Anybody used one of these shed bases?

[Mrs Pingu]

Plastic, clicks together and you fill it with gravel to put your shed on. Anyone used one?
https://www.shedstore.co.uk/7-x-5-21-x-15m-pro-shed-base-kit

[aidan.f]

The no. 1 factor for a long lasting shed is ventilation underneath. Well drained gravel is probably not a bad option

[frank cazsy]

Yes I have under a 12x8 shed been up for 5 years without issues, I'm sure a concrete base would be better but a lot more work

I would add I've got guttering on the shed so that keeps most of the rain away from the base

Sent from my VOG-L09 using Tapatalk

[robgul]

No - but I would suggest very strongly that you modify the wooden shed base by screwing treated timbers under the whole frame (say 3 x 2") to raise the shed for ventilation, to keep it well above an water and increase the strength of the floor - our allotment shed was modified in this way, with dpc under the timbers onto a slab base - a neighbouring shed of similar make and style just on concrete slaps has not fared well.

And, yes - add guttering .... even if the downpipe(s) just squirt the water into the ground away from the shed/base.

[tatanab]

And, yes - add guttering .... even if the downpipe(s) just squirt the water into the ground away from the shed/base.

I used roofing felt to cover the last horizontal run which protects the wood from splash back as water hits the ground.  Also gives a nice hiding place for insects.  That, and being raised means the shed is perfectly good after 16 years.

[T42]

And, yes - add guttering .... even if the downpipe(s) just squirt the water into the ground away from the shed/base.

And a water butt.  I suspect that Furrybootoon had less rain than we did last "summer".

Anecdote: once kids moved out we repurposed one of our wheely bins as a water butt, and trundled it all the way down to our potager to use.  Then a bloke we'd GAMI'd to do something bucolic down there obligingly emptied it out and left it on its side "so that it wouldn't fill up again".  At least he didn't further oblige by drilling weep holes in it.

[robgul]

And, yes - add guttering .... even if the downpipe(s) just squirt the water into the ground away from the shed/base.

And a water butt.  I suspect that Furrybootoon had less rain than we did last "summer".

Anecdote: once kids moved out we repurposed one of our wheely bins as a water butt, and trundled it all the way down to our potager to use.  Then a bloke we'd GAMI'd to do something bucolic down there obligingly emptied it out and left it on its side "so that it wouldn't fill up again".  At least he didn't further oblige by drilling weep holes in it.

I would be careful with a water butt fed off a felt roof shed as, at least for the first couple of years, you'll get an oily residue on the water from the tar in the felt . .  and the standing water also attracts algae etc - both of which make the water less than good for re-use watering.

[Mrs Pingu]

No - but I would suggest very strongly that you modify the wooden shed base by screwing treated timbers under the whole frame (say 3 x 2") to raise the shed for ventilation, to keep it well above an water and increase the strength of the floor - our allotment shed was modified in this way, with dpc under the timbers onto a slab base - a neighbouring shed of similar make and style just on concrete slaps has not fared well.

And, yes - add guttering .... even if the downpipe(s) just squirt the water into the ground away from the shed/base.

I thought the point of these French drain type bases was that they do drain therefore no need to put props under them. Concrete blocks are probably cheaper just now too.

[robgul]

No - but I would suggest very strongly that you modify the wooden shed base by screwing treated timbers under the whole frame (say 3 x 2") to raise the shed for ventilation, to keep it well above an water and increase the strength of the floor - our allotment shed was modified in this way, with dpc under the timbers onto a slab base - a neighbouring shed of similar make and style just on concrete slaps has not fared well.

And, yes - add guttering .... even if the downpipe(s) just squirt the water into the ground away from the shed/base.

I thought the point of these French drain type bases was that they do drain therefore no need to put props under them. Concrete blocks are probably cheaper just now too.

My suggestion was primarily to strengthen the floor ... but also to create more air-space to get the wood further away from any dampness.

[Mrs Pingu]

Fairy nuff

[Jurek]

Also, if you raise your base as Robgul recommends, add some stainless mesh across it (available from Travis gherkins for finishing plastered corners) to prevent wildlife from making it it's home
under your shed.

[ian]

We have foxes under our summerhouse-shed, they're cool.

In our last place, we (I know, but it's true, we did ourselves, one freezing November day) built the shed on top of some proper railway sleepers. That seemed to work and as we didn't use the actual train tracks behind our house, the 1909 service to Beckenham Junction didn't put an end to our efforts.

[hellymedic]

Also, if you raise your base as Robgul recommends, add some stainless mesh across it (available from Travis gherkins for finishing plastered corners) to prevent wildlife from making it it's home
under your shed.

David's observatory had a nest of feral cats beneath its decking, four summers ago...

[Nutbeem]

I assisted my son in law to erect a shed on one of these which he'd laid
All good up to roof height then the roof panels didn't fit.

After trying various things we dismantled the shed and I examined the base and found it wasn't quite level. 1-2 cm out at floor level was converting to severAl cm out of true by roof height.

I carefully relaid the base using sawn timber beams to get everything true, probably not the best option, but we had wasted a day and were pressed for time.

A properly laid concrete base would have been a better option in my opinion, and not that difficult with a mixer and two man team.

[salar55]

 A level concrete base makes life easy when building a shed,  roof fits and door works😀. Concrete is very cold in the winter if you live up north. Up here I dug down for a big slab of kingspan and laid the concrete on top. If you want a fit and forget shed have a look at Biohort sheds, 20 year guarantee. Mine has lasted 15 years without any maintance and still looks like new. A Europa 7, bought it when I saw the way modular bike racks fitted.

[Mrs Pingu]

After several weekends of digging, levelling, digging and yet more levelling in the opposite direction we finally have a base. (ETA, forgot to mention all the tree roots we stabbed, chopped and generally heaved at)
2021-10-23_05-38-29 by The Pingus, on Flickr

Pingu pretends that he did most of the hard work
2021-10-23_05-39-19 by The Pingus, on Flickr

[Feanor]

Was there enough room for*all* the bodies under that?

[Mrs Pingu]

Heh, I don't think we could get down far enough to hide bodies, seems to have given Pingu pause for thought on building a pond...

[Pingu]

So, a shed was placed on the base and the installers didn't suck air through their teeth or grumble or anything