HI all.
Quick basic question about a floor. I need to build a small garden shed and I normally do it on a poured slab. This one has to have a plywood floor due to the location.
The floor joists will be 8ft long and will be 16″ on center. Can I get away with 2×6’s? Or would 2×8’s be required. Money is a bit of an issue as it is a not for profit summer camp. A little bounce does not bother me as it will only be used to store lawn equipment. I would rather not have the floor so bouncy that a joist cracks, however. It will be PT lumber and plywood and as close to ground level as possible. I could put a beam down the center but I am trying to make this as easy as possible.
Thanks.
Replies
Consider what I did. My shed is 10' x 12'. I went to a bit more trouble than you might have to but I tamped gravel down 18-20" deep.
I set railroad ties over this gravel footer around the perimeter, spiking them together with 2' x 1/2" rebar and to the ground with 3' x 1/2" rebar. I then framed on top of the ties. I filled between the ties with 6" of gravel and that's all I have for a floor.
I had the ties and the gravel cost me about $40 delivered. The first frame shot shows a bit of the floor idea.
You could use 6" x 6" PT instead of ties.
If I had any studs the color of the studs in your photo, I would pay someone to burn 'em! :)
Sheds, me an rezs favorite subject!!!!
2x4 would be ok, even. My garden shed (search for link) is built on nailed together old pallets.
As to the color of the studs, etc -- I wuz wunderin whose took those old things from torn apart old picnic table I put out on teh street with the FREE sign <G>
Hey, that's a great shed.
Tell me, what's the roof slope on the big shed, with the metal roof. Looks great, but I can't really tell the slope from the photo.
Thanks !
Greg
Pitch is 12/12 a nice 45. Made for a real easy roof to frame using only 4 rafters on the 12' run.
As to the pink studs they were straighter than you'd think for as cheap as they were..
That's a nice looking shed, but Dude, you got pink studs!
Like I said they may be pink studs but they're straight studs! ;)
Gaily colored straight studs, hmmm...
HI all.
Quick basic question about a floor. I need to build a small garden shed and I normally do it on a poured slab. This one has to have a plywood floor due to the location.
The floor joists will be 8ft long and will be 16" on center. Can I get away with 2x6's? >>>>>>>>>>>.
Yes, might have a little bounce, but I have same size with 2x6 joists and don't notice. I glued the plywood to them which ties them together.
According to my tables (NBC--National Buidling Code of Canada), for joists on 16" centers, SS (structural select) 2x6's can span up to 10'9". #1&2 2x6's can span up to 9'6".
At eight feet, you should be laffin'.
Dinosaur
How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not brought
low by this? For thine evil pales before that which
foolish men call Justice....
Prople have had earthen floor buildings for thousands of years. For a gardening shed why do you really need a solid floor. Scoop out a foot or so of soil and fill with compacted rock. Or build up above the surface with the same amount of rock.
2 x 6 will work fine providing that they are quality sticks of wood.
use offcuts to make a row of blocking at the midspan.
5/8" plywood screwed down 6" oc with 2" deck screws should make the floor stiff enough.
don't use p.t. plywood for flooring, the chemical coating will eventually wear off from foot traffic. also, the chemicals are toxic, not something you want kids to be in contact with.
once the shed is built, paint the floor and the p.t. wood with some leftover oil based paint.
toolman65
What about finding some cheap or used pavers?
Mike
When I was a kid, my neighbor had a garage with a dirt floor. Had some gravel on it. Pretty rough for a garage creeper, but fine for a garden shed.
Have you considered using pier blocks? Just set them into holes that lower the shed to the level you want.