Concrete Shed Pad Austin TX

A concrete shed pad in Austin, TX is a flat, 4 inch slab on a compacted base, sized a little bigger than the shed so the walls sit square and dry. Austin Concrete Slabs handles concrete shed pads for storage sheds, workshops and prefab buildings, planned around the City's 200 square foot permit line.

8x10 to 12x20 sheds

4 in on compacted base

Under the 200 sq ft line

Anchor-ready

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Concrete shed pad in Austin: size it to the shed

A shed pad is one of the simplest slabs, which is why it's worth getting the two decisions right: size and level. The pad should be a few inches bigger than the shed's outside dimensions so the walls bear on solid concrete, and dead level so the doors close. Done on Austin clay without a base, a pad tilts as the clay swells and dries; done on a compacted base, it stays put.

Row of storage sheds on a gravel base — Sheds on gravel. Fine for some buildings; a concrete pad is the step up. Stock photo, not a job by this site.

Common shed sizes and the pad they need

Shed	Shed area	Typical pad	Concrete at 4 in (net)
8x10	80 sq ft	about 9x11	1.22 cu yd
10x12	120 sq ft	about 11x13	1.77 cu yd
12x16	192 sq ft	about 13x17	2.73 cu yd
10x20	200 sq ft	about 11x21	2.85 cu yd
12x20	240 sq ft (over the exemption)	about 13x21	3.37 cu yd

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Pad sizes allow about 6 inches past each wall; follow the shed maker's instructions where they differ. Volume computed for the pad at 4 inches.

Other sizes: run them through the concrete slab calculator.

The 200 square foot line in Austin

The City of Austin exempts a one-story detached accessory structure that is no more than 200 square feet, no more than 15 feet tall, doesn't create a dwelling, has no plumbing and isn't in a flood hazard area. That makes 10x20 the biggest common shed that skips a building permit; a 12x20 at 240 square feet doesn't. The pad is exempt flatwork in both cases, but it still counts toward impervious cover.

Thickness, base and steel

About 4 inches of concrete on a compacted base suits a storage shed, with mesh or light rebar to keep any crack tight. The residential code's vapor retarder rule doesn't apply to unheated accessory structures (IRC R506.2.3), but a shed that will hold paper, tools that rust or a future office benefits from one.

Concrete shed pad thickness for Austin TX: 4 inch concrete for patio, walkway or shed pads on a compacted base — Our own diagram, from the sources cited on this page. Not to scale.

Gravel vs concrete under a shed

Gravel base vs concrete shed pad

	Gravel base	Concrete pad
Floor	Shed's own wood floor on skids	Concrete is the floor, or the shed floor sits on it
Drainage	Water passes through	Pad sheds water; slope it away
Anchoring	Ground anchors	Bolts or anchors into concrete
Impervious cover (Austin)	Gravel over pervious ground used only for landscaping or pedestrians is excluded	Counts
Best for	Small wood sheds with floors	Prefab metal sheds, workshops, mower and ATV storage

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Impervious cover rule from the City of Austin residential application's definition (LDC 25-1-23).

Signs a concrete shed pad is worth it

The shed has no floor of its own, or it's a metal kit
You'll roll a mower, ATV or tool cart in and out
The yard is clay that turns soft after rain
The old shed's skids have rotted or sunk
You want to bolt the shed down against wind

Concrete Shed Pad Austin TX: Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a permit for a shed in Austin?

Not for a one-story detached accessory structure of 200 square feet or less, no taller than 15 feet, with no plumbing and not in a flood hazard area; the City of Austin lists that as exempt. The concrete pad under it is exempt flatwork either way.

How big should a concrete shed pad be?

The shed's footprint plus a little: a few inches past the walls on each side, so the walls bear fully on concrete and the edge doesn't crumble under the sill. Ask the shed maker if it wants the pad flush with the walls instead.

How thick should a concrete shed pad be?

About 4 inches for a storage shed, the bottom of HomeBlue's 4 to 6 inch range for residential slabs in Austin. A workshop with heavy machines or a shed that will hold a riding mower or ATV goes thicker.

How much does a concrete shed pad cost in Austin?

A 10x10 pad is $900 to $1,500 on HomeBlue's Austin table and 100 square feet is $563 to $1,126 on projectcosted's. A 12x16 pad (192 sq ft) computes to about $1,081 to $2,162 at projectcosted's Austin rate.

Is gravel or concrete better under a shed?

Gravel drains and costs less; concrete gives a flat floor you can roll a mower onto and anchor to. On Austin clay that swells, a concrete pad on a compacted base stays flatter, and many prefab buildings with no floor need one.

Does a shed pad count toward impervious cover?

Yes. The City's residential application counts concrete flatwork and buildings toward impervious cover, so on a lot near its limit a shed and its pad need to fit the remaining allowance.