The humble shed has been around since the dawn of humankind. We’ve always had an urge to store things away, and as early man gained more possessions, he naturally had to have a shed to keep them in.

From caves and animal hide shelters to storing food and weapons, sheds became more sophisticated as time went by. The Ancient Egyptians dug underground sheds and lined them with reeds, and the Roman aristocracy constructed magnificent sheds on their estates to store wine and grain.

Over the first few decades of the 20th century, the shed has slowly changed from being a simple place to store tools at the bottom of the garden into what it is today. With the ability to heat, cool and power our sheds, they have morphed into modern buildings, often with as many creature comforts as we enjoy in our own homes.

The remains of ancient storage sheds can tell archaeologists a great deal about previous civilisations, including what they ate, the types of animals they kept, their hunting techniques, their agricultural practices and the kinds of things they made.

One example of this was an ancient shed uncovered in Southern Italy, where excavators found organic matter under the collapsed roof which was identified as being maple wood. This told archaeologists that the shed was once part of a workshop used in Roman times to make fine furniture, as maple wood was reserved for only the very wealthy at that time.

Also found in Southern Italy were bronze tablets dating from around 330-280 BC, which gave detailed instructions on how to build a storage shed for keeping straw. The measurements of at least 18 feet long and 15 feet wide are not dissimilar from the dimensions of many of today’s modern sheds.

While sheds can be clad in a variety of materials including timber, vinyl, aluminium and fibro cement, steel wall and roof sheeting provides the ultimate protection. Cold formed steel sheets are superior to other materials in a number of ways;

• Strong – Steel is very strong and highly impact resistant and can withstand heavy rain, hail and even cyclonic winds.
• Durable – Steel lasts longer than most other materials (up to 100 years in some cases).
• Termite resistant – Unlike timber, a steel-framed and clad building is impervious to termites and borers.
• Fire resistant – Also unlike timber, steel exhibits high fire resistance in both roofing and walling applications.
• Low maintenance – Steel finishes are highly resistant to weathering and require little maintenance, apart from an annual wash.
• Lightweight – Steel sheeting is easy to stack, easy to transport and can be easily installed by one or two people.