Base for shed

Honeysuckle Bunch · Joined: 20 Feb 2008 Posts: 1

Any advice would be welcome. I need a base for a shed 6ft x 8ft, I have had
one quote for £400.00 for labour only, I am to supply the materials i.e.
cement, sand, chippings and paving slabs. I was told to buy 10 bags of
each.

It seems a bit expensive as I have seen Hawklok tiles which would be quite
cheap in comparison and I could lay them myself.

Does this quote of £400.00 sound fair, bearing in mind that the small shed
is costing £200.00.

Archived from group: uk>rec>gardening

Nick Maclaren · Joined: 01 Aug 2007 Posts: 430

In article ,
Stuart Noble writes:
|> >
|> You'd probably just need a few bags of sharp sand to make levelling the
|> slabs easier, but cement isn't usually necessary. Get one level and pack
|> the rest out as you go.

Dead right. This is what I did - for my 10'x8' shed:

Levelled the ground, trod it down well, raked it level, and iterated
until it was within about 1/2" of the same level all over.

Laid a 1-2" layer of sharp sand, levelled, trod and raked, and laid
the slabs, adjusting by adding or removing sand as necessary.

Put several tanalised bearers (2"x4", if I recall), long side up,
to keep the underneath ventilated, and put the shed on those.

I think that I screwed it down, but that isn't usually critical.

Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Paul Luton · Joined: 09 Jan 2008 Posts: 8

Nick Maclaren wrote:
> In article ,
> Stuart Noble writes:
> |> >
> |> You'd probably just need a few bags of sharp sand to make levelling the
> |> slabs easier, but cement isn't usually necessary. Get one level and pack
> |> the rest out as you go.
>
> Dead right. This is what I did - for my 10'x8' shed:
>
> Levelled the ground, trod it down well, raked it level, and iterated
> until it was within about 1/2" of the same level all over.
>
> Laid a 1-2" layer of sharp sand, levelled, trod and raked, and laid
> the slabs, adjusting by adding or removing sand as necessary.
>
> Put several tanalised bearers (2"x4", if I recall), long side up,
> to keep the underneath ventilated, and put the shed on those.
>
> I think that I screwed it down, but that isn't usually critical.
>
>
> Regards,
> Nick Maclaren.

Fifteen years ago I put a 6*8 shed on 4"*4" tanalised timber bearers
directly on the soil. A few months ago we moved the shed and the bearers
were as new. ( we did have guttering /water butt so the area under the
shed was bone dry). Time taken - minutes, expense - minimal.

Paul Luton

--
CTC Right to Ride Rep. for Richmond upon Thames

'Mike' · Joined: 04 Aug 2007 Posts: 373

"Paul Luton" wrote in message @eclipse.net.uk...
> Nick Maclaren wrote:
>> In article ,
>> Stuart Noble writes:
>> |> > |> You'd probably just need a few bags of sharp sand to make
>> levelling the |> slabs easier, but cement isn't usually necessary. Get
>> one level and pack |> the rest out as you go.
>>
>> Dead right. This is what I did - for my 10'x8' shed:
>>
>> Levelled the ground, trod it down well, raked it level, and iterated
>> until it was within about 1/2" of the same level all over.
>>
>> Laid a 1-2" layer of sharp sand, levelled, trod and raked, and laid
>> the slabs, adjusting by adding or removing sand as necessary.
>>
>> Put several tanalised bearers (2"x4", if I recall), long side up,
>> to keep the underneath ventilated, and put the shed on those.
>>
>> I think that I screwed it down, but that isn't usually critical.
>>
>>
>> Regards,
>> Nick Maclaren.
>
> Fifteen years ago I put a 6*8 shed on 4"*4" tanalised timber bearers
> directly on the soil. A few months ago we moved the shed and the bearers
> were as new. ( we did have guttering /water butt so the area under the
> shed was bone dry). Time taken - minutes, expense - minimal.
>
> Paul Luton
>

In September 1986 when I moved into this house, I had a 10' x 8' shed laid
on 4" x 4" tantalised straight onto the bare earth.

Still there Smile

)

21 and a bit years!!

Mike

--
www.rneba.org.uk. The Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association.
'THE' Association to find your ex-Greenie mess mates.
www.iowtours.com for all ex-Service Reunions. More being added regularly
After a lot of trouble www.nsrafa.org is now up and running for the National
Service RAF man

Dave Liquorice · Joined: 01 Feb 2008 Posts: 6

On Wed, 20 Feb 2008 19:55:09 +0000, Paul Luton wrote:

> Fifteen years ago I put a 6*8 shed on 4"*4" tanalised timber bearers
> directly on the soil. A few months ago we moved the shed and the bearers
> were as new. ( we did have guttering /water butt so the area under the
> shed was bone dry). Time taken - minutes, expense - minimal.

That is what our shed is on. The shed had more rot than the treated
timbers laid on the ground. Nno guttering but still fine and dry
underneath. The only drawback is the rabbits who like burrowing under
there if we leave a bunny sized gap. And inch gap all round is plenty for
ventillation.

--
Cheers
Dave.

Stuart Noble · Joined: 01 Aug 2007 Posts: 51

Paul Luton wrote:
> Nick Maclaren wrote:
>> In article ,
>> Stuart Noble writes:
>> |> > |> You'd probably just need a few bags of sharp sand to make
>> levelling the |> slabs easier, but cement isn't usually necessary. Get
>> one level and pack |> the rest out as you go.
>>
>> Dead right. This is what I did - for my 10'x8' shed:
>>
>> Levelled the ground, trod it down well, raked it level, and iterated
>> until it was within about 1/2" of the same level all over.
>>
>> Laid a 1-2" layer of sharp sand, levelled, trod and raked, and laid
>> the slabs, adjusting by adding or removing sand as necessary.
>>
>> Put several tanalised bearers (2"x4", if I recall), long side up,
>> to keep the underneath ventilated, and put the shed on those.
>>
>> I think that I screwed it down, but that isn't usually critical.
>>
>>
>> Regards,
>> Nick Maclaren.
>
> Fifteen years ago I put a 6*8 shed on 4"*4" tanalised timber bearers
> directly on the soil. A few months ago we moved the shed and the bearers
> were as new. ( we did have guttering /water butt so the area under the
> shed was bone dry). Time taken - minutes, expense - minimal.
>
> Paul Luton
>
>
Using concrete posts as bearers is an alternative

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