Learning how to anchor a shed doesn’t have to be hard. A strong shed made from long-lasting materials and with a firm foundation is very important if you want it to last.
But a key aspect of shed building, that is properly anchoring it to the ground should be at the forefront. This is one of the best ways to add stability and keep it planted, regardless of weather conditions.
With our step-by-step guide below, you’ll have all the information you need to build a shed that is safe and secure.
Does a shed need to be anchored to the ground?
The short answer is yes. There are multiple reasons why anchoring your DIY shed is not only useful but sometimes mandatory.
The most obvious reason why you should anchor a shed is safety. The reason people get sheds in the first place is to store their contents in a secure and safe fashion. Those objects won’t be safe if the shed sags or gets knocked over due to high winds. This is especially important for more expensive items like lawnmowers and cars.
Safety isn’t only about the tools on the inside, but any objects – or anyone – on the outside as well. If your shed is built near a house wall or a fence, it could damage other objects or properties if it’s only a couple of feet away.
Scenarios could include things like a knocked-over fence damaging a neighbor’s property, which will have you covering the costs. In that case, that will be even more expensive than the extra cost it takes to anchor it in the first place.
Another potential reason to learn how to anchor your shed is that it could be necessary by law. Depending on where you live, you may need permits to even have a shed in the first place. Most of the time, this only applies to larger sheds that are around 100 square feet in size, more or less.
Many cities legally require you to anchor your shed depending on its construction method, the materials used, or its size. Look into your local laws before building your shed so you know with certainty that you aren’t violating any laws.
Shed Anchoring Requirements
Different kinds of sheds will usually require different anchoring methods. Anchor bolts or a cable clamp may not necessarily be the best way depending on what route of DIY shed building you take. Where you build your shed and what kind of ground it’s on also has a big impact on the appropriate anchoring method.
Wood sheds are by far one of the most common shed variants. They are heavier and stabler than most others. Despite their weight, even these shed types need anchoring.
Metal sheds are another popular option as they still offer good protection and stability but also work better with certain anchoring methods that involve more metal parts such as screws, sheets, and bolts.
Last are plastic sheds, which are certainly the cheapest and usually the easiest to build and install but are also lightweight and easier to knock over. This makes plastic sheds the shed types that require shed anchoring the most.
Tools and Hardware for Anchoring your Shed
While you may not need all of the following tools, these are the materials most commonly purchased for learning how to anchor a shed.
Expansion bolts and brackets
These are a popular choice for people who choose to use concrete blocks, concrete slabs, concrete foundations, or anything related to concrete anchors in general.
These bolts are known for being used alongside L or T-shaped brackets that connect to the ground and the bottom of the shed wall. Corner or triangular brackets also exist, though they tend to come as part of DIY kits or prefabricated sheds.
Side Plates
These are another popular choice, especially when it comes to connecting wooden planks to concrete slab foundations.
Augers
These are probably the most common shed anchoring tool around these days. They are popular because they are inexpensive and fairly easy to install. They come in two kinds: with straps or with cables.
Augers get screwed into the ground only a few inches deep. After that, a cable thread can be placed through the hoops and then secured through wire clamps.
J bolts
They are also commonly used for securing wood into concrete floors, but only when the concrete is wet and still hasn’t hardened yet. The J-shape is reminiscent of one-half of an actual boat anchor. The hook-like shape provides excellent stability when securing one kind of material to another.
So how do you anchor down a shed?
There are six primary steps to do when anchoring your shed into the ground.
1. Understand what kind of ground and foundation is being used.
Ground type is essential for determining the anchoring method. Just as soil requires different methods from gravel, concrete requires different methods from grass. How flat or even the ground is will also have an impact.
Concrete piers are commonly used to keep wood or metal sheds apart from the moisture of the ground. Additionally, wooden flooring is also very common among DIY sheds.
Gravel works great with earth augers, pavers work well with L brackets secured to expanding bolts, and the softer ground types like soil and grass work well with all kinds of augers, including cable strap variants.
2. Select the anchor best suited for the ground.
One common anchoring method is metal sheds on concrete bolts that use L brackets as the anchoring method.
Plastic sheds are commonly used with cable augurs since this shed type is a little trickier to anchor well. Bolts and screws can also be supplemented, depending on the ground type.
Wooden sheds are often best used with galvanized bolts and concrete expansion anchors.
Keep in mind that you can mix and match different anchor types depending on your situation. Use your better judgment or seek advice from a professional contractor or someone with experience building sheds.
3. Consider the size of your shed.
The number of anchors you will need is almost entirely determined by how big the shed will be. For reference, a small-sized shed may only need 8 anchors, a medium-sized one might need 16 to 20, and larger sheds will need 24 anchors at least.
4. Place the anchors.
Now that your ground type, anchor type, and shed size are all accounted for, it’s time to actually install your anchors. Mark all the places where you will be placing them.
If you are working with wet concrete and are also using J bolts, be sure that the anchors are facing away from the shed so that the hook is pointing away from the structure while inside the wet concrete. This will give you much better support, and it’s easier to install them this way anyway.
If you are using bolts or augers, tighten them as much as possible with wrenches, and make sure to always apply washers for extra tightness. This also applies if you are working with brackets.
5. Examine everything for stability.
Once everything is placed and installed, double-check everything. Make sure every screw or bolt is properly tightened, make sure any bracket or J bolt is level or oriented properly, or make sure any cables or threads are not loose.
