Shed Base on Clay Soil

[Mac22]

Hi,

First post here any help greatly appreciated.

I am installing a fairly basic 6x4' garden shed. I really don't want to go with concrete base, but I see a lot of conflicting information about what can/should be done. A bit more info:

- Nothing heavier that lawnmower being stored
- current ground is old top soil for first 6-8 inches, then clay soil below that

What I was considering:
- Dig down maybe 4 inches and frame and fill with hardcore/stones and compact
- Add membrane and construct plastic modular shed base
- Shed on top

Questions:
- Do able?
- Does the clay soil change any requirements? (Its very heavy soil)
- Can I cheap out and use old stones from my driveway instead of hardcore? or will the whole thing burst into flames?


Any help greatly appreciated.

~Mac

 

[PAz]

Why dont you want to go with a concrete base?

 

[Deleted member 77746]

I built my own using pallets and ply wood. Cost me no more than the sheets of ply and it worked perfectly. Pallets where free from a local factory. It was 3 pallets in length and 2 pallets wide.

 

[Hedge]

I'd imagine your solution is fine.

Actually in process of digging a shed base myself but I want 12x10 and I'm likely to be using paving slabs on top of a hardcore base.

 

[seth1969]

Dig down to clay on the corners, then slab concrete blocks on top of clay sit shed on top.

 

[Mac22]

Why dont you want to go with a concrete base?

Firstly, not something I've done before. Secondly, Im not confident that in 6 months I wont want to change the location of the shed!

 

[Mac22]

I'd imagine your solution is fine.

Actually in process of digging a shed base myself but I want 12x10 and I'm likely to be using paving slabs on top of a hardcore base.

I have flip flopped between everything from a storage box to a 12x10 shed/summerhouse. I have had two sheds previously, which I didn't install, both on slabs and both times the slabs eventually became uneven. Obviously if done correctly that may not be the case, but I've lost confidence in them to be honest. Have settled on a plastic modular base I think

 

[Mac22]

Dig down to clay on the corners, then slab concrete blocks on top of clay sit shed on top.

So only 4 points of contact for the shed floor?

 

[Hedge]

I have flip flopped between everything from a storage box to a 12x10 shed/summerhouse. I have had two sheds previously, which I didn't install, both on slabs and both times the slabs eventually became uneven. Obviously if done correctly that may not be the case, but I've lost confidence in them to be honest. Have settled on a plastic modular base I think

I also like the idea of the plastic base but it will probably cost me £150+ including gravel etc.

Could use my slabs for a path instead though.

You have me leaning towards plastic now too lol

 

[seth1969]

So only 4 points of contact for the shed floor?

As many as you like, just make it up as you go along.

 

[Psycho Sonny]

I built my own using pallets and ply wood. Cost me no more than the sheets of ply and it worked perfectly. Pallets where free from a local factory. It was 3 pallets in length and 2 pallets wide.

pics? any pallet sheds i have seen have looked like they were built for a tenner and ugly.

 

[ChroniC]

I have clay like soil..i did the following.
Set out the base dimensions
Made a 25/75 sand cement dry mixture...
Bought some cheap (get old ones of ebay or the cheapest possible garden tiles available)
Layed down a 2inch base of the sand mix and place the tiles on top....

Don't waste your money on a sub base unless you suffer from serious water log issues. Tiles do a good enough job just sat on solid soil and if you get crap ones they're virtually free. (the sand cement mix just works to hold them all in place and a way of levelling them) Since lawn mowers weight about 20kg max and most sheds these days are just 4x fence panels. It really isn't a lot of weight.

Sod the membrane too or the plastic, never had a single weed come through, no light what so ever gets down below.