Do concrete deck blocks settle install#

These came into being in the past when most houses and businesses burned coal for heat, producing a lot of cinders. They often have holes in them to allow for further reinforcement.Ĭinder blocks contain actual cinders and ash from coal. The only aggregates used are finely crushed stone or sand.

Concrete blocks are made from pure concrete and cement. Many people use these terms interchangeably, but concrete and cinder blocks are actually two different things. If you are needing a different type of foundation for your shed read my article What’s The Best Shed Foundation Option For You? What is the Difference Between Cinder Blocks and Concrete Blocks? Putting a shed on blocks may even void the manufacturer’s warranty on a prefab shed or one built to order. The mud that can splash up certainly doesn’t improve the shed’s appearance, either.Īdditional problems that people may not realize include the fact that some shed companies discourage putting their products on blocks, especially in colder climates because of the freezing and thawing ground problems. Metal siding may rust prematurely if it gets a bath every time it rains.

If you have wood siding, this will be an extra source of moisture you don’t need on your siding. Heavy rain will also splash water and mud against your shed. Without gravel underneath and around the shed, rainfall from the roof will splash against your shed siding. Even putting the shed directly on a gravel pad, while not supplying airflow underneath the shed, does provide support under the whole floor.īlocks do not keep weeds from growing underneath your shed and do not keep out animals, such as rats and mice, and even skunks, from under your shed and perhaps getting inside. A floor without sufficient support will tend to bounce and eventually sag. This puts undue strain on the floor joists. This leaves the centers of all sides and the center of the shed itself unsupported. This will cause strain on the connections all over the shed and may cause the door to stick when opening and closing.Īdditionally, people may think that they only need blocks under the corners. When it’s lowered, there’s no guarantee it will be lowered in a level position but may actually be tilted. Softer soils underneath may settle, causing sinking on the surface.įreezing and thawing also tend to shift the soil and can actually raise and lower the shed a bit. Soil tends to settle over time, even if the place you picked for your shed is usually dry. Some people simply grade out their ground and level it, then place the blocks right on the soil. There are problems with using blocks for a foundation. A shallowly dug, level base for some gravel to facilitate drainage under the blocks is all many people use.

Do concrete deck blocks settle install#

They are easy to use and place, and you don’t need a huge excavation to install a foundation. The Pros and Cons of Concrete BlocksĬoncrete blocks provide a simple way to put a foundation under your shed. Some localities prohibit the use of these blocks, depending on the type of shed you build, while others have restrictions governing their use. Some suppliers call these deck blocks also.īoth of these can be used to support both the outside framework and the joists. Pier blocks have a built-in bracket that attaches to the frame boards. These are deck blocks, which contain slots to hold the lumber framing the base of the shed. There are a couple of block forms that come under the umbrella of concrete blocks. In addition to go over the pros and cons of concrete blocks I will look at the different types of concrete blocks and their usage for a base for a storage shed. This article will discuss those and a couple of other forms. Also available are many kinds of flatter blocks however, these are not the kind most people use for a shed base. There are also larger ones with three holes that are similar. However, when somebody mentions concrete blocks, what most people think of are the rectangular blocks with two holes. Concrete blocks come in many forms with different uses.