How to Build a Gravel Shed Pad: Step-by-Step (2026)

TL;DR: Lay out a pad 1 ft bigger than the shed on every side. Strip topsoil to firm ground, level and compact the subgrade, lay fabric, build a timber or block frame, then add crusher run in 3 to 4 inch lifts, compacting each one. Screed level and check both directions. A 10x12 shed needs about 3 tons at 4 inches.

This is the how-to-build guide. If you're still choosing between crusher run, #57, RCA, and pea gravel, start with Best Gravel for a Shed Base: Crusher Run vs #57 vs RCA. Short answer: compacted crusher run (virgin or RCA).

Tools and Materials

Tools:

• Tape measure, stakes, mason's string, line level
• Marking paint
• Square-point shovel, flat shovel, mattock or pick for clay
• Steel rake and landscape rake
• 4 ft level and a straight 8 to 10 ft 2x4 for screeding
• Plate compactor (rental)
• Wheelbarrow
• Garden hose with spray nozzle
• Drill/driver and a circular saw for the frame
• Sledgehammer for rebar stakes

Materials:

• Crusher run or RCA crusher run (see the tons table below)
• Woven geotextile or heavy landscape fabric
• Pressure-treated 4x4 or 4x6 timbers (ground-contact rated), or concrete block, for the frame
• 1/2" rebar cut to 18 to 24 in, or timber spikes, to pin the frame
• 3" exterior screws or timber screws for the corners

Step 1: Lay Out the Pad

Pad size = shed size + 1 ft on every side. The extra foot catches roof drip and gives you a firm apron at the door.

Shed	Pad
8x10	10x12
10x12	12x14
12x16	14x18

Drive a stake at each corner and run string between them. Square the layout by measuring both diagonals; they should match within about 1/4 inch. Mark the outline with paint.

Check local setback rules and call 811 before you dig.

Step 2: Excavate

Strip grass, roots, and topsoil inside the outline. Keep going until you hit firm subgrade, typically 4 to 6 inches down. Dig out soft spots and organic muck; don't just cover them.

Target a finished pad that sits 1 to 2 inches above surrounding grade so water runs away from it, not into it. On a sloped lot, dig into the high side and build up the low side with a taller frame.

Step 3: Level and Compact the Subgrade

Rake the bottom roughly level. A very slight pitch (about 1/8 inch per foot) toward the low side helps drainage. Run the plate compactor over the entire subgrade at least twice. If the clay is so wet it pumps under the compactor, let it dry before going further.

Step 4: Lay Landscape Fabric

Roll out woven geotextile or heavy landscape fabric over the subgrade, overlapping seams 12 inches and running it up the inside of the frame area. On soft or clay soil, this keeps the gravel from pushing down into the dirt. On firm, well-drained ground it's optional.

Step 5: Build the Frame

The frame holds the gravel in and gives you a reference height for screeding.

Timber frame: Set pressure-treated 4x4s or 4x6s around the outline. Stack two courses for a 6 to 8 inch pad, staggering corners. Screw the corners together, then drill and pin each timber with rebar driven 12 to 18 inches into the ground. Level the top of the frame all the way around. This top edge is your finished gravel height.

Block frame: Concrete block or landscape wall block set on compacted ground works too, especially on a slope where the low side needs to be taller.

Check the diagonals again once the frame is pinned.

Step 6: Add Gravel in Lifts

Don't dump the full depth at once. Spread 3 to 4 inches of loose crusher run per lift. A 4-inch finished pad is one or two lifts; a 6-inch pad is two.

Rake each lift out evenly before compacting.

Step 7: Compact Each Lift

• Mist the gravel lightly with the hose. Damp crusher run compacts denser than dry; soaked gravel turns soupy.
• Run the plate compactor in overlapping passes, then cross the pad in the other direction.
• Three to four passes per lift is typical. The surface is done when the compactor stops leaving marks and walking on it leaves no footprints.
• Work the edges along the frame carefully. Corners are where pads usually settle.

More on lifts and moisture in our aggregate compaction guide.

Step 8: Screed and Level

Before the final lift is compacted, drag a straight 2x4 across the top of the frame to strike the gravel flat. Fill low spots, scrape high spots, and compact again.

Check with a 4 ft level on top of the straight 2x4 in both directions and on both diagonals. You're aiming for flat and level within about 1/4 inch across the pad. Top up any low areas with a little gravel, mist, and compact.

Step 9: Set the Shed

Set skids, blocks, or the prefab building directly on the finished pad. If you're using blocks, place each one on the compacted surface and level them individually. Let delivery crews know the pad is fully compacted so they can position the building in one try.

How Many Tons for a Shed Pad

Formula: pad length (ft) x pad width (ft) x depth (ft) / 27 = cubic yards. Cubic yards x 1.4 = tons of crusher run.

Shed	Pad	4 in compacted	6 in compacted
8x10	10x12	1.5 cu yd / ~2.1 tons	2.2 cu yd / ~3.1 tons
10x12	12x14	2.1 cu yd / ~2.9 tons	3.1 cu yd / ~4.4 tons
12x16	14x18	3.1 cu yd / ~4.4 tons	4.7 cu yd / ~6.5 tons

These are in-place numbers. Order 15% to 20% extra to cover compaction and an uneven subgrade, and round up. For other sizes use our gravel calculator, and see tons vs cubic yards if your quotes use different units.

Common Mistakes

• Building on topsoil. Roots and organic soil keep settling. Strip to firm ground.
• Skipping compaction or compacting one thick layer. Compact in 3 to 4 inch lifts.
• Pad the same size as the shed. Roof drip washes out the edges. Add 1 ft per side.
• No frame. Gravel migrates out and the edges slump.
• Pad below grade. Water collects in it like a bathtub. Finish 1 to 2 inches above grade.

Get Gravel for Your Shed Pad

We sell RCA crusher run (and RCA #57 for drainage layers) at 245 Brookdale Rd, Maryville. Load out in your own truck or get it delivered (see trucking). Open Mon-Fri 7 AM to 5 PM and Saturday 8 AM to noon.

Call (865) 999-0857 for current RCA and delivery pricing, or see aggregate for sale.

Breaking up an old slab to make room for the shed? Clean concrete drop-off is free at our yard. See free concrete drop-off.