How to Prepare The Ground In Your Backyard for Shed Installation

So, you’ve made the decision to spruce up your backyard (or to wrangle all of your children’s Tonka Trucks together in one place) with a new storage shed! Adequate building materials and a solid foundation are vital to the construction of a durable and long lasting storage shed. By properly preparing your grounds for a shed installation, you will be one step closer to improving your home’s outdoor decor.

Preparing your backyard for a shed installation on your own is one way to save money, however some people hire out this work to a contractor. If you would rather take the DIY track, then here are the tools that you will need to successfully prepare your backyard.

What You Will Need:

• • Gravel or Crushed Stone

• • Measuring tape

• • Hammer or rubber mallet

• • 4-5 Wood stakes or Chalk

• • Dry Sand

• • Metal Rake

• • Paving Slabs

• • Level

• • Flat Shovel and a Regular Shovel

• • Wheelbarrow

NOTE: Before you begin to prepare your backyard for storage shed instillation, review your neighborhood’s ordinances about new constructions and lawn care.  Some towns issue citations for what may appear like an unkempt yard.

What You Will Need To Do:

1) The first thing you will need to do is determine exactly where you would like your shed to be in your backyard and how large it is going to be. Be sure to pick a place that is already leveled. If your backyard has no flat ground, then consider using timber wood to create a base box for your shed.

2) Once you have decided how large your shed will be, use the dimensions to measure and mark the area in which the storage shed will be placed. Use your wood stakes and string to outline the corner points and walls of the storage shed. Once you are done, use your chalk to draw a new square or rectangle around the area that is 2 to 4 inches away from the original lines. This is the drip line for your shed.

3) Use your shovel to remove 4 inches of grass and dirt for the base of your storage shed. Remove any small brushes or plants by the root so they do not have the chance to grow up through or under the shed in the future. When you are done, you should have a square or rectangle that is 4 inches deep.

4) Be sure that this area is flat. Use a flat shovel to level the ground so that it is nice and even.

5) Fill this area with tiny pea gravel or crushed stone to create a solid base. Use a metal roller to compact the gravel so that it is extremely even with the land. You can allow your gravel to extend up to the drip line you originally drew with chalk.

6) Add a 1-inch layer of dry sand over your gravel base to further compact the ground. Use your metal rake to even the mixture out and to make the area denser. Use a level afterwards to ensure the ground is even.

7) You can now choose what type of foundation you would like your shed to rest on. You can either a) lay down paving slabs over your gravel area or b) add a wooden framework around the perimeter of your base and fill in the area with cement. Typically, paving slabs are the best option, however, this choice can vary by homeowner. If you have questions about what would work best for a particular shed, do not hesitate to contact your local shed builder.

8) Allow the gravel and dirt mixture 24 hours to properly settle. Make sure you check the entire area again to confirm that it is even and leveled. You have now successfully prepared your yard for a shed installation. After this time-frame, call your local shed company to let them know that you are ready to install your new shed!

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