Building a Sturdy Shed Foundation ... this was hard

If you want to see the rest of the build you can find the videos here: 1. Building a Shed Foundation - youtu.be/XodcMhvfkXg 2. Framing a Shed Alone - https://youtu.be/cGqx95JVsws 3. Roofing a Lean-To Shed - https://youtu.be/Hv3EOTkR3xw 4. DIY Shed Doors & Windows - https://youtu.be/rp3rJUWJeKE

10-minute mark: Love that you are promoting life insurance. Always a good time to bring it up. 👍

A true engineer 👍🏼 over design and over build, loved it! This is the theme of most of my projects, well done sir.

When I was growing up, if I did something bad, my step dad used to make me dig fence post holes. I feel like your tip about having your kid dig the hole is a GREAT tip. It really made me not want to do bad things any more.

I have a suggestion, when drilling through the beam. You can use a bit extension to give you the extra length. They come in 6", and 12" lengths. Could also been useful when attaching the rim joist . By the looks of the floor, the shed is going to be solid as a rock,... 👍

Treat the cut ends to prevent rotting and cut the rebar at a sharp angle to make it easier to pound into soil

I built a 12'x20' workshop and did a similar gravel pad foundation 14'x22'. I had about a 13" slope over 22' and the top 6" was compacted rock so it was not easy to dig out, especially doing it alone by hand. It turned out great and sure beats the option of a block foundation or paying for a slab to be laid. The gravel pad and workshop look amazing and added value to my propery so well worth all the hard work.

Great job, Brad. I enjoy watching someone else working. I've done plenty of it in my life. Bill

Very good to see you taking the tamping seriously. I come from a mine engineering background, and our prof for tailings dams noted that one of the biggest concerns with building them is overseeing the compaction process. Apparently it's not uncommon for work crews to work fast and skimp on the compaction steps to get the job done faster. Which you can kinda get away with in a lot of applications (including stuff like this shed) but you'll always have some differential settling issues, and different drainage characteristics. Which, if you have an earth-fill dam, is a critical problem. Hope that pressure treated wood works out for you. I live out on the coast of BC (Canada just north of Washington State), and out here we tend to have issues with pressure treated wood not being as rot resistant at the cut ends than is needed in our quite wet climate. Folks who can afford it tend to use cedar instead - you can cut into a cedar log that has another tree grown over/around it and still find good wood in the middle, cedar lasts ages - for outdoor applications, and folks using the pressure treated stuff instead buy a product that you brush onto the ends to seal up the end grain. But thats for fairly extreme wet climates, we literally use the terms "rainforest" and "hypermaritime climate" to describe this area. You're definitely in a drier region, going by the trees in the background.

This is very similar (and sure a bit overboard) to a tent platform I've been planning, very glad to have this as a reference! Also love love the new property.

Great video! I'm gearing up to build this same style foundation for my new 14'x16' woodworking shop. Pretty sure you've saved me from making some boneheaded mistakes along the way.

I appreciate those final rebar hits on beat with the music at 7:08.

I've built several sheds, decks, and fences over the years. You may consider doing a segment or a video on appropriate times to use nails vs screws. When I was first starting out doing DIY, I used screws for everything, but after a few fence sections fell over because of shear in the wind, I found there's a time and place for everything 😅. Can't wait to watch the rest of your build!

I'm building a 12 x 16 shed. I used my 5 x 10 trailer to purchase and haul the #57 gravel....1 - 1.25 tons at a time. I did not want a large pile sitting in one area of my yard even if it was right next to my location or the large truck doing damage. Made 7 trips and totaled 9 tons. I backed the trailer to the area and used the scoop shovel to hand load in place. Your foundation is very similar to what I built. The shed almost completed. I am down to installing the siding. I also built the doors from oak lumber harvested from trees we took down in our back yard. I very much enjoy your videos and your quirky(?) nature!

Great job Brad looking great. Can’t wait to see it finished

Excited about this series. I'm going to build a 10x12 in my yard for storage next year and this is helpful! Thanks for sharing

Thank you so much for getting to shed building! I’m about to start my own shed project as we’ve recently purchased and built on some land. Excited to see your step by step and follow your lead!

Thanks for showing how to build a shed from the ground up as this would help me immensely!.

Great video. Lots of great info. One thing I would change. Generally, when putting down sheet goods like plywood, I prefer to work across the sheet. Doing the perimeter first could leave a bow in the middle that you have to fight. Granted, it affects nailing more than screwing. But I still find it best practice to in essence roll it down while securing it.

Thanks Brad! I am planning my shed build. Mine too is 10 x 12 so this is a timely project for me. I have more slope in my back yard and after watching this, I am thinking of renting a tiller after I stake out the 12 x 14 plot. My thought process is tilling up the top soil might make it easier to move the dirt to level out the ground before I add the gravel base. Mine will be a spring of '24 build so I'll have some time to research this theory. Thanks again, and looking forward to the rest of the build.