A Colorbond shed is a great space to work in, until the sun goes down. Most come with no lights at all, or one batten near the door. Before you pick a light, you need to answer three questions. Where will the power come from? Who will do the wiring? And what will the lights hang from, when there is no flat ceiling?
This guide walks through those questions for steel sheds in Australia and New Zealand, then matches kit sizes to common shed sizes. It is a planning guide, not a wiring guide. Wiring work belongs to a licensed electrician.
In this guide: Why metal sheds are harder to light · Power and wiring · Where the lights go · Kit sizes by shed size · Colour temperature · What to check
What makes a Colorbond shed harder to light?
A steel shed is a simple building. That is why it needs a little more planning than a garage inside a house. These are the common problems shed owners run into:
- No lights, or one batten by the door. The back half of the shed, where the bench usually goes, stays dark.
- The only power point is by the door, or there is no power at all. Many backyard sheds are built first and powered later.
- No flat ceiling. You look up and see purlins, roof sheets and maybe an insulation blanket, not plasterboard.
- A hot roof. On a summer afternoon, the air under a bare steel roof can get much hotter than the air outside.
- Roller doors. The door coil and tracks take up the front of the ceiling, so the light has to sit behind them.
Typical: a steel shed with one batten on the roof frame. The walls and the floor stay dark.
Wall colour matters too. Light-coloured walls bounce more light back into the room than dark ones, so a shed in a pale colour such as Surfmist looks brighter than the same shed in a dark colour such as Monument. If your walls are dark, plan for more output.
Does your shed have power, and who can wire it?
Start here, because the answer decides everything else. There are three common situations.
| Your shed | What you can do | Who does the work |
|---|---|---|
| Has a power point inside | Plug in, or have the lights hardwired to a wall switch | Hardwiring is for a licensed electrician |
| Has power, but the point is in the wrong spot | Add a power point near the ceiling or a switch by the door | Licensed electrician |
| Has no power | Run a new circuit from the house to the shed | Licensed electrician |
Our kits support both plug-in and hardwire installation. Kits with a single power lead come with a plug lead as standard, so once the grid is assembled and fixed in place, you can plug it into a power point and switch it on. How a kit connects depends on its size and your space, so ask us about the power setup for the kit you choose. If you want the lights hardwired into your wiring, that must be done by a licensed electrician.
In Australia, fixed wiring is licensed work. Energy Safe Victoria warns that unqualified electrical work is illegal and dangerous, and Queensland's Electrical Safety Office says DIY electrical work is illegal. New Zealand allows homeowners to do some limited work on their own home, but WorkSafe New Zealand says new or altered sub-circuits must be tested and connected by a licensed electrical inspector.
A metal shed is a metal building, so earthing matters. Our kits use a long 3-pin design with an earth wire. When your electrician runs the circuit, ask them to check the earthing and the RCD (safety switch) protection for the shed. Ask them to put the switch by the door, so you are not walking into a dark shed to find the lights.
Where should the lights go in a metal shed?
Most Colorbond sheds have no flat ceiling. The grid is fixed to the roof frame, or hung from it. How you fix it depends on your frame. The best install method depends on your space, and our install guide shows the options.
Use the height of the roof frame to decide the mounting. If it is 4 m or lower, which covers most backyard sheds, the grid sits up on the frame. For ceilings above 4 m, a suspension wire kit is available, sold separately. Taller farm and industrial sheds often need it, so the grid hangs closer to where you work rather than lighting the roof.
Before you mark out the grid, check these points:
- Roller doors. Keep the grid behind the door coil and clear of the tracks when the door is open.
- Skylights and whirlybirds. Translucent roof sheets and vents break up the frame. Plan the grid around them.
- The bench. Centre the light over where you work, so your shadow falls behind you, not across the job.
- The power lead. Know where the lead will drop to the power point, or where your electrician will bring the wiring in.
- Heat. A hot roof is hard on cheap fittings. Our kits use aluminium housing for strength and better heat dissipation.
What size kit suits common Colorbond shed sizes?
Match the kit to the floor area and to what you do in the shed. The table uses rated output from our product specifications, divided by the floor area. As HexSpace design guidance, we suggest about 400 to 600 lumens per square metre of floor (lm/m²) for general use, 1,000 to 1,500 lm/m² for workshop and bench work, and 1,500 lm/m² or more for detailing and fine work. Light reaching the floor is lower and depends on roof height and wall colour.
| Shed size | Suggested kit | Kit size (mm) | Wattage | Rated output (lm) | Output per m² (lm) | Price (6500K) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 x 3 m garden shed (9 m²) | 2-Grid | 1630 x 955 | 66W | 7,260 to 7,920 | 810 to 880 | $219 |
| 6 x 3 m shed (18 m²) | 8 Long Grid | 3780 x 1650 | 222W | 24,420 to 26,640 | 1,360 to 1,480 | $629 |
| 6 x 6 m shed, two bays (36 m²) | Two 8 Long Grid kits | 3780 x 1650 each | 444W in total | 48,840 to 53,280 | 1,360 to 1,480 | 2 x $629 |
| 9 x 6 m shed, bench work (54 m²) | 23-Grid | 4200 x 3900 | 528W | 58,080 to 63,360 | 1,080 to 1,170 | $1,299 |
| 9 x 6 m shed, detailing or fine work (54 m²) | 39-Grid | 5300 x 5000 | 852W | 93,720 to 102,240 | 1,740 to 1,890 | $2,599 |
| 12 x 7 m shed, bench to detailing work (84 m²) | Two 23-Grid kits | 4200 x 3900 each | 1,056W in total | 116,160 to 126,720 | 1,380 to 1,510 | 2 x $1,299 |
Most rows sit in the bench work band, because many people who light a steel shed use it as a workspace. The 2-Grid sits between general use and bench work, which suits a garden shed used for storage and small jobs. Give the wattage figure to your electrician when they plan the shed circuit.
For a small tool shed, the 5-Grid (2360 x 1650 mm, $369) is the step up from the 2-Grid if you work at a bench. In a 6 x 6 m shed used as one open workshop, one 23-Grid centred over the floor is the other option. If the shed is a full-time workshop, our workshop lighting range has more layouts for bench and machine work.
Left: one 8 Long Grid in a 6 x 3 m shed. Middle: two 8 Long Grid kits, one per bay. Right: one 39-Grid in a 9 x 6 m shed set up for detailing or fine work. Kits shown to scale with their real cell patterns; the 39-Grid is drawn turned 90 degrees. Plan view from below, dimensions in mm. Simplified illustration.
Size the kit for the work, not just the floor. Anson L., reviewing a 7-Grid, wrote that their garage "feels like a proper workspace now". That is the goal in a shed too.
Long, narrow sheds suit long kits. Square sheds suit square grids. If your shed has an odd shape, a mezzanine or a lot of racking, send us your shed plan for a custom layout.
Which colour temperature works best in a metal shed?
For a working shed, choose 6500K daylight. It is the clean, bright white most shed owners want for tools, paint and fine work, and it is our default. For a hobby room, a home gym or a man cave in a shed, 5000K cool white feels a little softer. We also sell 4000K and 3000K. Each colour temperature is its own kit, so pick the one that suits the main use of the space.
Colour accuracy matters in a shed too. Our kits have a CRI above 90, so timber, paint and wiring colours look true under the light.
What should you check before you buy?
A shed light hangs over your car, your tools and your timber, often with nobody watching it. So check the basics:
- Certification. Our hexagon kits are SAA and RCM certified, and HexSpace is a registered EESS Responsible Supplier (E20158). Some cheap marketplace kits do not carry the RCM mark, so check before you buy.
- Earthing. In a metal building, look for an earthed design. Ours is a long 3-pin design with an earth wire.
- Lifespan and warranty. Our LEDs are 50,000+ hours rated. The warranty is 5 years for residential use and 3 years for commercial use.
- Listed output and size. You should be able to see the lumens and the kit size before you pay, so you can check the fit.
Build quality shows up in the hand too. Jason, comparing ours with an earlier online marketplace purchase, wrote that ours was "heavier, brighter, and just feels better quality". Our kits have also been supplied for Jetts Fitness, IGA, and Lamborghini, Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Toyota dealership spaces.
For more ideas on layouts, colour and power in other shed types, read our guide to lighting an Australian shed. If yours is a small backyard shed used for storage, our notes on garden and tool sheds cover the smaller kits.
Your shed lighting plan in five steps
- Power. Check whether the shed has a power point, and where it is.
- Wiring. Book a licensed electrician for any new circuit, power point, switch or hardwiring.
- Mounting. Measure the height to the roof frame. Over 4 m, add a suspension wire kit.
- Size. Pick the kit from the table above, and clear the roller doors and skylights.
- Colour. Choose 6500K for a working shed, or 5000K for a hobby room or home gym.
When the plan is done, compare kit sizes in our full range of shed lighting kits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I plug hexagon lights into a power point in my shed?
Yes. Our kits support both plug-in and hardwire installation. Kits with a single power lead come with a plug lead as standard, so once the grid is assembled and fixed in place, you can plug it into a power point and switch it on. How a kit connects depends on its size and your space, so ask us about the power setup for the kit you choose. If you want the lights hardwired into your wiring, that must be done by a licensed electrician.
Do I need an electrician to light a Colorbond shed?
It depends on your power setup. If the shed already has a power point and you choose a kit with a single power lead, the kit comes with a plug lead. You need a licensed electrician for any wiring work, such as running power to the shed, adding a power point or a wall switch, or hardwiring the lights.
What size hexagon light kit suits a 6 x 6 m shed?
For a 6 x 6 m shed with two bays, we suggest two 8 Long Grid kits, one over each bay. Each kit is 3780 x 1650 mm. If the floor is open and used as one workshop, one 23-Grid (4200 x 3900 mm) centred over the floor also works.
Can hexagon lights run on solar or 12V power in a shed?
Not directly. Our hexagon kits are built for 240V mains power, not 12V or 24V systems. For a shed with no mains power, ask a licensed electrician about running a circuit to the shed, or look at low-voltage lights made for battery and solar systems.
What if my shed roof is higher than 4 metres?
For ceilings above 4 m, a suspension wire kit is available, sold separately. It lets you hang the grid lower, closer to where you work.
Last updated: 29 October 2026. This guide is written by HexSpace, which sells the hexagon kits mentioned here. Kit sizes and rated output come from our product specifications, not independent measurements, and prices from our product pages on that date. Output per m² is rated output divided by floor area, not a light reading. Plans are simplified illustrations drawn to those sizes. Wiring rules vary by state and country, and this guide is not electrical advice; a licensed electrician should check your shed. Written by Ben From HexSpace Team. Our team has over 13 years of experience in the lighting industry. If you spot an error in this guide, contact us and we will correct it. HexSpace designs and supplies hexagon lighting for Australia and New Zealand, and our hexagon kits are SAA and RCM certified. Questions? Contact us.
