Design of new shed?

I have been watching the "Stopping rust in the workshop" thread with interest.

I used to be an Engineer and went through the Apprentice School so I can still use any simple machine tool. Small lathes, vertical drills, milling machines, etc have now become affordable, to add to my *extensive* hand tool kit, which I would like to move out of the house to a *secure* shed

We expect to buy a bit of land, a present a private track, next to the garden. We will have to demolish the present precast concrete slab garage, to build a new double garage on the land. There will also be room for a large shed/workshop.

The present plan is to strip the present 16ft * 10ft garage/workshop carefully and reerect it as a shed/workshop. Throwing away the windows for extra security, which will reduce it to 14ft * 10ft. Building a wooden wall in place of the present main doors. Replacing the pedestrian door with a new more solid wooden door. Replacing the 1997/8 corrugated roof with corrugated translucent panels for light. Electricity supply with RCB of course. It will be at the back of the house in the corner of three other private gardens

As I have not spent any money, plans are still fluid, so any good suggestions could be incorporated.

I would consider the use of cement-bonded chipboard (e.g. Pyrok from

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or similar) instead of wood for the doors. The advantages are that it's fireproof, rot-resistant and stable. I don't know whether your workshop would come under the building regs requirement for "substantially incombustible materials", but if it did then the CBP would do the job.

could you retain the 16'x10' dimension by replacing the windows with something more secure, laminated or toughened glass, or polycarbonate?

Don't skimp on the damp proofing and insulation! A transparent roof may be your enemy here.

Possibly irrelevant. What I've decided for my new workshop is that all machine tools, cupboards and fixed equipment will either be grouted down or will have skirts going down to the floor. I'm sick and tired of loosing nuts, washers and woodruff keys in piles of swarf under machine cabinets.

Mark Rand RTFM