How to build a shed base?

You need a firm, level base for your shed to ensure that it stays structurally sound – without one, doors will sag, walls will lean and it won’t last you as long. But how do you build a shed base and what should you make it from? Timber shed bases A timber shed base is made from pressure-treated timber and has metal spikes that you hammer into the ground to keep it in place. You can often buy them with your shed installation kit, but they also come separately, often in 6x4 or 7x5 sizes. To build a timber shed base, you’ll drill holes then fit screws in the timber until the entire frame is built. Remember to check it’s square, then fix L-shaped feet to the inside of the frame. If you’re putting your shed on a hard surface like concrete, this is all you need to do. If you’re putting the base on soft ground, hammer in spikes at each corner until they’re level with the top of the base, then secure the spikes to the base with screws. Then you can position the shed floor onto the base. How to build a plastic shed base A plastic shed base is a simple and quick way to build a shed base. You can lay it on level concrete or paving slabs, but adding sharp sand on top will help keep it more secure. They come in a kit containing plastic grids. To build your plastic base, first measure out the site and hammer a peg into each corner and tie with string or builder’s line. Make it slightly larger than the shed base to help with drainage. Then cut into the lawn and remove the turf, making sure it’s level. Lay down a membrane sheet and weigh it down if it’s windy. Then lay out the number of plastic grids you need, then remove the locking pins and clip all the grids together. Once they’re all connected, put the locking pins back in the centre of the grids. Put your shed floor on top and you’re done! Concrete or paved shed bases For a concrete base or a shed base made from paving slabs, you’ll need to dig a sub-base. For concrete bases, you’ll need to dig down 150mm so you can add 75mm of compact hardcore under 75mm of concrete. For paved shed bases, you’ll want it to be about 120mm deep for 50mm of compact hardcore and the paving slabs. How to build a shed base out of paving slabs Mix sand and cement together to make mortar or use a pre-mixed one Use a trowel to lay mortar for 1 slab at a time on the sub-base and lift a damp-sided slab onto the mortar, using a piece of timber and club hammer to tap the slab into position carefully. Continue to lay the first row of slabs Make equally-sized spacers in all the joints in the slabs to ensure they’re the same size, checking it’s level as you go along Next lay slabs along the two adjacent outer edges, filling in the central area row by row Leave the mortar to set according to the instructions or for at least 48 hours before filling in the joints with mortar or paving grout Building a shed base from concrete Create a wooden frame around your shed base area (also called formwork) to stop the concrete from spreading Mix pre-mixed concrete with water or use 1 part cement to 5 parts ballast Wet the sub-base using a watering can with a rose on the end Pour the concrete onto the framed base starting in one corner Push the blade of a shovel up and down in the edges of the concrete to get rid of air bubbles Use a rake to spread the concrete, leaving it around 18mm higher than the top of the frame. Work in sections of around 1-1.m2 Compact the concrete using a straight piece of timber that’s longer than the width of the base. Move the timber along the site, hitting it along at about half of its thickness at a time until the surface is evenly ridged Remove excess concrete and level the surface by sliding the timber back and forwards from the edge that you started. Fill in any depressions and repeat until even Run an edging trowel along the frame to round off exposed edges of the concrete and prevent chipping Cover the concrete with a plastic sheet raised on wooden supports to allow slow drying. Weigh it down with bricks Once the concrete is set, you can install your shed and remove the wooden frame with a crowbar Don’t fancy having a go at building a shed base yourself? Get a range of quotes from a professional and see how much it will cost.

Do I need planning permission for a shed?

Generally, you don’t need planning permission for a shed if you live in England or Wales. This applies whether it’s a wooden, metal, plastic or brick shed. However, there are a few conditions your shed will have to meet to not require planning permission: The shed doesn’t cover more than 50% of the garden It’s not in front of your house The shed is single-storey with eaves no higher than 2.5m and the overall height is no taller than 4m for a dual-pitched roof, or 3m for any other type. If it’s located within 2 metres of your property’s boundary, it mustn't be more than 2.5m high There’s no veranda or balcony The floor area is no bigger than 15m2 - up to 30m2 may be covered under Permitted Development if other conditions are met The shed is for domestic use only by those who live in the property and there’s no sleeping accommodation – that means you can’t run a business from the shed unless you apply for planning permission Exceptions Of course, there are always exceptions: If you live in a listed building, you’ll need Listed Building Consent before you can build a shed in your garden If you live in a conservation area or similar, the maximum area of ground covered by outbuildings, pools and enclosures situated more than 20m from any wall of the house mustn’t exceed 10m2 if they’re to be considered as a permitted development If you own a piece of woodland, you must seek planning permission for any permanent structure In Scotland, you’ll need planning permission if any part of the shed comes within 1m of a neighbouring property or is more than 2.5m high In Northern Ireland, there are rules about how close your shed can be from a road that passes by the back of your house. It’s best to check for clarification So if you live in a straightforward house in England or Wales, you shouldn’t need planning permission for your shed. If you’re in any doubt, make sure you check with your local planning office.

Garden Shed in Tyne And Wear and surrounding area

Garden Sheds in Tyne And Wear

Garden sheds are a crucial aspect of any useful garden space. They can offer storage for cumbersome garden tools, as well as for other tools. A generous shed might even offer enough space for plant potting or a general workshop. Additionally, a big shed could be utilised as an inside sitting area. Garden sheds are available in a large range of sizes and can be specified to your particular requirements, providing you with complete control over the number and placement of windows, type, size and location of door, and design of roof. Garden sheds normally come in one of three materials. Wooden sheds are the traditional style and can be integrated well into any garden creating a natural look, especially if the wood used for the shed is matched to surrounding fences. Wooden sheds remain extremely popular, although they will need maintenance by retreating or staining the wood to preserve the lifespan of the shed. Garden sheds are also made of metal, which is very durable and therefore ideal for storage of tools and other equipment. Metal sheds additionally require very little maintenance. The final material for garden sheds is plastic, which in modern examples is a lot more durable than might be expected. When considering a garden shed, it's vital to make sure that you choose one that will fit in your garden space. Garden sheds should be located on a level area, and will need a base to be built as a foundation. This base could be made from either concrete, paving, gravel or a floating wooden base, but will need to be the right size for your shed and capable of supporting the weight of your shed when loaded.

Avg. price low	Avg. price low £450
Avg. price	Avg. price £600
Avg. price high	Avg. price high £690

Avg. price low

Avg. price low
£450

Avg. price

Avg. price
£600

Avg. price high

Avg. price high
£690

You need a firm, level base for your shed to ensure that it stays structurally sound – without one, doors will sag, walls will lean and it won’t last you as long. But how do you build a shed base and what should you make it from? Timber shed bases A timber shed base is made from pressure-treated timber and has metal spikes that you hammer into the ground to keep it in place. You can often buy them with your shed installation kit, but they also come separately, often in 6x4 or 7x5 sizes. To build a timber shed base, you’ll drill holes then fit screws in the timber until the entire frame is built. Remember to check it’s square, then fix L-shaped feet to the inside of the frame. If you’re putting your shed on a hard surface like concrete, this is all you need to do. If you’re putting the base on soft ground, hammer in spikes at each corner until they’re level with the top of the base, then secure the spikes to the base with screws. Then you can position the shed floor onto the base. How to build a plastic shed base A plastic shed base is a simple and quick way to build a shed base. You can lay it on level concrete or paving slabs, but adding sharp sand on top will help keep it more secure. They come in a kit containing plastic grids. To build your plastic base, first measure out the site and hammer a peg into each corner and tie with string or builder’s line. Make it slightly larger than the shed base to help with drainage. Then cut into the lawn and remove the turf, making sure it’s level. Lay down a membrane sheet and weigh it down if it’s windy. Then lay out the number of plastic grids you need, then remove the locking pins and clip all the grids together. Once they’re all connected, put the locking pins back in the centre of the grids. Put your shed floor on top and you’re done! Concrete or paved shed bases For a concrete base or a shed base made from paving slabs, you’ll need to dig a sub-base. For concrete bases, you’ll need to dig down 150mm so you can add 75mm of compact hardcore under 75mm of concrete. For paved shed bases, you’ll want it to be about 120mm deep for 50mm of compact hardcore and the paving slabs.

How to build a shed base out of paving slabs
- Mix sand and cement together to make mortar or use a pre-mixed one
- Use a trowel to lay mortar for 1 slab at a time on the sub-base and lift a damp-sided slab onto the mortar, using a piece of timber and club hammer to tap the slab into position carefully. Continue to lay the first row of slabs
- Make equally-sized spacers in all the joints in the slabs to ensure they’re the same size, checking it’s level as you go along
- Next lay slabs along the two adjacent outer edges, filling in the central area row by row
- Leave the mortar to set according to the instructions or for at least 48 hours before filling in the joints with mortar or paving grout
Building a shed base from concrete
- Create a wooden frame around your shed base area (also called formwork) to stop the concrete from spreading
- Mix pre-mixed concrete with water or use 1 part cement to 5 parts ballast
- Wet the sub-base using a watering can with a rose on the end
- Pour the concrete onto the framed base starting in one corner
- Push the blade of a shovel up and down in the edges of the concrete to get rid of air bubbles
- Use a rake to spread the concrete, leaving it around 18mm higher than the top of the frame. Work in sections of around 1-1.m²
- Compact the concrete using a straight piece of timber that’s longer than the width of the base. Move the timber along the site, hitting it along at about half of its thickness at a time until the surface is evenly ridged
- Remove excess concrete and level the surface by sliding the timber back and forwards from the edge that you started. Fill in any depressions and repeat until even
- Run an edging trowel along the frame to round off exposed edges of the concrete and prevent chipping
- Cover the concrete with a plastic sheet raised on wooden supports to allow slow drying. Weigh it down with bricks
- Once the concrete is set, you can install your shed and remove the wooden frame with a crowbar

Don’t fancy having a go at building a shed base yourself? Get a range of quotes from a professional and see how much it will cost.

Generally, you don’t need planning permission for a shed if you live in England or Wales. This applies whether it’s a wooden, metal, plastic or brick shed. However, there are a few conditions your shed will have to meet to not require planning permission:

The shed doesn’t cover more than 50% of the garden
It’s not in front of your house
The shed is single-storey with eaves no higher than 2.5m and the overall height is no taller than 4m for a dual-pitched roof, or 3m for any other type. If it’s located within 2 metres of your property’s boundary, it mustn't be more than 2.5m high
There’s no veranda or balcony
The floor area is no bigger than 15m² - up to 30m² may be covered under Permitted Development if other conditions are met
The shed is for domestic use only by those who live in the property and there’s no sleeping accommodation – that means you can’t run a business from the shed unless you apply for planning permission

Exceptions Of course, there are always exceptions:

If you live in a listed building, you’ll need Listed Building Consent before you can build a shed in your garden
If you live in a conservation area or similar, the maximum area of ground covered by outbuildings, pools and enclosures situated more than 20m from any wall of the house mustn’t exceed 10m² if they’re to be considered as a permitted development
If you own a piece of woodland, you must seek planning permission for any permanent structure
In Scotland, you’ll need planning permission if any part of the shed comes within 1m of a neighbouring property or is more than 2.5m high
In Northern Ireland, there are rules about how close your shed can be from a road that passes by the back of your house. It’s best to check for clarification

So if you live in a straightforward house in England or Wales, you shouldn’t need planning permission for your shed. If you’re in any doubt, make sure you check with your local planning office.

Yes, it is possible to insulate a shed. You might want to do this if you’re planning on working in it during the winter. A professional will be able to help you find an insulated shed or advise you on how to insulate a shed that you already have. Always seek professional advise first before attempting to do this yourself!

Try to put your shed in open space, away from trees, bushes and other buildings. This will help to protect it from falling branches and sap. It will also mean that you can access all sides of the shed for repair and maintenance purposes. Make sure you take a look at garden shed planning rules before you pick a final spot for your shed.

	Labour cost	£420
	Material cost	£150
	Waste removal	£30

Garden Sheds in Tyne And Wear

Find Garden Sheds Prices in Tyne And Wear

Garden Sheds in Tyne And Wear

Average Garden shed cost in Tyne And Wear

Average price per Garden shed job in 2025

Garden shed installation cost in Tyne And Wear 2025

Garden shed searches in May 2025

Garden shed Projects in Tyne And Wear in April 2025

8,412

0

0

Garden shed searches in cities and towns near Tyne And Wear April 2025

Garden shed near you

Tyne And Wear

Looking for Garden shed in Tyne And Wear?

Get free quotes from local carpenters

Similar Customer Enquiries for Garden shed in Tyne And Wear

Garden | Sheds

Garden | Sheds

Garden | Sheds

Garden | Sheds

Garden | Sheds

Garden | Sheds

Garden | Sheds

Garden | Sheds

Garden | Sheds

Garden | Sheds

Garden | Sheds

Garden | Sheds

Garden | Sheds

Garden | Sheds

Garden | Sheds

Garden | Sheds

Garden | Sheds

Garden | Sheds

Garden | Sheds

Garden | Sheds

Local & reliable carpenters near me

Tell us about your garden shed project

Find up to 4 carpenters in Tyne And Wear

Hire with confidence

Our reviews

Average

Would highly recommend

Good easy way to find a selection of…

Love LeadsDoWork it's a big part of my …

FAQs

Other Top Projects in Tyne And Wear

Need more help?

Are you a carpenter in Tyne And Wear?