Shed base

[brad93]

Right so you to now my bike has lived outside, anchored to the house. I don’t want to go through another winter with it outside as I don’t think I’ll be as lucky as we were this winter (not very cold and no snow) again.

I need to get a base put in place. It will be going in the corner of the garden (currently grass) and need to decide on a base. I’ve ruled out a wooden base seeing as the bike will be going in and concrete is a no as well, so it’s either slabs or one of those plastic base kits you fill with pea gravel.

Has anyone used one of the plastic bases before? It’s my preferred option as it’s much less hassle but not sure if it would hold well, especially if it’s laid on dirt (levelled out of course). The shed will probably be 6x8 if that makes a difference

[dynax]

My polytunnel/shed base is 18mm OSB3 been down 2 years has been soaked through most of this last winter, has 2 bikes sat on it and is still in one piece, no signs of delaminating or rot

[brad93]

My polytunnel/shed base is 18mm OSB3 been down 2 years has been soaked through most of this last winter, has 2 bikes sat on it and is still in one piece, no signs of delaminating or rot

 

The base for the entire shed is?!? or just the floor of the shed? I’m on about the base for the whole

Shed to sit on

[dynax]

it's both the floor and the base

 

[Ian Frog]

The plastic crates with pea shingle are ideal I have done driveways and parking bases with them.

Once full of shingle they are suprisingly robust and have the added bonus of being very free draining.

In a perfect world cut these into the turf so they are level with the grass and once filled put a wooden shed floor on bearers on the top.

Yes you will have a small threshold step but you will be able to find things easier if you drop them (Don't ask me how I know and how I know how much replacement forklift keys are !).

Cheers

Ian

[brad93]

The plastic crates with pea shingle are ideal I have done driveways and parking bases with them.

Once full of shingle they are suprisingly robust and have the added bonus of being very free draining.

In a perfect world cut these into the turf so they are level with the grass and once filled put a wooden shed floor on bearers on the top.

Yes you will have a small threshold step but you will be able to find things easier if you drop them (Don't ask me how I know and how I know how much replacement forklift keys are !).

Cheers

Ian

 

Thanks for that, I was planning to dig down so the top of the base is level with the grass so should be fine on that front. I think I was just worried about it sinking but I imagine it should be alright!

[megawatt]

Whatever you put on the ground, the shed floor needs to have an air gap under it. I did this with adjustable plastic stands, between two and three inches high. The bottom of the stand can sit on slabs or gravel, the top touches the underside of the wooden floor or its bracing beams.

[Ian Frog]

I will go and take a pic in a minute but the stuff I have clips together really well so the whole thing is on mass not individual pieces.

Whereabouts are you I have some spare?

I agree with Megawatt re air gap which is why I said remember to put the shed floor on bearers and live with the step rather than rotting the floor.

Cheers

Ian

[Ian Frog]

There you go! As you should be able to see they are pretty well clipped.

Cheers

Ian

[brad93]

Ah yeah I see. Think they’re slightly different to the ones I saw online but same sort of thing!

[Bender]

I would be going with flags just slightly high of ground level then a frame and ply floor painted with exterior paint then shed built on that, shed vented to allow airflow and keep it dry.

[husoi]

You should make a little concrete slab to put the shed.

100 to 150mm extra around the walls of the shed and a little ramp for access. Reinforcement you can just use welded mesh A393 placed halfway the concrete.

The slab doesn't need to be too thick, 150mm will be more than enough

As example, if your shed is 2m X 1.50m the slab would be 2.20m X 1.70m

You can cast an anchor while building the slab so you can fix the bike to it.

I personally would prefer a metal shed for almost the same price than a wood shed and it is safer and you can declare it as a garage for the bike.

Installing the metal shed is not much different than the wooden one, you just need to drill some holes in the slab and fox the bolts (ideally fix with epoxy resin).

[JRH]

Metal sheds can cause a lot of condensation to form inside.

[Bender]

Metal sheds can cause a lot of condensation to form inside.

 

Read that to be will cause condensation

[JRH]

Metal sheds can cause a lot of condensation to form inside.

 

Read that to be will cause condensation

 

I didn’t want to be too negative.

[husoi]

Metal sheds can cause a lot of condensation to form inside.

 

Read that to be will cause condensation

 

I didn’t want to be too negative.

 

That is easily solved with a couple vents.

The condensation is mostly because metal sheds will heat up more than wood.

a lighter colour like beige will reduce the heat, 2 vents on the top on opposite sides and 1 vent on the bottom and problem solved

[Bender]

Vents will help but they will not stop it, my van is vented and ply lined, you can have a shower in it some mornings.

[husoi]

Vents will help but they will not stop it, my van is vented and ply lined, you can have a shower in it some mornings.

 

Yeah but you're supposed to take the bike out. You're not ridding inside the shed are you?

[Guest Swagman]

Read that to be will cause condensation

 

I didn’t want to be too negative.

 

That is easily solved with a couple vents.

The condensation is mostly because metal sheds will heat up more than wood.

a lighter colour like beige will reduce the heat, 2 vents on the top on opposite sides and 1 vent on the bottom and problem solved

I have a Asgard steel purpose built shed and it does not get condensation inside the shed, it is vented through the roof and on the sides.

[Bender]

Even asgard only advertise condensation reduction, they are well built and well vented for a tin box.

[Guest Swagman]

Even asgard only advertise condensation reduction, they are well built and well vented for a tin box.

 

Yes they do say reduced condensation, I have had mine for two winters now and never seen any condensation at all, having said that I do run a small greenhouse heater through the winter so maybe that helps.

[Bender]

Any heat helps, as long as its not gas as that produces water.

[skyrider]

i have a dehumidifier in my bike shed and that does the trick

[Bender]

i have a dehumidifier in my bike shed and that does the trick

 

Not so good in a well ventilated shed, your just removing moisture from the UK

[Stu]

i have a dehumidifier in my bike shed and that does the trick

 

Not so good in a well ventilated shed, your just removing moisture from the UK

 

Surely that can't be a bad thing