Which is the best type of foundation for my shed?

by Edward H
(Nottingham)

Hi John, I am soon to purchase a 4mx4m shed and would like to know the most cost-effective foundation that you would recommend for it. It's to be placed on level ground, and I'm not putting anything super heavy in the shed (like gym equipment).

I could probably just lay a concrete base with the help of friends but it is not something any of us have experience with.

Any advice would be appreciated, I have looked through many options on this website but cannot decide between them...

E.

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Selecting the best shed base type
by: John

Hi Edward,

Thank you for your question. Without a doubt the concrete shed base is the strongest and most durable there is. A concrete base spreads the load from the shed, seals the ground from moisture from above and below and also provides a solid base to anchor the shed if you need to. However it is probably the most expensive/hardest work to create too.

For building a lighter shed on an area without paving then the pier and beam foundation combined with timber bearers is an option that should be considered.

Pier and beam foundations are often used on sloping ground but can equally be used on flat ground. To create this foundation a series of pads can be created using either 450mm sq paving slabs or pairs of 215x450long standard concrete building blocks bedded on some weakly cemented concrete. These would be built up to just above ground level to support the timber bearers which support your shed floor. The pads would be on a grid of about 1.2m x1.2m to suit your shed.

A layer of weed suppressant material should be used beneath the shed to stop plant growth and with perhaps some pea shingle around the edge to finish a gravel board to around the perimeter.

At the end of the day it is a matter of combining the different foundation solutions to give a result that suits your shed, site and local conditions. For example this is the shed base that I created for a small shed for my mother-in-law. Which uses a combination of different base types to create a level surface to construct a metal shed from.

Let me know how you get on with your project. All the best

John

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