How Many Paving Slabs for a 10x8 Shed Base?

A 10 × 8 ft shed needs a base of about 3.0 × 2.4 m (7.20 m²), which is exactly 20 paving slabs of 600 × 600 mm laid 5 by 4 with tight joints and no cuts. Buy 22 to have 2 spares. Lay them on 1.66 tonnes of compacted MOT Type 1 and 0.36 tonnes of sharp sand.

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Cuts and breakage. Use 10% for a simple rectangle, more for curves and angles.

Results

Example job shown. Change the numbers to match yours.

Paving slabs to buy
22 slabs
2.69 slabs per m², before your cutting allowance
Area
7.2 m²

Sub-base

MOT Type 1 sub-base0.76 m³ compacted, or 3 bulk bags of 0.8 tonnes, with 5% extra
1.66 tonnes

Bedding sand

Sharp sand0.23 m³ at 1.6 tonnes/m³ (sand weight varies with moisture; the gravel calculator uses 1.7), with 5% extra
0.36 tonnes
  • Assumptions used: 10% waste added; 10 mm joints; MOT Type 1 at 2.2 tonnes/m³ compacted; 5% extra on the sub-base and bed; a 30 mm sharp sand bed with sand at 1.6 tonnes/m³.
  • MOT Type 1 weighs about 2.2 tonnes per m³ once compacted, so 100 mm needs about 0.22 tonnes per m². Quantities include 5% extra for the sub-base and the bed. The mortar figures are approximate: allow for the dry materials being about 1.3 times the wet volume of the mortar.

Blueprint

22 slabs12 of 22 shown600 × 600 mm slab

22 slabs · 12 drawn

Slabs for a 10 × 8 ft shed base, by slab size

A 10 × 8 ft shed is a roomy store or a hobby workshop with space to work inside. The base here is 3.0 × 2.4 m, converted at 0.3 m per foot, which leaves it marginally smaller than the shed floor as most shed makers ask (check your shed's instructions). The layout column shows where whole slabs fit with tight joints; the last column is the paving calculator's count with 10 mm joints and 10% for cuts and breakage.

Slab sizeLayoutSlabs by areaSlabs to buy
600 × 600 mm5 × 4, no cuts2022
450 × 450 mmNeeds cuts3638
400 × 400 mmNeeds cuts4548
300 × 300 mm10 × 8, no cuts8083
600 × 300 mm5 × 8, no cuts4042
900 × 600 mmNeeds cuts1415

Twenty slabs and a proper sub-base

Five along and four across is 20 slabs with tight joints and no cuts; the calculator's 22 allows for joints and spares. At 7.2 m² the sub-base is the bigger part of the order: 1.66 tonnes of MOT Type 1 at 100 mm, which is 3 bulk bags of 0.8 tonnes.

On soft or made-up ground, go to 150 mm of sub-base, which takes 2.49 tonnes. A workshop this size often holds a bench and heavy tools, and the sub-base is what stops the slabs under them settling.

Sub-base and bed for 3.0 × 2.4 m

LayerQuantity
MOT Type 1 sub-base, 100 mm1.66 tonnes
MOT Type 1 sub-base, 150 mm (soft ground)2.49 tonnes
Sharp sand for a 30 mm sand bed0.36 tonnes
Or a 40 mm mortar bed at 6:10.54 tonnes of sharp sand and 4 bags of 25 kg cement

Quantities include 5% extra. Check for buried services before you dig, using the free LSBUD service. Shed base options compared weighs slabs against concrete, a plastic grid and a timber frame, and the concrete version of this base is on how much concrete for a 10 × 8 ft shed base.

Want to change anything else? The calculator above is the full Paving Slab Calculator (UK): edit any number and the results update instantly.

Tools & materials for this project

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Frequently asked questions

How many slabs do I need for a 10x8 shed base?

20 slabs of 600 × 600 mm, laid 5 by 4, cover the 3.0 × 2.4 m base with tight joints and no cuts. Buy 22 to have 2 spares; that is the paving calculator's count with 10 mm joints and 10% extra.

What goes under the slabs for a 10x8 shed base?

About 100 mm of compacted MOT Type 1 (1.66 tonnes for this base) and a 30 mm bed of sharp sand (0.36 tonnes). On soft ground use 150 mm of sub-base, which is 2.49 tonnes.

How much MOT Type 1 for a 10x8 shed base at 150 mm?

About 2.49 tonnes for the 3.0 × 2.4 m base at 150 mm compacted, against 1.66 tonnes at 100 mm. Both include 5% extra.

Related sizes and guides

Estimates only. Results assume standard materials and simple shapes. Supplier products vary, and the final call on quantity, structure and safety is yours. Check the Building Regulations and your supplier's guidance before ordering.