Water permeable base for bins behind shed?

[Lentil]

Having cleared the back and one side if my 6' X 6' (too small) garden shed, I now need to put down some sort of water permeable base before returning two dustbins of compost etc and a huge (rescued & mended) wheelie bin, that will store my newest compost, before my garden improvement/make easier, plans.

I have virtually no money to spend on this or any of the other projects and obviously want to use re-claimed junk as far as possible.
My best only idea so far is to lug home (on bus) some of those disposable plastic crates that are left after the market: They have lots of bits cut out of them and if I could somehow cut them into small sheets and fix them together, the bins should pull or roll over them, occasionally.

I am a bit non-plussed about doing this, due to the cutting and fixing together.
I water permeable base is needed due to run off rotting my shed and fence still more.

Any advice or ideas would be very welcome!
Beth

[Thomzo]

Have you tried asking on freecycle for some old paving slabs? Space them half an inch apart and, preferably, slope them gently away from the shed. That way the rain will drain away.

Do you have guttering on the shed? If not, get it up there and put the downpipe into a water butt.

Another option is to find a building site where they have demolished a wall and ask for the bricks.

Zoe

[jamesb]

stones, i dont know your area but round here the farmers always have stone heaps at the side of the fields, i get bricks from the council skips too

James

[Lentil]

Water diverted from shed, rots the adjacent fence .
No guttering on shed because wood on edges of roof are rotten (although I did a good job of new roofing felt and put heavy polythene underneath: Needs re-doing and will need batons underneath roof to fix roofing too: Hoped to do this as my last big job this summer). Need new shed with guttering and rain butt; can't be done this year.

No transport for slabs and house in a walk up cul-de-sac (have sack truck though).
Don't want heavy materials for a short term job, as physical strength/health limited: Already collecting odd bricks and cobbles/stones for making front garden easier care and to have raised beds using big tyres as planters.
Beth

[Carltonian Man]

Hi Lentil. Maybe pick up a one ton builders bag from Freecycle (builders merchants don't take them back these days). The bags are light enough to carry home and are made from a tough woven plastic that doesn't hold water. With a bit of careful cutting one bag would most probably be sufficient for what you need to do. You could always cover the membrane after laying with bark chips or similar when funds permitted.

[Lentil]

Thanks!
I was trying to join my local Freecycle last night but had problems with those weird security codes: I will try again tonight.
Beth