The grading on our property had a ditch at the north side. Unfortunately it was in the area where a planned shed was going to go. We could not alter our grading because of the municipal engineering for water drainage. So a base was required (with footings) to lift the shed above the grade.
Before starting any project like this, you need a plan – like this [shed-base-setup-illustrator-CS5.ai]. Please feel free to download, use, and modify for your own application – you will need Adobe Illustrator CS5 or above.
It took a full week to do this – working by myself. If I had a helper, it would have gone faster. Unfortunately I’m also a perfectionist, …so that slows down the process considerably.
In the “coles notes” version, this is how it’s done (with 48 pictures below):
- I marked the area with spray paint;
- Sod was removed;
- I used a 8×4 piece of plywood as a jig to markup and measure the footings;
- 2ft rebar was used to mark the holes for drilling;
- The rebar is hammered in to the ground to mark the footings;
- With a single man auger, the footing holes were drilled down 4ft;
- Sono-tubes are put in place, leveled out, and concrete is poured;
- Landscape fabric was put down to control the weeds, and 3/4 inch gravel was put on top for beautification and drainage;
- Simpson strong ties 4×4 adjustable saddles were my choice for the footings;
- I used the same 8×4 plywood as a jig (again) to construct the upper part of the base;
- Any cuts are resealed with the PT paint;
- The upper base was assemble separately and then laid on top of the footings via three 4x4s;
- Everything was stained before assembly to maximize protection against water damage and rot;
- Simpson strong ties were used again to secure the upper base to the lower 4x4s;
- Waterproof membrane strips were put in between the planks and the 4x4s – this helps with water drainage (the material acts like a candle wick and pulls out water);
- 2x4s were used for the deck planks because they were easy to work with in smaller applications (such as this);
- Everything was then stained with two coats; and
- Shed was installed on the new base.
