I have a customer who wants a 10′ x 12′ Victorian shed built for her gardening use. The sidewalls will be 9′ in hgt. She sent me to look at the style she saw she liked. It will be built on an existing asphalt area, the sills will be up off the asphalt about 1.5″ to allow for rain runoff,etc underneath. She wants the outside done in lap siding to match her house and a 12/12 metal roof (Also matching existing house). I plan to build the frame of PT 4 x 4’s at the corners with std 2 x 4 stud walls, header beams, etc.
My question is regarding the 4 x 4’s. I can’t decide whether to drill holes for the posts and concrete them in (taking care to slope the concrete away from the posts) or to pour footers with “feet” to attach the posts to. I also have considered using the galvanized bkts that are sometimes used to set deck posts, mailboxes, etc that have a 30″ “spike” on the bottom with a socket for the post. I thought of pouring them in the concrete.
All ideas are appreciated.
thanks, wdb
Replies
No matter where you are, wood in the ground rots. Sometimes, there are even termites and other things to help things along. So, when I built my shed, I set it up on pier blocks.
I'd suggest the footings / bracket idea. Make that floor strong ... I've seen more sheds have their floors fail, than their roofs!
If you make it permanent you're likely to need a permit. I think anything in the ground is considered permanent.
Here:
To learn more about the custom shed Rick built, read Shortcuts to a Shed from Fine Homebuilding issue #194 (April/May 2008), pp.60-65.
Tube footing foundation made with PVC.
Those things look like a no brainer...
The other way to do it simply and possibly avoid that "Permanent" structure problem is to build it over 4x8 or 4x6 skids that rest on pier blocks or graded gravel. That way it could be moved also.
Cheers.
"Research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing..."
Missed the existing asphalt part.
I would just shim skids level on the asphalt--about 2' OC--and build up fromthe skids."Research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing..."
If the asphalt is reasonably level, I would set the building directly on it. Build a 4x4 pt frame around the perimeter and then run 4x4 pt every 2'. On this you can frame your stud walls. Fill the space between the 4x4s with clear crushed gravel to 2" from the top and sit in concrete pavers. No need to anchor the building, and a nice dry floor that is in keeping with the Victorian theme and can take the dirt and water gardening inevitably entails.