Gravel floor in shed

[hslogger]

I have a pole barn shed that is about twenty by forty I think. I have three quarter minus quarried rock in there for ground. In a few places I have some plywood sheets down for storing some old cabinets or a monster old Radial Arm Saw. I store tools, tractors, implements, firewood, chemicals and have work benches in there. It has worked fine for me for six or seven years. I didn't wanna pour a slab because I didn't have the money, and I have trees right next to the building, big ones, and the slab, in time would compromise the integrity of the tree roots. When I'm dead and gone, the next guy can pour a slab and then figure on watching the trees die.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I didn't wanna pour a slab because I didn't have the money, and I have trees right next to the building, big ones, and the slab, in time would compromise the integrity of the tree roots. When I'm dead and gone, the next guy can pour a slab and then figure on watching the trees die.

It has been my experience that slabs don't compromise the trees, it is just the opposite, roots crack the concrete slab. As long as the tree can get water, it's roots grow where ever they want to, including under the slab. Either way, you really don't want to put a tree close to a concrete slab or vice versa due to it damaging the slab-this including your house slab.

That being said, I put crushed slate under my sheds which is cheap around here. I wanted to build up under the sheds so water would not encroach from hillside run-off. It works for that, but if I had it to do over, I would have put in concrete under the shed AND on my driveway. I think in the long run it would have been cheaper because I am constantly adding gravel to the driveway and fixing wash out areas on the hillside areas. Crushed limestone cost me $24 per ton compared to concrete of less than $100 per cubic yard.

 

[Gary Fowler]

When it comes to a gravel floor/base, I'll leave that to others.

If you are going to the expense of flooring and can afford it, I'd really recommend going re-enforced cement/concrete. Especially when it comes to implements... you can place them on wheeled pallets for ease of mounting & storage. The implements (and whatever else you're storing there, on pallets) are also up and off the dampness of the ground.

I totally agree, concrete isn't comfortable to kneel on, but much more so than rocks and much cleaner, easier to roll stuff around on etc.

 

[TractorGuy]

I have a carport behind my house I keep the little tractor and lawn equipment under. A few years back I laid roll roofing down and covered it with about 4" of cypress chips. It has stayed nice and mud free since.

 

[hslogger]

Touche'. Trees in urban situations where they have concrete and or asphalt, permanent structures have a higher rate of failure than trees left alone with no hard surfacing. It has to do with soil being compacted and deprived of basic nutrients and the ability to have some kind of air circulation. "open pavers" offer some relief as opposed to concrete, solid brick pavers and so forth. The same goes for trees that are subject to severe livestock trampling their roots. What is a somewhat acceptable alternative is gravel that allows water to rainfall and water to soak in, and some way for air to get to the soil. In arborculture, tree preservation is the main thrust.

We all have seen parks with trees asphalted around them and they seem to stand the test of time. Time is a relative factor. It really is not a good thing. A prime example is the high rate of failure over time to "street trees".

 

[stuckmotor]

If you ever plan to work on an auto under that shed something smooth would be easier to roll around on with a creeper.

 

[kidr]

would rubber horse stall mats be an option?

 

[Billy Bee]

Has anyone tried what they call "asphalt millings"?

I was thinking of using them beside a shed for parking. Then later put a cover over it, mostly to get around a 256 sq ft zoning reg.

I have used millings on my gravel driveway and they hold up better than road gravel. They compact better and don't wash out. Around here there is 2 grades of asphalt millings, the rough millings that are reprocessed into finer pieces will compact almost like pavement after the sun hits it and it gets driven on. I got some of the rough millings and it had some larger chunks in it that I had to remove before grading. All in all I found it better than crushed concrete or road gravel.

 

[oldballs]

I'm a gravel (3/4) fan. ... it's a shed.....for poor boys. It goes down faster, nothing critical about it....just spread it out or dig an area to hold it.....don't have to worry about water puddles, spills, paint stains, grease globs....it just settles in or whatever. If some gouges develop from tractor tracks or implements, you just kick it around or rake it to smooth it out. Gravel "breathes" for surrounding trees etc. Snow just melts through. True, you can't used wheeled pallets to store implements on.

 

[zzvyb6]

I just had some concrete pads done in front of my shed so I have a smooth, level, flat comfortable place to park a large machine outside, roll toolboxes out there and work under it safely. $3.00 per square foot is current cost (digging, forming, cement, finishing, and slitting). I had the shed done inside with concrete a long time ago. The concrete floor in the shed made me turn this 3 sided shed into a 4 sided work building with sliding doors, full electrical, storage shelves a loft and a refrgerator.

One hand washes the other. Make your improvements in increments as you get older, life outside can continue to improve if the work environment is comfortable. If I lay down now on gravel, after a while I'll need a hoist to get me up and around.