To live a more sustainable and eco-friendly life, many are deciding to turn their hand to age-old skills. Woodwork and joinery, upcycling, and DIY skills can all help to reduce your carbon footprint and live in a way that is kinder on our planet. But doing things yourself can take up some space – fortunately, a polytunnel may be able to provide the perfect, economically sound solution to your problems. Why not consider turning a polytunnel into a basic workshop, where you can get some shelter from the elements while working on your latest projects? With certain adaptations and the right layout, a polytunnel can make a good workshop for a range of different projects.
One of the things you may have to think about when considering a polytunnel for a workshop area is whether or not you will require power when working on your projects. A safe electrical installation may be perfectly achievable in a larger tunnel, though of course you should always think about safety considerations if you plan on using power tools etc... You could consider using renewable energy sources to provide the power you need – solar panels or a small wind turbine could be the answer.
When working on a project in your workshop, you need to know that you will be as safe as possible. Consider what you will need to place on the floor of your tunnel. If there is not already hard standing, you will almost certainly have to put a proper floor in. Make sure it is level and even to avoid having any trips or other accidents. This may seem a bit over caution but it is best to get all these things right from the beginning – better safe than sorry.
Once you have worked out the basics of the polytunnel workshop, you will have to think about the layout. Of course the layout will be very personal to you and to your individual needs. Think carefully about the projects you plan to undertake, what space and facilities they will require. Will you need a table or workbench? Think also about how much storage space is required. Remember that a polytunnel will not be secure, so if you plan on keeping expensive things inside, it may be a good idea to keep them in a locked storage cabinet or box within the polytunnel. Other items may simply need to be covered to prevent them getting wet with condensation.
