Side shed floor

[Onezero]

I have some space beside my new shed that needs another small garden shed built on it. I have the sheeting and wood to make it from, just need to decide on a floor for the smallest amount of $. It would be about 1600w x 2000 l and 2000h

Option 1- pavers. Already got them. They are 300x300. They do let water through though.

Option2- Yellow tongue flooring on treated pine piers. Got the pine, yellow tongue isn't super expensive. I could make it water tight by over lapping the wall sheets past the floor.

Option 3- concrete. Not big enough to warrant a truck so it would be a mixer (borrow or hire) or barrow mixing! The most expensive and time consuming of the lot.

Where the dirt is a 5000l water tank will fit (just) and there is already 100mm of quater minus down where the waste concrete went.

[Grandad-5]

I'll chuck my 2 bobs worth in as the concept of doing something for minimum $ and using what you have is a subject near and dear to me.
Sounds like you've already eliminated concrete as an option by your description of that option.
Definitely the best solution but doesn't meet the $ requirements.

I cannot get my head around the use of yellow tongue. Despite your assurances of being able to make it water tight, I have concerns over its long term life in this particular application. Close to ground, tight area etc.

Therefore, that leaves the pavers. I think that's what I would do. You know the issues of letting water through but perhaps you could turn your mind to solving those issues?
Perhaps a moisture barrier underneath, and then fill the gaps with a concrete mix. It wouldn't require much concrete so could be done with pre-mix bags.
Hope that helps
Cheers
Jim

[Onezero]

I'll chuck my 2 bobs worth in as the concept of doing something for minimum $ and using what you have is a subject near and dear to me.
Sounds like you've already eliminated concrete as an option by your description of that option.
Definitely the best solution but doesn't meet the $ requirements.

I cannot get my head around the use of yellow tongue. Despite your assurances of being able to make it water tight, I have concerns over its long term life in this particular application. Close to ground, tight area etc.

Therefore, that leaves the pavers. I think that's what I would do. You know the issues of letting water through but perhaps you could turn your mind to solving those issues?
Perhaps a moisture barrier underneath, and then fill the gaps with a concrete mix. It wouldn't require much concrete so could be done with pre-mix bags.
Hope that helps
Cheers
Jim

That is a VERY good idea Jim re: some black plastic under the pavers. Its for the lawn mower + brooms, rakes etc. Probably the kids bikes. Used oil containers etc. If I continued the plastic up the base plate of the frame that would make it quite water tight wouldnt it?

I used yellow tongue on the kids cubby house and I have had no issues at all. I had the cladding over lap the floor about 70mm though.

I did kinda want to keep the pavers for a small BBQ area... however they are just sitting there at the moment.

[The Bleeder]

My take would be..

4 footings (bricks or concrete) this way everything is off the ground.

Use the pine for the perimiter and put the base of the shed on that so the pine is on the inside (shed hangs over).

Joists of pine (depending on the thickess of the pine nailed or screwed in)

Use yellow tongue and paint it with a paving paint (seal it up)

Seal round the inside perimiter with a sealing compound so the water can't get in.

[rhancock]

Lots of good suggestions, but here's a few more...

I don't know whether you have them in your area, but in Brisbane there's a concrete taxi which delivers and mixes on site in barrow load quantities, which might help.

Otherwise, what about laying the pavers, then some joists on top, and yellow tongue on top, with a barrier layer of black plastic somewhere, probably under the yellow tongue.

[SAISAY]

Just one Question but very important:
Council regulations?
Up here we MUST be at least 1500 mm from the boundary with any building work.
Cheers
Wolffie

[Onezero]

The Bleeder- Forgot to mention the treated pine I have are old coppers logs. Mostly half but the few round ones I have could be used as footings? Also have a fair few bricks to use as footings. Wonder if I could mold some piers from 100mm storm water pipe and concrete.
What would make it not stick to the pipe?

[Onezero]

Lots of good suggestions, but here's a few more...

I don't know whether you have them in your area, but in Brisbane there's a concrete taxi which delivers and mixes on site in barrow load quantities, which might help.

Otherwise, what about laying the pavers, then some joists on top, and yellow tongue on top, with a barrier layer of black plastic somewhere, probably under the yellow tongue.

I wish they were in our area! What a great idea

[Onezero]

Just one Question but very important:
Council regulations?
Up here we MUST be at least 1500 mm from the boundary with any building work.
Cheers
Wolffie

Ours is 900 which it will still be. It will be behind my big shed so not really visible. The only outlay should be the $60 for the yellow tongue. Will give it a few coats of paint I have laying around.

[Onezero]

Right, so after having a look at what I have and how big it is going to be (1200x2400) I am going to use yellow tongue on treated pine bearers with coppers logs piers off the ground. Good enough for the lawn mower and a few rakes and shovels that is for sure.

[wun4us]

|||Ours is 900 which it will still be. It will be behind my big shed so not really visible. The only outlay should be the $60 for the yellow tongue. Will give it a few coats of paint I have laying around.||||

For what its worth, to do the job in concrete mixed yourself in a barrow would cost no more than $50 if you buy the sand/gravel mix and cement. Around .25 m3 I reckon.
Better than all the alternatives IMHO

[Onezero]

Council may not like a slab as it will be over the sewer. HOWEVER! I would prefer a slab for longevity. HOw much in m3 does a bag of concrete make?

[BobL]

Council may not like a slab as it will be over the sewer. HOWEVER! I would prefer a slab for longevity. HOw much in m3 does a bag of concrete make?

It depends how weak or strong you make it.
Usually anywhere from 10 to 20 x 20 kg bags are used /m3
OR
1 bag makes from 0.1 to 0.05 m3 of concrete.

At 1.6 x 2 x 0.075 n thick = .24 m^ you would need from 2.5 to 5 bags.

Personally I would go with slabs laid above the ground and plastic sheeting.
In terms of longevity, I have a mix of bricks, brick pavers and slabs down the sides of my shed. Some of this is more than 30 years and doesn't look any different than the day I laid it.

[Onezero]

Slab would be above ground and I would extend the plastic beyond the slab and up its sides and then a few cm up the frame.
Thanks for doing the math for me. 5 bags is do-able!

I am assuming one makes the mix weak by adding more water to it?

[BobL]

Slab would be above ground and I would extend the plastic beyond the slab and up its sides and then a few cm up the frame.
Thanks for doing the math for me. 5 bags is do-able!

I am assuming one makes the mix weak by adding more water to it?

No - adding less cement and more sand and aggregate makes the mix weaker.

A weak mix has a cement/sand/aggregate ratio of something like 1/2.5/5 , so that's 1 part cement to 7.5 of "other"
A strong mix has 1/1/2, that's 1:3 cement to other.

You still have to do some maths to work out how much sand and aggregate to buy and use.

If you look on the web you will find plenty of concrete calculators to help you work it out.