Flat pack metal shed - laying a base?

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Prizen

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Hi all

I bought a10x8 ft flat pack metal shed today. One of those thin galvanised sheet metal jobs; just using it for spray painting water based products.

question on a suitable base; as I won’t be going for concrete, can i just place some paving slabs on top of levelled hardcore? Or do I need sand and cement also? Also, would you recommend I hire a whacker to compact it?

thanks
 
Yes you can use slabs and yes I would advise compacting the area well before laying them,you could just put onto bare hardcore base but for the small extra cost and a little extra work laying onto a bed of coarse sand and cement would be preferable:)
 
I would lay a damp proof membrane onto the bare soil, making sure there are no sharp stones that may damage it, then the hardcore/mot then whack down and blind with a layer of sharp sand which you can whack then level off. Then lay your flags using some spare sand to fill any low spots.
 
My neighbours metal shed of similar size was on a concrete base and securely bolted to it until one windy night it left and perched in a tree.
 
Thanks guys. Will hire a whacker and get some sand and cement.
The shed will definitely be a little flimsy but it is in a sheltered area
 
How is the shed anchored down? |
The problem with metal sheds is that you can get very severe condensation, Easiest way to deal with this is to glue a thin layer of insulation onto the inside. Even the old style polystyrene ceiling tiles make a massive difference
 
I got one of those tin sheds same size as yours as a temporary storage for bikes etc about 10 years ago and like yours is in a sheltered area. Apart from a few dents and bangs etc the shed is still sound and will likely last another ten. Be careful as the metal edges can be like razor blades and i learnt that the hard way :eek::cry: , unless you have three arms you will need help putting the roof on(y):)
 
I had one of those tacky things. I despised it and hated it from day 1. Hot in Summer, cold in winter, forever dark and damp.
 
I've had one for about 20 yrs (6' x 4'), moved it once to make space for a workshop, now it's used for wood storage [and mower], I've had no probs. with condensation & it's very dry. It's on a base of slabs laid on a membrane. The sides of the membrane are folded up inside the shed sides, shelves carrying the wood hold it all down.
 
I have a 8 x 6 metal shed for extra storage for my mobile home. I bought some flat concrete pavers (600mm x 600mm) as a base and just bolted the shed to them, using the angle brackets supplied and dyna bolts / loxins drilled into the slabs. Had some very high winds, but no movement in the shed. Didn't worry too much about a damp course, the shed is only used for storing outdoor furniture.
Almost got divorced over the shed construction, you definitely need a third pair of hands to help with the roof.
 
I forgot to add that we had one to house a log boiler in. It is like a giant meccano kit and took me two days to install. I did put it on a concrete slab and bolted it down. I found I could Gorilla glue battens neatly into the vertical wall struts to support shelves, 13A sockets and a light switch. It served us very well unlike the log boiler which we sold after 2 years and replaced with a pellet boiler installed in the house.
 
How is the shed anchored down? |
The problem with metal sheds is that you can get very severe condensation, Easiest way to deal with this is to glue a thin layer of insulation onto the inside. Even the old style polystyrene ceiling tiles make a massive difference
You can get a self adhesive insulation layer that effectively just foil covered bubblewrap
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/291398874645?hash=item43d8b9f615:g:DtEAAOSwv0tU-Fpr
I've used this recently on a cat bothy, and used spray impact adhesive which bonded great to itself and the base.
 
I had one of these which was generally ok and yes they are flimsy. Good advice above re the base. However should you get a significant snow fall, perhaps 2 inches or above remove it quickly from the roof, my roof got really bent inwards due to the added weight which was then impossible to straighten well and I had to put a central pole up to support the bent mid beam. The shed was never the same again with roof leaks depending on wind direction.
 

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