Farm machinery and equipment form a significant investment in any farm or agricultural business. With this in mind, the way you store these machines is crucial to their longevity.
The most effective way to store your farm equipment is by investing in the machinery sheds that agricultural businesses are relying on. Depending on the types of machinery on your farm, it may be necessary to add a drive-through feature to your shed.
The Drive-Through Concept Explained
Driving your machinery to the shed and parking it at the end of the day can be time-consuming if you need to manoeuvre around other buildings or vehicles. To simplify this process, many farmers are opting for a drive-through version of the conventional shed design.
Essentially, a drive-through feature does exactly what it sounds like. You drive your machinery through the shed to get to the other side. This can make parking larger machinery much easier. It can also eliminate the need to drive around, trying to get into the shed.
A drive-through design involves two long clad walls and has the gable ends left open. There are no doors which makes it considerably easier to store larger machinery. Here’s a list of the top reasons why you should consider the drive-through feature for your next shed.
1. More Cost-Effective
The most impressive factor of investing in a drive-through shed is the affordability. By not needing the additional walls, the overall cost of materials will be less. The shed rests on the main columns which means that these stabilise and support the roof and there’s no need for expensive steel frames.
This setup is therefore much cheaper than installing a garage or traditional shed with walls and doors. Your farm, like any other business, needs to make a profit and investing in this more cost-effective option will ensure that your new shed doesn’t break the bank!
2. Everything is Simpler
Usually, the idea behind installing additional sheds or garages on your property is to make existing processes simpler and more effective. The drive-through feature makes everything simpler since there’s no need to try and park bulky vehicles in a small space. There’s also less risk of damaging any vehicles during the parking process. Depending on the size of the shed, this space can double as undercover parking for guest vehicles.
3. Sheds are Super Customisable
Our favourite feature of modern Australian sheds is that they are super customisable. This is an excellent feature because one farm’s needs vary significantly compared from those of another.
Many farmers, or agricultural business owners, opt for the simple drive-through feature while others prefer to add this open section as an attachment to a closed shed. This instantly creates a closed storage section for smaller tools, while still having a space for tractors or other machines to park.
A few of the top features to consider when you’re designing your drive-through or storage shed are listed below:
- Doors: These can be standard, roller, or sliding, depending on your needs. You can also decide on the width and height of these based on the size of the machinery you want to store in that space.
- Windows: While not typically installed in machinery sheds, it would depend on your preference. These can be designed to open and be as big or small as you choose.
- Skylights: To offset the costs of installing lights, you can choose to rather for fibreglass skylights.The number and size of these will depend on the style and shape of your roof.
- Footing options: You always have the option to add flooring to your shed. This can be a concrete floor that creates a sturdier foundation for your machinery or if you prefer, a combination of concrete and the existing flooring.
- Wide range of colours: Most shed installers have a wide range of colour cladding options on offer. This makes it easy for you to choose a colour that suits your business logo or other buildings.
- Weatherproof materials: Quality installers will also provide you with a choice of materials that include weather-resistant options to combat the Australian climate. This often includes materials with Category 2 Wind Rating.
4. The Benefit of an Increased Clearance Height
Adding a drive-through section can also be done with a larger clearance height from the beginning. This means opting for a pitched roof which will allow you to park larger machines in the space.
As your business grows, or you upgrade existing machines to larger models, you’ll be glad you designed a roof with an increased clearance height. This will eliminate the need of having to extend your shed further down the line.
Final Thoughts
Drive-through sheds are, without a doubt, a cost-effective way to store your machinery. This not only makes parking easier but also simplifies getting large machinery in and out of the space. By adding a few of the customisable features on offer, you’ll be able to design the best type of shed for your farm’s unique needs.
