There are many thoughts on how to anchor a storage shed. The best way to anchor a storage shed is in concrete. If your foundation is not concrete, then there are many great additional options. Learn how to do this today to secure your shed and its contents.
How To Anchor A Storage Shed – Is It The Law?
You built your shed and then all of a sudden it is gone in the wind, POOF!! That has happened to a lot of people and to prevent damage to your things and your neighbors there are laws on anchoring a shed. Not all areas have these laws, but you need to find out if you live in such an area. If you do live in an area where you are required to anchor a shed, then read on and find out how to anchor a storage shed. You can check your local zoning laws and building permits here and that may help you find out if you need to anchor a shed.
How To Anchor A Storage Shed – New Versus Old Construction
New Construction
The decision has been made to build a new shed. The foundation may be concrete, gravel or another type of foundation. It is up to you to find the right foundation for your shed. You can check out my previous posts on foundations to learn the differences between the possible foundations. More specifically you can read the best tips for a concrete foundation or a gravel foundation. No matter which foundation you choose there are many ways how to anchor a storage shed.
New Shed On A Concrete Foundation
Whether the shed is prebuilt or going to be built from a shed plan you will need to have the concrete foundation first. The concrete foundation is the best way to anchor a shed. This is due to the fact that the anchor can be incorporated into the concrete foundation either while pouring the concrete or after the fact. It is also the most secure way of anchoring a shed. There are many different ways how to anchor a storage shed in concrete. The best ways are described below. These include expansion bolts, brackets and side plates.
Attach The Shed Directly To The Foundation
Anchoring the shed during the concrete foundation pour would primarily be with brackets that will be installed with the concrete pour. The anchors will be placed in the corners of the foundation and while the concrete is wet. Once the concrete dries then the anchor is firmly set and the shed can be constructed around the bracket and adhered to the bracket to anchor it securely.
However, if the concrete foundation is poured and set then there are options for anchoring the shed. This will be with expansion bolts and brackets on the inside of the shed. You can also use masonry screws with side plates on the outside of the shed. Read more to see how to anchor a storage shed in concrete.
Expansion Bolts
For this type of anchoring, the shed foundation will be poured and set. The framing will be done for the shed or the prebuilt shed walls will be erected. Install the expansion bolts at the corner of the inside of the shed. Use a drill with a masonry bit that is the appropriate size for the expansion bolt. At the inside corners of the shed you will drill down to a depth in the concrete to match the expansion bolt. Place a bracket over the hole and tighten the expansion bolt. Once you start to tighten the bolt the outside part of the bolt that is within the hole will expand. This will form a tight bond with the concrete, thus anchoring the bolt to the concrete. Now you need to attach the bracket to the shed frame. Amazon has many different types of expansion bolts that work nicely.
Brackets With Expansion Bolts
Brackets will be attached to the inside of the shed with expansion bolts or masonry screws. The bottom plate of the bracket is secured to the concrete with an expansion bolt. The side of the bracket is attached to the shed frame with bolts or screws. This is a simple installation and will anchor a shed nicely to the concrete foundation. The type of bracket will most likely be an L Bracket. There are many different types of brackets and you can check out more variety here.
Side Plates With Masonry Screws
Side plates are installed to the outside of the shed. The concrete pad will have to be at a reasonable height so the side plate can be secured to the side of the concrete foundation. This is very easy to do and similar to the inside bracket. Place the side plate where the holes on top of the plate will be secured to the shed and the holes on the bottom of the plate will be secured to the concrete. You will need masonry screws for the concrete and again regular bolts or screws to secure the top of the plate to the shed. There are many different types of masonry screws depending on the length and width you need. Here is a great tool to help find the right masonry screw.
New Shed Not On A Concrete Foundation
You decided that the new shed is not going to be built on a concrete foundation for a variety of reasons. However, there are ways of anchoring the new shed to gravel. To ensure a secure anchoring method, it is essential to follow the right techniques. While gravel alone may not provide sufficient anchoring, there are effective methods that can be employed to secure the shed in place without the need for concrete.
By properly anchoring the shed into the ground below the gravel or utilizing alternative anchoring solutions, such as ground screws or anchor kits designed for gravel foundations, you can ensure the shed remains stable and compliant with anchoring laws in your area. These methods, when executed correctly, will help to safeguard the shed and provide peace of mind for its long-term stability on a gravel foundation.”
Anchor In A Concrete Hole
Your shed plans do not include a concrete foundation. However, you really want to anchor the shed in concrete. One way of doing this is to have a hole dug at each corner of the shed and fill it with concrete. In the concrete hole you add an anchor to the wet concrete. Once the concrete is set then the anchor will be set in concrete and you can then attach the shed to the anchor in concrete. I always recommend Quikrete and there tons of options so find the right product here.
Attaching the shed to this type of anchor will depend on the shed and the anchor that you put in the concrete hole. If the anchor has a hole, then thread anchor wire through the hole and then attach the wire to the shed. If anchor wire is not strong enough then you can use straps or cables with the right type of anchor. Here is a nice video on attaching the anchor to the shed.
Augers and straps or cables
Let’s say you do not want to dig a hole and put in concrete. The alternative would be with an auger that is inserted into the ground at the four corners of the shed. The auger will have a round hole on top and then you can thread anchor wire through that hole and then attach that to the shed. This will be quite sturdy if done right. Milspec Anchors make a great product that has an installation rod included.
Placing the auger in the ground is the most difficult part and there are many ways of accomplishing this task but good old fashion hard work is the key. You will need to place a bar through the auger hole on top and twist it into the ground until firmly secure. The auger should be installed with the top angled away from the shed. This will give it more strength and security. The video below shows a person anchoring an Arrow Shed. The hardest part is drilling down the auger, but it can be done. Find the right Arrow Shed here and have it delivered to your house.
New Plastic or Metal Shed
Plastic and metal sheds can also be secured the same way as noted above but the anchor wire is the key to these sheds. In a wood shed that is built from plans or a prebuilt wood shed the anchor wire or straps will be attached to the shed. However, in a plastic or metal shed the anchor wire will need to be threaded under the roof and over the roof trusses on the inside of the shed. The other end of the wire will need to be attached to the auger on the other side.
Tighten the anchor wire securely but not too tight or it will bend the metal shed or even crack the plastic shed. This type of anchoring will need to be checked every year to make sure it has not loosened. Watch the video above. Looking for a new shed then check out the options on Amazon here.
Old Construction
What if you already have a shed built but realize that you need to anchor the shed for security. The above options are still available but it will need to be done with a certain twist or change possibly. A lot of this will depend on the foundation and whether or not it is concrete or an alternative. Have no fear because here are the options on how to anchor a storage shed that is already built.
Old Shed On A Concrete Foundation
Your older shed has a concrete foundation and most likely it is already secure. However, you want that added bit of extra security. So to anchor a shed that is already on a concrete foundation you will need to look at the three ways described above with expansion bolts, brackets and side plates.
Expansion Bolts
The shed is built so go to the inside of the shed and depending on the size of the shed figure out how many areas of the shed you want to anchor to the foundation. If it is a small shed, then at each corner will probably work. However, in larger sheds you will place an anchor every 6-10 feet. Check out the sizes of expansion bolts you may need here.
Brackets Attached With Expansion Bolts
Brackets are easily secured to the shed by expansion bolts or screws. However, the brackets can be secured to the concrete foundation with either masonry screws or expansion bolts. If the bracket is an L Bracket on the inside, then I recommend expansion bolts. As noted above, drill the hole to the right size and depth for the expansion bolt. Place the bracket over the hole and then attach the expansion bolt. Next, attach the bracket to the shed with the proper screws or bolts. There are different sizes of brackets. Find the right size bracket for your shed.
Side Plates With Masonry Screws
Side plates are kind of a retrofit and again are on the outside of the shed. For instance, the shed is built on a concrete foundation and the foundation is above ground level. This would allow one to attach a side plate to the foundation and the other end to the shed. You would use masonry screws for the concrete and galvanized screws for the shed attachment to the side plate. Galvanized screws will not rust so are better options on the outside. Find the right masonry screw for your projects here.
Old Shed Not On A Concrete Foundation
Next up is the shed that is built on a foundation other than concrete. It has been built for awhile but you realize you need to anchor the shed. This is really not much different than new construction since the shed is already built or assembled. The same options exist for this shed as one can anchor the shed in a concrete hole or with Augers.
Anchor In A Concrete Hole
Just like above you will need to dig a hole and then place concrete in the hole. I like to use quickrete concrete as there are many options available. Find the type of anchor you want to set in the concrete and then set the anchor in the concrete and let the concrete set. Now the anchor is secure and you can attach your shed to the anchor with anchor wire or straps. See the video above.
Augers and straps or cables
Augers for a pre-existing shed is no different than a new shed construction. Anchor the auger at each corner if the shed is small or every 10 feet or so if it is a larger shed. Place the anchors a few feet away from the shed and insert them at a 20 degree angle away from the shed. Once secure in the ground, then attach the shed to the auger with anchor wire or straps. Check out the video above to see this done with anchor wire.
Old Plastic or Metal Shed
Old Plastic and metal sheds can also be secured the same way as a new plastic or metal shed above. I would recommend an auger with anchor wire. The anchor wire will need to be threaded under the roof on the outside. Then the anchor wire will be threaded over the trusses on the inside of the shed. Attach the anchor wire to the auger on the opposite side of the shed. Tighten the anchor wire securely but not too tight or it will bend the metal shed. It could even crack the plastic shed. As noted above, this type of anchoring will need to be checked every year to make sure it has not loosened. Watch the video above.
How To Anchor A Storage Shed – Conclusion
There you have the best thoughts on how to anchor a storage shed. I believe it is best to anchor a shed in concrete. If your foundation is not concrete then there are other options. One can dig a hole and place concrete in the hole for a more secure anchoring. However, if the shed is small to medium then you could use augers and anchor wire or straps. If you do not have shed plans, then get Free Plans Here. Some people are not into building a shed from scratch so check out sheds that can be delivered to your house here. I hope this helps.
All the best,
JB
