New Coop Floor

[Ruralhideaway]

When I built my add-on coop last year I raised it up off the ground by about 3feet with 4x4 posts on each corner and the concrete piers spoken of above without the saddle. I found that having it that far off the ground afforded some storage space underneath for extra totes, the bags of bedding or whatever....

Giving up walk in is the cost of that storage though. Unless you have stairs? That would be a great set up!

 

[oregonkat]

True, but I built mine with a big door and easy clean floor so I have good access. This building is just the coop, they have an entire enclosure that the coops are attached to.

 

[Creteloc]

Right now I have a gravel pad encased in a 2x4 frame to level the ground. The ground is sloped, in fact, my entire yard is sloped. There's not a single flat surface. Anyway, can I lay those blocks on the gravel (1.5" rocks) and put the shed on top? I don't know how else to level it.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

What I did was jack up the shed and put pier blocks (concrete blocks that look kind of like pyramids with flat tops)

Pier block. Deck block. I've also heard them called castle blocks. I love 'em, but they are pricey.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Common-7-i...5-in-x-10-375-in-Concrete-Deck-Block/50113084

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

Right now I have a gravel pad encased in a 2x4 frame to level the ground. The ground is sloped, in fact, my entire yard is sloped. There's not a single flat surface. Anyway, can I lay those blocks on the gravel (1.5" rocks) and put the shed on top? I don't know how else to level it.

One way would be to stack cinder blocks to get a level plane to set your shed base on. If you want the look of pier/deck blocks, then you will need to raise the shed floor to level using treated 4 x 4s.

 

[lazy gardener]

I would use these: https://www.essentialhardware.com/n...cuq9T3-OmYOTnm9NIZF_KyZm_FGCX3-xoCwKoQAvD_BwE

Then, I'd lay hardware cloth over the 2 x 4's that frame the floor, completely covering the floor, with overlap at any seams. I'd wrap it up over each side of the structure x 1', being sure to overlap and secure well at the corners. Then, I'd lay the plywood flooring, frame up the walls, attaching the hdw cloth to the wall framing. Then, put on your exterior sheathing over the hdw cloth.

I'm not sure, but the pricing that shows up on that Lowes site may be for a pallet of those blocks. They really are NOT $794 each!!!! IMO, they are worth every penny spent b/c they give you a nice firm foundation which will not shift. It may settle, but you know your floor will not shift off the blocks!!!

 

[lazy gardener]

Right now I have a gravel pad encased in a 2x4 frame to level the ground. The ground is sloped, in fact, my entire yard is sloped. There's not a single flat surface. Anyway, can I lay those blocks on the gravel (1.5" rocks) and put the shed on top? I don't know how else to level it.

The location of my 10 x 12 coop is on real nasty ground, with a slope. We excavated the clay sub soil out where each of the handi blocks were planned to set. Then filled each excavation with 1/2" pea stone, and laid the blocks on top, leveling them horizontally. Then, we used upright 4 x 4 posts in the section of the block that is designed for that. The floor framing was then attached to the 4 x 4 posts. This allowed us to make the floor level, even though the blocks were not all at the same elevation. For example, the posts at the front of your coop may be 12" high, while they only need to be 8" high at the back.

If you do this, I suggest that your finishing touch for all of the sites where the blocks sit in pea stone is to cap them off with some concrete mix, or even some large stones. My girls absolutely love to excavate around those blocks!!!

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

It would be much easier to level a coop using pier/deck blocks than using other means like stacked cinder blocks. Stacked cinder blocks have to be laid very level, but with pier/deck blocks it's not that critical. Then just cut the 4x4 posts to get the right level. After having this thought I may use them in the future (despite the cost) because I am sick of leveling things with cinder blocks. PITA.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

I'm not sure, but the pricing that shows up on that Lowes site may be for a pallet of those blocks. They really are NOT $794 each!!!! IMO, they are worth every penny spent b/c they give you a nice firm foundation which will not shift. It may settle, but you know your floor will not shift off the blocks!!!

That $794 price is for 40 blocks + free shipping on a little less than 1 ton, which accounts for about 2/3 of that price.

 

[Medda]

I think those blocks for $6.40 each at my local Lowes. Those are what I will be using to level the floor of the Woods coop I'm building.