A storage shed only has to keep things dry. A workshop has to be a good place to spend a Saturday or a working week. That means thinking about the floor, power, light, temperature and air before the building is designed, not after it’s up.
The floor #
A power-floated concrete slab is the standard for a workshop: easy to sweep, roll trolleys on and bolt machines to. If you’re planning a car hoist or heavy machinery, the manufacturer will specify a minimum slab thickness and strength, so tell us before the slab is designed. A slight fall towards the door helps if you’ll wash down.
Power #
- Plenty of outlets around the walls and at the bench.
- Dedicated circuits for welders, compressors and big machines.
- Three-phase power if you’re running industrial equipment. Check what’s available at your boundary early.
- All wiring must be done by a licensed electrician. We can put you in touch with one, and on design & build projects we arrange the electrician and talk the details through with you.
Light #
Roof skylights give free daylight across a deep building. Add good LED lighting for winter evenings, and task lights over the bench.
Insulation and linings #
Uninsulated steel sheds can be cold in winter, hot in summer and prone to condensation dripping from the roof. Roof insulation and an anti-condensation layer make a workshop far more comfortable. Lining the walls protects the cladding from knocks and gives you somewhere to hang tools. When we line a Steelspan building, the ply can be screwed directly to the steel, and your shelving and hooks then screw straight into the ply. Timber battens are an option if you prefer.
Air #
Welding, grinding, painting and running engines all need ventilation. Plan opening windows, vents or extraction fans, and think about dust extraction for woodworking.
Storage up high #
A mezzanine over the bench or along one wall uses height you’d otherwise waste. It needs to be engineered for what you’ll store on it, with stairs and a balustrade, and it’s normally part of the building consent. See our mezzanine post.
Doors and layout #
Put the big door where vehicles come and go, and a separate access door near the bench so you aren’t opening the roller door every time. Keep the bench out of the line of the vehicle bay.
Consent triggers #
A toilet, a sink or a kitchenette means plumbing, and plumbing in a shed takes it outside the small-shed exemptions. Heating an office or lunchroom brings in energy-efficiency (H1) requirements for that space. Most workshops are over 30 m² anyway, so they’ll need consent.
Talk to Steelspan #
Tell us what you make, fix or build, and we’ll design a workshop around the work. Use our Easy Shed Quote or call 0800 787 726.
