Lifetime Shed Foundation Options

Two Options

First and foremost, before preparing a foundation for your Lifetime shed, check with your city office to see if you will need a building permit. Also, some HOA have very strict requirements regarding the size, color, and material of any outdoor buildings you may want to build, so you'll want to make sure you're good to go before investing your time and money. 

For your convenience, all Lifetime shed instructions are available in an online Owner's Manual for you to preview. The Owner's Manual will include how-to instructions on building a proper foundation for your Lifetime shed. There are two foundations we recommend and the one that will work best for you depends on how you plan to use your shed. Do you plan to use it just to store garden tools and fertilizer? Or will you be storing your riding lawnmower or ATV in there?  The amount of weight you will be putting on the floor will determine which foundation you should go with.  The floor covering for a Lifetime shed is integrated polyethylene panels which need enough support below to avoid movement in the panels and adequately support the contents of your shed. Consider the following options:

• A concrete slab will support the most weight and provide the best long-term performance. This is the best option and the one we most strongly recommend
• A wooden platform won't support as much weight as the concrete, but will perform satisfactorily for a lawnmower and other equipment in that weight range

IMPORTANT! Regardless of which of these foundations you choose to suit your purposes, if the surface is not properly leveled, your Lifetime Shed will not assemble correctly, which could result in the doors not opening and closing properly and possible gaps that could allow leaking.  All foundations should be built above ground in order to avoid water pooling inside the shed. Bear in mind that many Lifetime shed models are compatible with shed extension kits. If there's a possibility that you may want to extend your shed in the future, you may want to make your original foundation big enough to accommodate this extension later on down the road. (Of course, it would still be possible to create a foundation for the extension later; it would just be more convenient to do it all at once.)

OPTION #1 - A CONCRETE SLAB:
The foundation for your shed will be a little bigger than the shed itself, so keep this in mind when selecting your site. Refer to the online Owner's Manual for your shed model for the exact dimensions for your concrete slab. You can also find those dimensions on buylifetime.com under the "Footprint" in the Specs table. The online Owner's Manual will also tell you exactly how much concrete you will need for your particular shed model.

OPTION #2 - A WOODEN PLATFORM:  (Note* All lumber must be rated for outdoor use)
You will need to build the outside frame to specifications in the Owners Manual for your shed model. Then you will nail the 2” x 4” boards on the inside of the frame.  The frame should be squared by measuring from corner to corner diagonally to make sure that the distance is equal from corner to corner.  Plywood should be cut into sizes as per instructions in the Owner's Manual and nailed onto the wooden frame.  Then you can place the shed platform in the desired location. If you find that the platform does not rest level on the ground, build up the low points with loose dirt until it is stable. We also recommend that you drill three evenly spaced 1/2" drain holes into plywood between each 2x4 joist.

To sum it all up, you’ve all heard that any structure is only as good as its foundation, so the proper installation of your Lifetime shed foundation is not to be underestimated. The Owner's Manuals make this project as easy as possible by giving you step-by-step instructions accompanied by illustrations. We also have shed assembly experts available in the Lifetime Customer Service department who will be happy to assist you with any questions or issues that may arise along the way. They can be contacted at 1 800 225 3865 ex.3, or by emailing customercare@lifetime.com. 

* Helpful hints: Sometimes our customers want to put a Lifetime shed in a very limited space (i.e between two walls). Ideally, there should be at least 3 ft around the perimeter of the shed in which to work on the outside walls, but in a tight squeeze we suggest that you and your assistants assemble the shed in front of the desired site and then lift it (with a person supporting each corner) and slide it onto the prepared foundation.