No matter how big or small your farm is, your machinery is a valuable investment. Building a storage shed on your farm is a straightforward way to keep your machinery protected from the elements.
A question we often get is: what design is best for me?
Below, we outline our top three choices and design considerations you will need to keep in mind when building your machinery shed.
Design 1: Open Side Shed
By having one side of your shed completely open, you allow full access to the shed. The main benefit is you don’t have to worry about other vehicles blocking one another’s access. You can park your machinery side by side with little effort.
The three remaining walled sides still provide good weather cover. If you turn your opening away from prevailing weather, then the three sides will be more than enough to keep your machinery protected.
This also means you don’t have to worry about doors, keeping costs down.
Design 2: Open Gable End
By opening up the gable end of your shed, you will get a wider opening. This type of opening is perfect if you have wide machinery such as a harvesting header, or planter.
An open gable end design is an efficient way to build a shed. If your shed is made of structural steel, there are no end wall columns impeding access, and the wall sheeting can easily be removed.
By opening both gable ends, you will allow full access to the shed and the choice of driving through as well. No need to reverse vehicles, such as long cattle trucks — just drive them through.
Design 3: Open Side with Removed Columns
This is our favorite design as it allows you to get the best of both worlds.
This design is the same as the Open Side shed, however, one of the bay columns is removed and reinforce with structural steel beams, doubling its width.
You can still get full access to the entire shed, and you can get the extra width to store broader machinery.
Because it includes the three closed sides, you will still get the benefits of maximum weather protection as well.
Other Design Considerations
While the above designs are great for storing machinery, there are many factors you will need consider when first planning your shed design.
Doors
The above designs usually don’t include doors, however, there are some instances where you might want them. Doors can provide total weather protection, vermin protection, and added security. If this is important to you, consider adding doors to your design.
Open Sides
If being able to drive straight into your shed is important, without the need to get out of the truck to open doors (particularly in wet weather) then removing a wall or two will help. Consider what you will use the shed for. If you need access from multiple sides, you can easily remove multiple walls to suit your needs.
Know the Size of Your Machinery
Before you finalize your design, make sure you assess the width, height, and length of your vehicles and machinery. Don’t forget to factor in the number of vehicles you wish to store. This will help determine the best configuration and size of your shed.
Consider Weather
Always consider the direction of prevailing weather when building open-side or open-gable sheds. By pointing the shed opening away from the incoming weather, you can ensure greater protection for your machinery.
Bay Spacing.
A bay is the space between the columns on each side of the shed. The larger the bay, the wider the space between the columns. The size of each bay will determine how much space you have to drive a piece of machinery in if you have an open side shed.
If you choose to remove a bay column (only available if you build a structural steel shed) you will effectively double the size of your shed opening. Perfect for allowing access to wider machinery,
Wrapping it Up
Determining how you want your shed laid out can often be overwhelming. By implementing the above shed designs and making sure to take on the design considerations, you will be well on your way to building a shed that is easy to use and protects your machinery.
Techspan specializes in the design and construction of quality structural steel farm sheds. They are passionate about creating long-lasting and robust rural storage solutions. You can find more information on building large agricultural machinery sheds at TechspanBuilding.com.au
