How to Build a Concrete Slab for a Shed

Sheds were constructed to hold all of the outdoor tools and accessories that don't belong in the house and would be lost in the garage such as, gardening supplies, lawnmowers, weed eaters, plastic garden chairs, rakes, shovels and ladders. Sheds come in all different shapes and sizes although a good standard sized shed is 8 feet by 8 feet. A shed can be built from wood, aluminum or some other type of metal. The roof is made from the same material as the body and the foundation is usually a poured concrete slab.

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure Shovel 1-by-6-by-8 boards 1-foot wood stakes Hammer Double-headed nails Sand Rake Concrete Trowel

Instructions

1. Measure and lay out markers where the four corners of your shed will be constructed. Dig out all of the dirt within the markers 6 inches deep.

2. Create a concrete slab form by placing 1-inch-by 6-inch-by-8-foot boards around the perimeter of the shed -- one on each side.

3. Hammer a 1-foot wood stake behind the form boards every 12 inches. Attach the stakes to the form boards using double-headed nails.

4. Fill the inside of the slab area with 2 inches of sand. Wet and rake the sand smooth and flat. The moisture in the sand will prevent the sand from drawing the moisture out of the concrete.

5. Pour in a ready-mix concrete over the sand, 4 inches deep. Using a long-handled trowel, smooth out the concrete slab until it is nice and even.

6. Allow your concrete slab to cure completely -- usually a day. Remove the stakes and the form boards and build your shed.

Tips & Warnings

• Always use double-headed nails when attaching the stakes to the form boards. These are easier to remove when the form is ready to be taken down.

• Use a hose to clean off all excess concrete from tools or the ground before it dries.