UKC

Morning,

I’m in the market for a new garden shed, and have narrowed it down to a metal beauty with built in log store. It looks lovely! 

However, what does the UKC collective mind deem most suitable for a base? Wood or concrete? Which will be most stable and keep condensation to a minimum?

Finally, if it is concrete, is it worth trying to do myself? Our garden only has narrow shared access to the rear via the side of our neighbour (terraced house), so getting a concrete truck in there to pour it out isn’t going to happen. 

Ours sits on 6 concrete lintels that are about 100mm by 100mm. I dug a little trough about 50mm deep and put some hardcore in it, leveled it off and put the lintels on top, 6 years so far and it's not moved. Because the shed is off the floor their is Air flow round it and the void underneath gives shelter to critters. 

I'm a landscape gardener, and have laid a fair few shed bases, but also lifted a few in my time. Here are my thoughts...

Wooden fence post (laid on their sides) base - Cheap option and stable enough but leaves large cavities under the shed for rodents and the likes to nest.

Concrete slab - Unnecessary faff unless it is a very big/heavy shed.

My preferred choice in your situation would be council slabs (60x90 or 60x60, easily available from most builders merchants for not too much £) laid side by side on a skinny bed of screeded sharp sand (sold in 25kg bags). The materials would be easy to carry through the access you have, requires minimal prep and the base will be more than stable enough once the shed is on it. You could simplify this further by just having slabs laid at intervals (with gaps in between). This would mean less slabs/cost but will create the problem of cavities under the shed where animals can nest.

Hope this helps.

Mine is stood on four rows of concrete blocks like these with a damp proof barrier between them and the shed base.  

https://www.travisperkins.co.uk/Solid-Dense-Concrete-Block-7-3N-100mm/p/700...

Cheers for the advice. I think I’ll go for council slabs, it sounds simple enough. I don’t want to leave a void underneath if possible as we’ve got chickens and creating any new nesting places for the rats they inevitably attract isn’t a good idea. 

In addition to my post above. Depending on your time frame, it may be worth contacting a few local landscape gardening companies. They will often lift old patios to make way for the new patio. In a lot of cases the old slabs will just end up in a skip. I'm sure a local landscaper will be more than happy for you to come and help yourself to a few old slabs (check with them first) as it will free up space in the skip for them to use.

From your point of view it won't matter what they look like as they will be under the shed, and even a riven surfaced slab can be laid upside down to create a flatter base.

A concrete truck? How big is this shed lol?

Many companies will barrow the concrete for you, only a reasonable distance of course.

For an extra 30 quid many drivers will spread and level the concrete as well.

I don’t know how much it needs or how they make it work, that stuff is for the man in the hi-viz to sort out! 

And this is the one I’m buying https://www.waltons.co.uk/apex-metal-shed-and-log-store-9-x-4ft---dark-gree...

I installed a concrete slab for my shed, took a bit of grunt work and the hiring of a cement mixer for a few days but it is was worth it. Assuming your shed is costing you several hundred odd quid and you want it to last more then 10 years it is worth the effort..

I'd go with paving slabs as described above.

You probably already know this, but beware of condensation (and therefore build up of damp) in metal sheds. I've seen collapsing cardboard boxes and rusting tools due to this problem. That said, they're more secure than timber and don't need repainting.

I put my last one on dense blocks.  Dig a hole where each block will go, hardcore at the bottom, pea shingle at the top.  You level off adding/removing pea shingle as you need it.

Fast, cheap and means your off the wet ground.  More popular in sunnier climates.  Doesn't work if your ground as it risk of moving i.e. clay.

If you don't leave an air gap under your new shed the base will rot away relatively quickly in the UK's inherently damp climate.  Put it on DPC on top of some sort of blocks. Fence in the void somehow to stop vermin living in it.

Don't miss out on the chance to dispose of your dead bodies under the shed while you're at it.

I work with one of Fred West’s great nieces, and when she had the patio done, such jokes kept coming for weeks. 

Ive got door mice under mine at the moment. Two years ago I had a nest of bumblebees. I drank a whole bottle of red wine one day watching them busy themselves in and out. Amazing. 

I park my shed on the drive

Condensation is a concern, as there’ll be a chest freezer & my game hanging fridge in there (with associated electronics), plus stuff like chainsaws, strimmer, mower etc that I’d rather not get wet. However, that one does claim to have vents to combat condensation.  

If I was to go down the concrete route, a membrane plus some sealant may be in order. I’m seeing a mate tonight who runs a construction company, so I’m going to see what he’d be able to get his lads to knock me up. 

At the other end of the construction, the roof.

Don't bother with a "flat" roof covered by bitumen sheets. It's messy laying the bitumen, and they don't last more than a few years before they start to break down and leak.

Go for a pitched roof covered with corrugated bitumen sheets. Will last a lot longer and easier to construct:

https://www.roofingsuperstore.co.uk/product/coroline-corrugated-bitumen-gre...

I'd go for 60 x 60. 60 x 90 are a bit heavy to handle and prone to cracking if the sand isn't level. Also don't underestimate how much sand you'll need for the base. A dumpy bag might be better, depending on space and if you'll be doing more work later.

Less welcome rats and housemice under ours, sadly.

I laid a concrete base for our shed, took a bit of effort but it is really solid and perfect for our needs.  Lorry access is about 50m from shed location, so I just barrowed all the wet mix down our path. It didn't take long and was much quicker and easier than hiring a cement mixer (maybe even cheaper). Just get a few mates around to help shift the wet concrete and tap it down.