Thread: New shed. Buy or build

The subject of concrete pads is interesting. I bought some woodworking machines from an old joinery quite a few years back. All of the machines sat individually on their own concrete plinth in the workshop. The floor in between was a dirt floor.

Incidentally, my current shed is very similar except it doesn't have the concrete plinths!

Regards
Paul

Wots a concrete floor??? In my woodwork shed (6X4 metres it sits on the ground) runs a dirt floor, I can take it away when/if we leave as it's a rental place, and my metalwork "shed", is inside an enclosed car trailer 2.5X4 metres with a V front for storage.
Kryn

Originally Posted by PDW

I'd *love* to have a timber block floor, preferably blue gum or ironbark with the blocks vertical grain. But even though I have access to the timber to do it, it's not going to happen.

No such luck out our way - the timber was tongue and groove. It looked a bit thicker than domestic and the joists might have been a bit closer together than normal, but no end block floor there.

In Adelaide we have a couple of building salvage places where T&G flooring is available second hand - although as polished floors are fashion items yellow tongue might be cheaper but if the object is to get a good shed without another mortgage, it is worth considering as an alternative. The nice thing is as Phil points out - he can probably do most of it himself but a 4x8m slab is getting big enough that people need to be paid.

Michael

Originally Posted by PDW

BTW something screwy has changed either in my latest browser update or the forum software because paragraph breaks seem to have gone away.....

Me too. Firefox just updated the other day. Could be the problem? My slab cost me $65 a meter i think, mesh, plastic etc. Still a lot when the shed is 114m. Ew

A downside of concrete pads is that they will move more with the seasons and with the soil humidity. Lathe alignment may change constantly, unless the concrete pads are substantial and deep - somewhat offsetting any cost advantage.

I have two old sheds without concrete. I would never consider putting a good machine tool in there. With the rain in winter like now the soil saturates, and this moisture extends to the soil under these sheds. One of these two sheds I covered the floor with roadbase, and I can clearly see how this roadbase changes to a darker color when it takes up moisture from below. And in summer, well a compacted soil floor is just dusty. And that dust is everywhere on a windy day. That is not a problem for the trusty tractor, but a good lathe or mill would be reduced to junk status in no time just by this dust. And that is before it even has time to rust.

I too remember these factory floors which had wooden floors in between machine tools. But on closer examination, it was not just wooden planks. It was blocks of facewood, hardwood with the grain upright, tightly laid onto the concrete floor. With full weight bearing strength when machines needed to be rearranged or replaced. The wood was there mainly to protect expensive workpieces or tools accidentally dropped. Here a sample in oak:
Oak_Floor.jpg

Originally Posted by cba_melbourne

A downside of concrete pads is that they will move more with the seasons and with the soil humidity. Lathe alignment may change constantly, unless the concrete pads are substantial and deep - somewhat offsetting any cost advantage.

I have two old sheds without concrete. I would never consider putting a good machine tool in there. With the rain in winter like now the soil saturates, and this moisture extends to the soil under these sheds. One of these two sheds I covered the floor with roadbase, and I can clearly see how this roadbase changes to a darker color when it takes up moisture from below. And in summer, well a compacted soil floor is just dusty. And that dust is everywhere on a windy day. That is not a problem for the trusty tractor, but a good lathe or mill would be reduced to junk status in no time just by this dust. And that is before it even has time to rust.

I too remember these factory floors which had wooden floors in between machine tools. But on closer examination, it was not just wooden planks. It was blocks of facewood, hardwood with the grain upright, tightly laid onto the concrete floor. With full weight bearing strength when machines needed to be rearranged or replaced. The wood was there mainly to protect expensive workpieces or tools accidentally dropped. Here a sample in oak:
Oak_Floor.jpg

I actually had a dream last night about this damn shed floor and part of that dream was the 1/4" minus and how it changes colour when it gets wet. Road base wouldn't go on my shed floor at any rate as I lose stuff on a concrete floor let alone on a floor made out of little stones. In this dream I addressed the issue of cost on a slab big enough to not move in the changing seasons by using concrete footings to hold a brick plinth with a slab on the top for the lathe etc. Any new additions and I could just cut a hole in the yellow tongue (or perhaps 1" tongue and groove) and brick up a new plinth. I did that in an old house I renovated back in a previous life as the washing machine would nearly shake the house down. It sounds great...in theory.
Cost is clearly going to be the defining factor for me or I can wait until I can afford it which could be, well, never (At least the owner won't want to move back in at this place, unlike a rental)
As it is I'm up for Lanotec to try and stave off the rust as much as I can now.

Phil

Originally Posted by KBs PensNmore

Wots a concrete floor??? In my woodwork shed (6X4 metres it sits on the ground) runs a dirt floor, I can take it away when/if we leave as it's a rental place, and my metalwork "shed", is inside an enclosed car trailer 2.5X4 metres with a V front for storage. Kryn

One of the big differences you mainly woodworking types miss is the sheer mass of metalworking tools compared with woodworking tools. Try moving 500 kg plus on rollers or pallet jack across a dirt or compacted road base floor and see how you go. I'm thinking of building another smallish shed to keep the vehicles in & store wood etc. It'll have a compacted roadbase floor, maybe heavy pavers on top seeing as I have 4 pallets of them. But no heavy metalworking machinery. PDW

Its your call Steamwhisperer. But for machine tools, I would rather go for a thin slab than no slab. I would rather have a smaller shed than one with no slab. I would rather sacrifice windows and use second hand metal sheets than have no slab. I would rater mix and pour a slab in small chunks at a time myself, even if it takes months and blisters, rather have no slab. I would even rather have a one side open shed than no slab. Finally, consider if one day you have to sell - a shed with slab is always worth something, a shed without slab obviously less. But a shed with some scattered concrete plinths could be seen by some as a liability rather than an asset.

Originally Posted by cba_melbourne

Its your call Steamwhisperer. But for machine tools, I would rather go for a thin slab than no slab. I would rather have a smaller shed than one with no slab. I would rather sacrifice windows and use second hand metal sheets than have no slab. I would rater mix and pour a slab in small chunks at a time myself, even if it takes months and blisters, rather have no slab. I would even rather have a one side open shed than no slab. Finally, consider if one day you have to sell - a shed with slab is always worth something, a shed without slab obviously less. But a shed with some scattered concrete plinths could be seen by some as a liability rather than an asset.

I think CBA is saying go for a concrete slab. When the day comes and I get my own shed, my Greek BIL who is a concreter by trade, will be doing the concreting for me.

I've worked in my containers, you need the ones with extra height and a air conditioner. The converted army ones come with corner jacks with leveling sights so they can be leveled.

Ben.

Originally Posted by cba_melbourne

Its your call Steamwhisperer. But for machine tools, I would rather go for a thin slab than no slab. I would rather have a smaller shed than one with no slab. I would rather sacrifice windows and use second hand metal sheets than have no slab. I would rater mix and pour a slab in small chunks at a time myself, even if it takes months and blisters, rather have no slab. I would even rather have a one side open shed than no slab. Finally, consider if one day you have to sell - a shed with slab is always worth something, a shed without slab obviously less. But a shed with some scattered concrete plinths could be seen by some as a liability rather than an asset.

Hi cba,
I agree that I don't want to decrease the value of the place but the conundrum is that I need a space for the contents of my workshop kinda' now and not eventually. Plinths are a good way to go and maybe even duct boards around the machines until I can afford to fill the gaps with concrete later.
Got another quote for a small shed yet big enough to get started that was nearly $2000 from Fair Dinkum sheds. I will of course check out the quality of it. The missus said that if we don't eat for about two years we can get it
Dad says you can't be expected to live without a shed so has offered to shout us the small one to get us started.

Originally Posted by bwal74

I think CBA is saying go for a concrete slab. When the day comes and I get my own shed, my Greek BIL who is a concreter by trade, will be doing the concreting for me.

I've worked in my containers, you need the ones with extra height and a air conditioner. The converted army ones come with corner jacks with leveling sights so they can be leveled.

Ben.

Hi Ben,
I should probably look for a new family.
I can get any amount of meat cut, the fridge fixed, unlimited metal polishing and hot rod building and I can also get my clothes made for me but no concreting.

Phil

Originally Posted by Steamwhisperer

I can get any amount of meat cut, the fridge fixed, unlimited metal polishing and hot rod building and I can also get my clothes made for me but no concreting.
Phil

When I poured the slab for the shed, I set up for an all-day BBQ with plenty of drinks and invited everyone around for a concrete party. ( A bit like that amish barn raising thing )
I paid a guy to do the helicopter driving and finishing, he worked fulltime at a factory that made concrete wall slabs, so he was pretty well on the ball, and he organized the helicopter too.

Once the concrete had cured I put a coat of paving paint down before moving anything in. Mainly to keep the dust down. Amazing how much dust comes off unfinished concrete.

Ray

When it come to building the shed. Ill give you a day or 2 of my time Phil.

Simon

Originally Posted by simonl

When it come to building the shed. Ill give you a day or 2 of my time Phil.

Simon

+1

Originally Posted by simonl

When it come to building the shed. Ill give you a day or 2 of my time Phil.

Simon

Originally Posted by Stustoys

+1

much appreciated Simon and Stuart.
Needless to say food and lodgings will be supplied although I feel I would be wasting your time on such a small shed, 6mt x 4.5mt I think it is.
I'll call it a half barn raising and half social gathering and we can go all 'Aamish' for the weekend
Plus I just have to show off my new piece of dirt to someone .
What a great forum!

Phil