How to Use a Building Floor Frame Kit

Applications

• Building floor frame kits are useful in a variety of types of structures. Backyard sheds, prefabricated buildings, detached garages and covered picnic areas can all benefit from having raised floors that keep stored items up and away from the ground. Building floor frame kits are not intended for use as replacement floors in homes, basements or home additions.

Site Preparation

• A floor frame kit can only be installed once your outdoor building is constructed. This means that the site is already level and the size of the building floor is predetermined. Building floor frame kits come in standard sizes measured in even feet. If you've already begun using the building, you'll need to remove any contents before installing the floor frame kit. No other preparation is necessary; you can install the frame over grass, sand, gravel or soil.

Installation

• Building floor frame kits install using one or more fastening methods. Some kits feature metal components with soft, synthetic material inside. To install this type of frame, place the floor rim and joists in position and nail the components together through the center of each piece. Other floor frame kits use screws to hold the rim sections and joists together. Screws or nails also hold the floor rim to the frame of your building. Your floor frame kit's installation guide features diagrams for laying out the pieces and assembling the kit.

Finishing

• Once a floor frame kit is in place, your outdoor building has a base that consists of a series of metal supports that lay directly on the ground. To finish the floor, most floor frame kits call for 5/8-inch plywood to be screwed over the top of the frame. This supplies a smooth surface that can be the finished floor or serve as a base for vinyl flooring. You may also want to build a ramp or reserve a piece of scrap plywood to act as one since the new floor is several inches higher than the level of the ground outside the building.