Aside from the roof, the foundation of your shed is what ensures that your shed will be durable and sturdy. This is the first step always in building any structure. There are many different types of foundation that one can choose from. Depending on the size of your shed and what you plan to store inside, you can choose from either a concrete foundation or just the plain earth.
The latter is not really recommendable especially if it contains a lot of moisture. It is also very difficult to level and create framing for your partitions. But, for pole style barn sheds this is already acceptable. In fact, if the dirt floor is dry just merely placing smashed pea gravel of about six inches would suffice. To some, just merely placing foundation blocks and covering them with wood flooring would already help in keeping the floor off the ground.
But if you really want to protect your shed and make it last, a concrete slab used as a foundation would be more ideal. This though would be more costly and to be honest, not too many homeowners are able to work with cement. But you can be rest assured that this, in the long run, would give you less problems and worries.
It is essential though that if you decide to use a concrete slab foundation, you should know that cement soaks up water and can potentially add moisture inside your shed. One way to combat this is to use a top flooring to prevent the moisture from seeping inside. If you are going to use wood, make sure that you use pressure treated lumber.
Another way to decrease the amount of water soaked up by your cement slab foundation is to use concrete piers. This is utilized underneath the grade and the supports that the sheds rests on, keeping your construction away from the floor and providing a durable support for the cement footing.
Also, if you are able to divert potential water flow away from the footing and try to elevate the area where you plan to build your shed to ensure that water won’t settle around or beneath it. By doing so, you are not only preventing moisture but also you are making sure that the ground will always stay leveled avoiding your shed from tilting to one side.
That is why, preparing a detailed plan beforehand is crucial. Checking out the area as well will help you determine whether your plan is able to adapt to the location. If you are not sure, you should consult with a contractor or builder. This way you will exactly know any potential problems you may encounter.
So, whatever type of foundation you plan to use, keep in mind that you should always take the time to level out your area especially where you intend to erect your walls. This way you won’t have any problems with your framing and your roof installation.
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