If you’re planning more than one storage shed for your garden, whether that’s for general storage, garden tools, and bikes all needing separate space, the base planning genuinely changes compared with a single shed project. It’s not just about repeating the same base twice, it’s about how the sheds and their bases work together as a layout.
At JPD Landscaping & Building Services, we’ve planned and built bases for multi-shed garden setups across South East London for over 15 years. This guide covers exactly why we recommend separate individual bases over one large continuous pour, how much spacing to leave between them, and a real example of a multi-shed layout done properly.
Quick Answer: Building Bases for Multiple Storage Sheds
For gardens with more than one storage shed, we recommend separate individual bases for each shed, rather than one large continuous base covering the whole area. Leave at least 300mm to 500mm of spacing between each base to allow for access and maintenance around each structure.
| Approach | Recommendation |
| Base type | Separate individual bases per shed |
| Spacing between bases | At least 300mm to 500mm |
| Main reason | Flexibility, access, and avoiding joint or expansion complications |
Why We Recommend Separate Bases Over One Continuous Base
It might seem simpler to pour one large concrete base covering the entire area where multiple sheds will sit, but in our experience, separate individual bases genuinely work better for most multi-shed setups, for a few practical reasons.
- Easier to size and place each base exactly to its own shed. Individual bases can be sized precisely to match each specific shed’s footprint, rather than needing to plan one large, continuous shape that accommodates several different structures at once.
- Future flexibility if a shed is moved or replaced. If one shed needs replacing, resizing, or repositioning down the line, having a separate base for it means the other sheds and their foundations remain completely unaffected by any changes to that one structure.
- Avoids the complications of a large continuous pour. A single large base covering multiple sheds typically needs expansion joints and careful planning to prevent cracking across such a wide area. Separate bases sidestep this complexity entirely, since each one is a manageable, self contained pour.
If you’re deciding what thickness or base type each individual shed needs based on its size and intended use, our guides on concrete shed base thickness and how to build a shed base cover that decision in more detail, and can be applied separately to each shed in your layout.
Why Expansion Joints Become a Real Problem on Large Continuous Pours
It’s worth understanding specifically why a single large base covering multiple sheds introduces more complexity than most people initially expect. Concrete naturally expands and contracts slightly with temperature changes throughout the year, and across a small, single shed sized base, this movement is minor enough that it rarely causes visible problems.
Across a much larger continuous slab, however, this same movement becomes more significant in absolute terms, and without properly placed expansion joints to allow controlled movement at specific points, the slab is considerably more prone to random, uncontrolled cracking. Getting expansion joint placement right on a large multi-shed base requires more careful planning than simply pouring one big rectangle, which is exactly the added complexity that separate individual bases avoid entirely.
How Much Spacing to Leave Between Shed Bases
We recommend leaving at least 300mm to 500mm of clear space between separate shed bases in a multi-shed layout. This spacing serves a genuinely practical purpose beyond simply looking tidy.
- Access for maintenance. Sheds need occasional maintenance, whether that’s treating timber, checking guttering, or general upkeep. Adequate spacing between structures makes this maintenance far more manageable than trying to work in a cramped gap.
- Airflow and moisture management. Sheds placed too close together can trap moisture between them, slowing drying after rain and potentially accelerating wear on the sides facing each other.
- Room for future changes. Even modest spacing gives you some flexibility if you later want to adjust, replace, or add to your shed layout without everything being permanently locked in place by minimal gaps.
Adjusting Spacing Based on Shed Purpose and Access Needs
While 300mm to 500mm is a solid general guideline, it’s worth thinking about whether your specific sheds might benefit from slightly more space in particular spots. A shed that will need regular access to its side, such as one with a side opening door or window, benefits from spacing at the wider end of that range, or even a bit more, on that specific side, rather than applying the same minimum gap uniformly all the way around.
Similarly, if you’re planning to run cabling, guttering downpipes, or drainage between structures, it’s worth factoring this into your spacing decisions at the planning stage, since retrofitting these elements into an already minimal gap between existing sheds is considerably more awkward than accounting for them from the outset.
Planning the Overall Layout
Beyond spacing between individual bases, it’s worth thinking about the multi-shed layout as a whole rather than just planning each base in isolation.
- Consider access routes to each shed. Make sure each shed remains genuinely accessible, not just from the main garden area, but for maintenance access on all sides where practical.
- Think about drainage across the whole area. With multiple bases and structures in one section of the garden, it’s worth considering how water moves across the wider layout, not just how each individual base drains on its own.
- Plan for future additions if relevant. If there’s a reasonable chance you’ll want to add another shed or storage structure later, factoring this into your initial layout can save reworking the whole area down the line.
Sun, Shade, and Positioning Across a Multi-Shed Layout
The same sun and shade principles that apply to a single shed become more involved when planning several structures together, since sheds themselves can cast shadows onto neighbouring structures depending on their arrangement and the time of year. It’s worth considering not just how the overall area gets sun exposure, but how individual sheds within the layout might shade each other, particularly if structures vary in height or are positioned close together along a north facing boundary.
Where possible, arranging sheds so the tallest structures don’t sit directly between the sun and smaller, more shade sensitive sheds helps avoid inadvertently creating a permanently damp, shaded spot for one structure simply because of how the layout was arranged relative to the others.
Drainage Planning Across a Multi-Base Layout
With several individual bases sitting close together, it’s worth thinking specifically about how water behaves in the gaps between them, not just how each base drains on its own. A slight fall built into the ground between bases, directing water away from the structures rather than allowing it to collect and pool in the narrow gaps, helps prevent damp issues developing specifically in these in-between spaces over time.
This is particularly worth considering if your garden already has known drainage challenges, since concentrating several structures and their associated hardstanding areas into one section of the garden can change how water naturally moves through that part of the site compared with its original, more open condition.
Mixing Base Types Within One Layout
It’s worth knowing that different sheds within the same multi-shed layout don’t necessarily need to use the same base type. A small general storage shed within the layout might be perfectly suited to a paving slab base or even a plastic grid system, while a larger shed in the same layout, or one intended for slightly heavier use, might warrant a full concrete slab.
Choosing the right base type for each individual shed, based on its own size and purpose, rather than assuming every structure in a multi-shed layout needs an identical base approach, often gives the most cost effective and appropriately specified result across the whole project.
Common Mistakes When Planning Multiple Storage Shed Bases
Based on the assessments and layout planning we’ve done for multi-shed projects, one mistake stands out as by far the most common.
Placing sheds too close together, leaving no access or maintenance space between them. This is the issue we see most often, and it’s usually driven by trying to maximise the number of sheds that fit into a given garden area without factoring in the practical need for space around each structure. Once the sheds are in place, this becomes a genuinely difficult problem to fix without repositioning entire structures.
Beyond this primary issue, a few other mistakes are worth watching for:
- Ignoring drainage across the whole layout, not just individual bases. Focusing purely on each base’s own levelling and drainage, without considering how water moves through the gaps between structures, can leave damp problem areas developing between sheds over time.
- Building without any thought for future additions. A tightly packed initial layout, with no spare space or flexibility built in, can make adding another shed later considerably more difficult than if some allowance had been planned for from the start.
- Applying one base type uniformly without considering each shed’s individual needs. Defaulting to the same base approach for every shed in the layout, regardless of size or purpose, can result in over specifying some bases and under specifying others.
Case Study: Planning Separate Bases for Three Storage Sheds
One of our typical multi-shed projects involved a customer in South East London who wanted three separate storage sheds installed along one side of their garden, for general tools, bikes, and garden equipment respectively.
Project details:
| Shed | Purpose | Base Size | Spacing to Next Base |
| Shed 1 | General tools | 6ft x 4ft | 400mm |
| Shed 2 | Bikes | 8ft x 6ft | 400mm |
| Shed 3 | Garden equipment | 8ft x 6ft | N/A (end of row) |
What we did: Rather than pouring one large continuous base across the whole run, we built three separate bases sized exactly to each shed’s footprint, with 400mm of clear space maintained between each one to allow for maintenance access and airflow between the structures.
Result: The customer now has a well organised, accessible storage setup, with each shed independently maintainable without needing to work around neighbouring structures. The separate base approach also means that if any one shed needs replacing in future, it can be done without affecting the other two bases at all.
Planning a Multi-Shed Project From the Ground Up
If you’re starting a multi-shed project from scratch rather than adding to an existing layout, it’s worth working through the wider site planning considerations that apply to any shed, sun exposure, boundary distance, and access for materials, before finalising individual base positions and sizes. Our guide on garden shed site planning covers these broader considerations in detail, and applying that thinking across the whole intended layout area, rather than to a single shed in isolation, helps avoid discovering access or positioning problems only after individual bases have already been built.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I build one large base or separate bases for multiple sheds?
Separate individual bases are generally the better approach, offering more flexibility for future changes and avoiding the complications of planning and pouring one large, continuous base.
How much space should I leave between storage sheds?
We recommend at least 300mm to 500mm of clear space between separate shed bases, allowing for maintenance access and reducing moisture buildup between structures.
Why not just pour one big base for all my sheds?
A single large base typically needs expansion joints and careful planning to avoid cracking across such a wide area, and it removes the flexibility to move or replace individual sheds without affecting the whole structure.
What’s the most common mistake with multi-shed layouts?
Placing sheds too close together, without adequate access or maintenance space between them, is the most common issue we see in multi-shed garden setups.
Should I plan for future shed additions when building my current layout?
If there’s a reasonable chance you’ll add another shed later, it’s worth factoring this into your initial layout planning to avoid needing to rework the area down the line.
Can different sheds in the same layout use different base types?
Yes, it’s often the most cost effective approach to choose a base type suited to each individual shed’s size and purpose, rather than applying the same base type uniformly across every structure in the layout.
Do I need to think about drainage between sheds, not just under them?
Yes, water movement in the gaps between separate bases is worth planning for specifically, since concentrating several structures in one area can change how water naturally drains through that part of the garden.
Get a Free Quote for Your Multi-Shed Garden Project
If you’re planning bases for multiple storage sheds, JPD Landscaping & Building Services offers free quotes across South East London to help you plan a layout that works.
