Groundwork for your Shed - Outdoor Drainage

Before you start laying out the perimeter of your shed, you have to know the boundaries of your site. This will allow you to take into consideration any setback requirements that are specified by your local zoning ordinance.

Another thing you need to think about is outdoor drainage. To ensure proper drainage, you may have to adjust the landscaping to direct water away from the location where you are building your shed. You must make sure that water isn't going to pool near your foundation.

To allow for water to drain away from your shed, lay a perforated drain pipe around your shed. The pipe should lay on a layer of crushed gravel and lie below the level of the foundation. Cover your pipe with extra gravel, some landscaping fabric, and backfill. The purpose of the landscaping fabric is to keep dirt and debris from getting into the pipe and clogging it.

Here are a few tools you will need when locating the footings for your shed:

Claw hammer
Carpenter's square
Carpenter's level
Plumb bob
Tape measure

Lots of information for building a shed, but it's easy once you learn how! As always, just plan ahead of time so that you are well prepared.