When building a shed, few components are more important than the shed foundation. Because the foundation carries the weight of many heavy items—lawnmowers, pressure washers, bags of seed and fertilizer, paint cans, wood, and tools—it has to be sturdy, weathertight, and reliable.
Building a shed foundation is a job made easier with precast concrete blocks. While you can pour a concrete slab for your shed if you wish, precast blocks reduce weight, eliminate concrete drying time, and make it unnecessary to rent a concrete mixer. This floating shed foundation rests close to ground-level, so no need to dig extremely deep holes.
Codes and Permits
You may need to secure a building permit for your shed—often called an accessory structure by permitting departments. Conditions that may trigger permitting:
- Footprint larger than a certain size (120 square feet, for example)
- Greater than one story
- Foundation rests on other than a concrete slab, pier blocks, or soil
- Attaches to the house or another structure
- Near an environmentally critical area such as a stream or wetlands
Even if a permit is not required, you must comply with the current building code minimum standards and zoning requirements. If you live in an area that regularly freezes, you may be required to place the blocks in holes that allow them to rest below the frost line.
When to Build Your Shed Foundation
Wet and cold conditions might make the shed foundation-building process uncomfortable but not impossible. Aim for warmer, drier months, from late spring to early fall. If the ground is frozen, you will not be able to break through the frozen layer.
Source: The Spruce
