4 Uses for American Barns

We're starting to see more and more American barns popping up in Australia, and for good reason. An American-style barn is a versatile building used by people for a lot of things besides storing farm equipment. Contrary to its cowboy image, the American barn is a handy addition to your property whether you live in the country or a suburb. Here are four uses for an American barn that may make your life a little easier—and improve your property value:

  

1.  Garages – For better or for worse, many homes in Australia are built without an attached garage. Unfortunately, that leaves your car exposed to the elements, including dust, rain and the damaging UV radiation from the sun. A carport is a common solution, but it offers only partial protection and no storage space. American barns are inexpensive, easy to assemble, and provide a perfect garage space with ample room for your vehicle and anything else you want to keep out of the elements, like your lawn mower.

2.  More storage than you'll ever need – Everybody has stuff they need to store—and most of us don't have enough space for it. Even worse, we tend to accumulate more things that need storage over time. Whether you need to store important family heirlooms, seasonal tools and equipment, holiday decorations, or just plain old junk you haven't had a chance to sort through, an America barn is the ideal way to do it. Offering total protection from the elements, American Barns also have more total storage area than other buildings of the same size: large equipment can be parked on the floor, shelves can be added along either side, and the rafters offer the perfect solution for large objects you rarely use.

3.  Stables – If you keep horses, you know the value of a good stable. The best stables have good ventilation and plenty of space so horses aren't nipping at each other. American barns excel in both departments, with a high ceiling and surprising amount of room.

4.  An entertainment room – The side rooms on American barns, or the entire structure, can easily become an extension of your living space. Options for American barns today include things like windows, skylights, and sliding screen doors, and they can even be retro-fitted with options like carpeting, electricity, and HVAC systems.

Of course, American barns aren't the only style of structure that can be put to good use by homeowners, but they are one of the more versatile. Have you considered an American Barn for your needs?

What to Look for in Garages and Sheds

Everyone needs a garage or shed, and often people need both. Many homeowners, however, find themselves confronting a difficult choice: pay way too much to get garages and sheds, or else end up with a structure that is cheap and flimsy. Fortunately, you don't need to make this awful choice, as it's possible to find strong structures at reasonable prices. Here's what to look for:

1.  A specialist – Lots of companies manufacture garages and sheds, but most of them will charge too much and under-deliver. At Fair Dinkum, we dedicate ourselves to creating affordable, durable, and attractive storage buildings. Our experience and specialization means that we can deliver a better garage at a lower price. Always seek out a specialist!

2.  Fully engineered solutions – No matter what a builder may say, you don't want a structure that is built solely on gut instinct. It may seem simple to put up a pole barn-style building and the roof may stay up at first but, if it doesn't comply with building codes, it may be weaker than it looks. Always look for garages and sheds that have been drafted and approved by a real engineer.

3.  Cold formed steel – There are lots of great building materials for garages and sheds, but if you're looking for the ultimate combination of strength and price then you should start your search with cold formed steel buildings. Cold formed steel offers an almost limitless variety of styles, while reducing costs and resulting in a sturdy, low-maintenance shed.

4.  Style options – Any company that offers garages and sheds should be able to do so in a huge variety of designs; these can include American barns, Quaker barns, two-story garages, and barns with a rec room or sliding doors and porches—the list is almost endless. Even for simple structures like open-sided carports, your manufacturing company should be able to offer a variety of roof styles and options. They should also have a variety of colours, so that you can match your shed with any existing buildings easily.

5.  ShedSafe™ accreditation – ShedSafe™ is the gold standard of structural integrity for garages and sheds in Australia. It was first created following Cyclone Larry, which led to an alarming number of collapsed and failed sheds. The Australian Steel Institute decided to create an accreditation system for shed producers that follow safety and engineering best practices. So ShedSafe™ accredited structures are built to last.

What are you looking for in a garage or shed?

3 Types of Carports for Keeping your Vehicle Safe

When it comes to keeping your car in the best condition possible, there is nothing quite like having a carport. Carports are invaluable when you need them the most; they keep your car protected from any inclement weather and help to prevent damage that could occur as a result.

Whether your car is particularly valuable, you love it dearly or simply want to preserve your only mode of transportation, a carport is a good investment. Imagine not having to worry about horrible thunderstorms and their impact on your car. With a carport, all of those potential rainstorms, hailstorms or other menaces can be easily avoided.

However, there are a few different carport designs to choose from, and finding the one that best suits your needs is going to be an important part of the buying process. Here are a few design ideas that you should know about before you decide:

1. The Flat Roof Carport

The flat roof carport is the most economical version of this structure. They sport a simple, flat roof that is mostly utilitarian, but which can be built in a range of sizes to suit your specific vehicle. They also offer a number of colour options that can complement the hue of your home.

2. The Gable Roof Carport

If you want to add a touch of style and class to your carport, the gable roof is a great mid-range option. A step up from the simple style of the flat roof, this design can balance well with existing garage and house styles while still not costing an arm and a leg. If you really want to highlight your vehicle, opt for a colour that will help make your car stand out! 

3. The Dutch Gable Carport

If you are very design conscious, the Dutch Gable carport is one of our most stylish options. The perfect blend of function and form, this carport offers a wonderful sloped roof for protection and a unique architectural shape. On sunny days, the Dutch Gable carport also doubles very well as an entertainment area for barbecues, birthday parties, and other get-togethers.

These are three timeless examples of how carports can easily add style and functionality to your home. Why take the risk of having the rain ruin your favourite ride when a stylish carport can prevent it? Check out our many design options and customise one for yourself today!

Spring Is In The Air

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3 Steps to an Organised Shed

Have you ever wanted to find something in your shed—but been so overwhelmed by the mess that you didn’t know where to start? Ever bought an object because you didn’t realise you already had one in your shed? Or ever gotten in an argument with a family member over the state of your shed? If so, you’re not alone! Sheds can be an excellent storage solution, keeping things out of your living space, but still conveniently accessible. But a disorganised shed can lead to stress, fighting, and even financial waste! Follow these tips to get your shed back in shape.

Step 1: Empty the shed

The first step to getting your shed organised is to get everything out of it! And we mean everything – tools, sporting equipment, and that leaf blower you haven’t used since 1993. Lay it all out in the yard. Once everything is out, use the time to clean your shed: sweep the floor, get rid of the cobwebs in the corners, and maybe even paint the walls!

Step 2: Moment of truth

Go through each item and ask yourself the following:

• Does it work? If not, is it worth fixing or having fixed? A bicycle that will cost you $20 or an hour of your time to fix is probably worth it. A dilapidated baby stroller probably isn’t—especially if your children are now in secondary school!

• Do I have more than one of this object? Do I need duplicates? Two rakes…okay. Two window washers…probably not!

• Do I use it? Look at all those things you thought “could come in handy one day.” Have they?

Sort the contents of your shed into three piles: keep, trash, and donate (or sell). Everything that you plan to donate, sell, or throw away should not come back into the shed!

Step 3: Organise

You will probably find that your shed is a lot roomier with all the junk gone. Still, you’ll need to use the space that you have wisely. Think beyond the floor! When you’re moving the “keep” pile back into your shed, remember that floor space is at a premium! Use this space for large items such as power washers or motorcycles—not for piles of tools or sports equipment. Look at the walls; can you hang the hose on a hook, or put up some nails or a rack for tools? Consider adjustable metal shelving, which is sturdy and can be set at whatever height you need. Plastic shoe organisers, or see-through plastic boxes in different sizes, can be a great way to manage things like tools, nails, and smaller items. Remember, your shed storage solutions don’t need to be beautiful—just practical!

There are many ways to organise a shed. How do you tackle it?

The Many Advantages of the American Barn

When the Americans settled their own version of the Outback, they came up with a few innovations that are still worthwhile today. American pioneers took the traditional styles of European barns and added their own twist, making them bigger and better. The result is an iconic design for a barn, stable, garage or storage shed which combines maximum interior space and structural stability with an attractive silhouette.

Considering an American barn for your land? There are several advantages:

• Maximum space – The essential footprint of an American barn is to take a standard European barn and buttress it with two lower side-sheds. The result is a single structure that is both tall and wide, yet incredibly stable as the side structures take up some of the weight of the high central roof. That means you have nearly triple the floor space of a regular barn of similar height, while also gaining tremendous versatility in terms of how you can use the interior. It can be one big space or three (or more) divided spaces, each for a different purpose.

• Fully enclosed – One major advantage of American barns is how much fully enclosed interior space they give you. Unlike a carport, the American barn design protects your equipment from the wind, rain and dust in all directions. Since it is fully enclosed, many people use at least part of the barn as a recreation space or workshop. It can be as comfortable as your own house, and even have sliding glass and screen doors installed.

• Multifunctional – Because of the dividable space, people put their American barns to all kinds of different uses. We have seen sections of them used as stables, garages, equipment storage units, work spaces, game rooms, boat sheds, caravan storage areas, or general large storage spaces.

• Options for verandah – Although standard American barns come with both side-sheds fully enclosed, you can easily have one built open-sided to use as an open carport or as a verandah for your family.

• Extra tall ceiling space – Perhaps one of the biggest selling points of American barns is how tall the main space is. With all that ceiling height, you can not only park large vehicles, but also hang things overhead for more storage options.

• Mezzanine available – In case you don't want to hang things up, an American barn can also be built with a mezzanine level in the main space, essentially converting it to a two-story barn with a garage below and workspace or storage space above.

Are you considering an American barn? What do you like about it?

Not All Carports are Designed the Same

If you're considering a carport, you have plenty of options and several decisions to make. The variety of carport designs has come a long way since the first simple designs, and modern carports give you choices both in terms of the roof style and how you place your carport. When deciding between the following options, make sure to consider your lifestyle, storage needs, and how much form or function you want to get out of the structure.

Options for roof style:

• Flat. A flat roof carport design is generally the most economical. A simple flat roof gives your carport a low profile and reduces both the complexity of construction, as well as the cost of materials. When a homeowner needs a taller carport for a mobile home or RV, they often choose a flat roof because the carport is already quite tall without adding a peaked roof above it.

• Gabled. For those who prefer a more traditional house-like carport design, a gabled roof is the way to go. Gabled carports generally follow a prefabricated design, but because of the wide variety of roofing colours and styles, they can be made to match almost any house. The huge advantage of a gabled carport roof is that it blends more naturally with the rest of the home design and doesn't stand out as a carport. Additionally, the sloped roof sheds water more easily.

• Dutch Gable. For those who want their carport to stand out as a decorative structure, the Dutch gable roof is the way to go. This is the probably the most attractive of the basic carport designs and is often used when the carport is a standalone structure away from the house, or when the house itself has a Dutch gabled roof.

Placement options:

• Adjoining the house. This is probably the most basic placement for a carport. Many people prefer to have the carport placed directly next to the house so that they can come and go in inclement weather without having to make a mad dash. While generally the best choice for convenience, it is not always possible, depending on the space and shape of the yard and house.

• Detached. Even though adjoined may seem more convenient, a large number of people prefer a detached carport. That's because detaching the carport allows you to place it anywhere on your lot that suits your needs, without having to worry about how much space is next to the house. This can allow for a shorter driveway and avoid disrupting landscaping around the home, or even function as a partial privacy screen for the home or yard.

As you can see, there are carport designs for every taste. What are your favourite types of carports?