We get this email a lot: "I don't have a concrete base, just bare ground. What can I use?" This is the base we send people. It works for all three sizes, and there's a cut list you can hand to the associate at Home Depot so the cuts are done before you leave the store. On bare ground, put down compacted gravel or pavers first. On concrete or asphalt, the shelter bolts straight down with the anchor bolts in the box, so you only need a base if you'd rather not drill or you want a flat edge to close against.
Quick answer
✓ 3/4-inch pressure-treated plywood screwed onto 2x4s laid flat
✓ 2x4s run across the width, no more than 16 inches apart
✓ Every plywood joint lands on a 2x4, so there are no soft spots
✓ Sport base 4 × 10 ft, Touring 5 × 12 ft, Deluxe 7 × 12 ft
✓ All straight cuts from standard 4 × 8 sheets, so Home Depot can make them
✓ 2-1/4 inches tall, so the bike rolls on easily
Why Put Your Shelter on a Wood Base?
On concrete or asphalt, you don't need one. On anything else, here's what it gets you. It's more work than bolting a Speedway Shelter to a slab, and the edges need resealing every year or two, but you don't have to pour concrete.
A Flat, Level Floor
Gravel, pavers, and lumpy driveways aren't flat. The base is, so the cover fits right and the door closes evenly.
Something Solid to Bolt To
The frame bolts through the plywood, so you never drill into a driveway or parking pad you don't own.
Drier Under the Bike
Rain runs out through the gaps between the 2x4s and air moves under the deck, which keeps ground moisture away from your bike.
It Moves With You
Unbolt the shelter, unscrew the panels, and the base comes apart into pieces that fit in a pickup.
A finished plywood base on 2x4s, with a Speedway rubber floor on top.
How the Base Works
2x4s lie flat on the ground across the width of the base, about 16 inches apart, and 3/4-inch plywood gets screwed on top. Every plywood joint lands on a 2x4, so there's always wood under a tire or a kickstand. The whole thing is 2-1/4 inches tall.
It needs firm, level ground: pavement, compacted gravel, or pavers. Soft soil or a slope is the wrong place for this design, so build a raised frame on blocks instead, as shown in our HOA, mobile home and apartment storage guide.
What Size Base Do You Need?
Each base is a few inches bigger than the shelter's outside footprint, so the frame sits centered with a little wood showing all the way around.
Motorcycle Shed Floor Options
A motorcycle shed floor comes down to what's already on the ground.
Concrete or Asphalt
If you already have one, you're done. Bolt the shelter straight down with the anchor bolts in the box. No base needed.
Gravel, Pavers or Dirt
Good drainage, but loose and uneven. Some people try to secure the shelter to pavers alone, and we don't recommend it. Build the wood base on top, so the frame sits flat and has something solid to bolt to.
Rubber Floor on Top
Whatever is underneath, a Speedway rubber floor keeps oil off the surface and gives the kickstand a firm spot. That's how you get a motorcycle storage pod with a floor.
Where Are You Setting Up Your Shelter?
Where you put a motorcycle storage shelter decides what goes under it. Every spot has its own catch. These are the setups people ask us about.
On Your Lawn
Don't set the base straight on grass. Grass holds moisture and soft ground settles. Put down compacted gravel or pavers first, build the wood base on top, and bolt the shelter to it. That gives you a motorcycle shed or riding lawn mower shed that sits level.
On Your Driveway at Home
The easiest spot: the shelter bolts straight down with the anchor bolts in the box. If you'd rather not drill your driveway, build the wood base and bolt into the plywood instead.
In an Apartment Parking Lot
You can't drill into a lot you don't own, so the base gives the shelter something to bolt to, and it all comes apart when you move. Ask your property manager first, because they can say no. Our apartment, HOA and mobile home storage guide has more.
At a Mobile Home
Mobile home lots often have a gravel pad or a strip of grass beside the home. Set the wood base on level gravel or pavers and bolt the shelter to it, and you have a motorcycle garage without pouring a slab. Check your park's rules on sheds first.
At a Campground or RV Site
On a seasonal campsite or RV spot, the base gives you a flat, dry floor on gravel or firm dirt. When the season ends, the panels unscrew into pieces that fit in a pickup, and the shelter packs up too. Ask the campground before you build.
In Your Backyard
Garage full? A backyard shelter can sit on a concrete pad, or on the wood base over gravel or pavers, beside the house or the shed. It works as an ATV shed too.
Home Depot Shopping List and Cut List
Most Home Depot stores will cut plywood and lumber for you at the panel saw, usually free or for a small fee. Policies vary by store, so ask at the lumber desk before you load a cart. The saw is accurate to about 1/8 inch, which is all this design needs. Find your size below and show the associate the cut list.
Sport Base: 4 × 10 ft
What the Sport base holds
The 4 × 10 ft base is the motorcycle shed floor for the Sport Speedway Shelter: sport bikes and street bikes, cruisers and choppers without saddlebags or a tall windshield, scooters, mopeds, e-bikes and bicycles. It also works as a snow blower shed or a dry spot for a generator.
Want a motorcycle storage pod with a floor? Lay the Sport rubber floor on the plywood. It keeps oil and drips off the wood and gives the kickstand a firm spot.
Shopping list
2 × 23/32" (3/4") 4 × 8 ft pressure-treated plywood
5 × 2x4, 8 ft, pressure-treated, Ground Contact
1 box #9 × 2" exterior deck screws (you'll use about 50)
6 galvanized bolts that fit the frame's holes, each with 2 washers and a nut
1 gallon deck sealer
Cut list (show the associate)
Plywood sheet 1: no cut (48" × 96")
Plywood sheet 2: cut to 24", keep the 48" × 24" piece
2x4s: cut each board in half at 47-1/2". You need 9 pieces (1 spare).
Where the 2x4s go (front edge of each 2x4, measured from the front of the base): 0", 15-3/4", 31-3/8", 47-1/8", 62-7/8", 78-1/2", 94-1/4" (plywood joint), 105-3/8", 116-1/2".
Touring Base: 5 × 12 ft
What the Touring base holds
The 5 × 12 ft base is sized for the Touring Speedway Shelter, our most popular size: Harley-Davidson baggers with hard saddlebags and a full fairing, Honda Gold Wings and other full-dress tourers, and cruisers with a tall windshield. It also makes a riding lawn mower shed with a floor, or a dry spot for an ATV.
Add the Touring rubber floor on top and you have a motorcycle storage shed with a floor on gravel or pavers, with no concrete to pour.
Shopping list
3 × 23/32" (3/4") 4 × 8 ft pressure-treated plywood
5 × 2x4, 10 ft, pressure-treated, Ground Contact
1 box #9 × 2" exterior deck screws (you'll use about 72)
6 galvanized bolts that fit the frame's holes, each with 2 washers and a nut
1 gallon deck sealer
Cut list (show the associate)
Plywood: cut each of the 3 sheets at 60", keep the 60" × 48" pieces
2x4s: cut each board in half at 59-1/2". You need 10 pieces.
No 10 ft boards in stock? Buy 10 × 8 ft and cut one 59-1/2" piece from each.
Where the 2x4s go (front edge of each 2x4, measured from the front of the base): 0", 15-3/8", 30-7/8", 46-1/4" (plywood joint), 62-1/4", 78-1/4", 94-1/4" (plywood joint), 109-5/8", 125-1/8", 140-1/2".
Deluxe Base: 7 × 12 ft
What the Deluxe base holds
The 7 × 12 ft base carries the Deluxe Speedway Shelter, our largest: Harley-Davidson trikes, Can-Am Spyders and other three-wheelers, or two motorcycles side by side. It's a trike storage shed you can set up on gravel, pavers or a parking pad. It can also work as a golf cart shed, or for a small UTV or snowmobile, but some carts fit and some don't, so measure yours first.
Top it with the Deluxe rubber floor to keep drips off the plywood.
Shopping list
3 × 23/32" (3/4") 4 × 8 ft pressure-treated plywood
5 × 2x4, 14 ft, pressure-treated, Ground Contact
1 box #9 × 2" exterior deck screws (you'll use about 96)
6 galvanized bolts that fit the frame's holes, each with 2 washers and a nut
1 gallon deck sealer
Cut list (show the associate)
Plywood: cut each of the 3 sheets at 84", keep the 84" × 48" pieces
2x4s: cut each board in half at 83-1/2". You need 10 pieces.
No 14 ft boards in stock? Buy 10 × 8 ft and cut one 83-1/2" piece from each.
Where the 2x4s go (front edge of each 2x4, measured from the front of the base): 0", 15-3/8", 30-7/8", 46-1/4" (plywood joint), 62-1/4", 78-1/4", 94-1/4" (plywood joint), 109-5/8", 125-1/8", 140-1/2".
How to Build It
If the cuts got done at the store, you need a drill, a tape measure, and a pencil.
01
Prep the Ground
Pick a level spot away from overhanging branches. On soil, put down compacted gravel or pavers first so every 2x4 sits fully on firm ground and stays out of standing water.
02
Lay Out the 2x4s
Lay them flat (wide face down) across the width at the positions for your size. The first and last sit flush with the front and back edges. They're 1/2 inch shorter than the base is wide, so leave 1/4 inch at each side.
03
Square It Up
Measure both diagonals of the layout. When they match within 1/4 inch, the base is square.
04
Lay the Plywood
Set the panels on top, good face up, in the order shown on the plan. Each joint lands on the center of a 2x4, with half of the 2x4 under each panel.
05
Screw It Down
Drive a 2-inch deck screw about every 12 inches along each 2x4, 3/4 inch in from the panel edges. At a joint, screw down both panels.
06
Seal It
Coat the top and every edge with deck sealer, especially the cut edges. Let it dry before the shelter goes on.
07
Bolt the Shelter Down
Set the frame centered on the base. Mark the holes in the frame's two pivot plates and the anchor plate, drill through the plywood, and bolt down with a washer on each side and the nut underneath. If a hole lands on a 2x4, use a bolt long enough to go through it, or a lag screw. The anchor bolts in the box are made for concrete and asphalt.
08
Add the Floor
Roll out a Speedway rubber floor to keep oil off the wood and give the kickstand a firm spot. A 2-inch rubber threshold ramp at the door end makes it easy to roll the bike up.
Lay the 2x4s out flat across the width before the plywood goes on.
The frame's pivot plate bolted through the plywood.
Materials That Last Outdoors
Plywood: 23/32-inch (sold as 3/4-inch) pressure-treated plywood. If your store is out, exterior sanded plywood works too, as long as you seal every face and edge.
2x4s: pressure-treated and rated for Ground Contact (check the tag). Lumber rated for above-ground use rots when it sits on the ground.
Screws: exterior deck screws rated for treated lumber, coated or stainless. Plain zinc screws corrode in treated wood.
Bolts: hot-dip galvanized or stainless, for the same reason. Measure the holes in your frame's plates before you buy.
Sealer: any exterior deck sealer. Reseal the edges every year or two.
Wood Base FAQ
Do I need a base under my motorcycle shelter?
No. On concrete or asphalt, the shelter bolts straight down with the anchor bolts in the box. You'd want a base on gravel, pavers, a parking space you can't drill into, or anywhere you need a flat, dry floor.
What size wood base does my shelter need?
Sport: 4 × 10 ft. Touring: 5 × 12 ft. Deluxe: 7 × 12 ft. Each leaves a few inches of wood around the shelter's outside footprint.
Will Home Depot cut the plywood for me?
Most stores make straight cuts on plywood and lumber at the panel saw, usually free or for a small fee. Policies vary by store, so ask at the lumber desk. This design only needs straight cuts, and the saw's 1/8-inch accuracy is plenty.
Do I need pressure-treated wood?
Yes. The 2x4s sit on the ground, so use pressure-treated lumber rated for ground contact, plus pressure-treated plywood. Use screws and bolts rated for treated lumber, and seal the cut edges.
Can I put the base directly on grass?
We wouldn't. Grass holds moisture and soft ground settles. Lay compacted gravel or pavers first so the 2x4s sit level and drain, or build a raised frame on blocks.
How do I bolt the shelter to a wood base?
Set the shelter centered on the base, mark the holes in the frame's two pivot plates and the anchor plate, drill through the plywood, and bolt down with galvanized bolts, washers, and nuts. The anchor bolts that come with the shelter are made for concrete and asphalt.
What's the best floor for a motorcycle shed?
Concrete or asphalt, if you already have it, because the shelter bolts straight down. On gravel or pavers, build the wood base on this page first. Either way, a rubber floor on top keeps oil and drips off the surface.
Can I get a motorcycle storage pod with a floor?
Yes. Every Speedway size has a matching rubber floor, sold on its own or in a Complete Kit with the shelter and a Double Duty UV cover. Set it on concrete, asphalt, or a wood base like this one.
Will this base work for a golf cart or lawn mower shed?
It can, but measure first. Build the Deluxe base (7 × 12 ft) for a small golf cart, UTV or trike, or the Touring base (5 × 12 ft) for a riding lawn mower or ATV. Some golf carts fit and some don't, so check yours against the shelter's inside dimensions before you buy lumber.
Ready to set up
Pick Your Shelter and Floor
Every Speedway size bolts to this base. Questions about your spot? Email info@speedwayshelters.com and our family will help you plan it.
