Shed floor treatment

[Frankingun]

We just took delivery of our new shed, and are waiting on the building inspector. After we get the all-clear, we want to do something to help protect the plywood floor. The shed rests on treated skids, on top of gravel. I'd thought of paint or water seal. What say you?

[blackeagle603]

I like paint to raise the light levels. Water seal often gets darker.

[rightisright]

If it's non-treated plywood, make sure it can breath under there or it will rot in short notice.

Paint w. a bit of sand mixed in for traction is a good option.

[308Mike]

What are your usual weather conditions? What about drainage and where your shed sits? How close is it to grass/dirt/raw wood where other wood-desiring critters may be living? Do you have any other kind of vapor barrier in place between the flooring and the ground?

[Frankingun]

What are your usual weather conditions? What about drainage and where your shed sits? How close is it to grass/dirt/raw wood where other wood-desiring critters may be living? Do you have any other kind of vapor barrier in place between the flooring and the ground?

The shed is sitting on gravel, a few inches on one end, a foot or so on the other end. In Indianapolis, our weather runs from sub-zero temperatures with blowing snow and ice in winter through 95 plus degree days in summer, and everything in between. The shed was built on 4 long treated 4x4 skids, with framing and plywood floor. No vapor barrier that I can tell. I plan on running electricity to it next year and using part of it for a workshop. The lawn and garden stuff will go on the other end. I plan on putting in some vegetable gardens next year.

I took some measurements yesterday. Scary thing is, most of the space is already accounted for. But if I got one bigger than the one I did, I'd need to have a permanent foundation, per county rules.

[308Mike]

How heavy is it (the shed)? You REALLY need to get some kind of vapor barrier between the wood and the gravel (if you can). But if not, put one down between your floor and the bottom frame/wood/plywood. If you make a secondary floor to be elevated above the bottom floor containing the wiring, plumbing, and any other unforeseen circumstances (placed into PVC but still accessible, like CAT6 or FDDI wiring - JUST IN CASE, as well as POTS lines, etc., etc.), you're likely to be VERY surprised at just how well it insulates against the cold (and hot) in such a tiny space.

Does your floor diagram include the layout of the boards so you can visualize where they are? If so, you may be able to cut portals (cut on steep angle into the floor space where you can place bug-bombs while you're actively using the shed, that way the plug you remove from the floor can still seal it back up and also take some weight if say, the angle into the wood is at 45 degrees or so).

Once you bug-bomb the shed, I suggest placing a vapor-barrier between it and the shed work area to seal it against any further incursions by other critters. Particularly so if the area has been fumigated and you wish to keep it so.

[Fivetoes]

I have an 8x16 shed, probably made about like yours, untreated wood on skids. Mine is setting above the ground a few inches on concrete blocks under the skids. It is about fifteen years old and I am pratically the same climate as you.
What you really need to do is install rain gutters and down spouts to get the rain away from the siding. You also need to put in plenty of roof vents, as it will get unbearably hot in there to work in the summer. Other than that, keep it painted and keep the weeds and grass away from the bottom edge so it gets plenty of ventilation under there.