First shed project! Beginner questiosn

[younghandyman]

I plan on building an 8'x8' shed in the upcoming summer season to put in the backyard.

To prevent grass from coming up through the flooring, can I just dig the space out where the shed will sit and replace the grass with gravel to give it a sturdy base? What other/cheaper options are there?

Also, since I don't have an air compressor/nailer and I don't want to buy one for just this project, I plan on using screws to put the shed together. This is for a backyard shed but I read somewhere online that building code may still apply to structures on your property, just wondering if anyone knew about this in the Toronto, Canada area?

Do I need to use joist hangers to hang the the 2'x4's that run across or can I just screw them in from the backside of the joining 2'x4'?

Thanks for the help!

I don't know if I posted this in the corThanks for the help.

 

[pattenp]

Can't help with the Canada building code but I would put some weed block fabric under the gravel.

 

[Kaizen]

Weeds need sun to grow. Eventually nothing will grow under there except for the edge where you can use a weedwacker or round up. Build bigger then a 8x8. That size gets filled fast. 2x4 for what? You should make the floor 2x6 and have it up on 5 or more blocks that you have removed the grass from underneath. Make sure they are perfectly level and use hangers on the outer rim. Screws are fine to use but I’d recommend a good framing hammer and nails. I used a lot of deck mate screws on my garage. Big box is 120 bucks


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[John in OH]

Couple of quick thoughts:

1) Can't give any advice on codes. They are all established by "local" jurisdictions in the US and all are different.
2) There are lots of free sets of shed plans on the internet so I'm sure you can find lots of advice/suggestions there; however, if I were going to build a small shed, I would get 12 concrete blocks or similar and place 3 rows of 4 blocks each ... 4 blocks along each side and one row of 4 blocks through the middle. Level all 12 blocks as best as possible as these will serve as your "foundation".
3) Cover the ground under the shed with a layer of vinyl vapor barrier and then cover the vinyl with a thin layer (2-4 inches) of gravel. Make sure the top of hte gravel is below the top of the blocks.
4) Use 2x6 PT lumber or 4x4 PT lumber for the sills and floor joists. Definitely use joist hangers.
5) Deck screws are great, but expensive. Noting wrong with good solid sinker nails and they are much cheaper. Special galvanized nails are usually used in joist hangers.
6) For flooring I'd use 3/4 t&g plywood. Maybe consider using PT plywood, but I don't think it would be necessary.
7) After the shed is built, suggest you get some 1/4 x 1/4 hardware cloth and cut and nail it on the outer sills between the sills and the gravel. This will keep out mice, rodents, wood boring wasps, and most other undesirables critters.
8) As always, build it as big as you can afford and/or are allowed !!! An 8x8 will fill fast!

 

[bad_idea]

Another vote for bigger shed. Here are a couple youtube video series that helped me:

 

[rburke65]

Yes, by some free plans and yes....a bigger shed. You will not be sorry!

 

[kbs2244]

Go to your local big box home store.
They will have 3 to 5 books on building sheds.
They will answer questions you didn't know you had.

 

[engineer2]

The floor should definitely be pressure treated in snowy areas. 3/4" PT plywood, PT deck boards, or PT 2x6's butted together. I built my walls first and then put the floor in. That way it can be removed for future repairs.

If you are storing anything heavy, consider 12" joist spacing instead of 16" if you go with a plywood floor.

I agree with putting skirting around the bottom to prevent critters from taking up residence underneath. Alternative is ground contact PT 4x4's on your gravel base.

Soil conditions may also dictate your foundation construction.

 

[ItsNemo]

OP: Sent you a PM with pictures of my shed build from a few years back.

Where I am in Ontario, anything under 108 sq ft does not have any permits required and therefore you can pretty much build it however you want as long as you mind setbacks and size.

Gravel + Landscape Fabric Underneath, deck blocks to get it off the ground, PT 2x6 on 16 centers for floor frame, 3/4" plywood subfloor (pressure treated isn't really needed, just do a coat of thompsons on the floor), 2x4 on 16 centers for the walls, some simple rafters...side it as you see fit.

 

[T_R]

I like to build buildings that size on pressure treated 4x4s just sitting on the ground. If it's on blocks, critters like to move in underneath.

For a little shed you can skip the ties if you want and just toe nail your rafters to the top plate and nail your rafter ties to the rafters.

Put a vapor barrier on the ground underneath so the floor doesn't get soft from moisture.

 

[bad_idea]

I found out from experience it is not good to skirt the shed, you need air movement under the shed to prevent moisture damage. I built the shed 3-5 years ago, moved it this past fall. Fortunately there was no damage to the underside of the shed (I used pressure treated), but the underside was damp and the ground was wet. It hadn't rained for a week or so, and the rest of the ground was dry.

I have since learned it is ideal to use metal mesh to keep the critters out and allow good ventilation. Bend a 90 in the mesh, about 6" from the end, and bury it a couple inches underground. The bend outsmarts the critters that try to dig under the mesh.

 

[theoldwizard1]

I found out from experience it is not good to skirt the shed, you need air movement under the shed to prevent moisture damage.

Air movement and LIGHT ! Light (at least not total darkness) will prevent critter from building a nest under there. This means get it off the ground by about 30cm.

Removing the sod and replacing it with a weed barrier and gravel is the best solution. If you are lazy, do nothing. After about the second year all of the grass underneath will be dead from no direct sunlight. Up off the ground it will be easy to run the string trim underneath.

Around here, they sell 5/4x6 PT deck boards. The actual thickness is about full 1". Use this for your floor and it will never fail. When using screws in PT wood, they should be stainless, hot dipped galvanized or at least painted/coated. The chemicals in PT wood will eat through plain steel in less than 10 years.

 

[RVDan]

For most of Ontario anything under 100 sq ft doesn't require a permit or inspection so it doesn't really matter too much, especially a shed which can be called a temporary structure.

 

[scarrylarry]

Go to your local big box home store.
They will have 3 to 5 books on building sheds.
They will answer questions you didn't know you had.

Can you recommend the best of those books or can anyone else ?
Thanks
scarrylarry

 

[D45]

My thread might help out

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=244568

 

[scarrylarry]

My thread might help out

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=244568

Just skimmed over your thread you did a great job !
scarrylarry

 

[younghandyman]

Thanks for all the valuable information here.

ItsNemo used joist hangers to attach the beams in the floor. Is it recommended to do that?

 

[ItsNemo]

Thanks for all the valuable information here.

ItsNemo used joist hangers to attach the beams in the floor. Is it recommended to do that?

Yes, highly. Joist hangers and nails only cost a dollar or two per bracket so the cost is negligible...without them you are relying on the sheer strength of the nails/screws into the end of the wood, not nearly as strong as a solid metal bracket for the joist to sit on.

 

[CJM8515]

It would be best to make a 10x12 or 12x12, 8x8 is very small once you put stuff in there.

Put pressure treated 4x4's on top of the gravel as your based and then frame on top of them. We have had a shed for 20 years and zero rot. You need ventilation.

 

[ItsNemo]

It would be best to make a 10x12 or 12x12, 8x8 is very small once you put stuff in there.

Put pressure treated 4x4's on top of the gravel as your based and then frame on top of them. We have had a shed for 20 years and zero rot. You need ventilation.

Too bad to do without permit up here.

8x12 though is a good size.

 

[D45]

Pressure treated (ground contact rated) 4x4s are a great idea

It gets the shed up off ground, instead of sitting in snow and water and also provides some airflow underneath, to keep the substructure as dry as possible

I used the best 4x4 PT posts I could find, and I then started laying in more treated 2x4s....spacing 12" on center