# Building a wood shed



## sowers25 (Nov 17, 2013)

I'm building a wood shed and wondering whats the best floor.  It is just dirt at the moment and thinking of laying some thick plastic on ground (6mil) then laying 3-4 inches of clean stone on top.  Thinking that would let water run through the stone if any got in.  Not going to build a actual wood floor and have though about pallets.  Any ideas?


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## bluedogz (Nov 17, 2013)

Being a cheap  bugger myself, I'd say go with pallets to stack the wood on, and dirt or stone where you walk.  Piece of cake.


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## Michael Golden (Nov 17, 2013)

Pallets.....you can always replace them!


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## paul bunion (Nov 17, 2013)

Pallets would be excellent, especially if there is breathing room under the your sheet metal side walls.


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## stejus (Nov 17, 2013)

Just pallets in my case.   The roof of the shed keeps the ground dry under the shed.   Never had a moisture issue under the pallets.


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## sowers25 (Nov 17, 2013)

If gravel is free would it be good too? I got the gravel here along with plastic, I would have to find someone with the pallets.


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## arbutus (Nov 17, 2013)

Local hardware stores, furniture stores, electrical and plumbing supply stores and similar businesses all have pallets.  That's what I would look for.


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## tigeroak (Nov 17, 2013)

Home depot, lumber yard is where I get mine and if I wanted them I could get 100 at a time. About 2-3 times a year. Put pallets down on top of gravel, in the winter freeze and thaw rocks will draw moister .


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## sowers25 (Nov 17, 2013)

Thanks will get on the hunt for some skids this week


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## BrotherBart (Nov 17, 2013)

I have used pallets under my stacks for years. The first time they were rotting and I replaced them I figured I would just take the old ones to the landfill. They made me go over the scales, which we don't have to do for trash, and charged me six bucks and change to dump 11 rotted pallets.

Didn't take long to build my first fire pit. And it just happens to be the size of a pallet laid flat.


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## gerry100 (Nov 17, 2013)

I use dead pine from my wood lot. About 6" dia or smaller.

Lay them in parallel pairs and stack your stove lengths across them,

I can go to 6ft high with a little care


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## Hills Hoard (Nov 17, 2013)

thats a great solid looking shed...i would love to be able to build something like that myself.


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## BIGDADDY (Nov 17, 2013)

I'd go with your idea of plastic and clean stone. Stones don't rot. I hate stepping on pallets when they break underfoot.
Even if you buy the stone it will be the most permanent part of your building. Just my 2 cents


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## gzecc (Nov 17, 2013)

Layer of QP stone 2-3 inches. Put down bricks in the stone (single high) and lay 2x6 PT lumber across to stack the splits on. If and when any water does get into the shed the splits will be suspended about 3 inches above the ground.


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## cwitham (Nov 18, 2013)

I have used pallets thus far and they work ok. Pallets need level'ish ground rock wouldn't


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## Bigg_Redd (Nov 21, 2013)

Plastic and stone are great and all, but the first rule of wood storage is get it off the ground.  The easiest/cheapest way I've ever figured out to get wood off the ground is pallets.


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## Bigg_Redd (Nov 21, 2013)

cwitham said:


> I have used pallets thus far and they work ok. *Pallets need level'ish ground rock wouldn't*



Are you saying that a stack of wood knows the difference between being stacked on uneven ground and uneven pallets?


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## Stegman (Nov 21, 2013)

I took the belt and suspenders approach. I've got a gravel floor in the woodshed and use pallets on top of that. I do the same in my separate, outdoor drying area primarily to make the pallets last longer. I think plastic is overkill. If you have the gravel you should be all set with drainage. Seem like if anything the plastic underneath the gravel might inhibit drainage.


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## muncybob (Nov 21, 2013)

I just leveled the ground somewhat in the shed. Once pallets in place I shimmed them a bit to be closer to level. No problem with the stacks or with any ground moisture.KISS works for me.


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## dmmoss51 (Nov 21, 2013)

I like the shed for sure!  I don't have a shed all my stacks are outside.  I use some landscape timbers laid out parrallel to each other to stack on.  Eventually will rot, eventually will replace.


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## Backwoods Savage (Nov 21, 2013)

sowers25 said:


> I'm building a wood shed and wondering whats the best floor.  It is just dirt at the moment and thinking of laying some thick plastic on ground (6mil) then laying 3-4 inches of clean stone on top.  Thinking that would let water run through the stone if any got in.  Not going to build a actual wood floor and have though about pallets.  Any ideas?



I am not a lover of pallets. Simply cutting some 8' or 10' saplings in the woods or using limbs to stack the wood on works very well and they are just as cheap or cheaper than pallets. After a few years they can then be cut into stove wood length to burn and then replace with more of the same. 

As for the plastic/stone idea, I really do not see a need for the plastic. If water does get in there, it can soak into the ground but if you put stones there, it will already be higher than the surrounding ground so water should not be a problem.


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## firefighterjake (Nov 21, 2013)

I put in an actual wood floor made out of rough cut hemlock. More expensive to be sure . . . but very nice.


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## tymbee (Nov 21, 2013)

Backwoods Savage said:


> I am not a lover of pallets. Simply cutting some 8' or 10' saplings in the woods or using limbs to stack the wood on works very well and they are just as cheap or cheaper than pallets. After a few years they can then be cut into stove wood length to burn and then replace with more of the same.


 
I'm with you Backwoods-- exactly what I do. Pallets are just too unwieldy. Of course if you don't have access to saplings as you mentioned, they may be the best option, but around here that's not a problem.


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## Applesister (Nov 21, 2013)

Gravel, its self leveling.  Well...sort of.
If you lay saplings, pallets, landscape timbers on top of gravel, they wont rot.
Also if bugs are in your wood, gravel wont become a second home.


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## Lumber-Jack (Nov 22, 2013)

I use drainage rock in the floor of my woodshed, it last forever, it's covered and has great drainage so it stays dry, easy to level, and no place for critters to hide and build nest under.
I will admit that you'll get a little more ventilation with something like pallets, which is important if you are drying your wood, but the wood that goes in my shed is generally dry already, so I just need to keep it that way.


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## dmmoss51 (Nov 22, 2013)

^ That's a nice shed.


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## Backwoods Savage (Nov 22, 2013)

tymbee said:


> I'm with you Backwoods-- exactly what I do. Pallets are just too unwieldy. Of course if you don't have access to saplings as you mentioned, they may be the best option, but around here that's not a problem.



Or something like landscape timbers.


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## Oregon aloha (Nov 23, 2013)

I never liked stepping on pallets. If the shed is not sitting in a whole full of water then for me it would be gravel. If you put gravel on the ground then landscape fabric and gravel over that it won't wick moisture for the ground and your wood will be nice and dry.


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## Kenster (Nov 23, 2013)

Gravel or rock is fine but I sure wouldn't put plastic down.  That would just inhibit drainage and keep humidity high.


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