Shed building question

I was going to purchase a 10x10 shed kit from lowes. after seeing how it was constructed (2x3's, poor cuts, etc) I decided to just take the plans build my own.

The floor/foundation plans in the kit are to use cement blocks and gravel to level, 3 4x4 runners on the blocks, then the shed floor frame on top of that.

I have leveled the blocks with the 4x4's on them. The kit uses 2x4's for the floor frame with 2x4 joist ever 12" o/c.

My questions:
Is a 2x4 frame strong enough or does it need to be 2x6? The kit is okay with the 2x4's i guess b/c they have 12 in joist and resting on 3 4x4's.

I will be parking a riding mower in this shed.
Do I need to anchor my 4x4's to my blocks or someone to the ground?
Do i need to anchor somehow anchor the areas where one block is stacked on another (blocks are 4x4x16 solid concrete blocks). Or will stacked blocks be fine without anything once the shed weight is added?

Thanks all for the help.

 

The 2x4 should be fine for a riding mower, especially with that spacing. Thats not a severe amount of weight. If it makes you feel better, put a block or two under the center of the floor.

I personally would anchor it, it keeps it from walking during severe weather. I sank my 4x4 corner posts when building mine instead of using blocks. You could also drive a grounding rod/rebar on the inside of each corner and strap to that.

 

Thank you for the response. I was trying to find the easiest way to keep it from shifting back if the mower contacted the door frame etc on entry. I was going to anchor the 4x4's to the top cement block.
I was thinking about drilling a hole in each 4x4 and driving a long piece of rebar through the 4x4 and into the ground to anchor but just driving a 4ft piece at each corner block and a anchoring the block the rebar might be easier.

The floor frame with be screwed to each of the 3 4x4's at various locations, so essentially the floor frame is anchored to the 4x4's, the 4x4's anchor to the top cement blocks. I was just having trouble finding a way to anchor all that to the ground.

 

Also, what did you mean by put a block or 2 under the center of the floor?
The middle 4x4 will run down the center of the floor from the back to the front and will a have the bases under it.

Yellow marks where my cement blocks are.

 

You may consider pressure treated lumber at ground level.

 

Oops, I misread your first post. You already have center blocks under each 4x4. Thats plenty of support.

Oh, and from experience, you might want to staple some wire screen around the outside base after you finish the build. It keeps the furry pests from nesting underneath.

 

None of the lumber will actually touch the ground, but yes the 4x4's as well as all the lumber i am going to use to build the floor frame is going to be pressure treated.

 

Good idea!

 

opinions using these to attach to the 4 corners or the floor frame on the underside before i put down the plywood floor?
https://dirtbolt.com/how-to-anchor-a-garden-shed/


Or three auger anchors on each side of the shed with an eye bolt?

Or one at each end of the 4x4's bolted to it.

 

Much more secure than rebar will ever be, but heaven help you if you encounter a rock when driving that bastard.

Edit, an alternate idea would be to dig down 18-24" with a post hole digger, fill in 50 pounds of quickcrete each corner, and set a metal strap in that.

 

1. Construction adhesive for the stacked blocks.

2. Tiedown structure if wind sheer is a concern.

 

yes, that is my one major pro for using rebar over any drill type anchor... while digging out my trenches for my blocks i didn't encounter any rock only some roots, so that makes me feel a little better.

 

Not too concerned about wind, more just bumping the shed and it movings. My yard is sloped so looking at the shed, the left side is resting of 12 inches of cement block to level it out.
I have used the construction adhesive for cement before with poor luck when doing a fire pit. Just didn't seem to hold together. Maybe I wasn't using the right kind. Do you have a suggestion?
I can ways use a metel bracket with cement scews to tie the blocks together I guess.

 

also, am I just way over thinking this? I no alot of people just throw their 4x4s on the multiple blocks and the only thing anchored is the floor frame to the 4x4 and the rest is held down by the weight of the shed.

 

Probably. One of my coworker's favorite sayings is "it isnt properly engineered unless its overengineered."

 

As @Rock Lobster mentioned, run some fencing around the bottom buried into the ground. Nothing like having a skunk or ground hog move in under that thing... Don’t ask how I know... When the mice move in, start up the mower and close the shed up. Give it a half hour or so or until the mower runs out of gas.