My Rubbermaid unit:

Does anyone think that hard rubber outdoor exercise mats would make an acceptable foundation? Especially as we already have those.

Lay a two by four on the ground and put a mat on top of it.

Check it after a week.
If the mat touches the ground on both ends, then no.
Foundations are rigid for a reason.

They don't conform to the uneven ground.

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Does anyone think that hard rubber outdoor exercise mats would make an acceptable foundation?

I don't think so.

I put this up in 2019. It was pretty simple and has stood up well for us. I used gravel and cement block to level up a 2x6 base under our pines in the backyard. I paid $998.00 back then and got a $100 MIR afterwards. I see the price has went up quite a bit. There are a lot of screws, and the roof was the hardest part to get aligned. I put 2x4 walls in so I could hang stuff and put up shelves.

Suncast Tremont 8 x 10 x 8 Outdoor Resin Storage Shed
https://www.menards.com/main/o...107&ipos=1&exp=false

This message has been edited. Last edited by: xantom,

I built my own shed for hundreds of dollars cheaper than what one of the prefabricated sheds at Lowes/Home Dept cost. With that said the prefab sheds are not hard to assemble if you take your time and can read directions. I would not erect a shed on the ground, I would elevate it just a bit to allow air flow underneath to keep it from holding moisture especially if your building it with wood. Whatever you build/buy make sure it's large enough to meet your needs and then build it a little larger so you have extra room. The one mistake I made with my shed is not building it big enough, it's 8'x8' and in hind sight I should have built it 10'x10'.

^^^ Nice job Xantom!


A little trick of the trade for those of you considering building from scratch. Keep you building dimensions in units of 4 if you can. So if you build a building say 8x8 or 8x12 you will have less waste. Just and FYI…

Thanks, guys. The problem is this would be on a paved parking lot that we don't own. Any structure would have to be "temporary".

ETA: Here's one site that suggests a foundation with mats could work. RUBBER STABLE MATS AS A BASE FOR A GARDEN SHED: PROS AND CONS

What is the purpose of the mats?

When I purchased my shed it was a display unit on a paved parking lot and it appeared to have been there for at least a year before I purchased it. The only thing securing it to the ground was a cinder block inside on all four corners. I anchored mine to my concrete pad because I over do everything. I'm sure my lawnmower and other hundreds or thousands of pounds of contents would have kept it from flying away in a wind storm since four cinder blocks appeared to do the trick for Home Depot.

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What is the purpose of the mats?

To protect the paved surface. Asphalt is actually rather soft and pliable, and can be damaged by extended, concentrated pressure. Also would discourage water collecting inside the shed.

Your experience with the Home Depot shed is encouraging, however.

I think you may possibly be over thinking it. I assume there will be a floor to the shed? If so that would spread the load.

If that's not enough then I would suggest building a 2x4 frame topped with a layer of plywood. Two sheets plywood is $80, a dozen 2x4s is $50. Add another $20 for deck screws. This would build a foundation for an 8x8 shed.

Bald1, afraid to ask what it cost. Cost?
Nicely done btw.

Not sure if we need a floor. Maybe. I'm thinking it wouldn't be necessary if we used mats as the foundation.

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I think you may possibly be over thinking it.

Wouldn't be the first time I've been accused of that! (Plus I have to worry about damaging someone else's property.)

This message has been edited. Last edited by: kkina,

Here's my shed. It was bought locally from a a business that builds sheds and barns. It's 16' x 10' and seems to be big enough to meet my needs. I have an X-series John Deere, a walk behind mower, multiple fuel containers, a wheelbarrow, a table saw, garden tools, a wood box, and a trailer (stored vertically) that has a 15 gal. sprayer in it. Because it has rafters, I can also store sheets of plywood above, and I also have steel cradles mounted above the doors to store longer pieces of wood. I couldn't imagine a better shed, and living in SE Wyoming, I'd be afraid of a "tin" shed. It's sitting on crushed and rolled granite and staked to the ground. The steel roof has endured multiple hail storms with no damage. Teton Structures (the builder) asked me to put a steel roof on it because keeping shingles on a shed in this part of the country isn't easy. Good decision, AND the painted steel roof matches the shingles on the house very closely.

The design is called a "salt box."

I have aluminum ramps that fit into the sill plate visible below the 6' double doors. This shed has a plywood floor that sits above ground level. On a well-prepared crushed rock surface, this seems to be more than adequate.

IIRC, this was about $5300, 5 years ago.

I’m in this boat, too. Do you all recommend just pouring a slab, because that just seems to be the easiest/best way to approach this.

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Originally posted by Milliron:
I’m in this boat, too. Do you all recommend just pouring a slab, because that just seems to be the easiest/best way to approach this.

A very popular and solid approach. However, a gravel foundation is sometimes recommended if you need better drainage. (I don't think we'd be able to use either as it's too "permanent".)

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Not sure if we need a floor. Maybe. I'm thinking it wouldn't be necessary if we used mats as the foundation.

I would think the floor would stabilize the unit keeping the sides straight and anything from shifting.

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The problem is this would be on a paved parking lot that we don't own. Any structure would have to be "temporary".

If your asphalt pavement is not quite level I foresee you having numerous issues unless you put a frame/foundation down.

Two things to think about are moisture control and mould. I generally find a wooden or composite floor better than a concrete slab (assuming you aren't storing vehicles).

Most pre-fab sheds do not have much in the way of roof overhang. Extend the roof by 6-12" and you will have fewer water problems.

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Originally posted by HRK:

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Not sure if we need a floor. Maybe. I'm thinking it wouldn't be necessary if we used mats as the foundation.

I would think the floor would stabilize the unit keeping the sides straight and anything from shifting.

That's really a job for the foundation. A floor is just for stepping on (tiles, mats, etc.). Although there are metal frame foundations that sort of do both.

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Originally posted by xantom:

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The problem is this would be on a paved parking lot that we don't own. Any structure would have to be "temporary".

If your asphalt pavement is not quite level I foresee you having numerous issues unless you put a frame/foundation down.

Yes, that's something I have to double-check on, how flat the pavement is.