What Is a Pole Shed? A Complete Guide to Construction and Benefits

A new shed is a practical way to increase your storage capacity and protect your assets. The question is - which type of shed is best?

One popular option is the pole shed, known for its durability and cost-effectiveness. In this article, we’ll cover what a pole shed is, how it’s built, the key benefits, and more.

What is A Pole Shed?

Unlike a traditional steel shed, a pole shed is built with timber poles that are concreted into holes in the ground. These sheds are often referred to as pole buildings and can be constructed using a range of materials, including steel cladding, timber, and other wall and roof linings.

In New Zealand, pole sheds are commonly used to house machinery, livestock, and hay, among other things.

Pole sheds are often described as centre pole sheds because they usually rely on timber beams in the roof. Timber beams often only span up to 6.0m, so a 10.0m deep shed would typically require a pole in the centre of the shed to support those beams.

Some other designs use timber poles around the perimeter and then use other materials like steel beams to achieve a larger span. While these sheds still use poles, they’re more commonly known in the industry as a clearspan shed.

Pole Shed Construction Process Explained

Foundation

Instead of relying on a concrete slab, pole sheds use sturdy timber poles as the primary support structure. These poles are concreted into the ground to provide stability and support the weight of the entire building - a simple and proven form of pole construction.

Another benefit of having the poles set into the ground is that the shed doesn’t typically rely on a concrete floor for strength, so you can install the floor later,  as time or funds allow.

Frame

Once the structural poles are in place, the rest of the frame can be constructed. This includes fitting beams to the poles and installing the purlins and girts. This framing provides a base for the roof and wall cladding.

Cladding

There are a number of cladding options. However, corrugated and 5-rib iron cladding are by far the most common because they’re cost-effective, durable, low-maintenance, and very quick to install.

Doors and windows

Depending on the shed’s purpose, pole sheds can be customised with doors and windows. For example, large sliding doors provide easy access for vehicles or equipment, while windows can be added for natural light and ventilation.

Key Benefits of Choosing a Pole Shed

1. Cost-effective

One of the biggest advantages of pole sheds is their cost-effectiveness due to the simple construction process and high strength. This results in a cost-effective shed, a long building lifespan, and a strong long-term return on investment.

2. Durability

Pole sheds are known for excellent structural integrity and often withstand harsh weather conditions. If you’re in a location with strong winds and heavy snowfall, a pole shed may be a wise choice.

3. Future Additions

Due to the strength of the timber framing, it’s easy to add more bays to a pole shed. This is typically done by removing the end wall cladding and adding extra poles and purlins to continue the roof pitch. Future additions are often cost-effective because very little additional strengthening is required for the existing structure.

4. Quick construction

Because of the simple design, a pole shed kitset can be erected faster than many traditional buildings. This means less downtime, less disruption to your site, and quicker access to the storage or workspace you need.

5. Low-maintenance

When it comes to maintaining your pole shed, very little maintenance is required. The structural timber framing will remain strong for many years and won’t deteriorate with rust like a steel shed will.

Pole Sheds in New Zealand

Here at Alpine Buildings, our kitset sheds are built using a combination of structural steel rafters and timber poles. This provides maximum strength and durability from the steel, while still achieving cost savings through the use of timber.

Key benefits of the Alpine Building system include:

Large clearspans

The Alpine Building system can achieve large clearspans up to 20.0m. 

Birdproof shed design

The Alpine rafters feature a birdproof design, with purlins sitting between the rafters. This leaves nowhere for birds to perch or nest, helping maintain a sanitary and hygienic working environment and protecting anything stored below.

Strict quality control 

We stock all framing timber in-house and conduct thorough quality control checks at three points.

Packs of wet timber are strip-stacked with a bearer between each layer to allow even air drying. Any timber that does not meet requirements is removed.

When the timber has fully dried, it is re-stacked into dry packs. Any boards that no longer meet the quality standards are set aside.

The dispatch team packs up your kitset, checking each board in the process. This ensures only the straightest, driest, highest quality timber is sent out. Further control checks are completed when collating the kitset to ensure there are no missing materials, so the builder has everything required to complete the build.

Pre-dried timber

Since all of our timber is thoroughly dried before dispatch, it has already undergone its natural shrinking process. Wet timber will warp as it shrinks if it is not dried in a controlled environment. Drying the timber before it is used helps prevent gaps from forming in the joins and produces a tidy finish.

Choosing the right shed for your needs is a major decision, so contact our team to learn more about our unique building system or download our full product range brochure. If you’re still comparing options, reviewing different pole shed plans can also help you think through access, layout, and future expansion.