The Finished Preston Manor Commercial Shed

You may remember a few months ago we showed you some behind-the-scenes shots of the shed we were building at Preston Manor in Toowoomba. The work is now complete, and we’re excited to show you the finished product. 

Preston Manor is a wedding and events venue in Top Camp. With established, lush gardens and breathtaking views across the Darling Downs, the property has a very distinctive look. A new shed had to fit in with that - a standard industrial-looking steel structure wasn’t going to cut it. 

As well as looking the part, the commercial shed has to play its part in the operations of this busy entertainment venue. Functionality and practicality were key parts of the design. Let’s take a look at how we brought it all together. 

Preston Manor Shed Features

A Large Entertainment Venue Shed

Let’s start with the dimensions of this large shed:

12m wide x 20.28m long x 5m high

That’s more than 240 square metres under roof, giving the team at Preston Manor substantial additional space to work with.

The 5m height also gives the building serious presence. It sits proudly alongside the Manor and surrounding buildings instead of looking like an afterthought.

Classic 30-Degree Gable Roof

The 30-degree gable roof helps give this shed its character. Our designers could have gone with a shallower roof pitch, but that wouldn’t have suited the property nearly as well. The steeper gable creates a more traditional profile that works nicely with the existing architecture.

We also included 600mm eaves around all four sides. They provide extra protection around the walls, doors and windows, while adding a residential-style detail to a very large shed.

Up front, there’s plenty of room beneath the gable for the Preston Manor logo. The branding and the shed go well together. 

Colorbond® Dover White® Walls and a Zincalume® Roof

Colour choice was important on this build, as it will have a lot of eyes on it over the years. 

Colorbond® Dover White® Trimdek wall cladding gives the shed its crisp exterior and ties in beautifully with the existing white buildings.

A Zincalume® corrugated iron roof provides subtle contrast without distracting from the rest of the property. Night Sky® barge capping gives a sharp outline.

The combination is stunning - white walls, silver roof and dark edging sit naturally amongst the established gardens and surrounding buildings. It’s a commercial shed, but its been designed to not look overly industrial. 

Six Steel-Line Roller Doors

A building covering more than 240 square metres needs plenty of access. This one has it, with six Steel-Line roller doors incorporated into the shed, including:

• 1 x 4200mm high x 5500mm wide roller door (the main entry)
• 5 x 3000mm high x 3100mm wide roller doors

That large front opening gives Preston Manor plenty of clearance for getting bigger equipment in and out. The five additional doors provide multiple access points around the building rather than funnelling everything through one entrance.

On commercial properties, access equals practicality. These doors will make life a lot easier for the Preston Manor staff. 

Tall Windows from Bradnams

The windows are probably our favourite detail on this shed.

Two tall 2000mm x 1000mm windows sit either side of the main front roller door. Their proportions give the front facade way more character than you normally associate with a commercial shed. The dark glazing and traditional grid pattern contrast against the Dover White® cladding and draw the eye to the venue signage. 

As with all our shed windows, legendary supplier Bradnams did a great job on these.

Built to Match the Property

Preston Manor has been extensively revitalised as a wedding and events destination while retaining the property’s historical character. The venue includes the Manor itself, Pavilion, Lawn and century-old Chapel, all set amongst established gardens and Canary palms. 

Dropping a generic commercial shed into the middle of that wouldn’t make much sense.

Instead, we worked with the owners on the proportions, roof pitch, colours, windows, eaves and access points so the finished building makes sense for both its job and its surroundings.

On a project like this is where a custom shed makes sense. 

A BlueScope Steel Frame Underneath It All

Underneath the Dover White® cladding is the Australian-made BlueScope steel frame we use across our Stockman builds.

This is a substantial steel structure, and you want a frame that can support it for decades to come. It needs to carry the size confidently and deal with the harsh weather conditions we get around Toowoomba and the Darling Downs.

BlueScope Steel is the tried-and-tested raw material for that. 

A Commercial Shed That Doesn’t Look Too Commercial

That’s a good way to sum this one up. Preston Manor needed the floor area, height and access you’d expect from a large commercial shed. But they also needed a building appropriate for a premium wedding and events property.

Those two requirements don’t always sit comfortably together. When you have full customisation abilities though, you can make it work. 

From the 30-degree gable and generous eaves through to the Dover White® exterior, tall windows and custom Preston Manor branding, there’s plenty about this shed that sets it apart.

And underneath all of that? It’s still a big, practical and useful shed.

Build a Commercial Shed with Stockman Sheds

Your shed doesn’t have to come out of a catalogue. If you’re building on a commercial property, acreage block, farm or even a big backyard, we’ll work with the space to bring your shed vision to life. 

Not the shed you see in a catalogue - the shed you need and want. A fully custom structure where the size, height, access, roof design, colours, windows, doors and how the shed sits on your land are all carefully contemplated. 

Our team takes care of the complete project, from design and council approvals through to the concrete slab and construction. If you’ve got questions or a shed idea, call us now on 0493 791 972 or click here for a quote.