I promise I looked first!

[Geobound]

As the title says, I promise I looked first before I decided to post this question.

Of course my question will be directed to people that live in a snowy environment, but those of you that are experts that don't have snow are more than welcome to comment too.

I am going to be building a 14 x 20 shed (trying to convince the wife that 16 x 20 is better, but her gardens.......gardens.....sigh)....., anyway the shed will be used for storage of my snowmobile, ATV, lawn tractor (winter time only) and other **** that people normally accumulate.

Not trying to blame my wife too much here, but she is a bit of a freak when it comes to things and is quite hopeful that we don't need to do a poured floor.

Partly because.....I actually don't know why, and partly because the only way to get to the back of the property would involve driving over our septic bed or making a bridge over our pond.

I was hoping to just to a skid based floor over a bed of gravel, or should I do a pier mount install?

I've even seen guys that have buried 6x6's to make leveling easier, but is that advisable in our climate here north of Toronto?

So I guess what I'm asking is....

A) tell the wife to **** it up and go with a poured floor
B) skid over gravel is fine, you will just have to deal with adding a ramp
C) pier mount would be my choice, and you still will have to deal with a ramp

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

 

[larry_g]

D) concrete pumper

lg
no neat sig line

 

[Thumper68]

B,C. or D would all work and keep SWMBO happy.

Another question is this your forever home or will you be moving in the next 5 years, if you are moving then B or C, a well constructed wood floor will last more than that.

Of course there is E as well and I have used it several times, 6x6's set so that the tops are just above grade and the interior filled with pea gravel. Compact that in 2 inch lifts and use a spreader to coat each lift with cement and sprinkle with water, do this several times for the final lift, cement, water, compact.

It does not give you a smooth surface but will hold up well to abuse.

 

[matt_i]

I think in your case I'd do a 4x4-based pole building with a crushed gravel floor. I'd not drive a skid loader over your septic field. Hopefully you have an access route for a pickup truck or trailer that doesn't involve same.

 

[wssix99]

I've even seen guys that have buried 6x6's to make leveling easier, but is that advisable in our climate here north of Toronto?

Sure. Just make sure the posts go all the way down to your frost line and you are fine. If you paint the posts with foundation coating, they should last longer than you will.

 

[Kaizen]

While I don't have your frost line mine is at 4 feet. I put a 12x10 on 2x8 pt and concrete blocks with a 2x cut in them. the blocks are below the soil level but the whole thing just floats. been 15 years and never an issue. yea you need at least one ramp. if you're using it for snowmobile active use and not just leaving it outside make 2 doors for a drive through.
I've had 2 tons of pellets in there along with all my tractor and stuff so weight wise will be fine.
so no stone or concrete needed. I did put down chicken wire on mine to keep critters from going under and living.
as for the wife. incorporate a potting bench and storage cab on the outside of the shed. I made one that was on hinges and folds up against the shed. had plans to put a little hanging cabinet with that **** like pots and soil and such. but I left the folding table down and after a foot of snow it ripped it off. lesson learned. maybe extend the roofline to give her dry space

 

[bowhuntr311]

I'd bury 5x5s below your frost line Put a 12" eve on it to get the run off away from the posts a little so the water can run right in along the posts.
--Or--
You could prep your pad and just build the entire shed floating on a some treated boards and leave it sit.

Crushed gravel or pea-rock and a compactor and you can make that floor just about like concrete.

 

[Kevin54]

I have a 12x16' shed and it sets on a bed of compacted crushed stone. I've moved this shed three times since I have lived here and have never had the first problem with the shed racking. There are also places around here that sells and lease sheds, and that is what they recommend doing is putting down about a foot of crushed limestone with stone dust, compacted and leveled.

My shed is built on a 4x4 joist system with tongue and groove treated boards for the floor, all screwed down, then the walls framed on top of that. The perimeter joist are all one length lagged at the corners, then the inner joist are put in at 16" on center also lagged in to the perimeter joist. Then with the T&G boards on top, it makes for one solid floor.

So you'd be fine having your shed setting on top of a gravel base. Just make sure it is leveled and compacted, and leave the gravel at least one foot or more all the way around outside of the shed size.

 

[APEowner]

When I lived in Upstate NY I built several sheds and I prefer them on piers. If they're on a slab you get snow up against the sides of the building and when it melts you get water inside and you have to shovel before you can open the doors.

 

[joe_padavano]

The most effective solution is F) Different Wife. Took me three tries to get it right.

Concrete floor is the only answer that makes sense. Condensation will cause everything to rust if you don't go this way. As noted, there are lots of ways to get concrete to the site, including pumping or gas-powered buggies. This is not a place to use a half-fast solution.

 

[brycez28]

If your snowmobile has studs, a wood floor might not be the best solution. Also, if your lawn tractor or ATV use studs or chains in the winter, wood floor might not be the best solution as well.

 

[shepherd]

I'm in Burlington, ON...I did a skid floor directly at the top of my drive way....a little height keeps issues of melting snow leaking in to a minimum. One thing I highly recommend in snow environments if you plan on getting in during the winter is go with a sliding barn-type door...less shovelling required to get in.

 

[K13]

Another thing that may come into play is a poured floor may result in your local authorities considering it a permanent structure and you would then be into the possibility of requiring permits, meeting codes and getting inspections.

 

[theoldwizard1]

I have a 12x16' shed and it sets on a bed of compacted crushed stone.

Definitely the way to go !

Remove sod and top soil down at least 4" with an extra 1' perimeter (16x22). Fill with gravel. COMPACT. Add more gravel to level it out.

If you think you might want to move it, nail together 3 PT 2x8 for skids. 14' wide you will likely need 4 of these. Use PT 2x6 16" O.C. for the joist. I would want PT 2x6 between the joist 24" O.C.

What ever you are using for flooring, give it a coat of oil based primer and a coat of good latex to the bottom before nailing it down.

 

[ozyborn]

A: Your shed. She can just look into planting vertical raised beds.
D: Concrete pad. Nice flat area and can still place your shed (on skids) upon it.

 

[jives]

A concrete floor to store toys seems an unnecessary expense, can cause wear on the snowmobile and ATV studs, and running a skid steer over the septic is just foolish. Unless you want this building to be more than a shed, e.g., a small barn, then build on skids over crushed gravel. Even as a small pole barn only needs crushed gravel for a floor.

 

[landlord30]

16 x 20 is not going to be big enough. That is I built. I have tractor, cement mixer, 2 push mowers, coupe of ladders, wood chipper, garden tiller and the normal **** people accumulate. Several ties a year I rearrange and clean it up. Wish it was bigger.

I used an auger and went down below frost line and poured cement. Anchored 6 x 6 s to each column and buit on that.

 

[Geobound]

Wow thank you everybody, there is some great comments in there.......the new wife actually made me laugh out loud!

When reading some of the comments I realized that I knew what I had wanted to ask because I know my scenario, but it's clear that in theory it was quite vague. LOL....

Currently I have my 2 car garage that I have turned into a shop (30 X 20), and beside that a gambrel 20 X 20 shed, as well as a 12 X 14 slap together shed with a metal roof that holds nothing but lumber.

The one that I want to build is much further back of my property (1 acre or more), and not really accessible without going through the neighbours forest. That's part of the reason why a poured floor isn't an option.

I've seen builds where people have horizontally laid 6x6 railway ties partially buried, and then leveled off from there, so that's what started me on this line of questioning.

Now that a lot of you in a snowy region have confirmed that I can build my shed on a bed of crushed gravel, I think that's the route I will go.

I plan on putting down a PT floor and then ski guides and track mats for the sled to minimize damage, and one of our ATV's and lawn tractor and other **** out there.

True I'd still like to go bigger, but with two other small lean to sheds that holds shovels and other outdoor tools, I think I'm okay.....in fact I'm surprised that the boss is not more upset about me ripping out her garden than she is. LOL

I am also trying to avoid the permit issue for no other reason than it's too far to bring power and water, and the backlog at my local office (from what I've been told), is quite long.

Plus (without actually looking or confirming my suspicions), I was thinking that without the power and water, and a skid based shed, that I wouldn't actually need a permit because it was a portable unit?

Again thanks very much to all that replied, I really appreciate it.

I will post pictures once I start the build in early September.

 

[Geobound]

****, I had also meant to comment on the snow in front of the doors.

I am building the shed so that I can have an in and out roll up door, so that I can just ride my sled in one side and right out the other.

I'm going to section this off so that nothing but my sled lives there, then the other 2/3's of the shed will have (likely barn doors), and dedicated to the restore the ****.

 

[SALIV8]

Great info from everyone, as usual!

The one thing I might suggest, as I had personal experience with it before I got rid of my shed for the shop, was to be very generous with your roof overhangs to keep piles of snow away from your overhead door entrance- if this is feasible.