How to Install a Plastic Pro Base
If you've purchased a Plastic Pro Base for your new shed or garden building, it's important to prepare and install the base correctly before your building is delivered. This guide explains the main steps involved, from preparing and levelling the ground to laying the grids and getting the base ready for your garden building.
How to Install a Plastic Pro Base
A firm, flat and level base is essential for supporting your shed or garden building. The Plastic Pro Base provides a lightweight and permeable alternative to more traditional foundations and uses interlocking plastic grids to create a stable base for many types of garden building.
Before starting, check that the Plastic Pro Base is suitable for your chosen garden building and follow any product-specific installation instructions supplied with your base.
1. Prepare and Level the Ground
Start by measuring and marking out the area required for your Plastic Pro Base. The prepared area should accommodate the complete base and be correctly positioned for your garden building. Pegs and string can be useful for marking the perimeter before you begin.
Remove any vegetation, debris, stones or other material that could prevent the base from sitting correctly. The ground must be firm, flat and level across the entire area. Use a spirit level to check the surface in several directions and make any necessary adjustments before proceeding.
If the ground slopes significantly or is particularly soft or uneven, additional ground preparation may be required. Do not rely on the Plastic Pro Base itself to compensate for an unsuitable or uneven surface.
2. Lay the Membrane
Once the ground has been properly prepared, lay the supplied or recommended weed-control membrane over the installation area where required. Ensure that the membrane covers the complete area beneath the Plastic Pro Base and lies flat against the prepared ground.
The membrane can help prevent weeds and other vegetation from growing through the base while still allowing water to drain away.
3. Connect the Plastic Pro Base Grids
Position the first Plastic Pro Base grid on the prepared area and connect the remaining sections according to the installation instructions. Continue joining the grids until you have created a base of the correct dimensions for your garden building.
As you work, regularly check that the grids remain flat, level and correctly aligned. Once the complete Plastic Pro Base has been assembled, any excess membrane around the outside can be carefully trimmed if required.
4. Fill the Plastic Pro Base With Gravel if Required
Depending on your garden building and the installation requirements, the Plastic Pro Base grids may need to be filled with suitable gravel or aggregate. Filling the grids can provide additional stability while maintaining drainage through the base.
If gravel is required, use the size and quantity recommended for your Plastic Pro Base and distribute it evenly throughout the grids.
Gravel can also be used around exposed sections of the base to provide a neat finish and help with drainage around the bottom of the garden building.
5. Check the Base Before Installing Your Garden Building
Before constructing your shed or garden building, carry out a final check to make sure the complete Plastic Pro Base is firm, flat, level and the correct size. Any problems should be corrected before the building is installed.
Once the Plastic Pro Base has been properly prepared and installed, you can begin assembling your garden building in accordance with its installation instructions.
Is a Plastic Pro Base Suitable for My Garden Building?
A Plastic Pro Base is suitable for many sheds and garden buildings, but the correct foundation will depend on the size, weight and construction of your chosen product. Always check the individual garden building and Plastic Pro Base specifications before installation.
You can browse our shed bases or read our DIY shed base preparation guide for more information about preparing a suitable foundation for your garden building.