Question: wood pallet for shed floor?

[PaPaPeng]

I have a 10 ft x 12 ft metal garden shed to be assembled. The ground is sloped and I had graded it to level, somewhat like a wedge of dirt where the shed will be. I will need something to anchor the shed to the ground. The thought came up that perhaps I can join a few wood pallets to form a base on which to nail down a plywood floor. Then build the shed on that. How resistant to rot will the pallet wood be? The mound will never have any standing water. Where I am is too cold for termites. I have some old pallets that have been out in the backyard for the last 8 years. They look a kind of weathered greyish but no rot. Any precautions I should consider?

[lwasserm]

Well, if you get some new pallets of the same type as the old ones, then they should last at least 8 years, right?

[George]

They sell a floor kit for all the metal sheds I've seen, I'd buy one of those, put pressure treated plywood on it and set the whole thing on concrete blocks. The pallets WILL rot. The pallets WILL NOT make a truly flat and stable foundation for the shed.

I've found it to be easier and less expensive to do things right the first time.

Just my opinion.

ps. Termites got jackets,.... just so you know.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Pallets will rot like any other plain wood. Get pressure treated or use concrete blocks for supports. Do it right and you only have to do it once.

[Tater]

then it is cold enough for frost heave heave, which is altogether another nightmare that *I* am trying to fix on an existing attached garage

out in the backyard is not the same as standing on the ground, the soil will trap moisture and the pallets will rot.

Idealy, you want to put about 2-4" of styrofoam to avoid frost heave, then whatever support structure you want for the floor. preferably of something that will withstand the worst contditions. I'm planning concrete for mine