Leveling A Shed Base Fast with TuffBlocks: Pro Tips

Hey BuildTuff fans! My name is Beau, and I am the owner of a custom shed building company called SquareShed. Our primary locations are Charlotte, North Carolina, and Fargo, North Dakota – with more to come! 

As a professional custom shed builder who has built 150+ sheds over the past two years, I am a huge fan of TuffBlocks, and our team uses them almost every day. BuildTuff wanted to get a shed builder’s perspective on using TuffBlocks, so here we go!

What is the best and easiest way to level a new shed floor?

When it comes to building a shed, the first thing to consider is the base or foundation. The two most common choices, by far, are a concrete slab foundation or a wood foundation. Depending on your needs, one may be a better solution than the other, but that’s a conversation for a different day. We have written about that topic on our own website, if you want to read about that here. 

Today, we are going to be discussing a wood foundation shed base, and the methods and practices for getting the foundation nice and level to build upon.

Cement Blocks:

One of the oldest methods of leveling a wooden shed foundation is to use solid cement blocks. The sizes of blocks vary, but most commonly we see 4”x8”x16” blocks used in combination with 2”x8”x16” blocks. The 4” thick blocks can get heavy! The cement block method works, but it can be challenging to get the whole shed level – especially as a beginner or for a DIY project. 

Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of using cement blocks based on our experience:

Pros:

1. Solid: cement blocks are very solid (and heavy). 
2. Stable: work well on level yards. If the work area happens to be very close to level and flat, cement blocks can be a good choice as you won’t need a ton of them. A level yard is not something we come across very often, though. 

Cons:

1. Accuracy: even with different sized blocks, we find it to be very challenging to level the shed with even a small amount of slope in the yard. Hypothetically, let’s say you put blocks down to level the shed base, and when you check to see if things are level, the shed base is off by 1” or so. In this case, the options are to take the blocks out, add an inch of gravel or soil below the blocks, and re-set the blocks. We would not advise this, as building up with gravel or dirt can lead to washing out over time. Alternatively, you can remove the blocks, dig down another inch, and then use an additional 2” block to make up the difference. This is a pain to do, and it requires more cement blocks and time.Lastly, you could use some sort of shim material – we’ve seen people use treated lumber or even shingles for a shim. Functionally, this can work; but aesthetically they do not leave a very professional look. We want our sheds to look good!
2. Time consuming: using cement blocks is definitely going to take longer to level the shed than using TuffBlocks. Even as a DIY project, cement blocks are more challenging to get level than TuffBlocks are. Each yard is different, but the more of a slope the yard has, the more drastic the time difference will be between the two methods. We’ve had numerous cases where the slope of the yard would have been too much to handle with cement blocks. 
3. Heavy and Cumbersome: cement blocks are difficult to carry around – an average 4”x8”x16” solid block can weigh up to 34 pounds per block! This means that most people can only carry 1 or 2 blocks safely at a time. Not only does this add time with extra trips to carry more blocks, but it can wear your body and energy down faster. We usually build the shed base first thing in the morning, so tiring yourself out is not a great way to start the day off! Cement blocks also take up more space in the truck or trailer, and you never really know exactly how many you’ll need so you have to stock extras to be safe.
4. Lack of Adjustability: over time, a shed base can settle. It’s a natural occurrence, that can be difficult (if not impossible) to stop in most situations. In the event that settling does occur, the cement blocks can technically be adjusted to re-level the shed, but it’s difficult. It would involve more blocks and/or shims, which, as mentioned earlier, do not leave a very polished look. 

   
   

TuffBlocks:

 

One of the most innovative systems on the market for building sheds (along with many other uses) is the TuffBlock and 4x4 post building system. We use TuffBlocks all the time! TuffBlocks work great for leveling a wooden shed foundation, and there are many reasons why they are superior to the cement block method. 

After using TuffBlocks on well over 100 sheds, here’s what we have found are some of the advantages and disadvantages of using TuffBlocks:

Pros:

1. Speed: we have found it’s fairly easy to train employees the TuffBlock method! When we use TuffBlocks to level our shed base, we can reduce the time it takes to level the foundation by 50% or more in most cases. Not only are TuffBlocks faster and more intuitive for a DIY user, but for a professional shed building business like SquareShed (where time is money) TuffBlocks are much easier to train employees to use as well. 
2. Work well on sloped yards: many yards (especially in newer developments where we tend to work) have aggressive sloping to help with water drainage, which is the type of yard where TuffBlocks will give you the biggest advantage.
3. Accuracy: TuffBlocks are as accurate as your ability to measure and cut. TuffBlocks can be leveled with great precision, down to the 1/16” or better with no trouble. 
4. Lightweight and Stackable: they are also very light (under 2 pounds), which means almost anyone can easily carry multiple TuffBlocks at once. We like to keep 8-12 spare TuffBlocks in our work van at all times, in case we forget to bring enough to the job site. We also like to order lots of TuffBlocks at a time to store at our shop, and even a full box of 24 is easy enough to move around and put on shelves to stay out of the way. Because of their stacking design, TuffBlocks are easy to store in small spaces. 
5. Adjustability: in the event that there is significant settling, it’s easy to readjust the shed base to level using TuffBlocks. We simply put a jack underneath the base, lift to level, adjust the 4x4 post using lag screws, and remove the jack. Over time, the shed is likely to settle some amount. In most cases, it’s not noticeable or even worth trying to fix. 
6. Aesthetics: many people have told us that they think the shed looks much more polished this way, as opposed to the cement block method. After working with as many different types of customers as we have, you wouldn’t believe the number of compliments we’ve gotten regarding the look of the TuffBlocks. 

Cons:

1. Gravel pads: this would be one of the rare cases where cement blocks may be just as fast an effective as TuffBlocks, and it’s only something we’ve come across once or twice. TuffBlocks are still a good option on a gravel pad, and I would argue that the adjustability factor alone is worth using them over cement blocks. If you installed a flat and perfectly level gravel pad, TuffBlocks may not be necessary. 

 

How to level a wood shed foundation using TuffBlocks:

Now that we’ve discussed the two main options for leveling a wood shed base, let’s talk about exactly how the process goes. 

The steps below explain in detail how we use TuffBlocks to build our shed bases, and here’s a video documenting the process as well.

1. The first thing we do in leveling the shed base is laying out the shed in the yard. 

We make sure to follow the setback rules and regulations for the neighborhood. In most areas that we build, a shed is supposed to be placed no closer to the property line than 3-5 feet. 

We’ve even had to do 10’ setbacks at times, so make sure to check with your local building department. 

 

2. Choose a reference point to square the shed base with. 

This means we measure the same distance off of the fence on one end of the shed, and then repeat that on the other end. 

This will give the shed a good clean look that’s lined up with the fence. 

The same can be done if the shed is placed near a house, garage, or other structure. 

We build a lot of sheds in yards that are fully fenced, and in that case it’s good practice to square the shed off of the fence.

 

3. Measure the length or width of the shed. 

To get the corners of the shed square with each other, we like to use the Pythagorean theorem to calculate the diagonal measurement across the shed. 

 

 

This is easier to understand by watching the video, but using two tape measures we pull the length or width of the shed on one tape and the diagonal on the other. 

Where those measurements intersect is a perfect 90-degree angle for the shed corners. 

Place a stake to mark that corner, do the same thing for the other corner, and the shed layout is complete. 

 

4. After we have the shed laid out in the area we want to build, the next step is to prepare the ground for the TuffBlocks. 

We use a heavy-duty ground tamper to compact the ground as much as possible in each TuffBlock location. 

Other methods can include digging out the sod so the TuffBlock sit on the dirt below.

After the area is compacted, we place a generous amount of gravel or rock on the compressed area. Level the gravel area and compress again. 

 

 

Set the TuffBlock on the gravel, and check to see if it’s sitting level or not. Adjust as necessary. 

 

5. Now that our entire area is prepared, we can build the outer frame of the floor structure.

Cut and nail the floor frame together (we like to use pressure treated 2x6s), forming a rectangle (or square) depending on the size of the shed. 

You can install the individual floor joists here if you want, but we find it’s better to wait until after the frame is leveled as the frame will get quite heavy with all the floor joists installed. 

 

 

6. Once the outer frame is built, now it’s time to install 4x4 leg supports.

This takes practice, but identify the high point in the yard. A level can be used, but after time you can generally eyeball which corner is highest with good accuracy. 

After you’ve identified the high spot of the yard, cut a 4x4 to length and place in a TuffBlock.

Using large lag screws (we use 5/16” x 4” exterior grade lag screws), connect the floor frame to the 4x4 by screwing through the floor joist boards. We’ll start with just one screw, in case we need to make adjustments. 

Move on to the next corner and raise the floor frame until it’s level, and measure down to the TuffBlock below to get the measurement for the 4x4. Cut and install this 4x4, again using one lag screw for now.

Move on to the next two corners, repeating the steps above. Depending on the size of the shed, place additional TuffBlock supports as needed in addition to the corners. 

After all corners are installed, use a level to go around and check everything for level. If it’s not perfectly level all across, adjust the legs as needed. 

 

 

If you’re happy with it, go ahead and screw more lag screws in to secure the TuffBlock and 4x4 (four per corner).

Each shed is different, and so are local building codes, but on larger sheds it may be necessary to install a horizontal 4x4 support beam along the center of the shed base. This can also be done using TuffBlocks. 

7. The next step is to install the floor joists. 

Install the floor joists using framing nails. We almost always space our floor joists at 16” on center. Other times 24” or 12” on center are used as well. 

Before moving to the next step, re-check the shed base for square. Don’t forget this step! 

Measure off of the fence or structure you started with, and make sure the measurements are the same. 

Take a tape measure and pull a diagonal measurement from one corner of the shed to the other.  Remembering the measurement, measure the same thing for the other diagonal of the shed. 

Move one side of the shed, and then re-measure. It doesn’t take a lot of movement to correct the diagonal measurement. Keep moving the base around until the diagonal measurements match. 

 

 

If those two measurements are the same, the shed base is square and good to go! 

If they are off, it means the shed base is slightly skewed in one direction or another.

 

8. Anchor the shed base, if desired. 

Some cities require shed anchors, and others don’t. Anchors are fairly inexpensive and easy to install, so installing a couple in opposite corners is a good idea. 

 

9. Finally, install the subfloor. 

Install the subfloor decking onto the floor frame. Even if the shed base was squared using the diagonal measurements, the subfloor panels can also be used to check the squareness of the base. 

We are big fans of Advantech subfloor, which is a high quality, weather resistant subfloor that works great for sheds.  It’s superior to most other common subfloor materials such as plywood.

 

10. There we have it!

The shed base is now square, level, and ready to be built upon. There’s still a lot of work to be done, but you’ve at least completed one of the most important tasks! 

Again, to see the whole process in action check out this video here.

If this was helpful, or if you’d like to learn more about shed construction, check out the Learning Section on our website! We’re adding new blogs and information every month, so check back in if you don’t see what you need. Feel free to contact us with any questions or things you’d like covered on our blog posts.