DIY Steps for Building a Block Shed Foundation

For many property owners thinking about installing a shed, one important choice to consider is whether or not to build a foundation for the shed to sit on. One common format here is the block foundation, which uses basic cement blocks and wood boards to support the shed and keep it safe from ground moisture, pests and other concerns.

At A-Shed USA, we’re proud to offer a wide range of quality storage sheds, garages and various other custom buildings for your property. If you’re a DIY property owner thinking about building your own block foundation for a new shed, there are a few important areas you should be sure not to gloss over. This two-part blog will dig into everything you need to know about preparing for and completing this process.

Determining if a Block Foundation is the Right Choice

For starters, you want to ensure that a block foundation is the right choice for your property and shed format. Generally speaking, block foundations do best for smaller or medium-sized sheds ranging up to about 14×24 feet, though with some wiggle room here. If the shed you’re buying has pressure-treated skids under the floor, these are often designed specifically to sit on blocks, and this could be a great choice.

On the flip side, there are a few situations where a block foundation might not be a good idea. If the shed is particularly large, or if the building site is on a heavy slope, we recommend against this. In addition, any sheds that will be used to store extremely heavy items like a vehicle or tractor likely should not use block foundations.

Choosing Location

If you’ve determined a block foundation is the right way to go, your first step is deciding where it and the shed will go. This begins by evaluating the purpose of the new shed and the kinds of access you need, plus the terrain in question – the flatter the better here whenever possible. Try to look at the space in question and visualize what a shed would look like.

On top of this, be sure to consider possible obstacles like property lines or overhead trees or electrical wires. Finally, make sure your property contains enough space that the shed being delivered will fit and can be taken to the proper location.

Prepping Equipment and Materials

Now it’s time to prepare your tools and materials. Ensure you have all of the following on hand:

• A tape measure
• A pen or pencil and a writing surface
• Digging tools, usually a mattock or a shovel
• A carpentry leveling device
• Two long, straight 2×4 boards that are at least as long and wide as the shed
• Several solid, non-hollow cement blocks – we recommend using blocks of various thicknesses to make it easier to level various block piers

For more on building a block foundation for a new storage shed, or to learn about any of our custom shed options, speak to the staff at A-Shed USA today.