Garden shed concrete base - advice ?

GP

Hi

I need to a) dig a hole and b) fill it again.....with concrete

This is to create a base for a galvanized garden shed 3m x 4m (9.8ft x 13m) and I'm just wondering if anyone has done this already and can give some tips on height of the base etc.

Basically I'd like to know how much hardcore + concrete I need etc.

cheers
GP

smashey

I put a base in my garden for a wooden shed. I made a timber frame approx. 200mm high, positioned it and pegged it in place. I bought some re-inforcing steel mesh and ordered 1.5 metres of concrete. Works perfectly.

CJhaughey

Don't forget to put a plastic membrane down to prevent water coming up throug the concrete.

smashey

CJhaughey wrote:

Don't forget to put a plastic membrane down to prevent water coming up throug the concrete.

I did that. Just forgot to mention it.:o

RoundyMooney

When I see timber sheds (some of which are quite nice), practically wobbling around on cavity blocks, I wince inwardly.

Concrete plinths ftw. Easier than you think, as Smashey says.

De_man

smashey wrote:

I put a base in my garden for a wooden shed. I made a timber frame approx. 200mm high, positioned it and pegged it in place. I bought some re-inforcing steel mesh and ordered 1.5 metres of concrete. Works perfectly.

i agree fully with everyone, except why use 200mm high timber? it's a bit
high imho, the closest you'll get is 225mm (9"), it'll cost a fortune for the concrete.

the base you require is totally dependent on what you plan to do with the
shed at present and in the future, will you want to build a block/concrete
shed in future?

If it's for very light use, don't even bother digging up your garden
use say 4 Lengths of 6" rough timber (but 4-5" is much much cheaper! )
make up base allowing a bit of space for around the sides of the shed
put in position, ensure level, peg, a bit of mesh or rebar, fill with concrete
calculating required concrete area using 6" depth 3M X 4M X .150 = (don't know too late - mind no longer working ) screed off and that's it except
don't forget to run any pipes etc for electricity . ensure you remove the
timbers the following day, otherwise you'll have an awful job of
removing the shuttering!!



a pint of plain is yer only man

smashey

De_man wrote:

i agree fully with everyone, except why use 200mm high timber? it's a bit
high imho, the closest you'll get is 225mm (9"), it'll cost a fortune for the concrete.

the base you require is totally dependent on what you plan to do with the
shed at present and in the future, will you want to build a block/concrete
shed in future?

If it's for very light use, don't even bother digging up your garden
use say 4 Lengths of 6" rough timber (but 4-5" is much much cheaper! )
make up base allowing a bit of space for around the sides of the shed
put in position, ensure level, peg, a bit of mesh or rebar, fill with concrete
calculating required concrete area using 6" depth 3M X 4M X .150 = (don't know too late - mind no longer working ) screed off and that's it except
don't forget to run any pipes etc for electricity . ensure you remove the
timbers the following day, otherwise you'll have an awful job of
removing the shuttering!!



a pint of plain is yer only man

I said approx. 200mm and I certainly wasn't going outside to measure it.

De_man

smashey wrote:

I said approx. 200mm and I certainly wasn't going outside to measure it.

errr...okay...approx 200mm i didn't read the thread fully (on night duty) i was only doing my best to keep the job priced competively for gp.

air

Mm, I've dug out a fairly sizeable hole in my back garden for my shed - hoping to build a wooden one of 5m x 3m. The reason I dug it out was because the garden is on quite a slope and I didnt want the shed sticking up in the air.
Is there really a need for a concrete plinth for a wooden shed like this or would some well seated blocks be sufficient?
I'd prefer not to use concrete because of the environmental issues.

TKK

Eh? Blocks are made of concrete.

air

Yeah but of a slightly different quantity than a 200mm slab - which would be about 3m cubed in my case

Air,
How about old railway sleepers laid on gravel under the perimeter of the shed and concrete slabs (or timber dekking)for the floor laid on dpm over blinded hardcore.