# Forum Home Renovation The Garden Shed  Garden shed subframe - treated pine sleeper option?

## kungy

So in the coming weeks I'm hoping to commence building a 2.3m x 2.3m garden shed that will be on a timber platform as per the below. The shed is going over sewer pipes that potentially will be upgraded in the future so I'm avoiding the concrete base solution, and I hate paving. 
Due to the relatively close proximity to the soil the plan is to build the sub frame from H4 treated pine sleepers 200mm x 50mm acting as joists secured with joist hangers and batten screws at 450mm centres. I'll add 2 rows of blocking to help resist the frame twisting. This frame will be secured to stirrups set in concrete. On top of this I'll then add a platform of Scyon exterior cement board secured with adhesive and nails. 
I know this is a shed not a deck, so I'm erring on the more agricultural side of the build 
My concerns are as follows- 
- if I use wet treated pine sleepers will the inevitable warping cause an issue withe integrity of the scyon platform.
- Is this going to be a workable solution, or is there a better option that I should be looking at? 
thanks in advance

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## Moondog55

It is probably overkill for a small temporary shed
Why not just set the H4 directly on the ground on pavers?
Chipboard will be a lot cheaper than Scyon

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## Random Username

Maybe make the base like a sled, so with appropriate brute force it can slide out the way of the sewer connection? 
But based on the desire of some of the sleepers I have - that wish to become pretzels - I'd be looking at something better than sleepers, or at least using 75mm thick ones.

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## kungy

> It is probably overkill for a small temporary shed
> Why not just set the H4 directly on the ground on pavers?
> Chipboard will be a lot cheaper than Scyon

  Sorry, I probably wasn't that clear in regards to the temporary nature of the shed. What I meant was that I would rather not have to bust apart a potential concrete slab to upgrade a sewer pipe. So it's not really temporary, but gives more flexibility in the future. To some degree I'm hoping to use this as a opportunity to get my basic deck building technique sorted on this for a future deck build ie hence the use of stirrups. 
random username - that's some good feedback on the 75mm sleepers. Is there anything more stable than pine sleepers that is still H4 treated or does that not exisit? Would adding those 2 rows of blocking really help stabilise the platform? 
If the timber platform isn't going to work maybe I would be better off investigating the paver solution

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## Moondog55

If this is practice for building a deck why not use the same techniques as the deck?
Use stirrups; posts and treated pine bearers You only need H3 if it's up off the ground
Also why not go the the maximum size allowed for exempt buildings which is 10 >m2? 
I have a post on this same subject

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## NRB

If you want to be able to move the shed do what has been suggested and make the floor Like a sled, build the floor frame  then use those concrete blocks that have grooves in them as stumps,these can then be adjusted to make the whole lot level,this will keep everything off the ground,still use treated pine but IMHO keep away from the sleeper type timber as it will always twist.
Not sure what you call those blocks,they are about 250mm square and high

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## kungy

Thanks for the sanity check guys 
I may as well use timber that I can trust won't bow or twist, so will go proper and use structural timber, ie build a mini deck. Having said that I didn't realise how expensive that stuff is. It will be a toss up between handiblock or using proper footings and stirrups. 
moondog- I'm running with this shed to fit a existing spot between a granny flat and fence hence the size. I'm planning on going all out with the future new garage though! 
thanks again

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