On 10 Mar 2005 05:44:06 -0800, snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com vaguely proposed a theory ......and in reply I say!:
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Be careful here. It is easy to try to level with existing ground and end up below level. Your shed then becomes a shallow swimming pool at the wrong times. Your gravel being brought in is the better idea. Work from just (150mm) above natural ground and go out flat from there. That way you have a consistent floor material, and your inlet comes up to it. You _will_ be amazed at how much gravel you need though! :-<
10 m * 10 m , starting at one corner at 150mm and having a max fall of 0.5 metres is mmmmm.... 20 m^3 with 45 degree fall on the batters? You may get away with "local dirt" for a bottom layer or two, but be careful, and check first if you are every going to concrete the floor, or the authorities are ever going to delve around.Compact your worked "natural" ground very thoroughly before you start adding.
What do you call "gravel"? I am concerned that it will _look_ compacted, if it's true gravel, but have no binding agent. This will not compact well. There is usually a requirements for "fines" to bind the the material. Here we use "yellow sand" a coarse sand with some clay content for 99% of floors.
My FIL was a granno worker (cement floors) now retired, and a bloody good one. His way (and mine when I had to do floors for him when he did stuff for me ) to final level a floor was to create levels all through it with rebar hammered in, then get in there with a shovel and shuffle the gravel around to the levels. Work in maybe 1.5 - 2 metres squares. Compact, then level again. Compact. It's up to you and the local authorities as to how much of that you do! It's hard work, but that final level with a machine is a real art that not many have mastered. You can also work at your own pace.
Someone suggested using 2x around the edges and fill on the batter sides. Sounds good to me. 2x6 with hammered in rebar every few feet will hold. If you kept adding levels, and also supporting the down side, you could go quite a height like that. But basically, build the pad a lot larger than the shed (a metre all round is good, with 45 degrees max on the batter sides). Then level the bit you want.
He used a dumpy level. You could probably hire one with a staff. You have read all the stuff about water levels and laser levels. They all have their ups and downs. Laser leverl are useless outside unless you have a sensor. But tye would be OK in a pre-built shed.
Yes.