what to do with shed floor??

[Kiwibrucee]

Yea gidday All, I've just bought a new place and the shed is 3.6 x 9m which will hopefully just fit all my bits and pieces in.
My problem is that its just been built on existing concrete so the floor inside is the same level as the concrete outside and there is a few mm gap at the bottom of the walls for water to run in.
Any suggestions on the best way to keep things dry?
I'm thinking at this stage to build the floor up 100mm or so, probably the 5m at the roller door end with concrete and the other 4m done with treated pine bearers with timber floorboards so I have a nice timber floor to stand on at the workbench.

Any advise on the pros and cons of this or other methods would be most welcome

Cheers
Bruce T.

[Stuart]

Eager to hear an answer to this as well - bloody Melbourne weather.

[Bob38S]

.....- bloody Melbourne weather.

Ah, Current temp is 24C, dry [very], wind SE at approx 3knots ~ and just think - it actually got down to 12C last night!



Bob

[Carpenter]

Ahh, there's the slow, expensive, good way, then there's the fast, cheap bound to be a problem way. Sounds to me this will always be a problem unless you bite the bullet & lower the outside ground level or raise the internal one as you propose. Sure there are some potential quick fixes, but without treating this as a drainage/water problem they'll be a waste of time. If you raise the internal floor it still leaves the walls at water/ground level - what type of walls? If its masonry walls, cover the existing slab with a layer of sand, then plastic & go for a complete new slab - problem solved. On the other hand, if you have timber walls the problem is the bottom plate will always be in contact with the damp zone unless you lower the outside level.

[Groggy]

Any suggestions on the best way to keep things dry?

A new place? A new shed? I expect no less than a personal invite around to inspect said premises and pass judgement.

I'll be back from Brisbane on Thursday.

As for the shed problem, it would be very tempting to put in a slurry then plonk a false floor 6" above it. That way you can pipe dust collection and electrical underneath it - easy on the feet, easy on the eye.

[Stuart]

Neither are really an option for my situation. Thinking my only solution is some form of internal cofferdam against the wall. Flooring would be nice, but expensive, and with a low roofline in the shed, I can't afford to have a false floor which is too high. (As much as I'd like - be great to run dust extraction and power subsurface). Ah Groggy - you post faster, and with the same idea!

[Groggy]

Neither are really an option for my situation. Thinking my only solution is some form of internal cofferdam against the wall. Flooring would be nice, but expensive, and with a low roofline in the shed, I can't afford to have a false floor which is too high. (As much as I'd like - be great to run dust extraction and power subsurface).

Can you jack the shed up?

• Jack up walls, insert layer or two of besser blocks.
• Drill concrete, anchor reo rod
• Concrete besser blocks and reo rod together, let set.
• Lower shed, anchor to new foundation wall.
• Insert false floor,
• put step ouside.
• Done!

[Kiwibrucee]

Can you jack the shed up?

• Jack up walls, insert layer or two of besser blocks.
• Drill concrete, anchor reo rod
• Concrete besser blocks and reo rod together, let set.
• Lower shed, anchor to new foundation wall.
• Insert false floor,
• put step ouside.
• Done!

Sounds great Groggy, can you come round in a couple of weeks when we move in to give me a hand to do it, bring your ute and car jack

Carpenter- its tin walls, I think they are fixed to a steel frame but I'll have to check ( Havn't actually moved in yet)as if they are timber your 100% right about it being a constant problem in the damp.
Thanks for the suggestions so far guys.

Bruce T.

[Groggy]

Sounds great Groggy, can you come round in a couple of weeks when we move in to give me a hand to do it, bring your ute and car jack

Ok, but your buying the beer!

[Stuart]

Can you jack the shed up?

• Jack up walls, insert layer or two of besser blocks.
• Drill concrete, anchor reo rod
• Concrete besser blocks and reo rod together, let set.
• Lower shed, anchor to new foundation wall.
• Insert false floor,
• put step ouside.
• Done!

I kept kinda thinking about it, but for some real strange reason never have.
It will require the whole shed to be dismantled and reassembled, but, that is probably the best solution in the long run. And I can finally stop ALL those annoying leaks and floods, and introduce your below-the-floor dust collection and power solution. Why have I not done this already????

Another greenie for you, but I have to spread the love a bit!

[Mike T]

Could try drilling into the concrete floor inside at say 400mm centres and inserting some 12mm steel dowels to secure concrete. Then box up 100mm x 100mm inside and fill with concrete. Cost would be minimal and would provide a good water barrier. Not sure what size your posts are but could be used to secure boxing to.

[Groggy]

I tell you what Stuart and Bruce - I will come around to help you both do your sheds in this manner if you help me do mine. You two hold the walls up and I'll do the bricking.

What's that? Yes, I said "bricking".

I did mention my shed is made of bricks - didn't I?

Guys? Hey guys, where'd ya go? (Sigh).

[Master Splinter]

Assuming you sufficient clearance for this...

Pressure wash the concrete a few days before.

Get some "L" shaped PVC angle, say 65x65x2mm from the local hardware store (try to get it in 6 meter lengths so you don't have to do too many waterproof joins).

Do a dry run first to make sure you dont need to add cutouts for posts or whatever.

On the outside of the shed...slide one leg of the "L" all the way under the shed wall.

Go inside the shed, and tilt up the part of the "L" that is showing. A liberal application of silicone is called for here....! When you have a hefty bead of silicone under the PVC, squooge it down, scrape off excess, ruin shirt and jeans by wiping hands on them.

Extra sillicone on the outside, and (this is why you don't want to use too thick a PVC molding) then bend the top of the "L" away from the wall a bit so you can get some sillicone in to stop water running down the outside of the wall and into the shed that way. (do this a few days later so you don't stuff the bond of the first lot before it has time to set)

Enjoy a tinnie in your now runoff-proof shed!

[ernknot]

I dug a trench around my shed - 800mm deep x 200 wide, covered the bottom with 100mm blue metal put in plastic perforated drainage pipe covered in a stocking and then topped the trench up with more blue metal. No flooding problems. Make sure you drain off to a low point away from shed.
Cheers

[spartan]

I had a similar problem until I excavated a trench about 300mmm deep by 200mm and I then installed a reln plastic drain, and then filled into the edges with concrete. It looks really neat and I have the option of piping it to a tank to water the veggies at a latter date.