Prepping ground to install a resin shed?

I am looking at this Rubbermaid Big Max 7'x7' Shed [homedepot.com] and I was wondering what the best way to prepare the ground would be.

My back yard slopes from front to back slightly. I was thinking I would level the ground as best I could, get a bunch of sand/crushed stone and lay that out, then make an 8'x8' square from 12" pavers. Is this not good enough, overkill, or just right? I live in New England so I don't (usually) have to worry about hurricanes. Manual labor is FAR from my specialty, so hopefully someone has some input.

Typically for a shed you would put 4-6" of gravel for it to sit on for proper drainage. Does it have its own floor? To level the ground, use a long 2x4 and put your level on the 2x4. You will be able to make it level and fix low spots.

also: get it PERFECTLY level. ANY out of alignment and the doors will not shut properly and it will get worse.

All the directions say is solid level surface, level it make sure it is slightly higher for good drainage all around put down some weedblock and call it good.

So I literally just pile up an 8'x8' square of gravel, 4-6" high and set the shed on that? Will that be stable enough? It does have a plastic floor.

Did you not read the directions?

I would build a level frame about a foot larger than the footprint of your shed, using 4x4 pressure treated lumber or railroad ties. Dig a trench for the lumber so the top of the frame is level. Make sure whatever you use is rated for ground contact (the 1" pressure treated planks are usually not). Fill the frame with crushed gravel and set the shed on the gravel. This gives you a flat base and isolates you from ground movement during freeze/thaw cycles.

I've uploaded a photo of the platform I built for my shed - a little bigger than yours but the same concept.

Quote from komondor : Did you not read the directions?

Sorry, missed your reply earlier. Yes I read them. The directions suggest a hard surface, which I don't really have unless I prepare it specifically for the shed.

Quote from carlry : I would build a level frame about a foot larger than the footprint of your shed, using 4x4 pressure treated lumber or railroad ties. Dig a trench for the lumber so the top of the frame is level. Make sure whatever you use is rated for ground contact (the 1" pressure treated planks are usually not). Fill the frame with crushed gravel and set the shed on the gravel. This gives you a flat base and isolates you from ground movement during freeze/thaw cycles. I've uploaded a photo of the platform I built for my shed - a little bigger than yours but the same concept.

Hey thanks for the advice. Want to come build mine? I found a local place with 3/4" crushed stone OR gravel (which is better?) for $29/yard. So 8'x8'x5" gives me .987 cubic yards which should be perfect. They also had 3/8" pea stone but that looked quite a bit different. How tall should the frame be?

All you need to do is level the ground and tamp it down you could use a hand tamper or a vibrator if you put rock down you need something you can compact pea stone won't compact

http://www.homedepotrents.com/pro...pactor.asp

build a frame with 7-8 ft 2x6 boards & 2-4x8 sheets of plywood (all pressure treated) and set that on a level bed of gravel 4"-6" high

Quote from Jabbit : Hey thanks for the advice. Want to come build mine? I found a local place with 3/4" crushed stone OR gravel (which is better?) for $29/yard. So 8'x8'x5" gives me .987 cubic yards which should be perfect. They also had 3/8" pea stone but that looked quite a bit different. How tall should the frame be?

I'd go with the 3/4" stone, or even something a little larger. If you have just a slight slope, I'd go with about one 4x4 (so about 3.5") above grade level at the highest point of grade, and build up as much as you need at the low point to make it level.

Quote from komondor : All you need to do is level the ground and tamp it down you could use a hand tamper or a vibrator if you put rock down you need something you can compact pea stone won't compact http://www.homedepotrents.com/pro...pactor.asp

It sounds like I am over-thinking this. Just get something (gravel, wood, etc.) and make it level and I am good to go. I will look into the tool rental as that might make things a lot easier. Thanks.

Quote from Count_Chocula : build a frame with 7-8 ft 2x6 boards & 2-4x8 sheets of plywood (all pressure treated) and set that on a level bed of gravel 4"-6" high

That sounds like a good idea too, thanks.

Quote from carlry : I'd go with the 3/4" stone, or even something a little larger. If you have just a slight slope, I'd go with about one 4x4 (so about 3.5") above grade level at the highest point of grade, and build up as much as you need at the low point to make it level.

So if I lay down for 4"x4"x 8-10' timbers to make a square - how to I attach them all together? Sorry if that sounds like a dumb question, but I am new to all this stuff.

Just pay someone to do it. I got some day laborers to do it for $200 plus the stone.

Quote from Jabbit : So if I lay down for 4"x4"x 8-10' timbers to make a square - how to I attach them all together? Sorry if that sounds like a dumb question, but I am new to all this stuff.

If you only have 1 layer, you can overlap at the boards at the corners and simply drive a lag screw through the corner (use a pilot hole). Or you can cut a piece of 4x4 to fit inside the corner, and drive a lag screw through each timber.

If you have at least 2 layers, you can interleave the timbers at the corner, and then drive a lag screw down through resulting overlap. A couple more lag screws to tie the first and second layers together along each side and it's not going anywhere.


I fully admit that this is overkill - here's a simpler solution (along the lines of what another poster has suggested). This solution uses more lumber and more time using a hammer rather than a shovel ...



Get 2 pressure treated 4x4s and some concrete paving stones (not the little ones, the ones that are about 1'x1').
-> The paving stones are going to be the "legs" of a platform you are going to build - so set them a little inside the outline of the shed floor, and stack as many as you need at each corner to get their tops level. If you want to dig down a bit and lay each of them in a few inches of gravel that would be nice, but not 100% necessary.
-> Lay 2 4x4's across the paving stones to create two parallel beams.
-> Use pressure treated 2x4 or 2x6s placed perpendicular to the beams - these are your floor joists. Space them about 12" - 16" on center. You can "toe nail" or screw the joists to the beams.
-> Lay some pressure treated plywood over the joists and nail/screw to the joists.
-> Place the floor of your shed on the plywood.

I think it's good that you're paying attention to how you prep the ground properly.
You wouldn't want anything to go wrong, like it did with this Chinese construction masterpiece..