So, I'm thinking of buying another shed

[XB-70 Valkyrie]

However, I am not planning to write symphonies in the shed.

Seriously. Have you ever bought one? I am considering something on the order of an 8x10' shed to store tools and extra books and crap.

Can you recommend a brand and/or store? What about metal vs. plastic? What is necessary before putting one on dirt/grass? How much installation is necessary? Ever try constucting one out of peat? 

[Cato]

However, I am not planning to write symphonies in the shed.

Seriously. Have you ever bought one? I am considering something on the order of an 8x10' shed to store tools and extra books and crap.

Can you recommend a brand and/or store? What about metal vs. plastic? What is necessary before putting one on dirt/grass? How much installation is necessary? Ever try constructing one out of peat? 

We have one built out of fiberboard and pine: it came with the 17-year old house, so we are not sure how old it is.  But the fiberboard floor has rotted away toward the front, and had to be repaired last year.

The Rubbermaid sheds made of thick plastic seem therefore to be a good idea.  Depending on the size you want, and where you live, there are "treated" wooden "Amish-built" sheds which have always seemed sturdy to me.

[Karl Henning]

There is only one Shed, and it contains All.

[MN Dave]

There is only one Shed, and it contains All.

Word.

[Gurn Blanston]

Now that they are on the severe wane, this may no longer be good advice. But I bought a 12X12 metal shed from Sears in 1990. I used poor flooring material and so it deteriorated over time, rendering the shed useless until I replaced it, a project which I just finished a week ago, in fact. The point is, the shed itself, aside from a little surface rust, is still as solid as the day it was built. I merely jacked it up a little bit, ripped out the old floor, put in the new one, and then dropped it back down. At the time I believe it cost me ~$250, and I had to build it myself, but it was easy, just nuts and bolts. If you are the sort of person who does that sort of thing. I like building stuff, so no problem.

If not, buy the Rubbermaid one, they are well made and probably would suit your purpose nicely.

[Cato]

But then will you not have...

TWO SHEDS?!   

https://www.youtube.com/v/SDLdg4m75AQ

[Mandryka]

However, I am not planning to write symphonies in the shed.

Seriously. Have you ever bought one? I am considering something on the order of an 8x10' shed to store tools and extra books and crap.

Can you recommend a brand and/or store? What about metal vs. plastic? What is necessary before putting one on dirt/grass? How much installation is necessary? Ever try constucting one out of peat? 

Four things I can recommend about a shed.

First, avoid feather edge. Close boarded is good.

Second, make sure it is mounted on bearers, you need to have a good flow of air coming from underneath.

Third,  it must be on a hard surface -- slabs if you haven't already got hard standing.

Fourth, make sure you can access all four sides -- including the back -- to be able to apply preservative occasionally.

Putting paper in (books) is a bad idea. Damp will rapidly get to them  -- maybe not if you live in the desert.

As far as unusual materials go, there are possibly fire issues to consider, but I believe you could make a good solid structure out of haystacks. In Africa I've seen buildings made out of river mud and dung, but it's a job for people who know what they're doing (you need the right type of mud, the right type of dung, it has to ferment properly) -- and every year you have to apply a new layer (which is great fun for kids.)