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Having a garden shed can be a nice addition to your backyard and garden. It can act as a storage area and perhaps even a working area for the garden. You are probably riled up about getting your shed in place so you can begin to take advantage of it. But before you can worry about the shed, it is vital you focus your attention on building a solid garden shed base.
It is absolutely vital you construct a firm and stable base for the shed. Every shed requires a level base of some sort. While you can pay someone to construct one for you, you can also get the job done yourself with a little bit of knowledge and detailed instructions of how to complete the job.
Prior to building your shed base, there are a few things you want to take into consideration. First, do not place the base too close to walls or fences in case the shed has an overhanging roof. Next, cut any branches that may be in the way if you are to purchase a large shed. Lastly, allow for sufficient access to the outside walls for regular treatments.
Once you have taken these precautions, it is time to determine which method you will use to construct your garden shed base. There really are three methods you have to choose from; concrete, paving slab and timber bearers. While each is different in its own way, there are benefits and downsides to each.
Regardless of the method, the first step is to always mark your area. This allows you to clear any crops you may have. You can mark the area with string and pegs so you know exactly where it is going. It can also allow you to visually picture where and how the garden shed will look in the place you have it.
The first method we will go into detail about is the concrete base method. This is typically recommended for large sheds and log cabins. After you have marked your area, you will excavate the ground approximately 6 inches deep. From there, you will lay 3 inches of scalping or brick rubble that will act as sound foundation. Once laying this, you can remove the pegs and string.
The next step is to cut and fit four timber rails to act as a frame for the concrete that will set on top of the foundation. Finally, it is time to lay the concrete. As with the foundation, you will lay approximately 3 inches of concrete to fill the entire 6 inches you dug up. You have your option of either purchasing bags of dry mixed concrete and adding water gradually or making a mixture of ballast, cement and water yourself.
It is important you lay the concrete evenly, spreading it to all areas of the outline. Then, cover the concrete with sheets or a tarp to allow it to dry naturally. If the weather is dry and warm, spray it with water lightly so it does not dry too quickly.
The next method you can use to build a garden shed base is a paving slab. For this method you will excavate the ground 2.5 inches deep and lay a mixture of one part cement and eight parts building sand 1.5 inches deep.
After leveling this mixture, you can then begin to lay paving slabs starting from a corner. You will want to tap the slabs down with a rubber mallet to ensure the top of the slabs is higher than the surrounding ground.
The last method you can use to construct a base for your garden shed is the timber bearers method. For this method, you will excavate the ground 2 inches deep and lay 1.5 inches of gravel or soil. You will equally space concrete or timber bearers approximately 16 to 24 inches apart. If it is necessary, you can use a rubber mallet to tap the timber bearers down.
How much supplies you need for each method will all depend on the size of your shed. It is vital you have a plan drawn up for how you will construct the garden shed base, how big the base will be, and what kind of shed you are going to purchase. From there, simply follow the instructions for one of these three methods and you will be on your way.
There really are three things you have to take into consideration when building your shed. The first thing is what types of materials you are going to use. With so many types of material to choose from, there are several factors you want to bring in. Cost, living area, space and whatever you prefer should be looked at.
A few of the materials to look at include wood, metal and brick. Wooden sheds have the natural look that fits perfectly with a garden. The downside to a wooden shed is the continuous maintenance you have to be cautious of with rotting and splitting wood.
As far as metal goes, these are durable and cheaper than wood. There is a lot you can do with metal giving you far more options as far as design go. However, it will take away from the visual appeal. A metal shed is much duller than a beautiful wood shed.
Brick is another great option to take into consideration. There are a number of beautifully colored bricks that can liven up your garden. Also, bricks are extremely durable and require little maintenance. The downside is brick tends to be much more expensive than wood and metal.
The design of your garden shed should be looked at closely as well. When constructing a shed, you can have it already built and delivered to you, have a pre-fabricated kit where you have to build a little bit of it, or you can build the entire shed from scratch. This is all going to depend on your skill level and patience, as it can become stressful.
Obviously, the cheapest form is going to come in kits that you assemble a little bit yourself. You will find a variety of styles, sizes, shapes and designs. The more you add to the shed, the more you can expect to pay. Accessories to consider include a barn-style door, cedar shingles, shutters and windows.
The last thing to consider is the most important facet of all; what is the function of your garden shed? Are you going to be using it to work in or simply to store supplies? If you are going to be working inside of it, you want to construct a shed that is big enough to comfortably work inside of. If you are just going to be storing supplies, you do not necessarily have to go all out with the accessories like windows and a barn-style door.
In addition, think about what kinds of supplies you will have and how you can neatly organize the inside of your shed. If you are going to be working inside of it, you will want a table of some sort and possibly some chairs. Otherwise, building racks and having hooks to hang supplies is ideal.
The point of having a garden shed is to make life easier on yourself. There is no point in building a shed that is just going to be a place for you to throw things into. Sure, this will allow you to keep all of your supplies together. But it is much easier to get work done and quickly find what you need if the shed is neatly organized with spots for all of your tools.
There is a lot to take into consideration when constructing a garden shed. Everything from the design, materials, cost and function should be looked at carefully. This will help you build the best shed possible.