You have already been planning ahead and have thought about what you’re going to be storing in your building. Take inventory of all your machines and items, and consider everything you want to store in a building. This will help you determine how big of a building you need. If you are storing larger equipment like a tractor or truck, you’re going to want to have a larger space for that. This is something you will not be able to change later, so it’s important to think about this before buying.
Inventory Defines the Footprint
Once you’ve taken inventory, start figuring out your building size. For larger machinery, take the measurements of the largest piece, and then figure out how much space you would need to drive it in, turn it, and park. Remember to include any attachments you have that would add to the size. It’s important to account for this because if you end up with a building that is just big enough, you may have difficulty using the space. Also think about any other machines you would want to add in the future.
Storage Conditions for Hay and Grain
Think about the space that you need to store hay. You’ll want to make sure it’s out of moisture and well ventilated. If you store grains, you’ll want space to accommodate this. Will you have bins? Need space for bags or equipment? You’ll want to keep fuel and maintenance equipment separate from hay and machinery, and you don’t want to have to haul it all over the place when you’re in the market for doing some repairs.
Climate Control Has a Limited Role
For most agricultural uses, climate control (https://sahomeowner.co.za/what-is-climate-control/) is a lot less of a worry than ventilation and protection from the rain, but there are some uses where it would be good. If you need precise control year-round, then you would need an insulated and conditioned building.
How Will Equipment Move Through the Building?
Take the measurements of your biggest items. Measure door sizes and consider how easy you’ll be able to use it. Will you have access to the building all around or from one direction only? Can you drive into the building? Are the walls or openings large enough to access your items? How much clearance do you need to operate a loader in the building? You’ll need to consider clearance to lower, lift, and turn.
Consider your turning radius for all the vehicles you’ll use. This is important for tractors, loaders, and anything with a trailer attached or larger harvesters. These measurements will dictate how wide the aisle or opening will need to be. If there is a post in the way that will make turning or parking difficult, you will want to consider a clear-span building. These don’t have posts, which allows better use of the space inside the building. If you park equipment, you’ll need enough space to fit everything with doors closed.
There are several ways you can do this; the practical side of fabric buildings for agriculture starts there. Draw a layout and put things in there to scale. Or, an even better idea would be to use some string or spray paint to mark the outline of your building, then take your items out and manoeuvre them. You can see for yourself where it is going to fit. You can also consider how often you are using certain items. It’s best to have anything that’s used more often closer to the door, and anything that is used less or is seasonal or long-term storage would be further inside.
Site Access and Foundations
Think about your site. How is the soil? Can you do proper drainage? Do you need areas to stage vehicles? How will you control runoff for rain or snow? How clean does it need to be? These can be things that need to be thought about when planning your building and foundation.
Some of these questions can help:
- How high do I need the door and the building to be? Think about the size of the largest items and equipment you’ll use.
- Do I need a concrete pad? Or could I get by on a dirt or compacted foundation? These decisions can dictate the level of future maintenance you’ll have.
- Where does the door need to be? It’s important to keep in mind access around the building as well as weather and where the snow will blow from.
Ask about future expansion options; you might find it’s cheaper to plan for future expansion instead of over-sizing the structure from the start.
Check local permitting requirements and make sure the building design meets setback requirements, wind loads, snow loads, etc. Just because the building will work on paper does not mean it can be anchored properly in your location.
Operating equipment such as battery chargers, block heaters, welders, or grain-handling systems requires planned electrical service in advance. Consider the locations you need lighting, outlets, and shut-offs so cords won’t clutter walking and traffic aisles and avoid expensive modifications once the operation has begun.
The Case for Fabric Construction
Fabric buildings offer a number of benefits that make them a great option. There are a lot of options for end walls, so you can really make the building your own. They offer natural lighting for easy equipment loading and repair work. There is no post in clear-span buildings, making it easy to park equipment. If you have lots of large equipment and machinery, fabric buildings are a great option. However, skip this option if your storage plan requires tightly controlled temperature and humidity throughout the year.
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