Tilting Shed

[John Terefenko]

I noticed about a month ago and not sure why I started looking but now my eye goes to it every time I pass, my back yard shed has leaned. Probably was happening over time but I just noticed. It is a 9X12 self built shed. I put it on established ground with blue stone as a base and poured concrete 4" thick. It leans to the left a half bubble out of plum. Front to back is still right on. It was dead level when I built it. Now I know on my property there are low spots that I guess over time have sunk and when I redo my lawn I need to have some backfill trucked in to level everything off.

I guess my question is any suggestions on how to correct this or am I asking for trouble and just have to deal with my ( OCD if that is the term for this) I have 2 ideas but neither one is exciting. Just thought I would throw it out there. The shed is 2X4 studs with CDX plywood on the outside. Laun plywood on the inside.

[Charlie Velasquez]

This is something that should only take an afternoon if your slab is in good condition.
You could hire mud jackers. There are two varieties, a concrete type and a foam type.

Or, you could do it yourself.
Dig under the low corners, place some bottle jacks then jack it level.
Then you can use the concepts of the two varieties of mudjackers

Foam: Use some structural foam panels as wedges to support the slab temporarily
Remove the jacks

Concrete: Place some forms around the slab as if you were going to repour your slab, because you are.
(Now this next part is made up, I'll explain the difference from what I did at the end) Cut a round hole in the form for a piece of pvc pipe, maybe a three incher?? Make an elbow and an upright to give it a little height. Put it into the form so it can't pull out.
Mix up some 'flowable fill' google it to get a good ratio
Pour it down the pipe
The pipe's height will add hydrostatic pressure to help the fill completely reach all the low spots.

It does not need strength it is only fill, but more stable than dirt or sand.

My situation was different. One of our schools had a 50ft. run of concrete steps along an incline. Water from a downspout was unknowingly going under the top landing and over decades had ploughed a valley under the steps all the way down the hill. It finally shifted and the steps were unsafe. We discovered the hole the water had made at the top. We jacked the steps plumb and level, shimmed and removed the jacks. Here we did it differently then above, We built a wall of dirt against the outside of the steps, about 2ft wide, then started adding flowable fill from the hole at the landing.

We had to do it in several lifts as the hydrostatic pressure started to blow out the dirt wall (that was fun). That is when we decided to add braced wooden forms.
But that was 3 years ago with some pretty aggressive freeze-thaw cycles and some pretty good downpours with no ill effects.

[Jim Becker]

Were it me, I'd not try to upset the apple cart over that slight change in level unless it continues to progress. It could just be minor ground settling under the bluestone, the effect of material shrinkage/movement, etc. Check it again in 6-9 months and see if it changes.

That said, I can appreciate it bothering you...I'm kinda like that, too.

[Stephen Tashiro]

It leans to the left a half bubble out of plum.

Is the floor out-of-level or is it just the walls that are out of level?

[Ken Fitzgerald]

If it is just settling, I had a similar problem with our front steps. My neighbor loaned me a piece of 1" steel bar about 6' long. I dug under the edge of the concrete steps, shoveled in some gravel and then used the steel bar to tamp the gravel. Eventually I got enough compacted gravel under there that it raised that side of the steps and I was able to align the steps with the front door.

[John Terefenko]

Is the floor out-of-level or is it just the walls that are out of level?

So you think the whole shed leaned structure wise??? I will check the floor but can not see how all the walls could lean together . I am betting the concrete slab dropped on one end. Just one of those things that will haunt me I guess.,

[Myk Rian]

Check the level of the slab.

[Chris Parks]

Hang a string line from the wall and periodically measure the distance to see if it changes.

[John Terefenko]

This shed has been there for a good 15 years now and it probably was sinking over those years but I never noticed it. I was thinking of building a lean-to shed next to it to ease the overflow of grass cutters and generators and other things stored in there. No more room to add anything without taking things out. That is what brought my eye to it and now I pass it everyday and it stares at me laughing. I have a pretty good eye for seeing things level and straight and that maybe a curse. Probably came from 43 years of working as an electrician and running many miles of conduits.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Is the floor out-of-level or is it just the walls that are out of level?+1...which is it?
If the shed is racking, then use a come along to pull it straight, then tack up some plywood - floor to ceiling - corners.
If it's sinking into the ground, then jack it up, stick some bricks/blocks under it and shim it level.

Either way, no big deal.

[Marshall Harrison]

Agree that you really need to know if its the walls or the foundation as that will determine the best approach.

But instead of jacking up the foundation why not just dig out under the high side and let it settle some to pull everything even? I'm no construction guru and don't try to be. Just wondering if its easier to lower the rest of the structure and if that would work.

[James Waldron]

Agree that you really need to know if its the walls or the foundation as that will determine the best approach.

But instead of jacking up the foundation why not just dig out under the high side and let it settle some to pull everything even? I'm no construction guru and don't try to be. Just wondering if its easier to lower the rest of the structure and if that would work.

Might crack the slab in the middle that way.

[Robert Engel]

For a shed - I wouldn't worry about it.

Gives it some cache.....

[Marshall Harrison]

Might crack the slab in the middle that way.

Thanks James. I didn't think about that. Good thing that I asked.

[Jim Becker]

A little settling over 15 years isn't surprising at all!

[Andrew DiLorenzo]

Happened to me, because the shed is next to an oak tree that has grown. The whole thing tilts over due to the roots.

[John Terefenko]

I will take another look at it next week and check the floor and also get some measurements of how far it is out of plumb.

[Dave Lehnert]

Know what you are talking about.
I keep looking at this shed and think something is out out plumb LOL!!!

383847

Thought it was kinda cool. It was on a lot selling sheds by the Amish.

[Jim Becker]

THAT...is major kewel, Dave!