Choosing storage sheds - storage for garden equipment and supplies

Flower & Garden Magazine, August-Sept, 1994 by H.E. Gibson

SELECTING FLOORING

Most sheds offer you a choice for flooring. You can leave a dirt floor or choose an alternative. This choice will be somewhat affected by the foundation you select. Pouring a concrete foundation is always an option, but not necessary for small storage units. The flooring alternatives for sheds without a concrete foundation include wood or crushed rock.

If you choose crushed rock, you will need a perimeter section of 2-by-boards. 6 If you are using a pole-frame shed, attach the boards to the poles. Otherwise, the foundation boards will do the job. Install several sections of 1-by-2 furring strips to help keep the rocks in place. Then, pour in about a 2-inch layer of 1- to 1-1/2-inch rocks. Rake the rock floor so it is even. This will provide good drainage and a tidy look. However, it is difficult to roll some lawn and garden equipment over rocks and spills are almost impossible to clean.

For a wood floor, use skirting board around the perimeter and nail in sections of 2-by-6 for joists. Nail sections of 2-by-4s to the skirt to help support the joists. Then nail on plywood or subflooring, depending on what you want as the finished floor. Plywood will work well for most storage shed floors but will warp slightly over time.

Follow the instructions in the shed kit or design plans for the proper method for installing your shed. Most instructions include step-by-step directions that result in a successfully completed project. It is always simpler if you have the patience to read the instructions thoroughly before beginning.