Many shed builders often wonder what flooring options are available for wooden garden sheds or they just think of one or two they have seen. There really are several choices and depending on the use of the shed the floor material should be chosen based on how the shed will be used and the amount of moisture that will be on the wooden garden shed floor.

CONCRETE SLAB – Many shed builders decide to pour a concrete slab for the foundation support and the floor of the garden shed. If you are pouring a concrete slab and intend to use it as the shed floor give some consideration to the type of finish you will put on the concrete. If you use a broom finish the floor will not be slick but dust control can be more of a problem as the dirt and dust will sit in the grooves created by the broom finish. If you trowel the floor it can be slicker but dust control is easier. If you choose to have a slicker finish then you can also seal the floor or paint the floor with paint that will adhere to concrete.

TONGUE AND GROOVE PLYWOOD FLOORING – This type of plywood has a groove on the side of the plywood and a tongue on the other side of the sheet. When the two sheets are put together the tongue will slide into the groove and this will keep the two sheets from coming up separate of each other. I like to call this a unitized flooring system. The plywood is normally glued to the floor joists with construction adhesive and then nailed or screwed to the floor joists. I prefer the screw method as it will hold the floor down better over time. When I use this type of floor I opt for the ¾” inch thick plywood but you can also get this material in 1”. This floor can be sealed for better dust control.

TREATED PLYWOOD FLOORING – This type of plywood has been treated to resist rot and decay. If moisture is a concern then definitely consider using this type of material. Additionally, if there is going to be moisture under the garden shed then consider using this type of plywood if you are going to have a plywood floor for your wooden garden shed. This material can also be found in the tongue and groove style.

PINE OR OTHER BOARDS – I have seen many sheds where the floor of the garden shed is pine boards or other types of wood boards simply nailed or screwed to the floor joists. Many of these floors have a very unique and quaint appearance when stained or finished. Some shed owners simply paint these types of floors and some just leave them untreated in any fashion. The gaps between the boards allow much of the dirt and dust to simply fall between the cracks and below the shed floor. You can also get tongue and groove 3” to 4” boards to install and give the appearance of the wood floors you see installed in your house.

OTHER OPTIONS – You can also put linoleum/vinyl products over any of the plywood floors. This has been my favorite method. I install the ¾” inch tongue and groove plywood and then put down vinyl sheet linoleum over the plywood. This way I can easily wipe up any mud or moisture and dust control is a lot easier. You could of course use vinyl tiles but the rolled linoleum is easier to install in my opinion.

OSB PLYWOOD FLOORING MATERIAL – I often call OSB chip board because it is made out of wood chips. I have seen many shed floors with this material. I personally do not like this material as well because it won’t resist moisture and the dust control is much more difficult with this type of plywood. This product is used in many cases because it is less expensive than other plywood products. Even if you paint this type of flooring it will still hold dust and dirt more than a smooth sided plywood flooring will.