| Page 1 of 2 | 1 | 2 |
|
|
preparation of ground for shed
Last weekend we tore down the remains of our old garden shed, which was
slowly rotting from the bottom up. I now have to prepare space for the new shed. The old shed was placed on top of a number of breezeblocks, spaced out, and with strips of lino on the top. I think some cement powder had also been mixed with the soil, though any coherence it had is long gone and it's now just a powdery layer a few centimeters down. I deduce from the fact that the bottom of our old shed rotted first that simply balancing it on breeze blocks was not the best approach (though to be fair, I don't know how old the shed was, and it had been neglected for some time before we moved in.) What would be a better way? I have a bunch of 2x2 paving slabs I could lay - would that be appropriate? And can I just stick them down on the gravel* then bung the shed on top, or would it be better to mortar them as well? Victoria * all our soil is gravel. This bit just doesn't have much topsoil on top. -- gardening on a north-facing hill in South-East Cornwall -- |
preparation of ground for shed
a concrete base is the only way to go here.
clanger "Victoria Clare" wrote in message . 240.12... Last weekend we tore down the remains of our old garden shed, which was slowly rotting from the bottom up. I now have to prepare space for the new shed. The old shed was placed on top of a number of breezeblocks, spaced out, and with strips of lino on the top. I think some cement powder had also been mixed with the soil, though any coherence it had is long gone and it's now just a powdery layer a few centimeters down. I deduce from the fact that the bottom of our old shed rotted first that simply balancing it on breeze blocks was not the best approach (though to be fair, I don't know how old the shed was, and it had been neglected for some time before we moved in.) What would be a better way? I have a bunch of 2x2 paving slabs I could lay - would that be appropriate? And can I just stick them down on the gravel* then bung the shed on top, or would it be better to mortar them as well? Victoria * all our soil is gravel. This bit just doesn't have much topsoil on top. -- gardening on a north-facing hill in South-East Cornwall -- |
preparation of ground for shed
"Victoria Clare" wrote in message . 240.12... Last weekend we tore down the remains of our old garden shed, which was slowly rotting from the bottom up. I now have to prepare space for the new shed. The old shed was placed on top of a number of breezeblocks, spaced out, and with strips of lino on the top. I think some cement powder had also been mixed with the soil, though any coherence it had is long gone and it's now just a powdery layer a few centimeters down. I deduce from the fact that the bottom of our old shed rotted first that simply balancing it on breeze blocks was not the best approach (though to be fair, I don't know how old the shed was, and it had been neglected for some time before we moved in.) What would be a better way? I have a bunch of 2x2 paving slabs I could lay - would that be appropriate? And can I just stick them down on the gravel* then bung the shed on top, or would it be better to mortar them as well? I have had my last two sheds on tanalised wooden bearers. Very easy to lay, lets the air circulate underneath and keeps everything dry.Obviously (?!) you need to make sure the ground is hard underneath the bearers, that could be something as simple as a few concrete slabs, you dont have to put them the whole length of the bearers. -- Tumbleweed Remove theobvious before replying (but no email reply necessary to newsgroups) |
preparation of ground for shed
"Tumbleweed" wrote in message
. .. I have had my last two sheds on tanalised wooden bearers. p.s that was sheds at two different places, not that the first one rotted or fell over! Its still there after 20 years going strong, newest one is about 8 years old and in perfect condition. -- Tumbleweed Remove theobvious before replying (but no email reply necessary to newsgroups) |
preparation of ground for shed
"Tumbleweed" wrote in message . .. I have had my last two sheds on tanalised wooden bearers. Very easy to lay, lets the air circulate underneath and keeps everything dry. Including rodents? Perfect nesting conditions. I'd put down some gravel and make sure it was well flattened. Put on a layer of thick blue polythene and then lay your paving slabs on this. (If they aren't quite level get one bag of pre-mixed mortar, mix with water in your wheelbarrow and use to make four small "dollops" under the corners of each slab.) The polythene will stop much of the damp rising from the ground to rust your tools. We painted the bottom of the shed panels with bitumen - you can get a small tin for a fiver. |
preparation of ground for shed
"Victoria Clare" wrote in message . 240.12... Last weekend we tore down the remains of our old garden shed, which was slowly rotting from the bottom up. I now have to prepare space for the new shed. The old shed was placed on top of a number of breezeblocks, spaced out, and with strips of lino on the top. I think some cement powder had also been mixed with the soil, though any coherence it had is long gone and it's now just a powdery layer a few centimeters down. I deduce from the fact that the bottom of our old shed rotted first that simply balancing it on breeze blocks was not the best approach (though to be fair, I don't know how old the shed was, and it had been neglected for some time before we moved in.) What would be a better way? I have a bunch of 2x2 paving slabs I could lay - would that be appropriate? And can I just stick them down on the gravel* then bung the shed on top, or would it be better to mortar them as well? My shed is placed on a group of 12 paving slabs of 18" x 18" which lie directly on the ground. After 15 years I see no sign of trouble of any kind. Franz |
preparation of ground for shed
"Sue da Nimm" . wrote in
: "Tumbleweed" wrote in message . .. I have had my last two sheds on tanalised wooden bearers. Very easy to lay, lets the air circulate underneath and keeps everything dry. Including rodents? Perfect nesting conditions. I'd put down some gravel and make sure it was well flattened. Put on a layer of thick blue polythene and then lay your paving slabs on this. (If they aren't quite level get one bag of pre-mixed mortar, mix with water in your wheelbarrow and use to make four small "dollops" under the corners of each slab.) The polythene will stop much of the damp rising from the ground to rust your tools. We painted the bottom of the shed panels with bitumen - you can get a small tin for a fiver. The rodent thing does concern me. We had a rat under the old shed at one point, and it was also a favorite place for my rabbits to hide if they decided they fancied camping out for the night (not encouraged as we have foxes round here, but difficult to remove them once entrenched...) What is the best way to ensure the base is sealed, without providing a path for damp and rot? Do you just run the walls right down to the slabs? Victoria |
preparation of ground for shed
|
preparation of ground for shed
The message
from "Tumbleweed" contains these words: "Tumbleweed" wrote in message . .. I have had my last two sheds on tanalised wooden bearers. p.s that was sheds at two different places, not that the first one rotted or fell over! Its still there after 20 years going strong, newest one is about 8 years old and in perfect condition. My first husband built a shed the year we moved into this house ('68). He set it up on bearers (not tanalised, there was no such thing in them days!) and it's as good as the day it was built. Last shed we bought (10 years ago) was set on paving slabs, and we took it down this summer because it was rotting from the base up, and ready to fall down. -- AnneJ ICQ #:- 119531282 |
preparation of ground for shed
Anne Jackson wrote in news:2003110714465576656
@zetnet.co.uk: My first husband built a shed the year we moved into this house ('68). He set it up on bearers (not tanalised, there was no such thing in them days!) and it's as good as the day it was built. Last shed we bought (10 years ago) was set on paving slabs, and we took it down this summer because it was rotting from the base up, and ready to fall down. Yet mine was raised on breezeblocks (with bearers sitting on top of them) and it rotted through from the bottom up! Is there a right answer? |
preparation of ground for shed
"Victoria Clare" wrote in message
.209... Anne Jackson wrote in news:2003110714465576656 @zetnet.co.uk: My first husband built a shed the year we moved into this house ('68). He set it up on bearers (not tanalised, there was no such thing in them days!) and it's as good as the day it was built. Last shed we bought (10 years ago) was set on paving slabs, and we took it down this summer because it was rotting from the base up, and ready to fall down. Yet mine was raised on breezeblocks (with bearers sitting on top of them) and it rotted through from the bottom up! Is there a right answer? Maybe it depends on where the shed is as much as what it's on? -- Martin & Anna Sykes ( Remove x's when replying ) http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~sykesm |
preparation of ground for shed
The message
from Victoria Clare contains these words: What is the best way to ensure the base is sealed, without providing a path for damp and rot? Do you just run the walls right down to the slabs? If you make a poured concrete base, or lay slabs, it's well worth making sure that the base measurements are very slightly smaller than the outline of the shed, so that the walls have a centimetre or so overhang all round and rain sheds straight off onto the soil (or a border of gravel, to avoid mud splashes). If the concrete, or slabs, protrude a couple of inches beyond the shed walls, rain landing on them can run back or puddle under the shed causing the wood to rot. I prefer a floorless wooden shed bolted onto a poured concrete base, so there's nowhere for rodents or water to lurk unseen. Janet. |
preparation of ground for shed
"Victoria Clare" wrote in message .209... Anne Jackson wrote in news:2003110714465576656 @zetnet.co.uk: My first husband built a shed the year we moved into this house ('68). He set it up on bearers (not tanalised, there was no such thing in them days!) and it's as good as the day it was built. Last shed we bought (10 years ago) was set on paving slabs, and we took it down this summer because it was rotting from the base up, and ready to fall down. Yet mine was raised on breezeblocks (with bearers sitting on top of them) and it rotted through from the bottom up! Is there a right answer? It's probably down to the quality of the shed timber rather than the base it's sat upon. |
preparation of ground for shed
I sandwiched a 1 inch layer of expanded polystyrene in between bricks and chipboard for my base 10 years ago, so far no rising damp plus great insulation. HTH davsut |
| All times are GMT +1. The time now is 04:33 PM. |
|
Powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
GardenBanter