Preparing a Foundation for Your Shed or Backyard Structure
The five most common foundations used for a shed or backyard structure are: Concrete block, limestone pad, post platform, concrete and slab.
In this guide, we’ll review these five options and help you decide which base type might be best for your situation.
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Best for small buildings & basic leveling.
Place 8” x 16” x 2”cement blocks underneath the skids. Every skid needs a block at the front and back and then additional blocks need to be place in the middle spaced not more than 6’ apart.
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Our recommended site type for most sheds & barns.
Spread 4” of #57 limestone in a level pad 12” beyond the width and the length of the building on all sides. You may want to use a 4 x 4 as an edge around the base as shown here.
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A cost-effective, permanent foundation.
Use treated posts. Dig the post holes 32”- 42” deep. Place post pad or concrete in the bottom of the hole. Insert posts. Fasten cross beam joists with bolts to posts as shown making sure that the entire structure is square.
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Industry standard permanent foundation option.
Pour the pad 1/2” less than the dimensions of the building. We attach treated plates to the bottom of the walls protecting the walls from moisture and rot. These bottom plates are fastened to the concrete pad with anchors or bolts.