Workshops

Workshop sizes, widths, and spans

Workshop sheds come in a wide range of sizes, from compact maintenance sheds to large multi bay facilities.

Typical examples include:

• Around 18 m by 12 m for a smaller maintenance shed with room for one or two vehicles and tools

• Around 24 m by 15 m where you can have a couple of work bays plus a dedicated storage area

• Larger footprints such as 36 m by 18 m and beyond when you need several bays and space for bigger machinery

Our structural frames allow for clear spans across these widths, so the interior can be kept free of internal posts. That makes it easier to position hoists, benches, storage, and work bays without working around columns.

If you know you will be installing a service pit, hoist, or even an overhead gantry crane, we can design the height and structure of the workshop with those loads and clearances in mind. This means your builder and trades have the space and support they need when they fit out the interior.

Open, drive through, or fully enclosed workshops

How enclosed your workshop is will depend on what you do inside the shed.

Open front workshops suit machinery that moves in and out all day. You can park tractors, loaders, or vehicles under cover with tools and parts stored at the back.

Fully enclosed workshops are ideal when you are working on motor vehicles or equipment, managing dust or overspray, or storing high value tools and parts. Doors and walls help control weather, noise, and unauthorised access.

You can also combine these ideas in one structure. For example, open front bays for day to day parking and cleaning, and an enclosed bay beside them for mechanical work and more sensitive equipment.

Allowing enough space for clear walking routes around bays and benches is a key safety step. Good planning up front means staff and visitors can move through the shed without stepping over hoses, tools, or loose parts.

Doors and access into your workshop

Door selection has a big impact on how a workshop works in practice. You may need wide openings for machinery as well as separate entry points for people.

• Sliding doors provide wide openings for machinery and vehicles. They sit on the outside of the wall and are simple to use, which helps when you are opening and closing the shed many times each day.

• Roller doors are a good choice where space is tighter or where you want the door to roll up and away. They are common on workshop bays facing a driveway or customer parking and can be motorised for convenience.

• Personal access doors give staff and visitors a safe entry away from moving vehicles. Many owners place a PA door near the parts area, office, or amenities block so people can enter without crossing work zones.

If customers visit the workshop, you might also plan a more presentable entry with glazing and signage, while keeping the larger doors further along the building for vehicle movements.

Workshop features that set it apart

A workshop shed is more than a basic storage shed. It is designed for hands on work around machinery, often with people on site all day. That is what sets it apart from a standard farm shed, aircraft hangar, or simple industrial storage building.

Common features include:

• Dedicated bays for servicing and repairs

• Space for work benches, tools, and parts storage

• Strong task lighting over work areas for clear vision

• Service pits or wash down areas where your builder allows for them in the slab

• Heavy duty concrete in work bays to handle jacks, stands, or hoists

If you have staff or customers using the workshop, you may also want basic amenities inside the shed footprint. Many projects include a small enclosed area for a kitchenette, bathroom, wash area, break room, or office. These can be placed along one side or in an end bay so they sit close to the work area without taking over the whole building.

Planning these rooms at the design stage helps to get plumbing, access, and natural light in the right places. Even if the fit out happens later, the shell of the building is already designed to suit.

Safety, ventilation, and cleanliness

Working on vehicles and machinery brings extra safety considerations. Fuel, oils, parts, and moving equipment all need to be managed carefully.

Good airflow is important. Roof vents, vented ridges, and well placed openings can help remove fumes and heat from the workshop while still keeping out rain and dust. For more demanding applications, you can allow space for fans or mechanical ventilation to be installed later.

Inside the shed, clear walking areas reduce the chance of trips and collisions. Allowing generous space between bays, benches, and storage racks makes it easier for people to move safely, even when several vehicles are indoors.

Many owners allocate an area near an external wall or door for wash and waste handling. This might include:

• A hand wash station or shower for staff

• A dedicated corner for waste oil, filters, and used parts

• Storage for spill kits and cleaning equipment

By thinking about these elements early, your workshop becomes a safer, cleaner place to work, not just somewhere to park equipment

Colours and cladding

The outside of your workshop can work just as hard as the inside. You can choose from a wide range of COLORBOND steel colours so the shed either blends into its
surroundings or matches your business branding.

Many owners choose a neutral colour for the main walls with a contrasting trim on doors and flashings. Others prefer bolder colours on the street facing side of the shed and more subdued tones on the sides that face paddocks or neighbouring properties.

Cladding profiles can also be selected to suit your site. A more traditional corrugated profile can give a classic look, while a deeper ribbed profile can suit modern commercial yards and industrial estates.

Kit workshop options

If your workshop fits within a more standard footprint, a kit style shed can be a practical way to get up and running more quickly.

Our Durakit range includes pre designed structural steel kit sheds that can be used as workshops, machinery sheds, or mixed use storage buildings. They are supplied with the key structural components already fabricated, pre drilled, and ready for assembly on site, along with the cladding, flashings, and fixings.

Because the designs are pre engineered, kit workshops can often be delivered sooner than a fully custom build, while still using the same hot dip galvanised structural steel frame system that ABC Sheds is known for.

A kit workshop can be a good option when:

• You want a proven layout that already works well as a workshop or machinery shed

• You have a builder or crew ready to erect the shed and simply need the full package supplied

• You want predictable costs and a clear scope, with the flexibility to add your own fit out inside

If you think a kit style workshop could suit your needs, you can talk to the team about which Durakit sizes best match your vehicles, equipment, and planned layout.