This week we profile a farmer in Co Clare who decided to build a machinery shed to make life easier for himself around the yard.

He used to store machinery and tools in smaller fragmented sheds. In the course of a day the farmer felt a lot of time was being wasted going from one shed to another fixing machinery and looking for different tools.

This was becoming tiring, so he decided to build a one-stop shop for his machinery and tools.

A new bespoke machinery shed was built in order to create a nice safe place to work during the day and act as a secure area to store his tools.

Picture 1

This is the four-bay shed constructed by Declan Fennell Contracting Ltd of Cooraclare. The shed is 65ft long and 44ft wide. It is 13ft high at the eaves and the roof has a 15° rise. The farmer knocked down two old stone sheds to make room for the new build. Strong galvanised 10in x 6in RSJs and fibre cement sheeting were used in the construction. Mass concrete 10in walls were erected between the RSJs, and all the walls had three lines of half-inch reinforcing bars included.

Picture 2

The shed has several purposes, and storing machinery securely is one of the main ones. The farmer has a wide pallet truck which he uses to move smaller equipment such as loader attachments around. He said a pallet truck is a great addition because if he needs to make more space in the shed for some reason it only takes a few minutes to move the bits and pieces.

The pallet truck is ideal for moving equipment under 500kg but it is capable of lifting up to 2,000kg. The shed is bright and airy, which helps to make a safe working environment. There are eight skylights and four fluorescent lights inside.

The farmer made sure there were plenty of power points in the shed and added one at the back in case it was needed. He put a protective steel cover over this power point in case it was ever struck by a machine being backed into the shed. Inside, the structure is well-supported with webs to increase the strength. The timbers are imported from Russia and measure 7in x 3in.

Picture 3

Security is taken seriously on this farm. A mass concrete lock-up measuring 14ft x 12ft x 8ft was constructed to hold power tools, oils and other valuables that thieves usually target on farms.

The lock-up is accessed though a heavy-duty 8mm thick steel door. The door has a double lock which requires two different keys to open.

On top of the lock-up there is more space for storage. Attention to detail is evident throughout this shed in terms of safety. The farmer uses a ladder to access this area and there is a special hook to hold the ladder in place and prevent it from slipping on the painted floor below.

There is a safety rail on top of the store also to prevent accidents. A fire extinguisher is crucial on every farmyard and it is nice to see this farmer has one at the ready hanging on the wall.

Picture 4

A 16ft wide by 12ft high roller door was installed by Autoroller Manufacturing Ltd from Kanturk in Co Cork. The door is PVC-coated and the roller function means it is not taking up any space in the shed. To access the shed, a remote control can be used or a keyswitch outside will also open the door. Inside there is a manual up and down button as well as a hand chain to open it.

Picture 5

Just under 100t of 4in hardcore was used on the site. A 6in concrete floor was laid using 35 newton concrete. The floor was power-floated and cut with a consaw to allow for expansion.

The floor of the shed was given two coats of Dulux high-performance two-pack floor paint. The farmer wanted to keep dust at bay and an easy-to-clean surface. He also got the interior walls of the shed painted with an exterior paint, again to make a clean and bright working environment.

Picture 6

An inspection pit was constructed because the farmer frequently fixes cars and machinery. It measures 9ft long, 3ft wide and 6.5ft deep. Three special steel covers are left in place supported by steel beams when it is not in use. A special magnet is used to lift the lids. The biggest lid weighs 65kg and two people are needed to lift them.

Cost

The shed itself including concrete and steel cost €34,000 excluding VAT. The roller door cost €1,700 excluding vat. Lights and plug sockets came in at €1,200 and to have the floor and internal walls painted cost €2,000 including VAT.