How to Safely Re-level your Shed [VIDEO] - Cook Portable Warehouses

Leveling a shed can be a necessary task, especially as your ground settles after a tough rainy season. With Cook, there are a few things you can do before and after your shed is delivered to help.

When every Cook building is delivered our drivers make sure it’s up to our high Cook standards. Each building is delivered fully assembled, set-up and leveled as part of our free service. This leveling process ensures that the shed’s doors and windows function correctly.

The initial leveling method includes using wood shims to raise the building up to 6 inches. But if your shed requires more than 6 inches of leveling, we recommend using 4-inch, solid concrete blocks instead. For more on the requirements to complete prior to the delivery of your Cook building, read this blog post!

Don’t forget Cook portable buildings are made with ground contact rated lumber. This includes the entire floor system and all its components (notched floor skids, floor joists and 5/8” pressure-treated floor decking) last the test of time and weather challenges.

The quality of these materials allow us to offer a LIFETIME WARRANTY against fungal decay and termite damage on all of these components. So, if any part of your portable building’s lumber is damaged, Cook will repair or replace it at no cost to you.

Although every Cook shed is made of quality materials and designed to last, it might be necessary to re-level your shed from time to time. Throughout the years, due to weather and ongoing wear and tear, parts of your building could settle too much.

Some of our customers choose to level their shed site before delivery by building a concrete or gravel foundation. This gives it a smoother surface to sit on and helps keep the shed level. If you choose to do this, be sure the concrete base is 6 inches wider than your building on all sides. For example, if you purchased a 12’ x 16’ Utility shed, your concrete base should measure 13’ x 17’. If your shed site has a grade change greater than 8″ then we recommend you leveling the area before delivery. Cook will not raise any building higher than 8 inches.

If your shed has settled and you’re starting to notice the doors don’t hang correctly and your shed floor is beginning to slant, then it’s time to re-level your shed. Here are the steps to help you level your shed:

First, you will need a 2-foot level, 1.5 ton floor jack and either concrete patio blocks, treated wood blocks or wood shims.

Once you have your supplies you are ready to begin.

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To raise the back of the building:

Put the floor jack under the back wall plate.
Place the 2-foot level in the location that needs to be leveled.
Raise the building until the bubble is directly in the center of the level.
Put a concrete or treated wood block under the 4×6 skid and then lower the jack.
Recheck the level to make sure it’s still correct.

To raise the front of the building:

Put the floor jack under the front wall plate.
Place the 2-foot level in the location that needs to be leveled.
Raise the building until the bubble is directly in the center of the level.
Put a concrete or treated wood block under the 4×6 skid and then lower the jack.
Recheck the level to make sure it’s still correct.

To level a single door or double doors on your portable shed:

For single door buildings, raise the opposite back corner of the shed to level the door.

For double door buildings with a gap at the top of the door, put the jack directly under the door. Then, place a wooden shim under the skid. Lower the jack and check to make sure both doors are aligned at the top.

Are you still wondering if a pre-built portable building is right for your backyard? With Cook, your delivery, setup and leveling are all free. That’s just one of the many reasons why a Cook building is the right choice. Read more about how our buildings are constructed here.

Want to explore your options? See all of our shed styles below!