Once you’ve decided to build a shed, whether a new addition from potting shed plans or simple tool shed plans, or just a simple storage shed, probably the most important decision to make is setting a shed foundation. It’s easy to overlook this step, but the long term stability of your building will depend a lot on the type and quality of the foundation. Here’s a look at the different types of shed foundations.

The Three Types of Shed Foundations
By John Coupe

The future of your storage shed rests on its foundation!

The shed foundation performs two very important functions:

- they support the shed to keep it stable,

- they also protect the shed against moisture in the ground.

Looking at the first point

Thankfully a storage shed foundation does not have to be dug as deep as a house foundation. It is okay for a shed foundation to move up and down a bit. Sheds are a lot smaller structures than houses, they are quite rigid and also do not have plaster finishes so cracking is less likely to occur and even less likely to be noticed.This is good as it means that you do not have to dig too deep to make the foundation, if at all.

The other purpose of the storage shed foundation is to keep the base of the shed dry. Moisture in timber initiates decay and will lead to rot in the long run. Lifting the shed off the ground allows air to flow beneath the shed and a Damp Proof Course (DPC) stops moisture in the ground rising into the shed floor.

The three main types of shed foundation are:

-Pressure treated timber sleepers.

-Concrete block pier foundations.

-The concrete slab.

The choice of foundation is influenced by many things. The cheapest and easiest to construct is the timber sleeper foundation. This type of foundation is most suited to a level site. The shed is supported on a series of pressure treated timbers which are bedded in on the area the shed is to be built.

If the shed is to be built on a sloping site concrete block piers are useful as they can be built up to accommodate the sloping ground.

If you intend to wash down equipment in your shed, use hot materials during welding or brazing then a concrete slab is what you are after.

My last tip is make sure that whatever type of storage shed foundation you choose, incorporate a damp proof membrane. This will stop moisture in the ground soaking up into the fabric of the shed and initiating rot in the structural timbers.

When buying a storage shed the last thing on your mind may be the foundations. However, if you want your shed to stay put and to last then the secret is in the foundations.

John Coupe is a Professional Engineer who just happens to Love sheds.

Secrets-of-shed-building.com gives him an outlet to help people design and build their own shed.

For details of how to build a storage shed foundation visit http://www.secrets-of-shed-building.com/storage-shed-foundation.html

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