Seems like a silly question doesn’t it? Does your storage shed come with a floor? Some don’t. Ours does.
When people shop for a storage shed, they usually notice the obvious things first: the size, the roof, the doors, the color and the price.
But one of the most important parts of a shed is the part you may not think much about at first:
the floor.
A good shed floor does much more than give you a place to stack boxes. It supports lawn equipment, shelving, tools, furniture, workbenches and everything else you plan to store inside.
And not every shed floor is built the same way.
Do storage sheds normally come with a floor?
Many portable storage sheds do include a built-in floor, but you should never assume that every shed is constructed the same way.
Some buildings are sold with a complete framed floor system. Others may be designed to sit on a concrete slab or another foundation supplied by the customer.
Before buying a shed, ask exactly what is included.
You want to know:
- What material is used for the floor?
- How thick is the flooring?
- How far apart are the floor joists?
- What supports the building underneath?
- Is the floor designed to handle the weight you plan to put inside?
Those details matter much more than they may seem.
Floor thickness matters
One of the first things to ask about is the thickness of the floor decking.
A thicker plywood floor generally gives you a stronger, more solid surface for everyday storage.
At Alpine Portable Buildings, our standard shed floor uses 3/4-inch plywood.
That provides a sturdy surface for the kinds of things people commonly keep in backyard sheds, including lawn mowers, bicycles, tools, shelving, seasonal decorations and household storage.
Look underneath the plywood
The plywood is only part of the floor system.
Underneath it are the floor joists.
The distance between those joists affects how well the floor is supported.
Alpine sheds are built with floor joists spaced 12 inches on center.
That means the floor has frequent support underneath rather than relying on widely spaced framing.
If you are comparing sheds, this is a very good question to ask:
“How far apart are the floor joists?”
It is a simple question, but the answer tells you quite a bit about how the building is constructed.
Think about what you plan to store
Different shed owners use their buildings in very different ways.
One homeowner may only need room for holiday decorations and patio cushions.
Another may want to store:
- a riding mower
- heavy shelving
- tools
- bicycles
- garden equipment
- a workbench
- household furniture
The heavier your intended use, the more important the floor structure becomes.
A shed that feels fine when it is empty still needs to remain solid after years of everyday use.
The floor is part of the whole building
A good shed is not just a roof and four walls.
The floor, wall framing, siding, roof structure and doors all work together.
That is why it is worth looking beyond the outside appearance when you compare buildings.
Ask how the shed is built.
Look at the framing if possible.
Look at the flooring.
Ask about stud spacing.
Ask what siding is used.
Ask what kind of roof is included.
Those details often tell you more about the value of a shed than decorative extras do.
What should be under a shed?
The floor system also needs proper support beneath the building.
The exact setup can vary depending on the size of the shed, the site and the builder.
The important thing is that the building sits level and has solid support underneath it.
A level shed helps doors operate properly and reduces unnecessary stress on the structure.
Before installation, the building site should also be reasonably clear and accessible.
A floor is easy to overlook — until it matters
When you are shopping for a shed, it is easy to focus on the things you can see from across the yard.
But the floor is one of the parts you will use every single time you step inside.
A strong shed should feel solid under your feet.
And if you plan to keep that building for many years, the construction underneath deserves just as much attention as the appearance outside.
At Alpine Portable Buildings, our sheds are built with 3/4-inch plywood flooring and floor joists 12 inches on center as part of our standard construction.
Sometimes the best way to compare sheds is not to ask which one looks the fanciest.
Ask:
“How is it built?”
That question can tell you a whole lot more.