Building a Potting Shed Floor
Potting Shed Floor in Progress
This will be a work in progress blog post as we are just getting started on building the floor. Late last summer and early fall Andy and I started to rebuild the old pole barn. My goal is to turn it into a Potting Shed for the Market Garden. Currently the pole barn in an open structure divided into two sections. We took down and rebuilt three of the walls in the main area of the barn. Early in the spring, I laid gravel down to keep the weeds out and the mud and manure in check. With the new exterior wall up, well three of them anyway, I decided that a level and more solid floor would be more functional for a Potting Shed. Good idea and I have a vision, not 100% sure how we are going to construct it. Thank goodness for You Tube videos!
Because the ground is uneven and we have no viable way of leveling the ground without dropping a good chunk of change, I decided we would approach the construction as we would a deck. I had Andy dig six holes around the perimeter of the interior. Then he filled the holes with concrete. My contractor, who is amazing, gifted me six metal footers that we will attach to the concrete pillars. Then we will cut six individual four by fours that will be inserted into the footers. Because the ground is not level each four by four will be slightly different in length depending on the level ground. They will however be above the ground so that when a six by two beam is positioned on top of them and across the width and length of the barn, together they will create a level structure on which to build the floor. As I said, I’m approach the construction of the Potting Shed floor like one would if they were construction a deck on an uneven surface. With the framework in place, we will add additional support beams using hanging footers. With those in place we will then place sheets of plywood across the frame and screw it on. If all goes according to plan, we should have a floor for the Potting Shed that is both level and solid.
That is the theory anyway… as this is a work in progress, I will write updates! My goal is to have the floor and interior walls finished by spring. Fingers crossed, if I can achieve that goal then the last thing to construct is the front of the shed. Which again thanks to the kind generosity of my contractor will have two six foot by eight foot windows! Because the windows are so big, I might have to hire him to build that wall. They are beautiful and will let in so much light, but they are also huge and might be beyond both Andy and my skills set as amateur builders. But… that is for another blog post in the future!
Until then…. This is how we are building a Potting Shed floor.
