Can You Put a Shed on Artificial Turf?

This page is for homeowners who have turf, or are about to put it in, and want a shed in the same yard. Shed makers write about bare ground. Turf guides rarely mention sheds, and the forum answers say "compact the base and put the shed on top." We read four shed makers' site prep guides and a how-to guide, and lined them up against how a turf lawn is built.

Key takeaways

• A shed needs a level base. A turf lawn is built to slope 1 to 2 percent, which tilts a 10 ft shed 1.2 to 2.4 inches.
• Three of the shed sources size the pad the same way: 1 ft past the shed on each side. A 10 x 12 ft shed gets a 12 x 14 ft pad.
• Shed pads are 3 to 6 inches of crushed gravel. That is about the same depth as a turf base, so the pad fits in the same dig.
• Turf stops at the pad edge. Set the turf backing 1/2 to 3/4 inch below the top of the frame or slab.
• Build the pad and take delivery before the turf goes down. If the turf is already in, lay plywood tracks for the trailer.

What is a shed pad, and how is it different from a turf base?

A shed pad is the level base a shed sits on. The shed's floor frame rests on wood runners (also called skids) or joists, and the pad holds those runners flat and dry. Most pads are crushed gravel held in a frame of treated timbers, and some are concrete slabs.

A turf base is the layer of crushed rock under a turf lawn. It is usually 3 to 4 inches thick after compaction, as our base preparation guide explains. It looks a lot like a shed pad, and the difference is the top. A turf base is graded to slope 1 to 2 percent (1/8 to 1/4 inch per foot), so storm water runs off. A shed pad must be dead level. That is where the forum answer goes wrong: a compacted turf base is firm enough, but it is not flat, and the turf on top of it is soft.

Why not put the shed straight on the turf?

It is not level. Every shed source we read asks for a level site. Kauffman Structures says the site "needs to be level for the proper installation of your shed." Pine Creek Structures warns that "level to the naked eye and actually being level are not the same." On a turf lawn graded at 1 to 2 percent, a 10 ft shed sits 1.2 to 2.4 inches lower on one side. Countryside Barns has its crew check that "everything is level and lined up correctly, including all of the windows and doors."

It holds water under the floor. Outdoor Living Today, a shed maker, says "Don't skip drainage, it's your best defense against rot and frost heave." For a beam base it says to leave space between the beams "to promote drainage and prevent moisture buildup under the shed." Turf fills that gap with pile and sand infill, and under the floor it gets no sun, no rinse and no brushing. Our view: a mat built to hold sand is the wrong thing to press against wood runners that need to dry.

It wastes turf. Turf under a shed is never seen or used, and a 12 x 14 ft pad covers 168 sq ft. At the mid-tier installed price of $10 to $15 per sq ft in our turf cost guide, that is $1,680 to $2,520 of turf you do not need to buy.

How big and how deep should the shed pad be?

The sources agree on size and differ a little on depth.

"1 ft on each side" and "2 ft longer and wider" are the same rule, so three sources agree on size. Pine Creek also ties its 6-year warranty to the 3 to 4 inches of 2B stone. Check your own shed's warranty before you choose the rock.

A shed pad runs 3 to 6 inches deep and a turf base 3 to 4, so the pad is not a deeper dig. It is the same dig, finished level and framed.

Kauffman adds one limit. If the site is "more than 4 or 5 inches off level," have some dirt dug out before you build. A turf lawn at 2 percent falls only 2.9 inches across a 12 ft pad, so most turf yards stay under that line.

Which shed foundation works in a turf yard?

Each of the four foundations the shed sources list works in a turf yard, as long as it sits in a cut-out with no turf under it.

The slab numbers need one note. Outdoor Living Today says "Excavate 6 inches: 4 inches of gravel, 4 inches of concrete slab." That adds up to 8 inches in a 6 inch hole, so either the slab stands about 2 inches proud of the old ground or the gravel is thinner. Either way, set the slab top by the turf edge rule below.

Patio stones and beams still go on gravel, never on the turf, where each would sink into the pile and sand at its own rate.

How do you fit a level pad into a sloped turf lawn?

The lawn slopes and the pad does not, so the frame shows more on the low side.

You have two choices on the low side: accept a visible timber edge, which reads as a border, or reshape the turf base near the pad so the lawn meets it higher. Do not tilt the pad to match the lawn. The base material calculator turns your own pad size into tons.

What order do you build the pad and the turf in?

Pad first, shed second, turf last. That keeps the trailer off finished turf.

1. Check the rules. Countryside Barns says to check "local city and county ordinances, as well as homeowners association regulations." This Old House notes sheds are often kept "at least 5 feet from the neighbors' yards."
2. Call 811 and mark the pad. Outdoor Living Today squares the outline by measuring both diagonals, since equal diagonals mean square corners.
3. Dig the turf area and the pad together. Take the pad area to its full depth, 4 to 6 inches per This Old House.
4. Set the frame level and fill it. Level the frame with a long level, not by the lawn grade. This Old House dampens the gravel with a hose "for better compaction" and tamps it in.
5. Take delivery of the shed. Kauffman puts the shed floor about 8 inches above the ground, so plan a ramp if you will roll a mower in.
6. Build the turf base to the frame and lay the turf. Follow how to install artificial turf for the rest.

How do you finish the turf against a shed pad?

Treat the frame or slab like any hard edge, as in our edging and borders guide. Set the turf base so the backing sits 1/2 to 3/4 inch below the top of the frame. The fiber tips then lean over the joint and hide the cut.

Trim the turf to the frame from the back with a straightedge. Nail 1 to 2 inches in from the edge, every 6 to 8 inches. Against a slab, you can tuck the edge into the gap instead. Leave the 1 ft gravel strip around the shed as gravel. It is part of the pad, not a gap to fill with turf.

Adding a shed to an existing turf lawn. Snap lines at the pad outline, cut along them, pull the nails near the cut and fold the turf back. The turf base under it is crushed rock, the same kind of material as a shed pad. Dig the frame into it so the frame top lands 1/2 to 3/4 inch above the turf backing on the high side. Inside the frame, keep the sound old base as the bottom layer, add gravel to bring the low side up to level, and compact. Then lay the turf back and trim it to the frame. If your shed maker names a stone, as Pine Creek does, use that stone. Cutting around obstacles covers clean straight cuts and corners.

How do you protect turf when the shed is delivered?

Kauffman delivers with a pickup and trailer and asks for clear access, with room under "overhead wires or tree branches." Pine Creek also offers a machine called a shed mule, which it says "minimizes yard damage, even in wet yards." It weighs about 15,000 pounds less than its standard rig and needs about 20 inches less height. Ask which one your dealer will send. Best of all, take delivery before the turf goes down.

If a trailer must cross turf, use the plywood method from our parking on turf page. Lay two tracks of 3/4 inch plywood where the wheels will run, overlapped at the joints. Take them up the same day, then brush the pile back up. The turf warranties we read exclude vehicle damage, so the plywood is your only cover. Countryside Barns also says to avoid areas that are "very wet or suffer from poor drainage," which goes for the route as well as the site.

When does this answer stop applying?

This page covers sheds that stand on a floor frame, delivered or built on site. Plastic storage boxes are not covered; follow their own manual. A shed big enough to need a building permit may need a frost-depth footing, and your inspector sets that, not this page. If your city counts a new slab as impervious cover, the pad may change your lot's total; see is artificial turf an impervious surface. A pad near the house still has to let water drain away from the foundation, as covered in turf next to the house. Your shed maker's own manual outranks every figure here. A pergola is a different case: it has no floor to level, but each post needs a deep concrete footing, covered in can you put a pergola on artificial turf.

Sources

• Outdoor Living Today, How To Build A Foundation (Lowe's document 81861168): foundation types, excavation, slab, leveling, drainage.
• This Old House, How to Make a Gravel Shed Foundation: dig depth, pad size, timber frame, setbacks.
• Kauffman Structures, How Do I Prepare for My Shed: pad size and depth, excavation limit, delivery, floor height.
• Pine Creek Structures, Delivery and Shed Moves: pad size, stone and warranty, shed mule.
• Countryside Barns, Preparing for Shed Delivery (Dec 1, 2020): local rules, wet sites, delivery route.

Frequently asked questions

Can I put a small shed on artificial turf if I level it with blocks?

Not on the turf. Blocks set on turf sink into the pile and sand at different rates, so the shed drifts out of level. Outdoor Living Today places patio stones on leveled soil or gravel, which it rates for "small to medium sheds on stable ground." Cut the turf out under the shed, put down a gravel bed, and level the stones on that.

Can I put artificial turf on the floor inside my shed?

Yes, but that is an indoor floor job, not a lawn. Indoor turf goes on a hard floor with no gravel base, and some rooms have fire test rules for floor coverings. Our guide to artificial turf indoors covers what to check. None of that changes the outdoor rule: the shed itself sits on a pad, not on turf.

Is a gravel pad or a concrete slab better for a shed in a turf yard?

Gravel suits most sheds. It is cheaper, drains, and its timber frame gives the turf a straight edge. Kauffman calls concrete "the best foundation if you are willing to spend the extra money," and Outdoor Living Today picks a slab for large, heavy sheds kept long term. A slab also gives the turf a hard edge, but it may count as impervious cover.

Do I have to dig up the turf base to build a shed pad?

Usually not. A turf base is compacted crushed rock, the same kind of material as a shed pad. Fold the turf back, dig a level frame into the base, and add gravel inside it to fill the low side. Kauffman advises digging out only when the site is more than 4 or 5 inches off level. If your shed maker names a stone, use it.