Garden Structure Base Preparation

How long your garden structure lasts will be highly affected by the care taken to prepare the base, and what materials you choose to have it made of. For these reasons, one of the most important decisions you can make about your garden structure is what this humble, overlooked component is like. Don’t ignore it, or it will cost you in wear and beauty later.

What materials are best?

Garden structures – like nearly all buildings – need a base that suits their weight and size. The foundation should raise the building up off of the ground, where wet and insects are more abundant, and it should anchor the structure to the ground to protect from wind and shifting topsoil.

Concrete

Concrete is one of the most widely used bases, probably due to its versatility. It is inexpensive, can be poured into almost any shape and detail level, and is widely available.

Concrete bases should sit on sharp sand or hardcore to allow easy water drainage, and it is very important that it be allowed to fully dry and set before the building is placed upon it. It is also well worth your while to be very picky with regard to levelling the foundation, as small errors at ground level can cause larger, noticeable ones by the time the building is at its full height.

These bases are excellent for log cabins, playhouses, summerhouses, sheds, greenhouses and garages.

Paving Slabs

Paving Slabs are also a useful choice, especially if pouring concrete seems beyond your abilities or needs.

It is very important that the ground under the slabs is appropriately supportive though, and that there are no cracks (even filled cracks) in the paving stones, as all of these are factors in the stability of the structure you build upon them. They also require a level, sharp-sand or hardcore base.

Slab foundations also work well for log cabins, playhouses, summerhouses, sheds, greenhouses and garages.

Wood

Wooden bases are probably the cheapest option, but that doesn’t mean they are ineffective. If installed well, they provide a long-lasting and beautiful base – though it will require a little more upkeep than some other options.

These are ideal for smaller buildings, such as sheds, playhouses, small summerhouses and small gazebos.

Plastic

Plastic bases are available for some small sheds and even for some larger garden buildings. Installation is quick and easy, maintenance is very low, and they can be long-lasting and weather resistant. A base made with recycled plastic – such as the Swift bases – are also ecologically friendly.

These bases are excellent for sheds, summerhouses, log cabins, greenhouses and playhouses.

Bases to Avoid

If the builders arrive to begin construction ad find an unsuitable base in place, they will refuse the assembly. Some factors that can cause a refusal to assemble are broken slabs with no cement-filled gaps, uneven slabs lying directly on the lawn, sub soil movement under slabs, gaps between slabs, a soil-only base, or an unlevel base.

Ensure You have a Level Base

The best way to ensure the stability and beauty of the structure as a whole is to take the time to prepare a level, sturdy base.

We recommend using a spirit level to check the base along all sides. Some imperfection is acceptable on lighter, shorter buildings, but in every case, the more level you can make it, the more stable, long lasting, and beautiful your building will be.