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Hi, I want to install a garden shed (approx 2 X 2 metres) in a location where there is a water pipe and electric/gas lines underground, so I can't dig too deep, and I need it to be movable without a huge amount of effort in the case that something needs to be accessed in the ground. See the area in the photo below...
I was thinking of buying this Lifetime shed (Lifetime 2.1 x 2.1 x 2.27m Desert Sand Polyethylene Plastic Garden Shed - Bunnings Australia) because it should be easier to move than a metal or wooden shed.
And, I was thinking of building a wooden shed base, something like this (How to build a floating shed foundation // Great for uneven and flat yards! - plans available!).I Just have a few questions related to the shed base...
* Firstly, does a wood base seem like the best way to go considering my requirement for it to be movable and not require much digging?
* In the video I linked above, the base uses concrete blocks to rest the wood beams on (I know something like TuffBlocks can also be used). I've seen some videos that just have the wood resting directly on the ground with anchor points going into the ground. Just wondering which would be best for my situation. There's a slight slope on the ground, but I think I should be able to level it fairly well.
* Also, in the video he puts floor sheeting (OSB) down on top of the frame. I'm just wondering if I would need floor sheeting given the Lifetime shed will have its own flooring. Or will this help to keep it level or provide better anchor points for the shed floor? Do you have any other suggestions for what to put on top of the frame?
* What timber would you recommend for the wood frame? Would H3 treated pine be ok (i.e. 140 x 45mm Outdoor Framing H3 Treated Pine - 4.8m - Bunnings Australia), or would H4 treated pine be better, or something else?
* Should I put down a gravel or similar base under the timber frame base, or is it ok directly over soil?
Any advice is appreciated,
Cheers,
Stephen
Hi @nieldy,
I can’t really see any reason why that additional joist would be included. If it were for strength, you’d expect there to be one at the other end as well so that both ends had the same reinforcement. There doesn’t appear to be any need for that particular area to have a double joist, as your sheeting simply goes across the top.
My best guess is that it might relate to American sheet sizing. Perhaps the base dimensions are slightly larger than two 1.2 metre-wide sheets, so the extra joist provides support where the sheets would otherwise finish short, allowing a small strip of ply to be added on top. However, in your case, your two sheets add up to 2.4 metres in length, which is already longer than the actual frame base, so I don’t think that’s an issue.
Since the instructions don’t explain why it’s needed, I’d be inclined to leave it out of your construction. I’ve checked other Lifetime shed manuals, including larger models, and none of them show this double joist detail. It seems deliberate in this particular manual, but without a clear reason or matching examples elsewhere, I don’t believe it’s necessary.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Mitchell
