Does my shed need a gravel pad or a concrete slab?
The short answer
For a skid-mounted shed, a compacted gravel pad is usually the better choice: it drains, it costs less, and it is easy to build. Reserve a concrete slab for garages, home shells, heavy vehicle loads, and anything permitted with a foundation detail. The full comparison, gravel quantities, and costs are in our Colorado shed foundation guide.
Colorado's freeze-thaw cycles and heavy summer downpours make drainage the deciding factor. A gravel pad lets water move through and away. A slab is a solid, permanent surface that a garage or home shell needs — and that a small shed usually does not.
Gravel pad — the default for sheds
- Typically 4 to 6 inches of compacted road base or 3/4-inch crushed gravel, screeded level.
- Extend about 12 inches beyond the building footprint on all sides.
- Drains well, so skids and floor framing stay dry.
- Lower cost, faster to build, and forgiving of minor ground movement.
Concrete slab — when it is the right call
- Garages and any structure holding vehicle weight.
- Code-compliant home shells reviewed as residential construction.
- Permits that require a foundation and footings to local frost depth.
- Shop floors where you want a hard, sweepable surface and anchor points.
Sizing the slab
Match the slab to the ordered footprint and keep it square and level. A slab that is off by an inch shows up in the doors.
How The Shed Yard helps
Tell us the model and the site and we will tell you which base it needs. Our site preparation services team builds pads and coordinates concrete across our Colorado service areas.