The physiology of each human being is different in some ways. I would think, however that on average, the shed gene kicks in when we hit the age of forty. It mainly occurs in the male of the species though is not necessarily exclusive to them. Activation of this gene often is indicated by a desire to dig up a rectangular part of the back lawn and lay a concrete slab.
Seriously though, we men take a lot of pride in our sheds. Maybe it is because we still have a strong desire to build our own castle but have been forced out of the house by an influx of scatter cushions or simply that we can find peace and quiet in our refuge.
So the new shed was delivered in a timely fashion and now stand proudly in the garden. We will take a look at what tools and equipment are best to keep, for common projects found around the home.
General
There are a few tools in this section that will be used whatever job you are doing.
Suggested items:
- Electric drill
- Hammer
- Screwdrivers
- Cordless drill. This has firmly entrenched itself into the toolboxes of amateurs and professionals alike. If you master its use, it makes short work of drilling wood and driving home screws.
There are a few materials that come in handy for most projects. Try to keep a good stock of sandpaper in various grades. Wood glue and contact adhesive are always useful too.
Decorating
The basic equipment for most decorating purposes is fairly cheap and can last a long time if looked after properly.
Suggested items:
- Pasting table
- Pasting brush
- Wallpaper smoothing brush
- Craft knife
- Paint brushes in various sizes
- Wallpaper steamer
- Scrapers
Carpentry
Carpentry jobs around the home may include replacing doors, floorboards, or kitchen units.
Suggested items:
- General purpose hand saw with tungsten tipped teeth
- A good quality chisel set
- A wood plane
Plumbing
You may find yourself replacing a sink or bath taps at some point.
Suggested items:
- Adjustable spanner
- A set of open ended spanners
- A pipe cutter
- Junior hacksaw
- Hacksaw
Gardening
There is a good chance that gardening tools will take up quite a lot of space in your shed. However, they are essential, as more work will be done in your garden over the years than anywhere else.
Suggested Items:
- Lawnmower
- Strimmer
- Shovel and spade
- Large fork
- Trowel
- Small fork
- Rake
- Shears
If you manage to acquire all of these tools for your gleaming new shed you will be able to tackle most basic maintenance jobs at home. Of course, you will add to them over the years with laser guided chop saws and a computerised lathe if you are lucky.
However, the biggest battle that you are forced to fight, on a daily basis, is trying to stop the ingress of kids bikes and boxes of items that ‘we might need one day’. The most hated bin bag, containing the spare quilt that cannot find storage in the house. Never feel you are alone in this fight. Men up and down the country are waging the same war as you. Some lose; some win. But we must all keep up the fight!
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