Choosing a shed to buy in Australia has been made much easier. We hope to assist you in choosing a shed to buy in Australia by simply following The Shed Health Test™ which you will find here.
The Shed Health test is an independent test for any shed you are considering buying. Just insert a few basic answers into the test and you will immediately know if the product you are buying is legal in Australia. A recent audit has shown that over 550,000 sheds in Australia are unsafe and non-code compliant!
Choosing a shed to buy in Australia – The Current Situation
Over 550,00 sheds non-code compliant:– the major manufacturers and suppliers in Australia have been in racing to the bottom, sacrificing safety and strength for the lowest price. High tensile Australian steel has been replaced by cheap and much weaker Chinese, Indian or Korean imported mild steel. Sometimes Australian high tensile steel is used but to save money, it is not thick enough and/or not enough is being used to meet Australian Standards.
The Shed Health Test™
The Shed Health Test is independent. The experienced engineer designers DO NOT SELL SHEDS and are easily contactable through their “About” section. The Shed Health test gives you 8 questions to answer about your Region and wind code and Information about: –
- end portals
Choosing a shed to buy in Australia – Using the shed test makes it easy. - internal portals
- purlins
- girts
- lateral bracing
- roof cladding and
- wall cladding
(Please note, most of the following is published with the permission of theshedhealthtest ™.)
Choosing a shed to buy in Australia – Where to get the information?
When you get a quote, the information you require should be clearly shown on the quorte to complete The Shed Health Test™.
If you can’t find the information, then there are only 3 reasons why you don’t have the answer in writing
- They are not doing the required calculations, which means they should not be selling the product.
- They are doing the required calculations, but the results are not National Construction Code, Building Code of Australia or Australian Standards® compliant, which means they should not be selling the product.
- They are not providing the type of steel they are advertising, which means they should not be selling the product.
Is the ShedHealthTest™ Important?
The Australian shed buyer is being conned. The Shed Test should make it easier to find the many con artists who tell you ntheir sheds are fully certified. At the moment, there are over 550,000 unsafe sheds in Australia which will eventually be4 responsible for death and injury, its just a matter of time!
– 550,00 Unsafe sheds in Australia
Engineering audits suggest that there are more than 550,000 unsafe, non-code compliant Sheds in Australia. Why? – quite simply, supplying sheds with not enough steel and/or inferior Steel gives more profit. Do you want to become another victim of corporate greed & deceptive marketing? Make sure you & your family are getting a strong, safe shed designed to cover all Australian Standards.
Price seems to be more important than Safety
Spans, Centres, Deflection & Bracing are all critical, legal requirements for every Shed sold in Australia. A manufacturer who does not give you the information required to complete the shed test test is most likely not compliant with the Australian Construction Codes & Standards. Price is important but it cannot be at the sacrifice of you and your family’s safety.
If your Shed’s roof feels unsafe, it probably is. You do not need to be an engineer or builder to know this! Your safety concerns about a shed you have purchased can be checked out by this web site. Send the engineering & documentation to us for a review.
Why is the Steel Grade critical?
With Climate Change, extreme weather events are becoming common. A light weight cold-formed steel Shed will not stand up. They need the strength of Heat Treated, Carbon Dense High Tensile Steel as made in Australia.
Many well- known Australian Brands use imported mild steel swapping out Australuian High Tensile Steel. This is dangerous. You must insist that your supplier quote the Steel Grade being used in writing for each Structural Member:- the Columns, Rafters, Purlins & Girts.
A good and truthful manufacturer will give you the Grade of the Steel being used in writing.
Do not accept any cold-formed Steel less than G450. G means Grade. G450, G500 & G550 are High Tensile Grades defined by The Australian Standards®. The number is the strength, for example, 550 MPa or Megapascals.
Who is the Steel Manufacturer?
An engineer needs to know the steel manufacturer to verify the Steel’s properties, span capacities & suitability for your shed. Reputable Steel Manufacturers publish certified & tested data for their Steel. This information is critical for the Structural Engineers certifying your Shed.
If the Engineer has done their calculations on & certified BlueScope® G450 Steel, but the manufacturer has supplied Chinese Q235 Steel then your Shed’s engineering is invalid. You should know that . 450 MPa is much stronger than 235 MPa. Supplying lower quality steel is a widespread practice in Australia and difficult to detect as the Steel looks identical.
There is one major shed business that displays BlueScope® Steel coil at the front of their Sydney factory but they are rolling Q235 at the back of the factory. It is a deceitful and dangerous practice. Steel is a commodity, it is priced by the Kilo. It’s important to look out for cheap Brands selling unsafe Sheds.
Deflection & why is it critical?
Deflection is the sag or bend in the Steel. Calculated deflection means a Structural Engineer has verified the size, gauge & grade of the Steel to be used. If the deflection complies with the Standards, then the steel is strong enough for your Shed’s span.
The Australian Standards® limit Deflection. Excess deformation compromises the Structural Integrity of your Shed’s Roof and Bracing. That is daqngerously bad.
Deflection must be calculated and should be supplied in writing on every quote.
Lateral bracing & why is it critical? Choosing a shed to buy in Australia.
Lateral Bracing is the exact amount of bracing required to keep your Shed upright. The Australian Standards® stipulate how it should be calculated. A Shed cannot be sold in Australia if it is not structurally braced for its design wind speed.
The forces required by the Standards are large. As an example, a typical 6 x 9 x 3 Region B1 Shed’s lateral bracing must be able to withstand 14.1 kN. That is approximately 1410 kg.
The Roof bracing must exceed 100% of the force required for your Shed. The Front & Back Walls share the work so each must provide bracing that exceeds 50% of the total force required.
The Cladding or Cladding Diaphragm does not provide sufficient lateral bracing as required by AS/NZS 1170.2 updated in 2021.
Are Top Hats or Top Span Purlins & Girts, Okay?
Absolutely. Top Hat is light weight, easy to install & perfect for small bays.
The Top Hat’s Deflection will show you whether the Steel is strong enough for your Shed design.
It is important to get the Top Hat’s Deflection value for the largest bay in your Shed.
Only include G550 Cladding with a minimum 0.42 BMT?
Cladding is extremely thin, so it must be extremely strong. G550 gives that Strength. Colorbond® is G550.
One of the tricks in the industry is to provide cheaper, thinner, or weaker imported cladding.
0.42 BMT is 0.42 mm Base Metal Thickness. Paint adds another 0.05 mm. 0.42 BMT = 0.47 TCT or Total Coated Thickness. 0.42 BMT G550 Cladding is suitable for your Shed.
Use the Colour Drop Down to match the colours carefully. Colorbond® colours have all been trademarked. Classic Cream® is G550 Colorbond. Smooth Cream is not.
Non-Colorbond® cladding is inferior & tends to fade. Australia’s Code & Standards are Strong because our Weather is Harsh & Extreme.
Choosing a shed to buy in Australia – Professional Choice Sheds
We ask that you treat Professional Choice Shed quotes as you would any other quote. We strongly recommend that you get at least 3 quotes. Shop around & use the free independent ShedHealthTest™, to see if you are getting a safe, legal Shed.
We are 100% confident that any quote you receive from Professional Choice Sheds will pass all Australian Standards and we are confident that you will not find a better-priced shed in Australia that meets these Standards.