Mount Deck Rail Posts
Notching posts over the band board, staging the carriage bolts so plumb survives tightening, and blocking so the rail takes a real lateral load.
Float a Timber Base on Concreted Steel Legs So the Frame Never Touches Ground
Galvanized adjustable legs set in concrete hold a shed or garden-room timber base clear of the soil — the frame stays ventilated on all sides, handles uneven ground, and skips the cost of a full slab.
shed foundation options, pier block alternative, shed base without pouring a slab, raised shed platform
The Problem
A timber base sitting on or near grade is on a countdown — ground contact keeps the underside damp, and damp wood with no airflow rots regardless of treatment. The usual escapes are a poured slab or a ground-screw system, both of which cost more money and labor than a garden building may justify, and neither of which forgives a sloping site gracefully.
The Technique
This garden-room builder sets the timber base on galvanized steel legs instead:
- Dig a hole where each leg lands.
- Frame the timber base first, and set it up on temporary blocks, roughly level, with the legs hanging in their holes.
- Concrete the legs into the holes with the frame still on its blocks.
- Once the concrete is in, fine-tune the frame to dead level using the legs' screw adjustment, then bolt the frame to the legs through the provided holes.
The result is a base elevated clear of the soil on every side. Air moves under and around the timber, so it dries after every rain — no ground contact, no trapped moisture. The leg heights absorb whatever slope the site has.
Pro tip: The sequence is what makes the leveling painless — blocks hold the frame at roughly the right height while the concrete cures, and the screw adjustment does the precision work afterward. Level to concrete directly and you're chasing a moving target.
Safety note: A pier-and-post foundation that's fine for a shed may not satisfy local rules for a habitable garden room or anything with real snow or wind load — check what your jurisdiction requires for the building you're actually putting on top before committing to the base.
Electrical, plumbing, and structural work may be regulated where you live — check local code before you start, and note that a permit may be required. More in our disclaimer.
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