Photo: Tom Fisk

Do you need a concrete slab under a shed?

backyardbuildings.com - Shed Foundations Made Easy | The Best Types Explained

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These are the Best Shed Plans!

Comprehensive and Intuitive to follow. Build That Shed!

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Building the right foundation for a storage shed is extremely important. The photo on the left shows a great example of what a poor foundation and time can do to a shed. Regardless of how strong the building construction is, if the shed foundation is poor it will not stand the test of time.

Consult your Local Building Inspector

Before beginning to build any foundation for your shed, consult your local building inspector to determine what type of foundation you will need. The decision will be based on the height and size of your storage shed. Regardless of the size of your shed, a building inspector needs to make sure that the storage building is up to code for your local area.

Learn more about the process of obtaining a shed building permit .

Does my Shed Need a Foundation?

Generally, smaller sheds of up to 8×6 do not need a foundation. Small sheds can be rested on crushed stone with either treated wood foundations or concrete foundation blocks. Large sheds will need to have strong foundations. Considering Backyard Buildings smallest shed size is 8×8, all of our sheds will need a foundation setup prior to the arrival of one of our installers.

*Backyard Buildings Minimum Foundation Requirements:

*Prior to the arrival of the installer, your site must be level within 6″h. * Additional charges may apply if this requirement is not met. *

Tools/ Materials Needed:

Concrete blocks

Types of Foundations Used for Sheds

Concrete slab foundations Wood foundations

Concrete Slab foundations:

We recommend our customers to use a concrete slab for their shed foundations. In preparation for the arrival of our professional installers, the build site must be properly leveled and should have natural drainage and no standing water. This will insure that your shed will remain strong and stable for many years to come. Guidelines to Follow when Building Concrete Slabs (Not required, these are our recommendations) Your concrete slab should be the same width as the storage shed. The slab can be no greater than 1/4″ out of “square”. In certain markets that experience frequent hurricanes, 1/2″ x 8″ “J” type anchor bolts should be set in the concrete around the entire perimeter of the slab (except for the doorway) projecting approximately 2 1/2″ above the slab grade and approximately 1 1/2″ in from the edge. The finished slab surface needs to be at a minimum of 4″ above grade.

Wood Foundations:

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Wood foundations are typically built using solid concrete leveling blocks which are 8” x 16” and no more than 2” high. Each block is arranged in evenly spaced rows by placing one in each corner and at each break. These concrete leveling blocks will support the floor. If you choose not to use concrete leveling blocks, we recommend using pressure treated lumber to support the wooden floor frame.

Backyard Buildings suggested block count by sizes:

6X6 — 8 8X8 — 8 8X6 — 8 8X10 — 10 8X12 — 12 10X10 — 14 10X12 — 16 10X16 — 20 12X12 — 16 12X16 – 22 12X20 — 26 12X24 — 30 16X20 — 50 — *Piers or foundation may be required by state. 16X24 — 55 — *Piers or foundation may be required by state.

Don’t Forget the Frost Line…

Lastly, it’s important to consider the frost line of your region. If frost lines are not considered, your shed may move due to seasonal freeze and thaw changes. This means that the foundation will need to be built to the frost line. Once again, you will need to contact your local building inspector to determine the frost line for your area.

What Shed Foundation is Right for Me?

While there are other methods to building shed foundations, these are the two types we suggest to use. Choosing the right foundation for your storage building will make the entire process of installing a shed much easier and will allow your shed to stand up strong to the test of time! Once you build the foundation, we can do the rest! If you have any general questions regarding foundations, please contact Backyard Buildings at 855-853-8558.