Photo: Erik Mclean

Can you build your own foundation?

We don't suggest pouring your own foundation. It's expensive, time consuming and can be dangerous for DIYers. This is one project that you should hire a professional to do. While it takes a crew of skilled professionals to build a foundation, the process is fascinating.

familyhandyman.com - What Goes Into Pouring a Strong Foundation? - The Family Handyman

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Consider the benefits of pouring a foundation instead of a slab.

Pouring a basement or walkout basement gives dedicated room for the water heater and furnace. It also increases the living area on the main floor and will allow even more living space when the basement is finished. We don’t suggest pouring your own foundation. It’s expensive, time consuming and can be dangerous for DIYers. This is one project that you should hire a professional to do. While it takes a crew of skilled professionals to build a foundation, the process is fascinating. And it can be helpful to understand the process when hiring and working with contractors. We documented the important steps of this crucial phase of construction.

The Footings are Poured

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Footings support the basement foundation and the entire house.

Our crew piped concrete into forms, then placed rebar every 24 inches to strengthen the bond between the footings and the foundation.

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The Formwork Is Set

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When the footings have set, plywood panels forming the walls of the basement foundation are placed on the footings.

Snap ties hold the two opposing form halves together.

We placed No. 4 rebar horizontally throughout the forms. Pro tip: As an added level of insurance, we used 20 percent more rebar than required by code.

The Foundation Is Poured

Family Handyman

The crew then fed concrete into the foundation forms through a long hose. We chose a high-strength 5,000-psi (pounds per square inch) mix and added steel fiber reinforcement. The fiber added only $5 per yard to our cost. In addition to the extra rebar, fiber-reinforced concrete has the stiffness and strength to withstand cracking from normal shrinkage and expansion during our freeze/thaw cycles.

The Formwork Is Stripped

After the concrete has set, the formwork is stripped off. The crew takes off the top row first, then the bottom. The remnants of the snap ties can be seen on the concrete wall.

Waterproofing and Insulation

The foundation receives two layers of protection.

First, to protect against moisture intrusion, an elastomeric rubber waterproofing membrane is sprayed on the exterior of the foundation.

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Lay the Drain Tile

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Yes, with the right plans you can build your dream shed.

Learn More »

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Should you anchor a shed?

Sheds should be anchored to the earth or the proper base, such as cement slabs. One of the main reasons for this is that a strong gust of wind could knock your shed off its foundation. This will result in substantial damage that is expensive to restore.

diyshedsandplans.com - Do I Need To Anchor My Shed? / It Depends... - DIY Sheds and Plans

Many people ask “Do I need to anchor my shed? Does it really matter?” Well, it depends on size, climate, zoning laws, and other factors. Many sheds require and should have some anchoring. If not, they are more likely to be displaced by strong winds or shifting weather conditions such as seasonal freezing and thawing, which could induce ground displacement under your shed surface. Even a fraction of an inch of shed movement will cause havoc on your shed doors. Floor rotation will cause your doors to get out of balance, making it very difficult to open and shut your doors, and this will only worsen over the lifespan of your shed. You could also be dealing with a dangerous situation in which the roof framing is breached, which may be the worst-case scenario.

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