A word of caution to start – there are many ways that your building can be secured. There are many places where corners can be cut and this is not one of them! There are a lot of suggestions we can make based on years of experience but ultimately doing this properly is your responsibility. The rules of the building code and the specs on the drawings are not there to be a nuisance but rather that your building stands a chance of providing you years of worry free shelter. If something is not clear, please do not hesitate to call for further input. Changes are much more complicated AFTER you start.

There are 2 basic choices for anchoring your building, each of which has variations that can be applied for a given circumstance. Regardless of which is chosen, consideration still must be given to including capacity for securing the cover.

The first option is anchoring to “something”. This is the option that is included with all the pricing you will see on this web site. This “something” can include pressure treated beam, railroad ties, concrete slab or a wall of many different choices of construction. In the case of slab or large blocks there is sufficient weight so that no further anchoring is required. When a beam of any choice is used, there is not enough weight for security so some provision must be taken to anchor the beam to the ground. T-bars or earth anchors are 2 of the possibilities. When some extra height is required a “pony wall” is often constructed using either cedar fence posts or some other available timber.

The second option is anchoring directly into the ground which various choices of tubular anchor posts. These can be provided as an additional cost option. Part of the anchor post package includes the hardware to fasten a board along the side where the cover is later fastened. Whether concrete is required or not is usually determined by soil conditions and/or building codes. It is usually desirable for the connection point between the anchor and the ribs of the building to be as close to the ground as possible. The soil and/or concrete will then provide the lateral stability that is required. As this connection point is raised above grade level, the size requirement of the post and the securing mechanism (i.e. concrete) rapidly increases.

One of the important considerations for choosing an anchoring system is the choice of cover fastening. When a beam is the base of choice you automatically get a place where the cover gets fastened. If the building is set on a slab you will still require a system to secure a 2x8 or something similar to the side to fasten the cover. When concrete blocks are used normally a beam is still lagged down to the top. This provides consistency along the top and a place to fasten the cover. When posts are installed, there is usually a sill placed along the top to tie it all together and provide a place to fasten the cover.

There are numerous points of what not to do. Anchor posts should not be used if there are many large rocks since these will interfere with the accurate placement of the posts. Anchor posts should also not be used in combination with heavy clay since heaving will be a constant problem. When any type of anchor is used into recently disturbed soil it is usually advisable to use in combination with concrete. Using a wall to extend the height of the building in very windy locations, should always be a point of caution. Raising a building only 3’ nearly doubles the wind load on a building.