Shed Question

[dkroth]

What are your thoughts on a plywood floor versus a concrete floor?

Stick built, pre-fab yard shed.

Comes standard with pressure treated plywood on 4x4 floor. I think I'd prefer a concrete floor. Upcharge $700 from the shed people plus, say, $2K for the pad.

 

[Moose364]

What's it for and how big is it

 

[dkroth]

What's it for and how big is it

12 x 16'

All the **** that needs to come out of the garage.

Mower, snow blower, garden tools, pool stuff, camping gear.

 

[GRivera]

I have a 12x16 on 2x6 joists and several 4x4 skids under the joists. Mine didn't need a concrete pad.

 

[calif phil]

I am having a 12x16 shed built in my backyard. We just moved into this house and the previous homeowners never had a shed. I need to get the lawn and garden stuff out of my garage. I looked at prebuilt wood sheds and then I talked with a mason about building a shed out of block. Here is a picture of the footing. The block shed will be about twice the price of a wooden shed.


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[rburke65]

Got a 10' x14' on 4x4s, 2"x6"s PT tongue n groove floor. Make sure you have a good foundation.

 

[Stuart in MN]

It will depend on the specific location in your yard, and how you install the shed - if it's in a relatively dry spot with good drainage, and is set up on blocks so you don't have ground contact and also good air flow, the plywood floor should last a long time. On the other hand, certainly a concrete floor will be better in the long run, and you won't have concerns about storing heavy equipment inside.

 

[ez-duzit]

Save your money; install the plywood.

 

[Parrothead]

I am having a 12x16 shed built in my backyard. We just moved into this house and the previous homeowners never had a shed. I need to get the lawn and garden stuff out of my garage. I looked at prebuilt wood sheds and then I talked with a mason about building a shed out of block. Here is a picture of the footing. The block shed will be about twice the price of a wooden shed.

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The reason it's twice the price of a wooden shed is...you're building a garage! It's 48sq ft short of a 1 car garage.

 

[PoorOwner]

Go with elevated wood floor and spend the money on building wrap. Makes a big difference in moisture infiltration

 

[CNGsaves]

It will depend on the specific location in your yard, and how you install the shed - if it's in a relatively dry spot with good drainage, and is set up on blocks so you don't have ground contact and also good air flow, the plywood floor should last a long time. On the other hand, certainly a concrete floor will be better in the long run, and you won't have concerns about storing heavy equipment inside.

^ ^ ^This. Make sure location on property has drainage away from shed, and you properly prep the area with compacted gravel base. With you snow in NY, that will be an issue also.

Other consideration is TAX status. Will that size shed on skids be considered "portable" and not subject to any real estate taxes ?? Conversely, most concrete pad sheds end up getting put on tax roles = = = = higher RE taxes.

 

[captain14]

I am having a 12x16 shed built in my backyard. We just moved into this house and the previous homeowners never had a shed. I need to get the lawn and garden stuff out of my garage. I looked at prebuilt wood sheds and then I talked with a mason about building a shed out of block. Here is a picture of the footing. The block shed will be about twice the price of a wooden shed.


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Are you planning to do a thread about your shed being built?

 

[foogotz]

I poured footings for my 12x16 and used 2x6 joists. Worked out well and have had no problems for the past 6 years.

 

[Kaizen]

I built my 10x12 shed with plain plywood for the floor 15 years ago. 2x something for the base. resting on 6 concrete blocks. has done fine and since I had to move it to make room for my new garage the wood floor worked out nice. imo I like it high and dry. best thing for no moisture is air flow.

 

[mrobins297aaa]

I have a 17 x 13' shed that the previous owner build and basically just set it right on the ground, he used 2 x 8 treated lumber for the floor joist. It was always wet there and after 10 years of setting in the mud I poured a concrete slab about 20' away and move the shed to that location. I was amazed at what good shape the 2 x 8 treated lumber was in, I'm not kidding it was like new.

 

[James-W]

A plywood floor, if done right, will last several years and work out just fine for you. But I think a concrete floor with a stem wall would be a better choice for the long term. Of course it will cost more to build, but the "easy accessibility" advantage for getting a riding mower into it would overshadow the cost and the longevity of the building would better. Also, there will be the usual property tax on it every year, but being a small storage shed the tax would be minor.

 

[yeldogt]

Are you talking about a poured pad -- with the whole shed sitting on the pad? .. or are they somehow building the shed with a cement floor?

I have prebuilt sheds at two of my places (both 10x12) They were both originally sitting on solid cinderblocks with small wooded ramps. I decided to move one -- had a large pad poured for the shed/ trash cans .. potting bench. Mistake -- the shed on the pad had to be elevated to provide additional ventilation and to clean out under it .. also it gets splashed.

The shed on the cinder blocks has held up better and I have moved it twice -- can't move the one on the pad.

 

[calif phil]

The reason it's twice the price of a wooden shed is...you're building a garage! It's 48sq ft short of a 1 car garage.

I should have made it bigger. I was going to go 10x15 and the mason said it works better dimensional to go 12x16 OK I said.

 

[D45]

Pressure treated is fine and cheap.....I did two layers, and overlapped the seams

Some municipal codes say anything over 120 square feet must have a concrete base.....and a building permit. I did not need either

I set the entire shed on PT 4x4s, to get the shed up off the ground (moisture) and to provide some air movement to keep things dry

Here is my build thread (10x12):
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=244568

 

[PoorOwner]

Anyone had to jack up the shed after years and replace the skid or simply do minor relevel or replace shims?

 

[Falcon67]

Got a 12x16, sits on skids, no insulation - just tin on wood. It's been there at least since maybe 2003 or so (we moved in late 2010). Not exactly level, don't care, no problems. Has several tons of car junk, cylinder heads, rear housings, parts, misc and sundry **** in it.

 

[sberry]

Bees and rodents love it underneath those things.

 

[The Cobbler]

my choice would be a poured concrete pad. it's there for a lifetime , nothing will burrow underneath.vapour barrier underneath = less moisture rising into the shed

 

[Todd.Brock]

I would pour a concrete base, but I didn't want to spend the money. I have a 10x13 shed that I built on 4x4 skids. I had to jack it up with a car jack to level out with concrete blocks. When I had the shed moved, I put in a compacted crusher run base.
Did the same for my moms pre fabbed shed

 

[D45]

Crushed limestone base under my shed, dead level and hasn't moved

 

[engineer2]

I used Wolmanized lumber from my old deck to build my shed. The floor is 2x6's butted tight and screwed down, because that's what I had. I put it down after the wall were up, so boards can be removed if needed.

 

[38Chevy454]

I built a 12x16 at one of my old houses, used the pre-cast deck stands and 2x6 floor joists with plywood floor. Set the precast stands on some 2x2 precast square pads. Dug the pads and support stands down so the ground was near the bottom of floor joists. Joists were pressure treated. 12x16 works out great for using std lumber dimensions. Also put your floor joists to be lined up with the plywood seams. Mine was just built by me, no kit. Just designed it in my head and then drew out on paper. Buy supplies and then built it.

 

[mmb617]

If money is no object and you're sure you're never going to want to move it then concrete is fine.

There's nothing wrong with a PT plywood floor though. I have two sheds with plywood floors and they've both held up well. One of them was moved 8 years ago so I was glad I didn't have a concrete floor at that time.

 

[TonkaJoe]

Well these guys have your bases covered.. with my yard layout and the fact that I wanted to store anything from lawn equipment to lumber etc I went with concrete.. has an extra thick 3/4" crusher run base, this thing will last my lifetime!. Happy I spent the extra money. My build thread: http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=306497


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[maxpower_hd]

Not sure about where you live but here if you put concrete under it it becomes what our town considers a permanent structure and you have to pay more taxes on it. Plus it is more regulated to build. Property line setbacks, permits, etc. Plywood on a framed floor on blocks it is now temporary. No taxes, no or less stringent permit and you can put it much closer to the property line. AND if the don't like it for some reason it is possible to move it. My vote is wood.

 

[dkroth]

OP here, been away for a couple days. General info based on previous posts:

I'm buying the shed from one of the pre-fab places. I checked them out last year, I'm satisfied with their materials, construction and options. The sheds come standard on 4x4 joists 24" on center with pressure treated 3/4" plywood floor. They deliver the shed on a truck and crane/drop/drag it into place in your yard. I'm on a corner lot so delivery is a no brainer for me.

For plywood floor they require a gravel base and use concrete blocks to level the structure when they drop it off.

When installing on a concrete they deliver the four walls and roof and assemble on site.

Both installations require site inspection before they schedule delivery.

Permits and Taxes:

My town requires a permit for anything larger than 10x10, so I've already met that requirement. There are setbacks and a few other rules that I also have to meet no matter the structure. Sheds bigger than 192 sf require a variance, unless it's a detached garage, which has it's own definition.

Any time there's a permit there's a follow-up inspection and bump in assessed value based on construction cost. Welcome to New York.

 

[cjcocn]

I live in (somewhat) northern Manitoba, Canada, and have built a number of 12 x 16 sheds.

All with a gravel base, plywood floors, and leveled with pressure-treated lumber.

With a gravel base and the shed being off of the ground, I have had zero issues.

I am not sure what type of bottom plate your builder will be using, but as an additional safe guard many folks around here use pressure-treated bottom plates just in case the plate is subjected to moisture.

Hope this helps.