Get Plans to build your own DIY 10x12 Shed! shop.fixthisbuildthat.com/collections/outdoor-projects/products/modern-10x12-diy-shed-plans If you want to see the rest of the build you can find the videos here: 1. Building a Shed Foundation - ruclips.net/video/XodcMhvfkXg/видео.html 2. Framing a Shed Alone - ruclips.net/video/cGqx95JVsws/видео.html 3. Roofing a Lean-To Shed - ruclips.net/video/Hv3EOTkR3xw/видео.html 4. DIY Shed Doors & Windows - ruclips.net/video/rp3rJUWJeKE/видео.html 5. Finishing My Overbuilt Shed - ruclips.net/video/uPO46hSpP0A/видео.html
Yes, and treat the hole that was drilled out for the rebar. Not as easy to do with a tight-fitting rebar. One way is to blob some into the hole then once you just got the rebar in a bit, paint the rebar which will apply the penetrating sealant all around the inside of the hole as you drive it home.
When I was growing up, if I did something bad, my step dad used to make me dig fence post holes. I feel like your tip about having your kid dig the hole is a GREAT tip. It really made me not want to do bad things any more.
@@bozzskaggs112 When I look at the high level of mediocracy in todays young adult workforce, I wonder if teaching kids that hard work is a punishment wasn't a very bright idea.
Using this series with my son, as a carpentry class for homeschool. Couch trolls be damned, this is better training than i got with my first framing job. I was lucky the foreman was sober back then. Carpentry has definitely grown up over the years. Keep it up Brad! Thanks!
Very good to see you taking the tamping seriously. I come from a mine engineering background, and our prof for tailings dams noted that one of the biggest concerns with building them is overseeing the compaction process. Apparently it's not uncommon for work crews to work fast and skimp on the compaction steps to get the job done faster. Which you can kinda get away with in a lot of applications (including stuff like this shed) but you'll always have some differential settling issues, and different drainage characteristics. Which, if you have an earth-fill dam, is a critical problem. Hope that pressure treated wood works out for you. I live out on the coast of BC (Canada just north of Washington State), and out here we tend to have issues with pressure treated wood not being as rot resistant at the cut ends than is needed in our quite wet climate. Folks who can afford it tend to use cedar instead - you can cut into a cedar log that has another tree grown over/around it and still find good wood in the middle, cedar lasts *ages* - for outdoor applications, and folks using the pressure treated stuff instead buy a product that you brush onto the ends to seal up the end grain. But thats for fairly extreme wet climates, we literally use the terms "rainforest" and "hypermaritime climate" to describe this area. You're definitely in a drier region, going by the trees in the background.
Down here on the humid Gulf Coast, I also like to seal the ends of pressure treated, especially if there's ground contact, like my kids swingset legs. When you look at the clean crosscut, you can just see how deep the treatment penetrated. That's essentially raw wood in the center, just asking for termites and other wood devouring critters.
I have a suggestion, when drilling through the beam. You can use a bit extension to give you the extra length. They come in 6", and 12" lengths. Could also been useful when attaching the rim joist . By the looks of the floor, the shed is going to be solid as a rock,... 👍
I really enjoy your videos, you should have your own TV show to help DIYers. You always explain everything in detail and your end product is always professional! Best wishes for your new home. Blessings to you and your family.
Something I was told about, after I did exactly what you did. Drill a 1/8 to 1/4 hole through the timber first. You can get 8-10" long drill bit for this. Then use the auger bit with the small hole as a guide for the tip of the auger. Cuts out the measurements and hoping you get the big holes from each side line up.
All the buildings in our village,even the ancient stuff is built on raft style foundations,we are below the water table and have a huge lake right behind us, any timber on the ground,treated or not is done in just a few years. I used 24" lengths of 1- 3/4" rebar,to which I welded 4" squares to both ends,one end drilled for screws. These I then stood in my hole in the ground at 18" intervals so that only 9" was above ground level making sure the bottom square plates had at least 6" of gap under them and by using string lines to make sure the top plates were all level. I filled in around them to make my 'raft' and nothing has budged in 10 years or so and having insulated the floor timbers from the ground and the bracket via a rubber membrane between them( cut up truck mudflap😁) they are still in perfect condition.
I'm building a 12 x 16 shed. I used my 5 x 10 trailer to purchase and haul the #57 gravel....1 - 1.25 tons at a time. I did not want a large pile sitting in one area of my yard even if it was right next to my location or the large truck doing damage. Made 7 trips and totaled 9 tons. I backed the trailer to the area and used the scoop shovel to hand load in place. Your foundation is very similar to what I built. The shed almost completed. I am down to installing the siding. I also built the doors from oak lumber harvested from trees we took down in our back yard. I very much enjoy your videos and your quirky(?) nature!
Brad this summer we redid our backyard and I hand poured and leveled 5 cubic yards of gravel and 11 yards of top soil all using the Gorilla Cart. Here is the crazy part...I really enjoyed it. It was hard work but was pretty rewarding. I do wish I'd maybe done it when the weather was cooler though. I may be a masochist.
some of these commenters just don't understand...there can be a lot of value in just doing hard work. yes, I could have rented tools and done it 4x as fast, but I really enjoyed just putting in the work and seeing what I can accomplish with my hands and some basic tools
@@Fixthisbuildthat I feel that way whenever I see a home improvement project I completed: the setting sun shining off the painted garage siding that my kids helped me replace the rotted sill plate and repaint gives me a sense of pride that paying to have someone else do it does not.
I've built several sheds, decks, and fences over the years. You may consider doing a segment or a video on appropriate times to use nails vs screws. When I was first starting out doing DIY, I used screws for everything, but after a few fence sections fell over because of shear in the wind, I found there's a time and place for everything 😅. Can't wait to watch the rest of your build!
Thanks for the inspiration. I'm getting plans together to build a flat hockey pad for my sons and just the flooring and foundation fits the mark perfectly.
Um. Am I the only one that saw the deer ghost at 9:42? Like I had to rewind three times because of how brief it was and making sure I wasn't losing my mind.
This is very similar (and sure a bit overboard) to a tent platform I've been planning, very glad to have this as a reference! Also love love the new property.
I always take old chain-link fence or metal fence from the garden store and lay it underneath the gravel. It stops the woodchucks from building a home.
I built a 12'x20' workshop and did a similar gravel pad foundation 14'x22'. I had about a 13" slope over 22' and the top 6" was compacted rock so it was not easy to dig out, especially doing it alone by hand. It turned out great and sure beats the option of a block foundation or paying for a slab to be laid. The gravel pad and workshop look amazing and added value to my propery so well worth all the hard work.
I used a block foundation for a 10 x 12 kit-style shed. Looked good,; worked good; for about 2 years. Then became worthless. And made we wish I had done slab instead. House built in subdivision circa 1950s; in what was USA's largest walnut orchard. Yeah. Critters! Clean every year with "everybody out" routine requiring removal of all contents, spaying 100% of interior with bleach/water solution, cleaning all contents with same solution. Next cycle, I'm tearing down old and using your slab style.
Okay. This is what I did seven years ago now, for my shed/shop 12'x16' (16'x20' foundation). It worked great! Thought this was my idea...nice to see someone-else did it, too. I used 4''L- 1/2" rebar to anchor the first tier of treated 6"x6" timbers to the ground (low wall, no deadmen). Used the same stone for the same stated reasons...delivery driver dumped the stones outside my foundation. 52 wheelbarrow loads later, I had the stones inside the walls. Used spikes for the upper tiers. Used 14"L timber screws with inside & outside "L-brackets" on the corners. Rented a compacter for the stones. A local builder delivered my custom shed, leveled with provided foundation (patio) blocks under all runners. Did not use floor joists. Shed sits on the stones and blocks.
I’ve done a lot of foundation in my life and I’ve never done it the way you did it! And you could if used a sds hammer drill to drive the rebar in the ground, and clear gravel doesn’t compact that good
Thanks Brad! I am planning my shed build. Mine too is 10 x 12 so this is a timely project for me. I have more slope in my back yard and after watching this, I am thinking of renting a tiller after I stake out the 12 x 14 plot. My thought process is tilling up the top soil might make it easier to move the dirt to level out the ground before I add the gravel base. Mine will be a spring of '24 build so I'll have some time to research this theory. Thanks again, and looking forward to the rest of the build.
Quite refreshing to see you build something without all the fancy expensive tools, I've laid a few shed foundation in my back gardens and the work needed is real (so full credit for going the distance and digging it all yourself). I'm not sure a french drain style (ish - with the stone) is necessary but I am all for well over engineeing everything I build. Thumbs up from me.
as a chap from the UK, It never fails to amaze me how much space you guys have. that back garden (yard?) space in the UK would have an estate (scheme?) of 200 tiny houses built on it. (each costing $250,000)
Great video! I'm gearing up to build this same style foundation for my new 14'x16' woodworking shop. Pretty sure you've saved me from making some boneheaded mistakes along the way.
This is interesting. I just did my shed. Used an auger to dig the holes. Threaded rod and cement and then two nuts to the right level tightened against each other. Metal plates on each one and then the timber right over each rod. Gonna do the same again next summer for a garden office.
@@barneyhartman-glaser6972 well I probably could have but this is just a method that I used before that is relatively cheap and quick. All I have to do is dig the hole with the auger, pay for a delivery of concrete, pour and make sure the rod is level.
Good video, and even a small shed is a lot of work. I just did a 48x16 deck with a 2 1/2' retaining wall w/gravel as water table made me second guess concrete piers. What I did was use Home Depot tool rental to save a ton of the hard work. Sod cutter $69 for a 4 hour rental. Sister had one of the Mantis type mini-tillers, so I removed a couple tines and had a 6-8" wide excavator. $75 for a compactor rental. Not sure the Threadloks were necessary, I would have just run 9/16 holes every 2-3' before placing the lumber and used some rebar to keep the lumber together. Nice job, haven't finished the video so hope you're going to show the actual shed build. Only critique is using deck screws....
Maaaan, good work, I feel moving that gravel. I did a 15x25 gravel pad for a 10x20 shed this past summer. I anti-varmited under the base with some wire mesh stapled to the inside of the rim joist and buried into the gravel about 4 or 5". I put it on before sheeting the floor.
Great video. Lots of great info. One thing I would change. Generally, when putting down sheet goods like plywood, I prefer to work across the sheet. Doing the perimeter first could leave a bow in the middle that you have to fight. Granted, it affects nailing more than screwing. But I still find it best practice to in essence roll it down while securing it.
I just did this for a 10x20 resin shed kit. Very stable and drains great. Renting a compactor was key. You’d be surprised how much the gravel will compact and make the base very solid.
A big consideration to save your back… Rent heavy equipment such as tractors and backhoes. They are available at the Orange or Blue stores as well as equipment rental stores. They’re for the larger pro power tools that are generally too expensive or specific to buy.
This is a very new/interesting/weird way to do a building foundation to me. We've always done cinder blocks on a leveled/tamped gravel perimeter with a higher middle (doesn't need to be flat) that then gets filled with gravel and throw a concrete slab on top of it. No worry about warping, less digging/tamping, no worry about eventual wood rot, no worry about critters etc. making homes underneath, etc. Also, outdoor rated screws are a far superior choice here as opposed to framing nails. Screws will stay in place and hold things together much better, particularly if the wood is open to the elements and bending/moving etc.
OK, a couple suggestions from experience (I helped a friend put in an above-ground pool many years ago). 1 -- it probably would have helped if you'd gotten a tiller to loosen up the soil beforehand. "Oh, but then it would be soft, and settle!!" Yes, which is why you then run a hose out to it (possibly not practical in your specific circumstance) and then water the ground down to "pack" it, especially using the tamper. This leads to: 2 -- you can use a smallish 2x4 -- probably 2-3 feet long -- to gradually push some dirt to the opposite end (e.g., to "screed" it). Get it approximate when dry, and then you can scrape it better when wet, to even stuff out across the... ah... "board". This is probably easier than shoveling. You can even make it easier if you have two people and/or a small tractor/riding lawnmower -- you could have someone put weight on the board as the tractor pulls it slowly.THIS can make that levelling job far far easier. You could even rig something that let you stand and walk with it while keeping some weight on it as needed to find that nice middle ground that gets 2-4 inches at a time but not a hell of a lot more. Water it down again when you get all the leveling done, so you can be sure it's packed tight. Having heavily watered it -- turned it into serious mud -- will help really really pack the dirt down. Do **NOT** underestimate the value of using *water* -- even if -- particularly if -- you're using a hand tamper, like that shown -- to get the water compact. Doing it when it is distinctly slushy mud allows the sand particles to flow around each other to get tightly packed. Obviously, you don't want too much water, you don't want it puddling on the top, but really "slushy". It's good if it splats a bit when it lands, then there's a puddle when you've hit it a couple times. Yeah, you're going to get dirty... That's half the fun, until you track it inside and the wife gets very annoyed, so prepare ahead of time to clean off outside. 😀 NOT applicable to this scenario -- for a circular bed (e.g., a gazebo or a circular above ground pool), you can use rebar to create a pivot point, and then push it around to scrape a circle level, using a beam level such as the one you show, to get it very flat very quickly, as the scraping will push stuff into the holes readily. Again, apply water routinely to turn it to mud, so it moves and packs readily. You might have put some watershield -- tyvek -- down on the underside just because that part is going to collect dew and moisture?
Good job putting that together Brad! Watching you hand dig everything reminded me of my 14x16 "Covid" shed. The location I needed to use was so far out of level that I would have died if I had to hand dig it. Home Depot Rentals to the rescue with a one day rental of a mini bulldozer thingy with a nice big bucket to move dirt. We still had to hand tamp it because I blew my rental budget on the mini bulldozer. It was worth every penny though.
Thanks for sharing this, Brad! I recently built an 8x16 shed, and I always like to have treated timber runners underneath in the event that I ever want to move it, it's ready to go. Once in place, I'll place pier blocks or solid cinder blocks/thick caps to keep the timbers away from the soil and have a hard surface on which to shim from. Also, using construction adhesive on top of all of your floor joists strengthens and quietens(yes, that's a word) the floor.
I have only seen this type of foundation once or twice and it is for balcony sheds. Sheds where I live normally is on cinder blocks because it is easier and it is more often than not more than enough for what most people have in them. Some bigger sheds have concrete slabs as a foundation since they know it will have heavy equipment in it. The foundation you made are normally used where a house wants to have a raised land balcony/porch/deck where the difference of the lowest point on the ground and the underside of the balcony/deck will be is to big, they look super nice and many use the extra gravel space to have plants. But it is so much more expensive than a normal balcony/deck.... That foundation is also normally used for a middle of the lawn decking to just look nice, have good drainage, etc.
Saved yourself a few trips to the gym. I never would have done all that "foundation" work if the shed was just being set on skids. But you have a nice clean space now and the drainage around there is great.
Thanks for the video. I just built a pad exactly like this for my Standby Generator. However I didn't fill it to the top of the timbers. After seeing this I'm going to fill it up.
I think I would have done everything differently? But this is a handy reminder of what it looks like when people have different ways of doing things 👌 You can buy longer framing screws btw
Looks like a stable foundation. When you were talking about the Gorilla Cart being a great tool to move gravel, I did wonder why you didn't have it dropped closer. Or why you weren't using a truck to move it. I don't have a truck, so I use my wheel barrow that has the 2 front wheels.
The title to this video is spot on, you way way over built the foundation. Are you doing anything from keeping critters from going under the shed, I see that you have two sides open? I saw another comment about us engineers overdesigning/overbuilding things that ai can relate to but this takes that to a new level.
We're used our "'Brad'Pacter!" It makes a big difference to learn from somebody who has a sense of humor and self awareness. The reason I learned to swap out a water pump in a VW Golf, fix a popped capacitor in an oldish TV, and swap out a ignitor in a gas dryer, (after breaking the first two) by pulling out the whole ignitor system, Kids! Dads gotta win!
Yaay! Thank you for using a foundation that isn’t a concrete slab. I’ve wondered before if it’s truly necessary to have a concrete foundation for a shed
Thank you so much for getting to shed building! I’m about to start my own shed project as we’ve recently purchased and built on some land. Excited to see your step by step and follow your lead!
Moving that stone is no joke. I had to do that as a teenager to the house I grew up in. Spreading stone by shovel and wheelbarrow on a drive that is 3 cars wide and 3 cars deep sucked. Dump truck driver just made it worse by saying "If it wasn't for these power lines I could spread this stuff out like butter on a piece of toast."
Great job. I recently installed a resin shed (couldn't pass up the clearance price - 50% off!) and had to weigh my options for the foundation. I considered installing a frame on a deck block foundation before finding a retired concrete pro who poured an 8x20 slab for $1600. My property sloped more than yours, and I have a wrist injury, so digging out the grade was not an option for me, but this looks much better than the frame option I was considering.
Two points; I would get a longer drill bit or a drill bit extension to drill the holes and I would also use a tamper to drive the rebar down instead of a hammer, it's much easier. Not so sure about the screws versus using nails; nails tend to flex while screws tend to shear, but maybe that's outdated thinking.
Did my foundation really fast. Hired a concert guy to lay a concrete foundation in one day! 😅 We get really high wind up on our exposed hill so I needed the weight.
You suggest tamping down after 2", and you suggest getting the gravel dumped straight into the destination. Both is impossible, unless we pay the gravel delivery company to wait while the gravel tamper people do a round of tamping in between pours. Ideally it's the same company, we could say, but that would mean we're still paying the costs of having a delivery truck sitting idle here. The second pour would partially disturb the first layer. If we need to choose, what would you do? Let them pour the 4" all at once?
Ghost of deer seasons past at 9:42. Good choice on the term insurance. You get so much more insurance for your premium and while universal and whole life are sold as investments they are poor vehicles to earn interest. Combining insurance and investments is a lot like mixing oil and sand. It's easy to do and very hard to undo.
I hope your shed appreciates the amouont of work that went into it's birth. I found a Gorilla Cart thrown away because the tires were flat and the handle was missing. I just dumped about thirty wagons full in my yard scraped off the bed of the pickup. One ton is plenty for a shot bed. Oh, and throw away the HF pneumatic tires and get the solid ones.
"Want to find the Most Level Ground you can".. 180ft Deep x 150ft Wide, from Back to Front my land Drops 18ft... and can hit water ( depending on season) from 1ft to 6ft down... No matter where you did... I had to put my Simple 10x10 in Blocks and a 1ft Overhang all around. Cost Well UNDER 1000. To buy the Same Size Shed, would have cost ( with their payment plan ) over 5000.. No Paying Off early notices..
I bought a large cart when we bought our new property that is 1.75 acres and I swear to god it was worth EVERY PENNY PAID!! That was the best $300 I ever spent!! I use that thing for everything!! And the fact I can hook it to my little mower makes it even better because then I don’t have to manually pull all that weight to the beck of the property!
Nice work on that shed foundation Brad. I would have put down either a concrete block or cement slab and then just purchased a prefabbed shed. Easy peasy..... 👍👍😉😉
Lol... as you were putting the gravel in by cart my first thought was I was going to suggest you get it delivered right to the foundation. I had the same problem years ago when I build my old shed. I was building it at my mother's house and I wasn't home when they delivered it. She didn't have them dump it where I needed it. Wasted a whole day just moving it over. Of course, lots of people have issues with big trucks coming on their property. Make sure you don't have a leach field under where the truck needs to drive, but if you can get it to dump there it's the single thing that will save you the most time.
At 1:58 - would you mind explaining why the string is at the specific height? does it have a significance at all? We are following your video to build our shed foundation right now :)
I had some boards outside covered with plastic. The moisture from the ground started molding the bottom boards. Not sure how your plywood is going to keep from molding.
Get Plans to build your own DIY 10x12 Shed! shop.fixthisbuildthat.com/collections/outdoor-projects/products/modern-10x12-diy-shed-plans
If you want to see the rest of the build you can find the videos here:
1. Building a Shed Foundation - ruclips.net/video/XodcMhvfkXg/видео.html
2. Framing a Shed Alone - ruclips.net/video/cGqx95JVsws/видео.html
3. Roofing a Lean-To Shed - ruclips.net/video/Hv3EOTkR3xw/видео.html
4. DIY Shed Doors & Windows - ruclips.net/video/rp3rJUWJeKE/видео.html
5. Finishing My Overbuilt Shed - ruclips.net/video/uPO46hSpP0A/видео.html
Treat the cut ends to prevent rotting and cut the rebar at a sharp angle to make it easier to pound into soil
Yes, and treat the hole that was drilled out for the rebar. Not as easy to do with a tight-fitting rebar. One way is to blob some into the hole then once you just got the rebar in a bit, paint the rebar which will apply the penetrating sealant all around the inside of the hole as you drive it home.
When I was growing up, if I did something bad, my step dad used to make me dig fence post holes. I feel like your tip about having your kid dig the hole is a GREAT tip. It really made me not want to do bad things any more.
welp, looks like Holes is getting a sequel
It made me get smarter in not getting caught doing something bad.
@@bozzskaggs112 When I look at the high level of mediocracy in todays young adult workforce, I wonder if teaching kids that hard work is a punishment wasn't a very bright idea.
@@Azaduur yes, it's much better to just let kids do whatever they want with no consequences!
@@bmorg7244 Your words, not mine.
Using this series with my son, as a carpentry class for homeschool. Couch trolls be damned, this is better training than i got with my first framing job. I was lucky the foreman was sober back then. Carpentry has definitely grown up over the years. Keep it up Brad! Thanks!
Very good to see you taking the tamping seriously. I come from a mine engineering background, and our prof for tailings dams noted that one of the biggest concerns with building them is overseeing the compaction process. Apparently it's not uncommon for work crews to work fast and skimp on the compaction steps to get the job done faster. Which you can kinda get away with in a lot of applications (including stuff like this shed) but you'll always have some differential settling issues, and different drainage characteristics. Which, if you have an earth-fill dam, is a critical problem.
Hope that pressure treated wood works out for you. I live out on the coast of BC (Canada just north of Washington State), and out here we tend to have issues with pressure treated wood not being as rot resistant at the cut ends than is needed in our quite wet climate. Folks who can afford it tend to use cedar instead - you can cut into a cedar log that has another tree grown over/around it and still find good wood in the middle, cedar lasts *ages* - for outdoor applications, and folks using the pressure treated stuff instead buy a product that you brush onto the ends to seal up the end grain. But thats for fairly extreme wet climates, we literally use the terms "rainforest" and "hypermaritime climate" to describe this area. You're definitely in a drier region, going by the trees in the background.
Down here on the humid Gulf Coast, I also like to seal the ends of pressure treated, especially if there's ground contact, like my kids swingset legs. When you look at the clean crosscut, you can just see how deep the treatment penetrated. That's essentially raw wood in the center, just asking for termites and other wood devouring critters.
I have a suggestion, when drilling through the beam. You can use a bit extension to give you the extra length. They come in 6", and 12" lengths. Could also been useful when attaching the rim joist . By the looks of the floor, the shed is going to be solid as a rock,... 👍
I really enjoy your videos, you should have your own TV show to help DIYers. You always explain everything in detail and your end product is always professional! Best wishes for your new home. Blessings to you and your family.
Something I was told about, after I did exactly what you did. Drill a 1/8 to 1/4 hole through the timber first. You can get 8-10" long drill bit for this. Then use the auger bit with the small hole as a guide for the tip of the auger. Cuts out the measurements and hoping you get the big holes from each side line up.
Great tip!
"pilot hole"
Great job, Brad. I enjoy watching someone else working. I've done plenty of it in my life.
Bill
All the buildings in our village,even the ancient stuff is built on raft style foundations,we are below the water table and have a huge lake right behind us, any timber on the ground,treated or not is done in just a few years. I used 24" lengths of 1- 3/4" rebar,to which I welded 4" squares to both ends,one end drilled for screws. These I then stood in my hole in the ground at 18" intervals so that only 9" was above ground level making sure the bottom square plates had at least 6" of gap under them and by using string lines to make sure the top plates were all level. I filled in around them to make my 'raft' and nothing has budged in 10 years or so and having insulated the floor timbers from the ground and the bracket via a rubber membrane between them( cut up truck mudflap😁) they are still in perfect condition.
I'm building a 12 x 16 shed. I used my 5 x 10 trailer to purchase and haul the #57 gravel....1 - 1.25 tons at a time. I did not want a large pile sitting in one area of my yard even if it was right next to my location or the large truck doing damage. Made 7 trips and totaled 9 tons. I backed the trailer to the area and used the scoop shovel to hand load in place. Your foundation is very similar to what I built. The shed almost completed. I am down to installing the siding. I also built the doors from oak lumber harvested from trees we took down in our back yard. I very much enjoy your videos and your quirky(?) nature!
A true engineer 👍🏼 over design and over build, loved it! This is the theme of most of my projects, well done sir.
if you're gonna do it, over do it :)
Brad this summer we redid our backyard and I hand poured and leveled 5 cubic yards of gravel and 11 yards of top soil all using the Gorilla Cart. Here is the crazy part...I really enjoyed it. It was hard work but was pretty rewarding. I do wish I'd maybe done it when the weather was cooler though.
I may be a masochist.
some of these commenters just don't understand...there can be a lot of value in just doing hard work. yes, I could have rented tools and done it 4x as fast, but I really enjoyed just putting in the work and seeing what I can accomplish with my hands and some basic tools
@@Fixthisbuildthat I feel that way whenever I see a home improvement project I completed: the setting sun shining off the painted garage siding that my kids helped me replace the rotted sill plate and repaint gives me a sense of pride that paying to have someone else do it does not.
I've built several sheds, decks, and fences over the years. You may consider doing a segment or a video on appropriate times to use nails vs screws. When I was first starting out doing DIY, I used screws for everything, but after a few fence sections fell over because of shear in the wind, I found there's a time and place for everything 😅. Can't wait to watch the rest of your build!
I'd love to see some data on ring shank vs screws in both shear and pull out strength.
Grk makes screws that are approved for framing. those are my go to
@@Fixthisbuildthattime to do a collab with Mathias. 😆
@@Russianmafia10 I see them called "construction" screws, vs "deck" screws. I typically get torx drive.
@@RossReedstrom construction screws are still not structural. They make special structural screws that are different.
Thanks for showing how to build a shed from the ground up as this would help me immensely!.
Great video! I'll be helping my son build his shed this next year and your guidance will help lead the way. Thank you.
I built my 10*14 foundation using this method. A couple of years later, it's holding up perfectly. Definitely recommend this method!
Thanks for the inspiration. I'm getting plans together to build a flat hockey pad for my sons and just the flooring and foundation fits the mark perfectly.
Um. Am I the only one that saw the deer ghost at 9:42? Like I had to rewind three times because of how brief it was and making sure I wasn't losing my mind.
Wth😮😅
I saw it!
seen. wtf
That was wild
The Return of Bambi's Mother!
This is very similar (and sure a bit overboard) to a tent platform I've been planning, very glad to have this as a reference! Also love love the new property.
Thanks!
I always take old chain-link fence or metal fence from the garden store and lay it underneath the gravel. It stops the woodchucks from building a home.
I built a 12'x20' workshop and did a similar gravel pad foundation 14'x22'. I had about a 13" slope over 22' and the top 6" was compacted rock so it was not easy to dig out, especially doing it alone by hand. It turned out great and sure beats the option of a block foundation or paying for a slab to be laid. The gravel pad and workshop look amazing and added value to my propery so well worth all the hard work.
I used a block foundation for a 10 x 12 kit-style shed. Looked good,; worked good; for about 2 years. Then became worthless. And made we wish I had done slab instead. House built in subdivision circa 1950s; in what was USA's largest walnut orchard. Yeah. Critters! Clean every year with "everybody out" routine requiring removal of all contents, spaying 100% of interior with bleach/water solution, cleaning all contents with same solution. Next cycle, I'm tearing down old and using your slab style.
In UK we call that a house!!!😂
Okay. This is what I did seven years ago now, for my shed/shop 12'x16' (16'x20' foundation). It worked great! Thought this was my idea...nice to see someone-else did it, too. I used 4''L- 1/2" rebar to anchor the first tier of treated 6"x6" timbers to the ground (low wall, no deadmen). Used the same stone for the same stated reasons...delivery driver dumped the stones outside my foundation. 52 wheelbarrow loads later, I had the stones inside the walls. Used spikes for the upper tiers. Used 14"L timber screws with inside & outside "L-brackets" on the corners. Rented a compacter for the stones. A local builder delivered my custom shed, leveled with provided foundation (patio) blocks under all runners. Did not use floor joists. Shed sits on the stones and blocks.
I’ve done a lot of foundation in my life and I’ve never done it the way you did it! And you could if used a sds hammer drill to drive the rebar in the ground, and clear gravel doesn’t compact that good
Thanks Brad! I am planning my shed build. Mine too is 10 x 12 so this is a timely project for me. I have more slope in my back yard and after watching this, I am thinking of renting a tiller after I stake out the 12 x 14 plot. My thought process is tilling up the top soil might make it easier to move the dirt to level out the ground before I add the gravel base. Mine will be a spring of '24 build so I'll have some time to research this theory. Thanks again, and looking forward to the rest of the build.
I'd rent a tamper too, because you're right, the ground will be pretty loose after you run a tiller through it! 😅
@@serversurfer6169 That's a great idea. Thanks!!!
@@frankbiondo2476 I’m glad to help. Good luck! 🍀
Excited about this series. I'm going to build a 10x12 in my yard for storage next year and this is helpful! Thanks for sharing
I'll make all the mistakes for you!
@@Fixthisbuildthat is the finale coming soon?
Quite refreshing to see you build something without all the fancy expensive tools, I've laid a few shed foundation in my back gardens and the work needed is real (so full credit for going the distance and digging it all yourself). I'm not sure a french drain style (ish - with the stone) is necessary but I am all for well over engineeing everything I build. Thumbs up from me.
it's refreshing seeing all these people telling me to use expensive tools vs talking about my expensive woodworking tools, lol
as a chap from the UK, It never fails to amaze me how much space you guys have. that back garden (yard?) space in the UK would have an estate (scheme?) of 200 tiny houses built on it. (each costing $250,000)
Me too! I wondered where he was. Backyards are typically not that big.
Looks great! I would do something to coverup those ends so you don't have critters moving in under your shed!
Great video! I'm gearing up to build this same style foundation for my new 14'x16' woodworking shop. Pretty sure you've saved me from making some boneheaded mistakes along the way.
Always enjoy your videos. Very well done.
@ 15:00ish.... It's all about that base, 'bout that base, more gravel.
This is interesting. I just did my shed. Used an auger to dig the holes. Threaded rod and cement and then two nuts to the right level tightened against each other. Metal plates on each one and then the timber right over each rod. Gonna do the same again next summer for a garden office.
that sounds cool
Why not just build it on concrete piers?
@@barneyhartman-glaser6972 well I probably could have but this is just a method that I used before that is relatively cheap and quick. All I have to do is dig the hole with the auger, pay for a delivery of concrete, pour and make sure the rod is level.
Good video, and even a small shed is a lot of work.
I just did a 48x16 deck with a 2 1/2' retaining wall w/gravel as water table made me second guess concrete piers. What I did was use Home Depot tool rental to save a ton of the hard work.
Sod cutter $69 for a 4 hour rental.
Sister had one of the Mantis type mini-tillers, so I removed a couple tines and had a 6-8" wide excavator.
$75 for a compactor rental.
Not sure the Threadloks were necessary, I would have just run 9/16 holes every 2-3' before placing the lumber and used some rebar to keep the lumber together.
Nice job, haven't finished the video so hope you're going to show the actual shed build.
Only critique is using deck screws....
This is awesome. I wish I had used your method when I built my chicken coop. Especially like the gravel bottom.
Maaaan, good work, I feel moving that gravel. I did a 15x25 gravel pad for a 10x20 shed this past summer. I anti-varmited under the base with some wire mesh stapled to the inside of the rim joist and buried into the gravel about 4 or 5". I put it on before sheeting the floor.
smart! I'm going to put something there but didn't consider burying it in the gravel, that's a great idea
I appreciate those final rebar hits on beat with the music at 7:08.
Great video. Lots of great info.
One thing I would change. Generally, when putting down sheet goods like plywood, I prefer to work across the sheet. Doing the perimeter first could leave a bow in the middle that you have to fight. Granted, it affects nailing more than screwing. But I still find it best practice to in essence roll it down while securing it.
I just did this for a 10x20 resin shed kit. Very stable and drains great. Renting a compactor was key. You’d be surprised how much the gravel will compact and make the base very solid.
yeah, I should have probably just rented one
@@Fixthisbuildthat Hey, but at least you don't have to hit the gym: biceps and lats already worked!
Great job Brad looking great. Can’t wait to see it finished
A big consideration to save your back…
Rent heavy equipment such as tractors and backhoes. They are available at the Orange or Blue stores as well as equipment rental stores. They’re for the larger pro power tools that are generally too expensive or specific to buy.
This is a very new/interesting/weird way to do a building foundation to me. We've always done cinder blocks on a leveled/tamped gravel perimeter with a higher middle (doesn't need to be flat) that then gets filled with gravel and throw a concrete slab on top of it. No worry about warping, less digging/tamping, no worry about eventual wood rot, no worry about critters etc. making homes underneath, etc. Also, outdoor rated screws are a far superior choice here as opposed to framing nails. Screws will stay in place and hold things together much better, particularly if the wood is open to the elements and bending/moving etc.
oddly enough interesting and weird are some of the top adjectives people use to describe me 😂
@@Fixthisbuildthat ditto my man.
Agree ... wood will rot fast.
It’s just a shed. I did the same way over 20 years ago and no problem.
@@OtikaOtikaOtikait depends what fast is to you. I have a 60yo retaining wall here made of 6x6 and it is still holding fine
OK, a couple suggestions from experience (I helped a friend put in an above-ground pool many years ago).
1 -- it probably would have helped if you'd gotten a tiller to loosen up the soil beforehand. "Oh, but then it would be soft, and settle!!" Yes, which is why you then run a hose out to it (possibly not practical in your specific circumstance) and then water the ground down to "pack" it, especially using the tamper.
This leads to:
2 -- you can use a smallish 2x4 -- probably 2-3 feet long -- to gradually push some dirt to the opposite end (e.g., to "screed" it). Get it approximate when dry, and then you can scrape it better when wet, to even stuff out across the... ah... "board". This is probably easier than shoveling. You can even make it easier if you have two people and/or a small tractor/riding lawnmower -- you could have someone put weight on the board as the tractor pulls it slowly.THIS can make that levelling job far far easier. You could even rig something that let you stand and walk with it while keeping some weight on it as needed to find that nice middle ground that gets 2-4 inches at a time but not a hell of a lot more.
Water it down again when you get all the leveling done, so you can be sure it's packed tight. Having heavily watered it -- turned it into serious mud -- will help really really pack the dirt down. Do **NOT** underestimate the value of using *water* -- even if -- particularly if -- you're using a hand tamper, like that shown -- to get the water compact. Doing it when it is distinctly slushy mud allows the sand particles to flow around each other to get tightly packed. Obviously, you don't want too much water, you don't want it puddling on the top, but really "slushy". It's good if it splats a bit when it lands, then there's a puddle when you've hit it a couple times. Yeah, you're going to get dirty... That's half the fun, until you track it inside and the wife gets very annoyed, so prepare ahead of time to clean off outside. 😀
NOT applicable to this scenario -- for a circular bed (e.g., a gazebo or a circular above ground pool), you can use rebar to create a pivot point, and then push it around to scrape a circle level, using a beam level such as the one you show, to get it very flat very quickly, as the scraping will push stuff into the holes readily. Again, apply water routinely to turn it to mud, so it moves and packs readily.
You might have put some watershield -- tyvek -- down on the underside just because that part is going to collect dew and moisture?
Good job putting that together Brad! Watching you hand dig everything reminded me of my 14x16 "Covid" shed. The location I needed to use was so far out of level that I would have died if I had to hand dig it. Home Depot Rentals to the rescue with a one day rental of a mini bulldozer thingy with a nice big bucket to move dirt. We still had to hand tamp it because I blew my rental budget on the mini bulldozer. It was worth every penny though.
sounds awesome!
Thanks for sharing this, Brad! I recently built an 8x16 shed, and I always like to have treated timber runners underneath in the event that I ever want to move it, it's ready to go. Once in place, I'll place pier blocks or solid cinder blocks/thick caps to keep the timbers away from the soil and have a hard surface on which to shim from. Also, using construction adhesive on top of all of your floor joists strengthens and quietens(yes, that's a word) the floor.
yes, I considered using construction adhesive, but since this will be utility storage I decided against it
Great job! I like the Ghost deer at 9:41 too. haha!
I look forward to seeing the multi story car park that you are going to build on that base!
I have only seen this type of foundation once or twice and it is for balcony sheds.
Sheds where I live normally is on cinder blocks because it is easier and it is more often than not more than enough for what most people have in them.
Some bigger sheds have concrete slabs as a foundation since they know it will have heavy equipment in it.
The foundation you made are normally used where a house wants to have a raised land balcony/porch/deck where the difference of the lowest point on the ground and the underside of the balcony/deck will be is to big, they look super nice and many use the extra gravel space to have plants. But it is so much more expensive than a normal balcony/deck.... That foundation is also normally used for a middle of the lawn decking to just look nice, have good drainage, etc.
Saved yourself a few trips to the gym. I never would have done all that "foundation" work if the shed was just being set on skids. But you have a nice clean space now and the drainage around there is great.
Oh boy, a shed build! 😃🍿
This made me think of your build!
Also if you have a tiller or can borrow one use that to churn up the dig line to make things easier.
Nice neat sturdy job mate ! Without all the mess and setting times 👍👍👍
Great video and teaching as always... btw LOVE the shadow ghost deer in the frame that you added.
That is a lot of work! I will have to take the frame with the gravel only!
Nice job! That looks great.
You did a good job capturing audio in this one, Brad. It can be a real challenge outdoors.
Thanks! got a little windy there at spots, but that dead cat helped a ton
@@Fixthisbuildthat i don't think I'd have even known if you hadn't called it out. Great job!
Brilliant. Obvious but not obvious if know what I mean.
Most pre-made sheds have wooden bases that rot away due to damp.
Like the levelling idea.
Thanks for the video. I just built a pad exactly like this for my Standby Generator. However I didn't fill it to the top of the timbers. After seeing this I'm going to fill it up.
I think I would have done everything differently? But this is a handy reminder of what it looks like when people have different ways of doing things 👌 You can buy longer framing screws btw
Gotta give you props for the tenacity with getting that last timber down.
Pretty massive work, Brad! But you did a fantastic job! Well done!!! 😃
Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊
Thanks, MC! 💪 💪
Looks like a stable foundation. When you were talking about the Gorilla Cart being a great tool to move gravel, I did wonder why you didn't have it dropped closer. Or why you weren't using a truck to move it. I don't have a truck, so I use my wheel barrow that has the 2 front wheels.
Yes, I vastly underestimated the time it would take to level the ground. And was not ready when gravel showed up
The title to this video is spot on, you way way over built the foundation. Are you doing anything from keeping critters from going under the shed, I see that you have two sides open? I saw another comment about us engineers overdesigning/overbuilding things that ai can relate to but this takes that to a new level.
We're used our "'Brad'Pacter!" It makes a big difference to learn from somebody who has a sense of humor and self awareness. The reason I learned to swap out a water pump in a VW Golf, fix a popped capacitor in an oldish TV, and swap out a ignitor in a gas dryer, (after breaking the first two) by pulling out the whole ignitor system, Kids! Dads gotta win!
Is no one going to talk about the ghost deer at 9:43... :D Thanks for the Video. It's helping me a lot.
Looks good. I like the idea of mixing / pouring a concrete footer instead of 4x6 beams. My 2 cents.
Yaay! Thank you for using a foundation that isn’t a concrete slab. I’ve wondered before if it’s truly necessary to have a concrete foundation for a shed
this option will be much much cheaper (and more work, lol). I have about $250 of materials in the gravel base vs close to $1000 if it were poured
@@Fixthisbuildthat and concrete produces alot of CO2 so the gravel will be a greener process
Thank you so much for getting to shed building! I’m about to start my own shed project as we’ve recently purchased and built on some land. Excited to see your step by step and follow your lead!
other tutorials are also available................... jus sayin
Good to see another video. Always look forward for your content. Didn’t the new property have multiple out buildings. Haha never enough space.
10-minute mark: Love that you are promoting life insurance. Always a good time to bring it up. 👍
This is awesome!! I need to figure out how to begin a similar job, but at 16'x20' in a yard that slopes...
Great job my friend. Can't wait for plans. Good luck
Moving that stone is no joke. I had to do that as a teenager to the house I grew up in. Spreading stone by shovel and wheelbarrow on a drive that is 3 cars wide and 3 cars deep sucked. Dump truck driver just made it worse by saying "If it wasn't for these power lines I could spread this stuff out like butter on a piece of toast."
Great job. I recently installed a resin shed (couldn't pass up the clearance price - 50% off!) and had to weigh my options for the foundation. I considered installing a frame on a deck block foundation before finding a retired concrete pro who poured an 8x20 slab for $1600. My property sloped more than yours, and I have a wrist injury, so digging out the grade was not an option for me, but this looks much better than the frame option I was considering.
Two points; I would get a longer drill bit or a drill bit extension to drill the holes and I would also use a tamper to drive the rebar down instead of a hammer, it's much easier. Not so sure about the screws versus using nails; nails tend to flex while screws tend to shear, but maybe that's outdated thinking.
Hello Ghost deer 😊!
Yeah, what's with that? I had to come look through the comments to see if I was crazy! lol
❤
Did my foundation really fast. Hired a concert guy to lay a concrete foundation in one day! 😅 We get really high wind up on our exposed hill so I needed the weight.
I built one for my 14x24 shed and did mot go to all your trouble. It is just as good to.
This will be a great project and I'm absolutely sure that Brad will be a great instructor! Can't wait for the follow ons!
thanks, Jeff!
You suggest tamping down after 2", and you suggest getting the gravel dumped straight into the destination. Both is impossible, unless we pay the gravel delivery company to wait while the gravel tamper people do a round of tamping in between pours. Ideally it's the same company, we could say, but that would mean we're still paying the costs of having a delivery truck sitting idle here. The second pour would partially disturb the first layer. If we need to choose, what would you do? Let them pour the 4" all at once?
Ghost of deer seasons past at 9:42.
Good choice on the term insurance. You get so much more insurance for your premium and while
universal and whole life are sold as investments they are poor vehicles to earn interest. Combining
insurance and investments is a lot like mixing oil and sand. It's easy to do and very hard to undo.
I hope your shed appreciates the amouont of work that went into it's birth. I found a Gorilla Cart thrown away because the tires were flat and the handle was missing. I just dumped about thirty wagons full in my yard scraped off the bed of the pickup. One ton is plenty for a shot bed. Oh, and throw away the HF pneumatic tires and get the solid ones.
"Want to find the Most Level Ground you can".. 180ft Deep x 150ft Wide, from Back to Front my land Drops 18ft... and can hit water ( depending on season) from 1ft to 6ft down... No matter where you did... I had to put my Simple 10x10 in Blocks and a 1ft Overhang all around. Cost Well UNDER 1000. To buy the Same Size Shed, would have cost ( with their payment plan ) over 5000.. No Paying Off early notices..
I bought a large cart when we bought our new property that is 1.75 acres and I swear to god it was worth EVERY PENNY PAID!! That was the best $300 I ever spent!! I use that thing for everything!! And the fact I can hook it to my little mower makes it even better because then I don’t have to manually pull all that weight to the beck of the property!
I literally just realized I could hook this one up to a hitch!
@@Fixthisbuildthat it’s a life changer!
Good job anchoring but I agree with other comments as should of keep the dirt away from the timber’s. But awesome job.
The perimeter encasing the ground can be made with large plastic landscaping ties which are more expensive but will NEVER rot.
Nice work on that shed foundation Brad. I would have put down either a concrete block or cement slab and then just purchased a prefabbed shed. Easy peasy..... 👍👍😉😉
That would be a very boring video, Steve 😂😂
Curious what the cost difference was for this vs a poured slab.
how long would that pressure treated timber framing out the gravel base in the trenches last since it is directly in contact with the dirt?
Brad, they make machines that do the digging and other ground work for you!!! Yeah, they do... Seen it myself...
at 9:43...was that the ghost of buck's past?
Yes it was 😂😂
Lol... as you were putting the gravel in by cart my first thought was I was going to suggest you get it delivered right to the foundation. I had the same problem years ago when I build my old shed. I was building it at my mother's house and I wasn't home when they delivered it. She didn't have them dump it where I needed it. Wasted a whole day just moving it over.
Of course, lots of people have issues with big trucks coming on their property. Make sure you don't have a leach field under where the truck needs to drive, but if you can get it to dump there it's the single thing that will save you the most time.
Curious as to why the 4x4 side is left exposed with the possibility of that providing shelter for skunks??
At 1:58 - would you mind explaining why the string is at the specific height? does it have a significance at all? We are following your video to build our shed foundation right now :)
Excellent work. Your videos are always visually pleasing. 😃👍
Thank you so much 😀
2:20 At my age you realize that a mini excavator rental is less expensive than the chiropractor for recovery
I had some boards outside covered with plastic. The moisture from the ground started molding the bottom boards. Not sure how your plywood is going to keep from molding.
What kind of deer is that at minute 9:42 on the right?
You'll see if you watch this: ruclips.net/video/YfD0nSH90BU/видео.html 😀
Would you recommend using dpc sheet to stop damp rising through floor timbers
Great video. Good explanations as it was being built.
My European mind cant comprehend using wood as "foundation"
It "over built"😂
Mine doesnt either 😂😂😂😂