Machinery Sheds Perth Western Australia (WA)
MACHINERY SHEDS FOR WESTERN AUSTRALIAN FARMERS
Protecting your valuable farming assets from the elements can be a substantial, yet necessary investment. When it comes time to building a quality Wheatbelt Steel machinery shed, there are many factors you will need to consider, ensuring the success of your project and to future-proof your investments.
VIEW OUR SHED PRODUCTS
Wheatbelt Steel will build the right shed for all your requirements. Follow the links below to find out more about our Real Shed™ product range.
Workshop Shed
The hub of your farming operation, let us help you create a space both practical and functional for workflow.
View this Product
Machinery Sheds
We have solutions to protect and extend the life of your valuable farm equipment and machinery.
View this Product
Fertiliser / Grain Sheds
Our quality-built fertiliser sheds give you the confidence to bulk buy fertilisers and store safely until needed.
View this Product
Hay Sheds
Safely store your harvested hay in optimum conditions to preserve its quality and market value.
View this Product
Shearing Sheds
Our robust shearing sheds provide an efficient and safe workspace to get the job done.
View this Product
Equestrian Arenas
Enjoy your horse riding all year round with a fully customised arena, designed to suit your exact needs.
View this Product
Poultry Sheds
Shield your poultry from the weather and predators with a customised Wheatbelt Steel shed.
View this Product
Aircraft Hangars
We offer an array of hangars designed and fabricated to withstand Australia’s wind conditions.
View this Product
Optional Extras
We offer optional extras to help you complete the utility, safety and comfort or your unique shed design.
View this Product
MACHINERY SHEDS FOR WESTERN AUSTRALIA - QUICK LINKS
CONSIDER WHAT MACHINERY NEEDS TO BE STORED
Arguably, a key consideration to building a Wheatbelt Steel hot dipped steel shed is your machinery and farm equipment footprint. Begin by making a list of all the machinery you want to store in your new steel structure, as well as any additional items such as implements, fertilisers etc.
If you think you may find it difficult to move about your farm equipment, once safely secured inside, you’ll want to reconsider the size of your farm shed. Future-proofing your ideal space from the start will help prevent you from running out of room in the long-term, saving you valuable time and money.
WHAT SIZE MACHINERY SHED DO YOU NEED?
Justifiably, the sizing and dimensions of a quality farm shed are the most important details for a rural farm shed build; because it doesn’t matter how many smart design features your shed has, if you can’t physically fit your machinery – it defeats all purpose!
A lack of storage space is incredibly frustrating, so how can you avoid it? Here are the main points to consider when working out how big your machinery shed needs to be – Length, Width and Height:
The length can be determined by the machinery needed to be stored and the configuration that you decide will work best. Common bay spacings for machinery sheds include 8m, 8.5m and 9m. However, larger bay spacings such as 10m have become increasingly common as machinery sizes increase.
Open web truss shed type spans can range from 12m clear span to 60m clear span, with standard spans including 18m-wide, 21m-wide, 24m and 27m-wide. Like your shed length, the width can also be influenced by the machinery you need stored. For example, a standard semi-truck will require a 21m span whereas a B-double will require a 30m span.
The height of your shed needs to be carefully planned because, while it is easy to add extra bays onto an existing shed, increasing the height of a shed after it has been built is not so straightforward.
Usually, a minimum clearance height of 6m is adequate for most cropping operations, providing enough clearance height for machinery and equipment like air seeders. However, if you intend to install roller doors or sliding doors on your shed, you will need to allow an additional 500mm to your required clearance height to allow for the sliding door beam (or roller door drum). Similarly, a girder truss or girder beam will also reduce the clearance height of a bay opening.
Unlike a domestic shed, you must have foresight when choosing the size of your Wheatbelt Steel industrial shed. These days farm machinery is increasing in size and is likely to continue to increase, so factor this into your steel shed design to use your machinery space for years to come.
We recommend discussing all your machinery storage needs of your new steel shed with our expert building consultants, so our team can provide a best-practice and quote on your machinery or shearing shed.
MACHINERY SHED DESIGN OPTIONS
When it comes to the design for hay sheds, grain sheds, custom sheds, workshop sheds, large machinery sheds, bay sheds or a workshop, there are generally three options: Fully Enclosed, Drive-through and Open-fronted.
Fully Enclosed Commercial Sheds – A perfect solution if security is a high-priority. Options include a personal, lockable sliding access steel door. This choice offers complete protection from the weather, minimises dust, and makes it difficult for birds to enter. Additional spaces can be added, for example – a workshop.
Drive-through – Allows you to unhitch implements under cover or alternatively leave items hitched and simply drive in to take cover from the elements. The option is ideal for machinery that is difficult to reverse, and is a cost-effective solution to store long machinery and for access. You won’t be limited to parking between the columns, potentially providing extra space to store more items. Furthermore, you can load or store machinery from both ends.
Open-fronted Storage Shed – Can be the most versatile structure as it can be used for machinery, grain or hay storage, with the open side providing natural light. Bay spacing is usually about 8-9m, however, double bays can be an option with the inclusion of a girder truss. Another option includes a canopy on the open-fronted region of the shed which will increase the undercover area.
MACHINERY SHED ACCESS OPTIONS
It is impossible to take full advantage of the size of your commercial shed if you are limited by impractical access options. Options and ideas for your machinery shed include:
• An open-ended or drive-through configuration (discussed above).
• A girder beam or girder truss, also known as column removal, can be used to provide a wider bay opening.
• Sliding doors to one end or at both ends.
• Ensure the pad at the front of your shed is big enough to make access easy for lengthy machinery.
SIZE OF YOUR STORAGE BAYS
Most farm machinery sheds can be custom-designed to meet your specific requirements. The sizing of bays and how many you include in your shed is something many farmers will customise, based on how much space they need in their shed and the size of the machinery they wish to store inside.
A bay is essentially the amount of space between the columns inside the shed, so the wider that these are, the more space you will have to store your machinery inside. This is extremely handy if you have large tractors or trucks you need to house in your farm machinery shed. There are restrictions on how far apart bays can be as they provide the structural support for the roof but, if you know what’s going inside the shed, then our team can figure out a way to position structural elements so you get the access required while maintaining strength.
If you’re looking to store larger machinery items and you’re concerned about supporting the roof of your shed, Wheatbelt Steel’s trussovers can also be used for extra structural support. Like the example (below), trussovers have been added to this combined farm shed for optimum support, due to very wide bays.
OTHER DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
While the (above) designs are great for storing machinery, there are more factors you will need to consider when first planning your shed design.
Doors – Personal access, sliding doors or roller doors can be an asset if you are seeking additional weather protection, vermin protection or added security.
Open Sides – This is an option if you need to access your shed by driving straight in. It can be beneficial with longer equipment and during inclement weather. Open access can be created from multiple sides if required.
Know The Size of Your Equipment – Before you finalise 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.
Building Code – Always ensure you check with local government to ascertain compliance regulations and any relevant legislation.
Consider The Weather – Always consider the direction of prevailing weather when building open-side or open-gable sheds. By positioning your Wheatbelt Steel shed opening away from incoming weather, you can ensure greater and long-term protection of your machinery. This is extremely important for hay sheds.
WHAT IS THE REQUIRED THICKNESS FOR A CONCRETE SLAB
Choosing the correct concrete slab thickness for your farm shed project can help avoid maintenance issues and further expense down the track.
The most common thickness for a shed slab is 150mm (6 inches), with one layer of reinforcing mesh. This is adequate for any farm machinery such as tractors. However, if you are driving fully loaded semis or B-Doubles across the slab, a 170mm to 200mm is recommended, and potentially another layer of reo mesh will be required. If you think your shed will require a thicker slab, Wheatbelt Steel can engineer a slab to suit whatever your purpose.
TIPS FOR MACHINERY STORAGE PAD PREPARATION
1. Get the pad laid before the shed is built.
2. Give the pad time to settle, have it prepared well in advance.
3. Mechanically compact each layer.
4. Make your pad as flat as possible.
5. Ensure drainage is taken into consideration.
[rkfrt-neighborhoods title="Perth, Western Australia" location="Perth, Western Australia" limit="30" sort="desc"]
[rkfrt-details title="About Perth, Western Australia" location="Perth, Western Australia" limit="10"]
[rkfrt-map title="Perth WA" location="Perth" zoom="8" neighborhood="true" activities="true"]
[rkfrt-directions title="Directions to Perth WA" city="Perth, Western Australia" address="98 Byfield St Northam, Western Australia" pins="5"]
Talk to our team
Wheatbelt Steel is here to provide you with more information, answer any questions you may have about storage solutions and how we can help you make the most of your space.