What a mess I made. Tips for shed prep?

[skidoo]

I'm trying to prep a spot for a new 12x24 shed. As you can see in the picture, the land slopes towards the spot I am leveling. So, getting the drainage right is a bit tricky. I plan to put about 8-12" of 3/4 crush gravel and then topped with some washed rock under the shed spot. I may place some retaining wall type rock in front about 12 feet from the shed and level in front that with a slight slope towards the end of the shed and then slope away at the end of the shed. I may place there, either gravel or topsoil and re-seed.

Access to the shed would then be about 3-4' down from the retaining wall with a short relatively steep slope on which I can drive a garden tractor with trailer or backup a pickup truck into.


http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=78428&stc=1&d=1181025098
HEL_4681 (Medium).jpg


So, my questions are:

With this spot chosen and with the terrain I have to deal with, is there any better approach to setting up the shed prep?

Is this too much, or not enough gravel?

Is the 3/4 crush sand base with wash rock topping correct?

Is there any better approach for the drainage?

Would you gravel the access or replace with topsoil/seed?

Would you use rock retaining wall, or just make a steep slope?

Would you cut more into the hill to gain more access width?

Thanks in advance for your replies?

 

[Chris2520]

Skidoo , that is a big hole. you and the 2520 been doing some digging

Chris....

 

[Egon]

For drainage think about some perforated pipe in a trench at the base of the slope and going back along both sides of the leveled area.

Make the sloped area gentler and plant grass on it.

Forget the washed rock and stick with crushed gravel. Also use gravel on the access area. Wet grass can get real slippery.

 

[B8FISH]

I agree with Egon--add some perf pipe (maybe with the cover sleeve?). And also make the access over gravel--it is much easier to sweep out gravel than chunks of mud and grass.

 

[skidoo]

Thanks for some feedback. Great idea for the perforated pipe. Ihad seen that before, but had forgotton. I picked up some pipe and it has holes pretty much on one side. So, is it best to point the holes up so as to direct excess water into the pipe and away from the foundation, or is it best to point the holes down so as to allow more water into it at a lower level?

What is a cover sleeve used for?

 

[jbrumberg]

skidoo:

Welcome to TBN ! The "sock" is to keep debris/dirt out of the perforated pipe. The numerous posts I have seen in TBN as to which way to orient perforated pipe in the trench is confusing/contradictory. I am going with a full perforated pipe when I get to my drainage project. Jay

 

[EddieWalker]

I'm totaly confused.

Are you putting a shed at the bottom of that hole?

Why are you using so much rock?

Is the floor going to be rock?

What is the shed for?

How will you get into it?

I hate the idea of using drain pipes unless it's totally impossible to drain the water with gravity. The only time I use pipes is to carry water under a walkway or a road. All other drainage is out in the open where it can never plug up.

Eddie

 

[skidoo]

I'm totaly confused.

Are you putting a shed at the bottom of that hole?

Yes... It is not really a hole. I just removed the topsoil from the natural slope, and then chipped away at the slope to obtain a beginning level surface. The bottom is still level with or higher than the slope continuing. But, it still seems steep access. So, I plan to build it up a little more before putting 8-12" more of gravel on top. I am adjusting the grade first.

From the photographers viewpoint, I am standing on a fairly level parking area which is about 6-8 feet higher than where the tractor is parked. So, access from there is virtually impossible. Where the dirt turns to grass by the tree, that point is about 3-4 feet higher than the tractor.

Why are you using so much rock?

I said rock retaining wall, but I meant a brick type designed for laying levels for retaining wall purposes up to 3-4 ft high.

Is the floor going to be rock?

3/4 crush and maybe a thin layer of washed rock 1"- on top. Someone suggested to use the 3/4 crush only, which I am considering.

What is the shed for?

Storage, yard supplies, tools, misc., etc...

How will you get into it?

As the tractor is positioned, the doorway will be facing the tractor at about that spot about a foot or so to the right in the picture (left side of tractor driver). The shed, 12 x 24 will be positioned lengthwise as the tractor is parked but further to the right in the photo. The photo does not show most of the area where the shed will actually sit. The tractor is parked on the access point. Of course if the shed were actually in place, the doors would be blocked by the tractor. So, it would have to be parked more towards the drivers right.

The shed will be a gable style with double doors (60in. wide total) in the middle of the 24 ft section.

I hate the idea of using drain pipes unless it's totally impossible to drain the water with gravity. The only time I use pipes is to carry water under a walkway or a road. All other drainage is out in the open where it can never plug up.

Eddie

This property is sloped virtually everywhere, so it naturally drains to somewhere else. The last significant flood was likely during the last ice age. But, as you see, I will be leveling a spot where the natural drainage goes towards the shed. I am grading the area to continue natural drainage around the shed. So, maybe I don't need the pipe after all.

I think the best slope will be in the form of a Y where the drainage will go from the tractor FEL towards the rear blade which is the intersection of the Y. At this point it slopes up towards the tree, and down towards the right side of and away from the shed. My problem is that I can't decide if it is better to have the general slope towards the shed, or towards the hill side which would require a deeper access low point.

 

[BTDT]

It appears your putting your shed on the top of a hill, in a spot that you have excavated so it will be fairly level, is this correct? Why here? Can you show a pic of the whole area, maybe where house is in relation to where shop is (is there a house?). Where is this in relation to road? At least your getting some seat time.

 

[skidoo]

No, it is going on the down slope of a hill. Here is a picture from the house deck. The shed is going to the right of the picture, and the roof line should be at a level that appears about half to 3/4 the way between the ground and the lower branches of that large pine tree in the foreground. So, the shed will not block any view or potential view of the lake.

The other picture is a panorama stitch of three wide angle shots giving approximately a 180 deg view... So, where the road looks like dips is not accurate.