Open Bay Farm Shed in Preston

A big farm shed on an open rural property needs to look the part, but it ultimately has to do the job it’s meant to do. Hard farm work needs a tough steel structure to match the pace. 

This recent Stockman Sheds build on a horse property in Preston, just outside Toowoomba, is a classic farm shed built around functionality and the needs of the property owner.

Open bay design, rock-solid columns and a footprint covering over 18m long by 13m wide. That’s a practical addition to any farm or acreage property. 

Let’s take a look at the features we love about it. 

Preston Farm Shed Features

This isn’t a standard garage shed for parking a vehicle and storing household items. It will become a centrepiece of farm activity, accommodating livestock, feed, tractors, trailers, tools and machinery. There will need to be space for storage, work and simply getting out of the Queensland sun.

Here’s how we tackled that with this farm shed. 

A Massive Working Footprint

On a busy farm, space equals functionality. Have a look at these dimensions: 

13m wide x 18.39m long x 3.6m wall height

Being in a rural area outside of Toowoomba, these property owners don’t have a shortage of space. Why not maximise how they use it with a big shed? A shed that does everything they need to do, doesn’t overwhelm the landscape it sits in and adds value to their farm. 

That’s what our team delivered with this open bay shed. 

Open Bay Design

Open bays are one of the most requested features on a farm shed, particularly on a horse property like this one. It’s a functionality thing - the shelter the shed provides is easily accessed by people, machinery, vehicles and livestock. 

There are no tight entrances to negotiate, making parking undercover easy, and loading and unloading vehicles out of the weather a real benefit. There’s enough space here to split those bays up into different zones too. With a shed this size, the owners can choose to enclose sections or add internal partitioning if that’s what they need  down the track . 

Gable Roof

Up top is a 10-degree gable roof, a classic design that’s practical and looks good. It suits the scale and purpose of the building, with the high central apex providing additional internal space that is useful for vertical storage as well as creating decent ventilation. 

A gable roof also has excellent runoff capabilities, helping a shed this size weather the heavy SEQ summer storms. Plus, all the roof real estate is perfect for solar panels if they ever wanted to electrify the shed off-grid. 

Steel Line Roller Door

The rear wall of the shed has a large Steel-Line roller door, measuring 3000mm wide by 3100mm high. Finished in Night Sky®, the dark roller door also works nicely against the lighter Wallaby® wall cladding. 

As the rest of the shed is currently open except for the rear wall, its addition is smart planning for the future. If they decide to enclose a section in the future, it will have convenient and practical roller door access from the get-go. 

Colorbond® Profiles: Wallaby®, Monument® and Night Sky®

We reckon this colour combination works particularly well with the Preston landscape. The walls are clad vertically in corrugated COLORBOND® steel in Wallaby®, giving the building a neutral, earthy appearance that sits naturally against the surrounding paddocks.

That lighter wall colour is contrasted by a Monument® corrugated roof.

Night Sky® has then been used across the barge capping, quad slotted gutters, roller door and window frames, adding darker details around the building.

The result is a farm shed that looks sharp but blends in nicely with the rural property.

Stockman Brackets Built for Strength

Stockman Sheds brackets are made from 6mm thick, laser-cut steel before being hot-dip galvanised for long-term protection. Like every feature on our Queensland sheds, they’re built to last.

They simply don’t compare with the 1.6mm zinc-plated brackets commonly used elsewhere. There’s a considerable difference in the amount of steel involved. Our brackets create strong connections throughout the frame, helping the structure perform as one. On an open rural property like this, where your shed takes on wind and weather every day, that kind of strength will contribute to a long lifespan.

The Steel Behind the Farm Shed

As with all Stockman Sheds, this one has a frame of BlueScope Steel. This local Australian raw material has become a staple across the global construction industry, and its easy to see why. It does what it says on the box, no messing around - tough steel that provides a solid foundation for any building. We haven’t met a steel that matches it, which is why every Stockman is a BlueScope Steel shed. 

Why This Shed Works on a Horse Property

• Easy access for vehicles and trailers: The open bays make it easy to bring horse floats and other equipment straight undercover.
• Plenty of room for feed and equipment.
• Shelter without enclosing everything keeps the working areas accessible while providing protection from the elements.
• Big floor plan provides room to manoeuvre machinery, trailers and equipment.
• Flexible for the future: Sections can be enclosed or partitioned later as the property evolves.

Build Your Farm Shed with Stockman Sheds

Got some room on your property and thinking about putting it to better use? At Stockman Sheds, we can design your farm shed around your property, your equipment and what you need to do with the space.

Whether it’s a fully enclosed machinery shed, an open bay design or a combination of the two, we’ll build a shed that you use for decades to come. Our designers will sit down with you to discuss your available space, your shed vision and exactly what you need the steel structure for.

We build custom sheds throughout Toowoomba, the Darling Downs and surrounding areas, as well as up to the Sunshine Coast. Give us a call on 0493 791 972 with any questions, or if you’re after a quote you can get one here.