So you’re looking to build a garden shed.  Garden sheds are great for keeping your tools and supplies safe from the elements, along with the increased accessibility whenever you do your gardening.  Here I’ll tell you what you need to know if you are planning on building a garden shed, whether you want to do it yourself or get the help of neighbor.

1.  Experience always helps.  It isn’t an impossible task if you’ve never worked with wood before, but previous woodworking experience helps immensely!  If you don’t have that experience, it’s likely that you know someone who does and would be willing to offer a helping hand.  Don’t be afraid to ask around!  You can always ask a contractor to build a shed for you, but that can be pretty expensive, although having plans to give a contractor will reduce the price.

2.  Know what tools you’ll need.  So let’s say you do have experience in woodworking.  That’s great, and you’ve already got a head start, but you also need tools!  A hand saw and some screwdrivers will not get you very far. 

The following tools are almost required for any large woodworking project such as a garden shed.

-Plans!  Ok, so not really tools, but you get the idea.  You need plans to do anything!  The proper measurements are absolutely vital for a quality garden shed.

-An electric compound miter saw.  Most compound miter saws come with laser guides for precision cuts.  You will be cutting pretty thick wood at times, so compound miter saws are pretty much required to make those perfect right angle cuts.  They also cut at different angles, which I can guarantee you will need to do.

-A circular saw.  Long cuts will be made on plywood, possibly up to 8-10 feet long.  You can also use a table saw for this purpose if you already own one, but if not, the circular saw is the cheaper alternative.

-An electric drill (corded drills have more power, but less portability).

-Nail gun.  This isn’t absolutely necessary, but it will speed up the build time tremendously.  It’s also much easier to use, because bent nails are a thing of the past when you use a nail gun.  You may need an air compressor if the nail gun requires it.

-Measuring tape.  Don’t try to use that old yardstick.  You need accurate measurements up to 8 feet long, so be sure to have a measuring tape at least that length.

-Depending on the plans, you may need an electric router.  Sometimes joint will be needed to connect pieces together instead of using metal brackets.  Typically only fancier designs will use wood joints, so a router might not be necessary for the run of the mill garden shed plans.

-Staple gun.  Again, it depends on the plans, but if you have to apply a weather resistant material for the roof, you will want to use a staple gun to secure it.  Just using glue will not suffice, as it will wear away after a short time.

-Painting supplies.  The shed has to be finished in some fashion, whether it is by painting or varnishing.  This is to protect against the elements that your shed will face.  A clear coat will also be applied to aid in this effort.  Be sure that you have the painting supplies necessary to do this!

More tools may be needed depending on what the plans call for, but generally the above list contains the basic and most commonly needed tools.  Like I said before, if you don’t have the necessary experience or the tools, then don’t be afraid to ask a neighbor.  There’s always at least one person in each neighborhood with woodworking or construction experience, I guarantee it!