10x14 or 10x16

[lovemytoys]

looking to build a shed just for lawn mower, snowblower and odds and ends.was thinking of pouring a 4 inch slab .could i pour on dirt or do i need gravel and vapor barrier?

 

[rsewill]

You can pour on dirt but most of the time people pour on sand because it doesn't require any compaction and it is easy to level.

 

[MotorSeven]

I've poured a couple of slabs right on the ground. One for my sawmill that I formed up with scrap steel tubing, and the other was un-planned. My block guy over estimated my house footer pour and instead of sending 3-4 yards back, I quickly cleared out a shed and just dumped it right on the ground without even a form. Neither one has a vapor barrier and if it's always going to be an open shed you don't need one.

I park my tractor on non formed slab and have only had some cracking where the slab feathers out into the yard.

 

[Red Horse]

looking to build a shed just for lawn mower, snowblower and odds and ends.was thinking of pouring a 4 inch slab .could i pour on dirt or do i need gravel and vapor barrier?

Ever think about 2 x 6 PT joists on concrete blocks? Quick, and if you ever want to move it, no problem. I get nervous about concrete on anything but crushed stone or good gravel-not loam.

Couple of picks of a 10 x 12 I did last fall. I'm going to do another one shortly for same use as you described. Note, I dug the loam out under the piers and replaced with crushed stone.

 

[Western]

If it is natural undisturbed land, I would feel fine pouring on the ground for such a small footprint and lightweight use. You may want to consider a small footer and maybe a small "beam" footer in the middle. I would certainly use enough rebar.

Redhorse brings up a good point. Depending on your expected maximum weight load, it may be beneficial to have the ability to move it later, but that size would be a chore.

Also, check and see what the "tax" status would be, some only taxed fixed structures, some wont tax a portable shed. Where I am they tax everything so YMV

 

[s219]

When I was young I worked summers for a modular building company that also made sheds, and doing a framed floor supported on cinder blocks was the preference. This allowed us to pre-fab the buildings of course, but was also better for dealing with oddball sites, frost/ground issues, etc... It eliminated the possible complexity of leveling the site or pouring a slab, which is frequently an issue in residential yards. Over time, you could always adjust the blocks with shims to account for any changes.

For light equipment (say up to a riding mower or garden tractor) you can get away with 2x4 floor joists spaced 12" with 3/4" plywood decking and 4x4 skids under the joists (the blocks then go under the skids). Go up to 2x6 for heavier loads.

I attached a picture of an example shed.

 

[JohnDeere4300]

I just poured a 15x20 slab last Saturday... I had to use sand as fill because the ground wasn't level on the back... I also put plastic down on top of the sand.

I'd say build a 10x16....Never can have enough room for tools!!!

Bill

 

[GLyford]

I'd say build a 10x16. Never can have enough room for tools!

Besides, a 16' will involve one less panel cut on your sheathing. You're basically getting another 20 SF for the cost of two sheets of ply (when you count the roof too).

Don't forget you can go up, too. 10' walls look nice on a 10x shed, and you can put a lot of stuff in a loft. With a rafter framed roof you could even stand in the loft. If you wanted to go as high as 12 a gambrel roofline would let you bring the roof 1/3 to halfway down the sides so it doesn't look as tall. Even if it's just for garden stuff, it's nice to be able hang fertilizer spreaders and such overhead for more floor room to move around. Just a thought.

Oh, and add windows up high or a band of clear siding. Being able to find stuff without a flashlight is nice.

 

[lovemytoys]

thanks for the input i was think barn gable roof?? i think thats what it called with 6 ft walls ,i don't want it to look to out of place .after this a 20x30 home for the tractor maybe be 20x40 i also have a 20x30 garage which I'm looking to take stuff out so i can park in there during the winter

 

[Wnc3]

looking to build a shed just for lawn mower, snowblower and odds and ends.was thinking of pouring a 4 inch slab .could i pour on dirt or do i need gravel and vapor barrier?

Definitely a vapor barrier. So cheap and you can't add it later. Bank sand works great to help level and you won't need much. I vote 10 x 16.
Use #3 rebar on 16 inch centers and thicken the edge perimeter. Just a little beam 8inches wide and 8" deep (includes the 4" slab). I would at least do 8 foot walls. 6 foot is just too low even if you vault. And doors are always a minimum of 6'8".

I'm with you on the concrete versus framed floor. No ramps and at ground level.

 

[GLyford]

thanks for the input i was think barn gable roof?? i think thats what it called with 6 ft walls

Gambrel is sometimes what we called dutch barn style growing up, it's where the roof has two pitches and the walls are lower (ignore the dimensions, it's just a pic I found to show the style):

Gable is your traditional center peak triangle-end style where the side walls are full height.

The first style with 6' sidewalls would look pretty good. The second style, I'd want to go taller, at least 7 so you could hang stuff like ladders from the rafters without bumping into them all the time, but on a 10' wide shed 8' high walls would not look out of proportion, once built it'll look small in no time.

I know you said you just want to keep stuff in there for the winter and that during the summer it's in the garage, but switching it back and forth twice a year will get old, and you'll find yourself leaving it one place or the other all the time. Might as well make the space in the shed one that will let you move around and work on the equipment some and not just barely big enough to cram it all in there and climb over it all to get out.

Also, there will always be "just one more thing" you want to keep in out of the weather. If you take stuff out of the shed in the spring to put it in the garage to use it, OTHER stuff will "suddenly" move in over the summer. Around my place, it's usually not even my stuff!