Buidling a base for a plastic shed

[SMS]

My sister in-law bought a plastic shed at Costco (Keter Bellevue) with
floor dimensions of 100.5" x 80.5".
("http://outstanding-keter.co.il/files/17185841_a.pdf")

Someone at Home Depot said that she should set it on a pad of concrete
blocks that sit on a base of sand and gravel, all of which she ordered
and had delivered.

I thought this was a pretty bad idea for a plastic floor shed, and that
it will be difficult to get all those blocks arranged into a level,
even, platform. I would have built a base out of pressure treated
plywood sitting on a frame of 2"x6" pressure treated studs, and set that
on level ground without using any gravel or sand.

But now that she's bought all that material, is practical to sit it on
blocks, placed in gravel, even if it weren't an optimal arrangement? I
also thought of putting pressure treated plywood on top of the concrete
blocks and screwing the plywood to the bocks, but that's a lot of screwing.

[George]

Not sure (never mind)why she asked the experts at home depot but their
suggestion does sound ridiculous.

You might want to do some checking for accessories. My neighbor bought a
plastic shed like that and the separate base was a set of heavy
interlocking plastic "tiles". They spread some pea gravel and put the
base down on the gravel.

[HeyBub]

Sure, that'll work. She could even just put the shed on the ground (it's
PLASTIC - what could go wrong).

A more interesting question is why she asked the door-greeter at Home Depot
instead of you?

[JIMMIE]

I put in one similar to what the store suggested. I put crushed gravel
on the bottom and fine crushed gravel on the top. I use it for a pump
house and garden tool storage.

Jimmie

[RicodJour]

On Jul 21, 12:01 pm, SMS <scharf.ste...@geemail.com> wrote:

The sheds with the plastic bases are nice as they go together quickly
and you don't have to worry about rot, but they do have some
downsides. The underside is basically a waffle with thin ribs
supporting the walking surface. There's not very much surface area to
those ribs to distribute the load to whatever is underneath. Soil,
gravel or sand will all subside a bit - to varying degrees - and the
ribs tend to "cut" into the grade material. A framed 2x platform has
a lot more surface area to distribute the load and won't settle nearly
as much.

When I install something that's supposed to be flat, I like it to stay
flat. For that reason when I install such a shed, I prepare the grade
as level as possible and use leftover brick pavers around the
perimeter and more pavers (or flagstone) distributed interior to the
perimeter to support the floor at key points - roughly 16" on center.

The pavers give a nice finished look to the installation and the floor
stays flat.

R

[benick]

"SMS" <scharf...@geemail.com> wrote in message
news:4a65e62d$0$1612$742e...@news.sonic.net...

The guy at HD just recommended a way that he knew SHE could do with a shovel
and rake...Besides it is a pretty common way to do it and that way was an
option in the assembly instructions...Perhaps if YOU had been with her he
would've recommended the wood floor , also an option in the directions....Or
perhaps with the money she has spent on that "plastic shed " and floor she
could have bought the materials and you could have built her a real shed...

[bgood...@gmail.com]

Hey SMS -

Those methods you describe - in my opinion - are a little haphazard. When I created the base for my plastic shed - I followed the plans I found here - http://storage.suncast.com/help-me-choose/planning-tips/wood-foundations/ for a wooden foundation. They also had a cement foundation write-up, but that was too much for me. I found the guide for the wooden foundation was simple - and I'm not that handy. Hopefully that helps.

[bgood...@gmail.com]

On Tuesday, July 21, 2009 12:01:44 PM UTC-4, SMS wrote:

Hi SMS - the method you describe sounds a little haphazard in my opinion. I'm not very handy, but when I installed a base for my plastic shed, I found this article to be helpful, easy, and straightforward - http://storage.suncast.com/help-me-choose/planning-tips/wood-foundations/. This is for a wooden base and I think they had one for concrete bases as well but that was too much for me. Hopefully this helps!

[DerbyDad03]

I hope she didn't wait 4 years for your suggestion.

[richs...@gmail.com]

I'd just go with a dirt foundation. Just spray some roundup on the area and also three extra feet on each side. Get a pile of dirt and spread it around where you just applied the roundup. Make sure the dirt is flattened out and perfectly level. Just to be sure, build a wood foundation out of 4X4's and PT lumber. Also, make it level by using string and those wood border things that you see on construction sites. Be careful though, wear goggles and gloves and elbow pads. Ear protection is not a bad idea either. When you are done get out a level and see if it's all level. Build shed and enjoy.

[Rich]

replying to SMS, Rich wrote:
I would suggest getting rid of all of that useless stuff and using a pile of
dirt leveled out. That seems like it might do a decent job of supporting this
so called shed.

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[trader_4]

On Thursday, December 21, 2017 at 4:30:53 PM UTC-5, richs...@gmail.com wrote:
> I'd just go with a dirt foundation. Just spray some roundup on the area and also three extra feet on each side. Get a pile of dirt and spread it around where you just applied the roundup.

Which makes the just applied Roundup useless. Roundup (glyphosate) works by contact with
growing vegetation. On bare ground it's useless. Covered up with soil it's
doubly useless.