Lift or not to lift the shed? Concrete base

[SMMottershead]

Hello all.

I have been planning on taking down my sectional garage and replacing it with a wood shed that I will be making myself. The garage already has a solid base but concrete isn't smooth and well worn. The base is on ground level where is meets the drive way and part of the front back garden, then garden drop about a a foot or more.

Should I lift the shed from the base to let airflow with some concrete blocks or should I build right on the concrete base and put insulation right on the top of the concrete.

Lifting the shed up makes more sense in term of keeping the wood more dry and longer lasting. If I but the shed on the base, how would I stop damp, rain and the wood rotting from the base ??

This is my first big project like this and learning a lot, any advice would be great.
I can post some photos of the base at it is if needed.

 

[DBT85]

Mike shall appear shortly to answer this I'm sure.

I'd raise the walls up on bricks just like "Mike's method" as that will prevent the timbers getting ruined.

As for the floor, as long as you can stop the water getting inside put insulation on the floor and then board over it. If the floor is particularly dodgy you might need to patch some bits first.

 

[MikeG.]

.....If I but the shed on the base, how would I stop damp, rain and the wood rotting from the base ??.......

You can't. As DBT85 said, get it up off the ground on a plinth.

 

[SMMottershead]

Thanks. Yeah it sounded like the best idea. Is there a minimum high to lift the shed?

 

[MikeG.]

Two brick courses (150mm) is the minimum, but 3 courses is better. Three courses (225mm) is the same height as a block.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I am just about to do much the same. Past experience tells me to raise it to leave a cat or Jack Russell sized gap unless you want to develop a rat hotel.

 

[MikeG.]

I think we're talking about 2 slightly different things, Phil. My reading of the OP is that he wants to build a workshop/ shed himself, set on a slab and a plinth. That doesn't involve having a suspended floor and a gap underneath, which more goes with the territory of pre-made sheds. In the latter case, not leaving any gaps for vermin is the number one issue when designing the base. Naturally, you would always expect me to say that building your own produces a much, much better result than buying a pre-made building.

 

[Lazurus]

I did similar, I raised the shed walls on a three course brick and did a light screed of the old floor to level it with dpm laid into the first course to keep the damp out. 10 years on and still good.

 

[SMMottershead]

Thank you all for the replays.

Phil was right. I didn't noticed till I seen your other thread about how you do it with a plinth. I was talking about having suspended floor on some bricks but wasn't sure was this best. It wont be a prefab and I will be building it myself because i know it would be better made.

I been looking at the designed for the base that mike did and that could be possible but I haven't laid bricks before.

Here is the base I have a the moment.

 

[Max Power]

Are you taking the existing garage down to enlarge it ?

 

[SMMottershead]

Are you taking the existing garage down to enlarge it ?

No, It going to be coming down but still sorting that out find room/selling the stuff that is there. It will be the same size give or take a little.

 

[DBT85]

If its going to be the same size can I ask why you are going to the trouble?

 

[SMMottershead]

The garage is not in great condition and needs a lot of work. Needs a higher roof , Some of the panels are leaking, then I would need to upgrade the inside to make it warmer etc. After thinking about it, I personal thought it was better to just start fresh and after reading people seemed to prefer a wooden shed because its easy upgrades, fix and just good rounder.

 

[DBT85]

Ahh ok that makes sense!