Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Chatting => Design and Construction => Topic started by: Jes0rKah on February 22, 2013, 19:22
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Hi all,
I've been reading about peoples sheds a fair amount lately (as I'm hoping to get one myself soon) but I was just wondering what you guys thought of the following idea for a low cost shed base/allotment path option?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/36-Dynogrids-suitable-for-6-x-6-or-7-x-5-Shed-Base-/270603665632?pt=UK_Paving_Decking&hash=item3f013c40e0 (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/36-Dynogrids-suitable-for-6-x-6-or-7-x-5-Shed-Base-/270603665632?pt=UK_Paving_Decking&hash=item3f013c40e0)
I'm yet to hear whether I get a plot, but I'm trying to work out plans/costs etc! :)
Thanks in advance!
Jess
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Hi there!
I just read the article, but I'm not all that keen on the idea to be honest.
I've just had my new shed delievered and erected yesterday. I was given three old railway sleepers to act as a base. They are the old type of sleepers, thick with pitch and tar, which means they'll probably last longer than the shed!
Presuming you're talking about a wooden shed, the idea is to keep it off the ground so that air can circulate underneath it to prevent rotting of the floor beams. So, my suggestions would be:
a) Railway sleepers
b) Paving slabs and then pieces of 4x4 timber struts across the top to lift the shed up.
c) Concrete blocks and then 2x2 timber struts.
Obviously, in both cases your sleepers/struts need to go in the opposite direction to the floor beams of the shed.
Hope it helps!
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Hi there!
I just read the article, but I'm not all that keen on the idea to be honest.
I've just had my new shed delievered and erected yesterday. I was given three old railway sleepers to act as a base. They are the old type of sleepers, thick with pitch and tar, which means they'll probably last longer than the shed!
Presuming you're talking about a wooden shed, the idea is to keep it off the ground so that air can circulate underneath it to prevent rotting of the floor beams. So, my suggestions would be:
a) Railway sleepers
b) Paving slabs and then pieces of 4x4 timber struts across the top to lift the shed up.
c) Concrete blocks and then 2x2 timber struts.
Obviously, in both cases your sleepers/struts need to go in the opposite direction to the floor beams of the shed.
Hope it helps!
Hi Welsh Merf
Thanks for the above, that does help a lot! You're correct about it being a wooden shed! Have you done anything to the ground beneath your sleepers (I'm assuming a level area)?
I don't drive you see, and I'm going to have issues getting really heavy/large items to the lottie (it's a 10-15 min walk) - I'm contemplating a trailer for my bike to help with bags of compost etc.
But I'm sure I can charm someone into being a taxi firm for me! Or worst comes to the worst actually use a taxi service! :D
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With the sleepers being so heavy, and having a decent width and length, all I did was level them using a spirit level, scraping the soil away where needed. The ground underneath them has not been dug over, so it is nice and solid. Don't worry - sleepers won't sink. Just make sure you get them level. And if your allotment is in a rather windy area you could get someone to bend some pieces of metal into shape and bolt the shed down onto the sleepers!
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Hi Jess,
I used new railway sleepers, as they aren't covered in tar etc they are cleaner so much easier to handle, also the tar etc wont seep into the ground.
They were laid on a shallow bed of ballast, which made it easier together the levels correct. I then laid landscaping fabric across and between them to suppress the weeds. I had kept the area covered for some months with the fabric to kill of any weeds prior to putting in the shed.
My riendly builder delivered them for me, it cost me pints of beer if I recall!
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My riendly builder delivered them for me, it cost me pints of beer if I recall!
Thats a good price!! :) Thanks for your advice! I think I'm going to go down the railway sleeper route as there's a couple of suppliers near here so I'll work out how I can get them delivered to the lottie (once I've got to the point of being ready for a shed)!
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I used paving slabs laid on a bed of coarse sandfor my shed. If you lookout for paving slabs or put a request for them, you could be lucky and find them on freecycle or freegle. Worth having a look. ;)
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I used paving slabs laid on a bed of coarse sandfor my shed. If you lookout for paving slabs or put a request for them, you could be lucky and find them on freecycle or freegle. Worth having a look. ;)
That's what I did for my (once new) shed on the plot.
Railway sleeps are a good option though. I hoped to reduce the chance of vermin by using a slabbed area the size of the shed.... not that there's anything to stop those critters making a home under the slabs. >:(
JesOrkar
Cycle Trailer? Go for it!! They are brilliant. ;)
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He charged me the equivalent of 4 pints of beer for the delivery! I think they were about £14 each +/-.