Does a shed need a base?

[Toddlerteaplease]

Current shed needs replacing, but not sure if it has a base underneath. What sort is best?

It’s good to lift it off the earth so timber doesn’t rot. You may well find there’s sobering there. Paving slabs, concrete, plastic kits, gravel, decking/deck like frame all do the job. Start with what you have.

Fab thanks. I've just found some plastic vase kits.

Concrete base is best, then a solid timber one with plenty of ventilation under; this can be supported on concrete blocks/pillars etc

I second what @Loofah01 said. If we had done that ours wouldn't have succumbed to rot

We laid a base of concrete slabs, put reclaimed railway sleepers on top of that and then mounted the shed on top of the sleepers.

vase?

What you need to do is to isolate the bottom of the shed from water.

They often have wooden bearers, but if these are in contact with the ground or wet concrete, they will rot.

Best is a concrete pad, ideally with a dpm and a dwarf wall that fits the shed. The pad should not be exposed to rain, so it needs to be a little smaller than the shed, otherwise rain will fall on it and (unless very skillfully laid) lie in puddles.

Paving stones will do, though I recommend setting two on top of each other to protect against damp more.

The bottom six inches of the shed nearest the ground will rot first, even if they are not in contact with the ground, from rainwater splash. Gutters and a downpipe are essential, and treat the lowest boards or cladding extra thoroughly with wood preserver before staining. A good tip is to screw on (not nail) the bottom couple of boards so you can unscrew them and fit new when the rot starts.

Top tip on the bottom boards @PigletJohn!