ᐅ Base/Foundation for Garden Shed

Created on: 8 Jun 2015 21:21
F
f-pNo
Hello dear small home building community,

In the next two weeks, work will be done on the outdoor area at our place.

For next year, we are also planning to buy a garden shed (maybe 2x2 m (6.5x6.5 ft)). However, we want to prepare the ground for it now.

And now to the topic:
How would you build the "base layer"?
I am thinking of a gravel layer (which we would have delivered now). Should this layer extend beyond the shed by X cm (Y inches)?
My father also suggested a strip foundation. Not so much because of stability, but more due to potential wind uplift effects he once observed at a neighbor’s place (he recommends additional anchoring in the concrete).
My wife wants to add geotextile fabric underneath. This is a stronger type of weed barrier fabric, also used, for example, for slope stabilization.

What do you think? What makes sense? What should be considered (e.g., regarding the extension of the gravel layer)?
One0013 Feb 2016 11:44
We built our structure with the following layers:

- 25 cm (10 inches) of crushed stone (a bit less probably would have also worked)
- 3 cm (1 inch) of gravel
- 8 cm (3 inches) of paving stones (the second cheapest option) framed in garden concrete

The house itself, or rather its substructure made of KVH timber, does not rest directly on the paving stones but on roofing felt.

This setup has already withstood several strong storms, so screwing it down is unnecessary.

The most annoying part was compacting the crushed stone; otherwise, I can recommend this setup. Good and affordable.
One0013 Feb 2016 13:09
Thank you
I planned and built it myself after seeing the prices for HPL garden houses or kits that you have to pay...
Visually, I took inspiration from the houses by @gart, but I designed it a bit more robust.
Not that difficult if you plan carefully.
wrobel14 Feb 2016 00:25
Hello

Looks great I’m planning something similar too, just with a shed roof.
Just placing it loosely like that definitely won’t work for us.
But we only get storms once the sheep on the dike have lost their curls.



Olli
f-pNo2 Apr 2016 22:24
Now the construction of the garden shed is starting.
It won't be very large, 1.90 x 1.90 meters (6.2 x 6.2 feet).

I recently received a note:
Even garden sheds must maintain a minimum distance from the neighboring property boundary. It is said to be only a small minimum distance.

This apparently does not refer to the roof overhang (+ roof drainage), but to a regular mandatory setback. Does this sound familiar to you?
L
Legurit
3 Apr 2016 08:24
Here, I would like to follow up once more. In the green forum, I have often read that anything without a strip foundation is substandard... Relatives and now also the landscaper believe that compacted gravel with slabs on top is sufficient.
Mycraft3 Apr 2016 09:11
I have reinforced concrete cycling and on top, paving slabs that have been without any issues for years.