Why metal sheds?

Okay, I know I'm just a dumb Yank, but what is the reason about 90% of the sheds I see on the Forum are made of metal with roller doors? :confused: Is it the cost of materials? Termites? Council restrictions? They look great and seem efficient--I'm not knocking them. But I'm curious. Over here a metal shed is a rarity except in a commercial WW shop. Mostly either wood or brick.

Or is it just an OZ thing? :rolleyes: Inquiring minds want to know. And anyway things have gone a bit quiet around here.

You don't have to repaint steel every 10 years:D

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Originally Posted by Wood Butcher

You don't have to repaint steel every 10 years:D

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Heck, nobody here stays in the same house for ten years. Let the next poor sod repaint it. :D

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Originally Posted by Bob Childress

Okay, I know I'm just a dumb Yank, but what is the reason about 90% of the sheds I see on the Forum are made of metal with roller doors? :confused: Is it the cost of materials? Termites? Council restrictions? They look great and seem efficient--I'm not knocking them. But I'm curious. Over here a metal shed is a rarity except in a commercial WW shop. Mostly either wood or brick.

Or is it just an OZ thing? :rolleyes: Inquiring minds want to know. And anyway things have gone a bit quiet around here.

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Bob,

My best guess would be, our winters aren't as cold here, therefore insulation from the conditions aren't as much of an issue.

Steel sheds are only a fraction of the cost of timber or brick (at least they are where I live).

Cheers.

I'd say its the price.
A comparable building from bricks or wood would be perhaps 2-5 times as much.

And yeah, termites are a big problem over here, so steel shed is a good idea :)

steel sheds are cheap and easy to build and are fairly easy to get building approval. my 48 m2 shed cost me $2200 in 03

also steel sheds are just good.

shep

Would you believe it's 'cos we run 240VAC and really, really need a good earth? No? How 'bout... 'cos of the 240VAC our machines spit the wood out at twice the speed of yours and we need the strength of steel to protect the neighbours?

Alright then, I guess you won't believe it's cos of the herds of rabid 'roos, barrages of bumptious bunyips, droves of dodgy drop-bears or mossies the size of fruit-bats, either? [sigh] You're no fun.

OK, OK... really, we're just an impatient mob... pour a slab, slap up the tin shed and start moving in the tools, all in the same week. ;) (And it really is a lot safer; I can't say I've ever heard of anyone being mauled by a drop-bear or bunyip that made its' way through a good tin roof.)

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Originally Posted by shep

steel sheds are cheap and easy to build and are fairly easy to get building approval. my 48 m2 shed cost me $2200 in 03

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Now we're getting somewhere. :) A 48 sq m shed here in wood or brick (let's see, a metre is about 3 feet, wait, let me take my shoes off so I can count, 4M by 12 M = roughly 12 feet by 36 feet, okay close enough) would run about $20,000 US. :eek:

No blurry wonder you like 'em. :rolleyes:

Skew,

An amusing post but do you think poor old Bob may need an explanation on the mythical bunyip, the lethal drop bear (they think they're cute and cuddley) not to mention mosquitto's so large that you can hear them changing gears as they come in. Or maybe the Yanks may not believe us, which would be a real shame. Anyway nothing keeps out the rampaging possum, other than bird shot but that's illegal.

Oh yeah like the others said tin sheds are cheap and easy and our climate means they remain useable for most of the year.

John.

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Originally Posted by Skew ChiDAMN!!

Alright then, I guess you won't believe it's cos of the herds of rabid 'roos, barrages of bumptious bunyips, droves of dodgy drop-bears or mossies the size of fruit-bats, either? [sigh] You're no fun.

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Originally Posted by johnc

An amusing post but do you think poor old Bob may need an explanation on the mythical bunyip, the lethal drop bear (they think they're cute and cuddley) not to mention mosquitto's so large that you can hear them changing gears as they come in. Or maybe the Yanks may not believe us, which would be a real shame. Anyway nothing keeps out the rampaging possum, other than bird shot but that's illegal.

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Well, I can see the rabid 'roos, the drop bears must be koalas (so cuddly, right--all we know about koalas we learned form Qantas Air adverts) and we've got mosquitoes I'll put up against anyone's. But bunyips :confused: Anything like our mythical jackalopes (jackrabbits with horns)? Not so many possums getting in the attics, but chipmunks (buggars :mad: ) everywhere.

Now for the real reason. As others have said is the price of steel is cheaper than timber an masonary although the way the Chinese are buying our iron ore steel prices are going up at least three times a year and it has overtaken the price of timber.

So probably it will be cheaper to build a shed out of Treated Crapiata (Radiata) Pine and use fibre cement sheet (Fibro) on the walls. But we will be still using good old Corrugated Iron on the roof.

Like Skew says you can move into the shed in about a week whereas if it was a brick shed you would waiting six months for the likes of Al to come and lay the bricks.

And did I mention we have plenty of iron ore here to make the steel from although we can buy steel from overseas cheaper made from our own iron ore than we can from our own BlueScope Steel (ex BHP).

Actually there is an Australian company called Fair Dinkum Sheds trying to sell steel sheds to you Yanks.

Not sure if that is what he trades as over there but he has set up franchises over there but I think they are struggling a bit because people are having trouble coming to grips with the concept.

Fast to build, relatively cheap in comparison, we don't need to heat them inside, they are colourful and don't need repainting, they make a wondeful drumming sound inside with noisey machines - yep I guess some of us then line them with ply to get some of the benefits of other materials and if it is too hot or too cold we either ventilate them, leave the sliding door open, turn on a fan.

Any foundation movement if modest won't be noticed with a steel shed unlike masonry.

Timber is too easily attacked by weather and white ants etc. And too maintenance is an issue.

Pretty much just more and more of what has already been said.

There's one other advantage: I'd rather have my tools behind steel in a bushfire than in a wooden shed... particularly if the surrounding area is cleared.

Yep. It's the cost mostly, but also the speed. My 8x10 shed, including the slab, large sliding door, personal door, 2xwindows, skylights etc - quote, around AU$14,000 fully installed, council permits, survey approvals etc, and it will go up in under a week.

Secondly though - a tin shed in this country is a man thing. Unlikely to find my better half trying to move in with any girl stuff.

Regards

Ken

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I'm not knocking them

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keep using phrases like that, Bob, and you'll need to remove the word "Honorary" from under your name. :) Goodonya!

Built my first shed 30 years ago when I was young and silly and stoney broke. I had a hammer a chisel and a hand saw. And bloody hard ground.And it was a big shed, about 30 feet each way and over 3 metres high. All timber frame and clad in second hand corrugated. Took months of digging, cutting, sawing, hammering but it was a beauty when finished. And then a spent a long time putting shelves and benches around the walls. It took the termites 2 years to eat out the all the timber to the point where the shed was notsafe. So up went a steel one.

It don't snow here in oz Bob,
So a tinny is good nuff.