Most backyard woodworking projects can be easily accomplished by the average homeowner with minimal experience and just a few basic hand tools. Of course power tools like a circular saw, drills, table saws and routers are great and most homeowners already have at least a couple that I mentioned and maybe more. If there is one thing that will help you set your kids toy shed apart from an "average" home project is starting with a good set of plans.High quality plans are readily available online. The designs available are countless but not all plans are equal so do your homework and be sure the plans that you select are easy to read and have a complete materials list. I know that soon your backyard will become an attractive and fun place for all and not a distraction for the neighbor's eyes.
My husband Ken, is a serious woodworker... he's actually a carpenter, by trade, who just loves spending hours out in the workshop involved in a continual parade of projects.Well, a couple of years ago (totally depressed and suffering the onset of the 'Big M') I was desperately looking for a way to 'reconnect' and 're-visit' the early days of our marriage... you know... when we could barely be apart for more than the necessary hours of going to work!It just seemed that I had spent over half of my life busily looking after someone else - husband, kids, PTA, our aging parents - and then, all of a sudden, my husband was spending all of his spare time with a 'mistress'... his woodwork shop!!
MY Mother suggested that I 'find something to occupy myself with'. HIS Mother said 'at least he's home!' AAaarrgh!:-(One afternoon I was just kicking back relaxing and I happened to catch one of his favorite woodworking sites on the laptop. I was depressed (telling myself that I was bored) so I just started reading. Two hours later I was wondering where the time had gone! I had become so enthralled with the first article, that I clicked on link after link, after link!Hey! This was just like knitting, or even cooking! There was a set pattern, or recipe, to woodwork! (What is it with these guys? They're terrified of the food processor - so the band saw couldn't be that scary!) I've always knitted for the family, and loved every minute of it. And I have always home cooked for everyone, but this woodworking was beginning to look EXCITING!
I read in an e-zine that the number of women taking up woodwork, made it the fastest growing recreational activity - faster even than the combined adult sport's enrollment figures. I think the term that I read was something like 'the growth of women in woodwork was outstripping their male counterparts'.It makes sound financial sense! The cost of timber, project associated hardware, basic start-up tools (remember, well looked after, these will last you a lifetime!), and any finishing products that you choose to use on your woodwork project, will always make your finished item much more cost-effective than a store-bought item, and probably of much higher quality. Your project item will last a lifetime, and give you a lifetime's pleasure. It's intrinsic value to you and your family will only increase with time. And, of course, its truest value will be to you... it's creator.