Workshops

Workshop Sheds - What You Need to Know

A workshop shed is a versatile, value-adding and useful addition to any home or commercial workplace. They’re a practical means of expanding your usable space because they serve such a range of purposes. Whether you need a space to store your tradie tools, set up your carpentry gear, house manufacturing machinery or be a base for mechanical repairs, the right workshop shed can help transform your operations.

Last reviewed June 2024 by Ryan Ollis, Stockman Sheds QBCC #15408423 4.9 from 83+ Google reviews

A Custom Workshop Shed in Brassall

Stockman has been designing and building custom workshops sheds across South East Queensland since 2020, with a 4.9-star rating from 75+ Google reviews and a 20-year structural warranty on every build. Manufactured at our Highfields, Toowoomba HQ from 100% Australian BlueScope Steel and COLORBOND® cladding.

What is a workshop shed

What is a workshop shed, and why is it different to a standard shed? A workshop shed is functional, built to accommodate a particular business activity (or leisure - here’s looking at you, car lovers). It’s a multi-purpose space designed to house machinery, store tools or work on that dirt bike engine that’s been playing up.

Depending on the function they’re designed for, workshop sheds can be found in industrial and residential areas. They’re often equipped with more accessories than a standard shed - think workbenches, storage solutions or power and lighting to support industrial activities. Whether you’re a professional tradie or a factory owner, a workshop shed could be the space-utilising solution you need! Let’s look at who can use them.

Who needs a workshop shed

Tradesmen: Whether you’re based out of home or have an external workplace, a workshop will help you stay organised and efficient. More space to securely store your tools and work on projects. A place to escape and get some work done.

Home Businesses: If you’re an entrepreneur running a home business, a workshop shed will add value to your property and prove invaluable in the running of your business. You can use it as an office, as a manufacturing space or as product and tool storage, effectively separating your living and work areas.

Farmers: Queensland farmers need big support for their big operations, and an agricultural workshop shed does exactly that. Whether it’s a spot for repairing machinery, storing tractors or acting as a logistics base, they’re indispensable to our farmers.

Manufacturing Businesses: A workshop shed is an adaptable space that can easily house small-scale manufacturing and production processes. From woodworking to ceramics, candle making to canning, manufacturers will love the flexibility of these sheds.

Hobbyists: You’ll have a dedicated space to pursue your passions without any constraints thanks to your workshop shed. Whether you’re an artist or a mechanic, a fisherman needing a boat shed or a bike rider, the adaptability of your shed will help take your hobby to new heights!

Planning your workshop shed

Size, Design, and Layout: Your workshop shed needs to be designed to comfortably accommodate the activity it’s intended for. If you’ve got vehicles turning around in there or any machining going on, you don’t want it to be a tight squeeze. Keep your future workshop requirements in mind too - you don’t want to outgrow the space too soon!

Extra Amenities: What do you need in your shed to support its functionality? Electricity, plumbing, heating, cooling? You want maximum practicality as well as a comfortable working environment, so think carefully about the amenities required.

Storage Space: You’ve got a good opportunity here to create some exceptional storage space. Optimise it with shelving, cabinets and pegboards - it’ll free up your workspace and help keep the workshop organised.

Safety Requirements: Whatever purpose the shed is for, you want it to be as safe as possible. This might mean design tweaks according to its main function - think extra ventilation, light, exit doors and so on. Not to mention fire extinguishers and first aid kits!

DIY or Get the Experts in: We can ship DIY workshop shed kits manufactured in our Brisbane shed factory, to anywhere in Australia. If you’re an expert builder or have one in mind, you can construct the shed yourself.

custom shed design

Got a dream shed? Tell us about it and we’ll achieve the best outcome imaginable.

Why choose Stockman for your workshop shed?

Fully customised

We don’t do standard sheds at Stockman Sheds. Every one we build is custom-designed after extensive consultation with our client, during which we gain a deep understanding of their needs. This results in a workshop shed that is useful, practical and needed - uniquely created for your business.

Built tough

Bluescope Steel sheds, need we say more? All our sheds are built with this insanely tough Australian steel, along with their COLORBOND® painted steel shed building materials. This means tough, durable sheds built to last for many years to come in our harsh Aussie climate.

Get your workshop shed going

If you’re thinking about a workshop shed for your home or business, you’re in the right place. We’re here to help with the careful considerations you need to make, such as the purpose the shed will serve, where it will be built and how to customise it. We’ll be your partner in creating a workspace that meets and exceeds your expectations. You’ll wonder how you ever lived without it! Get in touch today and let’s start planning a shed that’s robust and dependable, with the space and functionality to take your business to the next level.

What’s included with every Stockman workshops shed

Every Stockman workshops shed quote covers the full build, not just the kit:

Australian BlueScope Steel C-section frame, engineered to AS/NZS 1170 wind-load standard for your specific site
COLORBOND® cladding in your choice of 22 standard colours, with BlueScope’s 30-year warranty against perforation by corrosion
Engineered concrete slab designed by a structural engineer to suit your soil class and shed loads
Full council application and certifier inspection — we handle every form, overlay check and sign-off as part of the build
Choice of doors — roller doors, sliding doors, glass sliders or PA (personnel access) doors, sized to your use case
Gutters, downpipes and flashings in matching COLORBOND® finish
20-year structural warranty in line with the certified engineering, plus Stockman’s own installation warranty
QBCC-licensed installation (#15408423) by trained Australian tradespeople — no subbed-out labour

Optional add-ons include mezzanine flooring, internal walls, insulation, awnings, windows, ventilation and electrical rough-in.

Recent workshops builds we’ve completed

Recent workshops shed builds delivered across South East Queensland include Custom Fernvale Shed, A Custom Workshop Shed in Brassall, and A Toowoomba Workshop Shed. Browse the gallery below for more — every build is a real Stockman project, photographed on handover day.

Frequently Asked

Workshops shed questions, answered

What's the most important thing when planning a workshop shed?

Wall height. People consistently undershoot. A 3m wall feels generous when you're standing in an empty shed, but loses headroom fast once you add a hoist, mezzanine, overhead storage or roller-door tracks. Aim for 600mm more wall height than you think you need — costs little extra in steel, transforms the usability of the space. After that, internal layout (clearance around machinery) matters more than total floor area.

Single-phase or 3-phase power for a home workshop?

Single-phase is fine for hobby use, small woodworking machines, hand tools, basic compressors and welders up to 200A. 3-phase makes sense if you're running heavy industrial gear: big compressors over 3kW, professional welders, large lathes/mills, dust extraction systems, or a 4-post hoist. The cost gap is largely in the supply (your local network might charge thousands to bring 3-phase to the property).

How do I keep a workshop cool in Queensland summer?

Insulation first: anti-condensation blanket on the roof + reflective foil drops the indoor temperature 5–10°C on a hot day. Add wall insulation (glasswool batts) to take it further. Wirly birds or whirlybird vents pull hot air out of the apex passively. For full comfort, add a split system — but only after you've insulated, otherwise you're cooling against a leaking roof. Pale COLORBOND® roof colours (Surfmist, Shale Grey) reflect more heat than dark colours.

What slab spec do I need for a workshop?

100mm 25 MPa with a single layer of mesh is the residential minimum. For a serious workshop, step up to 125mm 25 MPa with two-layer mesh — handles vehicle traffic, light forklift use, heavy machinery anchored to the slab. Add rebated edges and piers under every column. If you're running a hoist or 3-phase machinery, the engineer will specify pad footings under the load points. 32 MPa is the commercial standard if you go heavier.

Should I build a separate workshop or extend an existing shed?

Build separate if you want noise/dust separation, want to run different power supplies, or your existing shed is full. Extend the existing shed if the current structure has spare slab capacity, or you want shared roof line and unified aesthetics. Common compromise: a new workshop bay attached as a lean-to or skillion to the existing shed — same property, same approvals, but functionally separate inside.

Real Builds

Real workshops builds

Every shed below was designed and engineered by Stockman, built by the trusted trades on every Stockman job. Tap any card to see the full project — slab, structure, colour selection and finish details.