alternatives to roof gutter on a shed?

[millinghill]

Hi, Just built a 9x16 shed, raised up 12" on sonotube foundations at the corners and middle. I'm hoping to avoid adding a rain gutter because I hate cleaning the leaves out of it. Neighbors suggested:

1. put a wide row of pavers around the shed perimeter to prevent the water from washing out the ground, but not sure how wide that should be.
2. put a wide row of decorative gravel or mulch, but that sounds like a maintenance headache. I figure a bunch of readers must have had similar experiences. Advice and suggestions appreciated. Thanks, Theodore.

[micky]

???

Others may have more precise answers, but I'd put one paver where I thought the most water would come off the roof, and then I'd go out in the rain and see where the water landed and if one paver wide is enough.

If you have to put two rows, or even between consecutive pavers in one row, there is some kind of fancy hi-tech sand you can put down that will keep weeds from growing in between, but I forget its name. People here or at hd will know its name. Or you could just let weeds grow and mow them when you mow the lawn.

[slate_leeper]

When our previous house was built, a three-foot wide bed of gravel was laid from the foundation out. No gutters at all. Worked great for the

27 years we lived there. I think it was a few inches deep. No maintenance of any kind.

That was a two-story raised ranch. I suspect a shed could get away with much less gravel.

My current house has gutters. Since I am now much older, I pay for gutter cleaning twice a year. I also have to periodically clean out the gutter exits in the lawn.

Mulch here gets washed away by rains or blown away by the yard crew. I am gradually replacing it with gravel in the flower beds.

-dan z-

[trader_4]

How about nothing? Lots of sheds around here, never seen one with gutters. A shed roof is small compared to a house roof, so the amount of water falling will be much less. Plant some tough grass, eg tall fescue, if it's where that will work and see how it goes.

[Tommy Silvuh]