Many of our customers ask the question, do I need a concrete base? This is not always the case. In fact. gravel bases can be better for many reasons.
Lets talk about the benefits:
Better Drainage – A gravel base drains the water that would normally collect around the bottom of the shed. A concrete base on the other hand, cant absorb water. This can create water issues during heavy rain falls. Additionally, the bottom of the shed wont dry out as quickly with concrete.
Splashing – A gravel base functions like a diffuser when water that runs off the roof and reaches the ground. The rough surface of the gravel prevents water from slashing up. Instead, the water soaks into the ground. With a concrete base, water from the roof will splash up against the sides of shed. This increases the likelihood that the timber of your shed will rot over time.
Cheaper than concrete – A gravel base is a lot cheaper than concrete. If your building doesn’t require a concrete foundation, you can save some money which will allow you to even buy a bigger shed!
Easier to install and remove – With a gravel base, you wont have the heavy concrete truck driving on your lawn. A gravel base for an average sized garden shed can usually be installed in a day or less. You may even decide to give it a go yourself! And if you ever decide to move the shed to another location in your garden or move it all together, a gravel base will be much easier to remove.
With gravel, even though its the easiest, cheapest and best method for a base we would recommend a timber frame to sit on top of the gravel, this will stop the movement of the shed floor. This can either be made or sourced by the customer or purchased direct from us.
Concrete
In some cases a concrete foundation is better for larger structures that need more support. If you were to use the building for a gym or for heavy machinery the concrete can be used as the floor. You then wouldn’t have to worry about the weight of the items.