COLORBOND® steel is the standard cladding on every Shed Homes kit. It’s not an upgrade or an option. Every Base Kit and Complete Kit ships with COLORBOND® roof and wall cladding as part of the structural package.
Here’s why COLORBOND® is the right material for steel frame kit homes, what colours are available, and how it performs across Australia’s climate zones.
What Is COLORBOND® Steel?
COLORBOND® is a pre-painted steel product manufactured by BlueScope Steel in Australia. It’s made from a high-tensile steel base with a metallic coating (either zinc/aluminium alloy or the newer Activate™ technology), topped with a baked-on paint system designed to resist peeling, chipping, and cracking.
It’s been used on Australian buildings for over 50 years. The product is specifically engineered for Australian conditions: UV exposure, salt air, bushfire zones, cyclonic wind regions, and temperature extremes from tropical north to alpine south.
Why COLORBOND® for Kit Homes
Steel frame kit homes and COLORBOND® cladding are a natural combination. Here’s why:
Structural Compatibility
The cladding is part of the structural system. COLORBOND® sheets are fixed directly to the steel frame purlins and girts, creating a rigid, braced shell. The engineering accounts for the cladding’s contribution to the overall structural performance of the building.
Speed of Construction
Large-format steel sheets cover ground quickly. A shed home can reach lockup (frame, roof, walls, windows, and doors) in weeks rather than months. Compare that to brick veneer or rendered blockwork, which requires multiple trades and extended drying times.
Bushfire Performance
COLORBOND® steel is non-combustible. For properties in bushfire-prone areas, steel cladding meets the requirements for higher Bushfire Attack Levels (BAL) without additional fire-resistant linings on the exterior. This simplifies the approval process and can reduce overall build cost compared to timber-clad alternatives.
Low Maintenance
No painting, no rendering, no repointing mortar joints. COLORBOND® is designed to be a fit-and-forget cladding. The baked-on paint system is warranted for up to 25 years depending on the product range and environment. In practice, well-maintained COLORBOND® lasts decades beyond that.
Colour Range
COLORBOND® offers 22 standard colours in the classic range, plus the Matt range for a modern flat finish. Popular choices for shed homes include:
- Monument®: A deep charcoal, the most popular choice for modern shed homes
- Basalt®: A mid-tone grey that pairs well with natural surroundings
- Surfmist®: A warm off-white, popular for walls and trim in warmer climates
- Woodland Grey®: A natural grey-green that suits bushland settings
- Ironstone®: A warm brown-grey for rural properties
You can mix and match roof and wall colours. The 3D online designer lets you preview colour combinations on your actual floor plan before you commit. See the full range on our colours and profiles page.
COLORBOND® and Energy Efficiency
Lighter COLORBOND® colours reflect more solar radiation, which can reduce cooling loads in warmer climates. BlueScope’s Thermatech® solar reflectance technology is built into selected colours, allowing even darker shades to reflect more heat than conventional paints.
This matters for NatHERS energy ratings. Your choice of roof colour directly affects the thermal modelling of your home. In tropical and subtropical regions, a lighter roof colour can make a measurable difference to your energy certificate result.
Profiles and Specifications
Shed Homes kits use Lysaght® profiles (also manufactured by BlueScope). The most common profiles for residential shed homes are:
- Lysaght Klip-Lok®: A concealed-fix roof profile with clean lines and no exposed fasteners. Ideal for low-pitch roofs.
- Lysaght Trimdek®: A versatile profile used for both roofing and walling. Common on residential and commercial buildings.
- Lysaght Custom Orb®: The classic corrugated profile. Suits traditional and rural aesthetics.
Profile selection depends on the design, roof pitch, and engineering requirements. For details, see our colours and profiles page.
What’s Included in Your Kit
Every Shed Homes Base Kit includes COLORBOND® steel roofing and wall cladding as standard. It’s not a line item you add. The kit price covers the steel frame, COLORBOND® cladding, and full structural engineering.
The Complete Kit adds architectural plans, NatHERS energy certificate, and council-ready documentation on top of the Base Kit.
For current pricing, see our 2026 shed house plans and prices guide.
Design Your COLORBOND® Home
Open the 3D designer and start choosing your colours. Select your model, customise the layout, pick your COLORBOND® roof and wall colours, then submit for a builder review, pre-engineering check, and quotation.
