexpensive posting options. If your yard has standing water problems for much of the year, where the ground is actually holding puddles of water, you may need to have us install a posting or post-and-beam foundation.
Cement Floors:
If you intend to use your new shed for a daily used garage facility, where you will be bringing in large amounts of road chemicals and constantly soaking the floor, or if the floor will be constantly wet, such as a pump house or pool house, a cement floor may be a better option for you. Storage Buildings Unlimited doesn’t do concrete work, but will be happy to refer you to a cement contractor that has shown us good work in the past.
Gravel Pads:
Gravel pads are largely unnecessary for our sheds, and other than for aesthetic purposes, should be largely avoided. Its been our experience over 20 years of building that they are rarely level, tend to hold water under the shed like a French drain, and usually exhibit settling that is more difficult to fix than a block foundation. They are also quite expensive, with costs approaching the costs of the shed itself at times. If you desire the look of a gravel pad underneath of your shed, we recommend that you use the cement patio block foundation, but after the shed is completed, install a gravel parameter around the shed, to mimic the look of a total gravel pad.
Q: How should I prepare my building site for a cement block foundation?
A: Really, you don’t have to do much of anything other than providing the blocks. Its best if the ground is left undisturbed, so we can build directly on top of the grass. Don’t till the ground or strip the grass. Take a look and see if there are any low hanging branches or power lines that might be an issue, depending on the height of your new shed. If there are low hanging wires, please call the power, cable, or phone company to have them raised. If there are low branches, please cut them down before our builder starts construction.
Q: How many concrete blocks should I have on hand for the builder?
A: It depends on the size of your shed. An 8×12 would normally require 18 concrete blocks to be on hand. A 12×16 shed would need 50 or so.
Q: If I need posting or a post-and-beam foundation, how long does that take?
A: We can normally install the entire foundation in one day, and depending on your town’s ordinances, we can build your shed the same day too. If your town’s inspector can’t inspect the holes the day we dig them, we will need to schedule a second day to build the foundation and shed.
Q: How large should a concrete pad foundation be?
A: Please build your concrete pad or foundation to 1/2″ smaller than the size of your shed. For example, if you’re going to have a 12×16 shed built, your pad or foundation should be 11’11-1/2″x15’11-1/2″. Its always better for the pad to be slightly smaller than the shed, rather than too large. Also, its critical that the pad or foundation be as close to perfectly square as possible.
Q: If I want a gravel pad, what size gravel should I use?
A: #57 limestone gravel works the best in most situations. If the pad is going to be especially thick, you may want to use #1 or #2 stone underneath the #57 top layer. Its very important that the gravel pad be as close to perfectly level as possible. Use railroad ties, or other lumber around the perimeter of the pad to contain the gravel, otherwise the gravel will spill out from under the shed and look unsightly.
Q: If my shed goes out of level, what should I do?
A: Re-leveling your shed is a relatively simple task, requiring a jack, and additional leveling material. Simply put the jack underneath the corner of the shed that has settled, jack the shed up, put additional leveling material underneath the skid closest to you, and let the jack down. You may also have to fill in on the leveling points closest to the settled corner if a large amount of additional material was used. If you have questions about the process, please call the office at 330-334-2276 and we will be glad to help.
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