New shed- bedding material

I recently bought a new shed to go behind the garage. It is of metal construction and will sit on a paved area.

What I really need is some pliable material that the metal base frame can sit on, ensuring that the structure remains level but can take up any uneven-ness of the paved base....oh ideally it needs to be water proof...

So any expert builders that can advise in a suitable product please?

Thanks

Are you wanting something to support the shed when it is position or just something to fill in any gaps that there may be between the shed frame and the slabs?

How firmly fixed are the slabs?

Edited By Brian Sweeting on 12/06/2018 15:32:31

If it's just uneven gaps you want filled bedding the shed on Expanding Foam Tape may do the job, see Here used similar in my work some years back Mike.

Edited By MichaelR on 12/06/2018 16:18:51

If you don't want it to rust, its mucky stuff, but you could use Sylglass tape.
**LINK**

Perhaps, I ought to elaborate....

The base is made up from a depth of MOT type 1 base fill, then a layer of sharp sand upon which 450 x 450 slabs are laid. They are that, just laid, with a rubber mallet to bed them in..

To prevent build up of surface water, a slight slope has been incorporated into the lay of the slabs....

The area is approx 3.1metres by 2.5 metres, the slope is along the 3.1 metre length.....so the base to sit level needs supporting along the longer measurement. The bottom frame of the shed is made from galv steel pressings, the sides/roof are made from steel pressings with a 7 layer protection film....

Hopefully this is sufficient for a reccomendation of a suitable product......a mastic substance of some sort/description...? Pliable, waterproof but not too messy..

I'm sure the collective talent here will be able to advise, my thanks from the respondants thus far...

So, you have a fall on the slabs, do you want the shed to sit level, or just sit on the slabs and follow the fall?

If you want the former, you will have to clarify how much the fall is, in order it is clear how much it needs to be jacked up/packed out on the lower side.

If you just want to seal it with the frame sitting on the slabs as they are, with no height/level packing, I would use a generous application of acrylic frame seal - available in mastic gun tubes, and relatively cheaply.

It will take up any uneveness, is waterproof, semi flexible, and long lasting.

It needs to be well sealed, as otherwise water will sit on the uphill side of the fall and creep in under the edge of the shed.

If you haven't already laid the slabs, if it were me I would not put a fall on them - but then it isn't my shed

Edited By David Standing 1 on 12/06/2018 17:39:37

Use 3x3 pressure treated timber which should be available in the ten ft length. This is the only thing apart from concrete that will provide a long flat reference. Bed this onto sand/cement or use the modern method of canned expanding foam having placed it on quarter inch spacers along its length and with a batten on the inside. Squirting foam into the gap will provide a seal except at slab joints. Periodically if necessary you can scrape out a bit of the foam and re-apply if the slabs shift and break the bond. The foam over such a large area will have the strength to support quite a load. The timber then gives you a lip over which to run your DPC.

Treated timber (from a reputable source) will have more life than the tin shed base. If you expect to live more than ten years in the house make a better foundation for stub brick walls.

What are you going to use the shed for....storage..? workshop with machines..? is it a shed you will spend a lot of time in..? depending on the sheds purpose I would question using slabs for the floor...?

I’m not sure where I’ve seen it but they used to sell a grey mastic material on a roll. It was about 4mm thick and had removable wax paper on both sides for handling. The stuff I saw was perhaps 40 - 50mm wide and quite sticky. Sadly I don’t recall the name of it!

Shed will be used for storage not as a workshop for my machinery....lawn mower and such like junk...

If the shed is for the lawnmower etc then I think the slabs will be fine, Bazyle,s idea sounds a good one. As long as you can keep the shed basically dry, thats all you need.

You say that the shed is metal.

You need to insulate the walls and roof, or there will be terrible problems with condensation and rusting of any steel within the building!

You will be surprised just how much condensation will drip off an uninsulated roof, down you neck, and onto anything that you do not want corroded!

I would suggest glassfibre with a vapour barrier between the insulation and the inner wall and roof lining.

If possible install vents at high level and at floor level. The low level vent will allow moist air to exit, and the high level one for drier air to enter. If the door and any window(s) are well sealed, you may need to install a fan to draw in fresh air from a high level weatherproof vent.

My wooden shop has 19mm external cladding, 50mm glassfibre, and then 12mm ply inner cladding, on walls and ceiling, with almost no problems of rust in the fifteen years that it has been there.

If the roof is going to be flat, (Nominally; allow a fall for water to drain off into a gutter).rather than felt, my advice would be EPDM rubber.

Don't forget to make provision for the wiring/sockets, shelves / brackets that you will be using, before you finally install the inner cladding. Hardboard is not suitable, it warps. If in doubt thicker rather than thinner!

Better too many sockets rather than too few, and put them on a ring main, ideally fed through a separate consumer unit with a RCD and MCBs. Along as you are not dazzled, have plenty of light, both general, and worklights on the machines.

Enjoy!

Howard

The shed is not a workshop just storage for his lawnmower etc

Ron