Siting A Garden Shed On Gravel

[237SJ]

I need a new garden shed as mine`s rotting and won`t last another winter (that`ll teach me to grow honeysuckle over the roof).
A friend has said that he will bring his mate around and they will put down a concrete base for a new shed. Trouble is, they are nine to fivers and I`m not so the job won`t get finished for ages as we won`t be able to schedule it for when we are all around. I thought I might just get a new one and plonk it down on some gravel instead. Would that work?

[bookbinder]

A reasonable compromise might be to put a base of concrete slabs (the sort that you might make a path or patio of) down. It would be quicker than concrete, and more stable than gravel.

[murraymints]

Not recommended ..gravel deteriorates and shuggles around..you could also get trouble with damp...

[jomifl]

You don't need a concrete base for a shed especially if it doesn't need to support heavy and concentrated loads. I had a shed that stood on strategically placed paving slabs, it came with the house and lasted me 14 years with no decay. Dampness in wood is inversely related to height above the ground so if you can raise the shed about 6" above ground level and make sure that air can circulate freely underneath it the moisture in the wood will be too low for wet rot fungus to survive.

[Chipchopper]

I agree with the last two answerers, concrete slabs should do it.
I did this when I moved one of my sheds and its fine. I put some floor bearers underneath to help with air circulation.

[237SJ]

Thanks for the replies. I think concrete slabs is the way to go. I hadn`t thought of that. I don`t want to raise the base off the ground as rats could get underneath and if it`s too high, the foxes will get in there as well.

[gness]

I rehomed my shed recently onto slabs, 237...but I raised it slightly as others have said...to ensure some air circulation. Just a couple of inches is better than directly onto the slabs. x

[carrust]

I built 2 walls 1 brick high (from ground level) the length of the shed. I then put several 3" fencing posts across the walls & put my shed floor on the posts.

[237SJ]

gness - what did you raise it on?

[carrust]

I would use slate if it was me.

[gness]

Just some lengths of wood that were around, 237. Too dark to measure now but think they are about three or four inches off the slabs. Just enough so the shed wasn't sitting directly on the slabs.
My shed is small...about 8x5 I think but at the bottom of a slope so I didn't want it directly on the slabs where water could seep up.

[237SJ]

Thanks gness. I think I`ll have to do that. The shed that is here now has been directly on the soil and hasn`t rotted. A couple of winters ago, I found a 2" wide hole in the base where a rodent had got in and had raided the birds` peanuts that were in the shed. It (I think it was a rat) had obviously burrowed underneath the shed. I thought that if I raise the shed, it will be easier for them to get underneath. To be honest, I will probably move away within about 5 years so I`m not thinking very long term - I just want a simple solution for now. Thanks for all the replies.

[askyourgran]

We placed ours on paving stones, and as luck would have it a mate had two railway sleepers so the shed went on top of the sleepers. Gravel isn't stable enough for any weight.

[gness]

Before I moved my shed, 237 it sat on slabs. A mouse got in through a tiny hole and nibbled through the plastic bin containing bird food. When I moved it I made sure the floor and walls were well sealed as that is where the rodents are likely to get in. I take it your shed has a floor and a lack of floor isn't why you are worried about access for rats?

[237SJ]

Yes, it has a floor. Something actually chewed through the floor! Must have been a rat as they have teeth like iron.

[Gizmonster]

When we had our shed installed, the firm that installed it, laid some concrete fence posts lengthways and then laid posts across these at 90 degrees - the shed then sat on these posts.

The posts only lie on grass/soil - it's been down a few years now and hasn't moved at all :)

[boxtops]

Mine's on slabs

[Chipchopper]

For good measure, what I did was, put some strips of roofing felt on top of the floor bearers to stop any rising damp.