When it comes time to apply for a permit to build a garage you will need to have building plans to submit to your local building department. Now let me tell you paying a draftsmen to draw plans up for you can get pretty expensive & usually be no better than ones you can buy off a shelf. The idea of drawing up your own building plans can be very difficult if you don’t have experience. Also what about the material list, do you know how to do a take off to determine what lumber you need & how much.

You can go to your local lumber yard & buy garage kits sold as a package, but all too often these are way too expensive. Building stores have great marketing & know that making kits for garages, sheds, & playgrounds is a great way to sell things for way more money. You are better off to buy a set of garage building plans & take the material list to the lumber yard & order the lumber.

Many building stores sell building plans as well. These can be a good idea but also are fairly costly. I find that you are better off buying downloadable plans off the internet such as Ted’s woodworking plans or  Woodworking 4 Home. These packages have thousands of wood building plans for less than the cost of one set of plans from the building stores. The nice thing is you will have many choices available to you. Also there are plans in the package for decks, sheds, playhouses & so much more. This way, if down the road you would like to build a different project you already have woodworking plans to make it happen. Also check out My Shed Plans Elite , they focus on shed building plans but also have many garage building plans as well.

Whether you choose to build a single car garage or a 30 x 50 shop, make sure you consult with your local building department and always work safe. Best of luck & happy garage constructing.

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If you are a casual hobbyist you can look at cheaper brands if you wish, but do remember you get what you pay for. For anyone who uses tools frequently you need a tool that will get the job done properly.  Now I can already hear  people saying “Dewalt is the best” or ” Milwaukee is the best” or whatever brand you like, but believe me I have used most all brands & right now Makita is kicking butt.

The Makita LXT series of cordless tools are better than any I have ever used. I have had an LXT kit for 4 years now & they are still running strong with the same switches, & only the brushes changed in the drill. Now before you say ” yea but how much do you use them,” let me say ” these things are seriously abused”. My cordless tools are used daily & not actually looked after that well. My other brands of cordless tools never lasted half as long as I have already had the Makita LXT tools. I once had a very expensive Matabo cordless drill & it turned out to be the biggest piece of junk I have ever owned. Now there are other brands that are good like the new Dewalt lithium series, however they have not stood the test of time yet.

Another great Makita tool is their new miter saws. The new Makita DXT line of mitre saws are amazing. I traded in my Dewalt 12″ sliding compound for the Makita 10″ sliding compound with the laser. Now I find most people get quite attached to a brand when it comes to mitre saws, but believe me if you don’t own a Mikita mitre saw right now & you try one you will be making the switch. I never much cared for the older Makita mitre saws but the new design is a serious contender.

When it comes to table saws I still like my Bosch table saw but when it needs replacing I will take a serious look at the makita as well. Dewalt also makes a nice bench top table saw that I feel makes a great portable unit.

As much as this may seem like an endorsement for Makita , it is not. I am just an avid user of their products & have had great luck with them. I have had people ask me about tools like Black & Decker, Rigid & Ryobi & if they are just as good as others. These tools can be fine for minimal use but you need to understand that these are entry level tools. Now the Rigid brand is at the top of those tools so it may be a better purchase than the others, but if you make a living with tools there is no time to cheap out. I would stick with brands such as Makita, Dewalt, Milwaukee, & Bosch to name a few.

If you have a tool you like or want me to review a tool than drop me a line.

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While children love to improvise, and they will often find their own props and structures to play with (bushes that become caves, trees that become instant hideaways, and sticks they make into guns and swords), you will be guaranteed to get a great deal of satisfaction if you build your own outdoor playhouse, or jungle gym.
But there is more to building outdoor play equipment than simply knocking a few bits of wood together with a hammer and nails. For this reason it is an excellent idea to get yourself some good woodworking plans or Playhouse plans. You will find that there are some fabulous playhouse plans alongside other wood building plans that show you how to build other structures such as a tree house, jungle gym or shed. Even, how to weave your own rope ladders & nets. Some people offer plans for a whole bunch of small woodworking projects in one giant package. You might also find it interesting to get wooden toy plans or perhaps rocking horse plans for your kids in the same package.

Get Started Today with These Playhouse Plans

When it comes to building play equipment for your backyard, one of the most important aspects is safety. While an outdoor playhouse might be constructed on the ground, other structures such as a jungle gym or tree house are, by their very nature, constructed above the ground. Children just love to climb and anything that will take them to an elevated position must be safe. Any type of climbing apparatus must be securely anchored in the ground so that it isn’t going to fall over. You need to be sure that the wood has a nice, smooth surface so that children won’t get splinters, and that no dangerous nails or other spikes stick out of the structure. Any type of jungle gym or climbing structure will also need to be sufficiently strong to withstand the weight of the children that will be using it. An exciting outdoor play structure may be used by a group of children at one time, so you also need to take this into account.

There are many how to projects that you can choose from that will enable you to produce a play house or jungle gym that will provide your children with lots and lots of fun. Here are some simple woodworking project ideas:

• Simple swing structures that are made with three long poles to form a horizontal beam that you can use to hang the swing. The top beam will determine how many swings you can incorporate. Instead of two upright poles, anchor angled poles at the sides so that cross at the top and provide additional support for the cross pole.

• Frame swings made so that you don’t have to anchor the play structure in the ground. With these you have two triangular side frames that support the horizontal beam that holds the swing.
• Any of the above structures can also be used to hang rope ladders or as a support for a climbing net.

• Tire swings, fireman’s poles & even a sandbox can also be incorporated.

More complicated how to build projects involve building a range of facilities in one adventure centre. For example, you might have a central outdoor playhouse built on a raised platform so that you can attach a slide to one side. Then on the other side you could have a rope ladder and swings and even a climbing frame. When it comes to children’s outdoor play structures, the sky’s the limit!

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Ted Mcgrath is a professional woodworker who has more than 20 years of woodworking experience. When he first started making outdoor structures in wood he would use wood building plans that other people had drawn up, but found that they left him with more questions than answers. So over the years Ted has created his own gallery of plans which he has now released in the form of Ted’s Woodworking.

His motivation is to help people do rewarding woodworking projects cheaply, quickly and without unnecessary problems.

Available to customers in 90 countries throughout the world, Ted’s Woodworking contains 16,000 relatively simple woodworking plans that all have step-by-step instructions as well as photographs and diagrams to make them easy to put into practice. But they are also challenging enough for professional woodworkers to benefit from as well.

Over 16,000 Plans Available Right Now!

Another great factor is that Ted’s Woodworking contains both indoor and outdoor woodworking plans covering every possible area of interest. Whether you want arbor plans, furniture plans, book case plans, cabin plans or plans that will help you to build a cabinet, you will find them in this package. There are rabbit house and dog house plans, compost bin plans, door plans, fence plans, greenhouse plans, plans for horse barns even guitar plans. You will also find garage plans, pergola plans, planter plans, playhouse plans, swing plans, shed plans and trellis plans together with a variety of outdoor projects. There are children’s room projects, kitchen projects and home office projects … the list go on and on … and on! Better still, in each of these categories there are lots of choices that you will have. So whether you want to improve your backyard, build utility structures that are practical, create something that your children can play on or in, or even construct your own indoor furniture this makes a really interesting package.

Better still, the instructions are wonderfully detailed with profile drawings, sections, complete materials lists, vital cutting lists, schematics and everything necessary for each individual design. Where relevant there are also detailed drawings that show design elements like footings and eaves as well as roof structures and decking floors. The plans also help in terms of using woodworking tools the right way so that you are sure you will end up with a professional project.

So if you find it difficult to figure out details and aren’t able to draw your own plans, here are some that you should really look at.

For a limited time I have convinced Ted to give my readers a $20 discount. This discount will not be found anywhere else so you may want to lock in now. To get your $20 discount clink on link below.

GET YOUR DISCOUNT HERE!

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• To start with, a chisel is the most traditional and important of all hand tools for every woodworker. Chisels are great in cutting the edges of innumerable sturdy materials like wood, metal or stone. When buying a chisel, you should emphasize on two things- the fit of the chisel’s handle and the quality of steel. Many wood carvers and craftsmen go for the Japanese chisels particularly those that are of blue steel. You can opt for the boxwood handles resembling the shape of octagon. For getting a tighter grip. Above all, check that the steel is sharpened and honed accurately. You may take the aid of any professionals to get rid of any accidents.

• When you are deciding on buying a square, remember that extremely high precision and accuracy are the key words for squares as they act as guides in measurement in any kind of woodworking plan. The perfect is 0.003 inches or less. If you feel you are experienced, you can purchase even the 3-4 inches long squares.

• In woodworking, an array of saws are used and the functions differ slightly with each tool. For any home repairing project, the trim saw with teeth on opposite sides of the blade is commonly used being the ideal one for repairing works.

I know all you want is to have a unique design. But for carrying out your dream project you are in need for the correct tools and equipments. And don’t consider these tools as just machines, they mean more than that. Maintain them and take care of them properly. Check them, sharpen, and hone them on regular basis. Thus not only you will get value for money but also avoid accidents while doing you favorite past time- woodworking.

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Ryan Henderson has been building outdoor sheds and other backyard structures from wood for more than 20 years and he is passionate about them. He’s built them for himself, for his family and he builds them professionally as well. So what he decided to do was to put all his own shed plans together and share them with other people.

The result is an enviable package that he calls My Shed Plans. It is packed with an incredible 12,000 shed plans and a lot of other woodworking designs and wood building plans. If you are itching to build a shed or other project in your own backyard, you can start with small projects like birdhouses and then try your hand at some of the bigger and more complicated projects. These range from deck building plans and furniture woodworking plans as well as instructions for full-on stable barns – not to forget the wide range of garden shed plans. There are even some doll house and playhouse plans, as well as dog kennel and dog house plans, plans for playground equipment and plans for a wishing well included in the package.

One really great thing about My Shed Plans is that there are projects that are suitable for beginners as well as projects that people with well-developed carpentry skills will want to tackle. The blueprints that come with the plans include detailed drawings in full color that show exactly how all the elements are put together. There are also section drawings, and where relevant, eave details as well. He leaves absolute nothing to chance and provides explicit step-by-step instructions to help you every step of the way.

Click Here to Get Your Shed Plans Now!

As Ryan says, when it comes to outdoor woodworking projects, the secret of success is largely in the pre-planning phase. If you know exactly what you need, then it’s really easy. This is why he has included detailed materials lists in My Shed Plans.

Ryan is used to doing all the planning and preparation for backyard woodworking projects. He also knows the correct procedures to follow, whether it’s insulating and waterproofing a wooden shed, or creating the correct joints for a traditional gazebo structure. So he also gives a load of professional tips on woodworking, home building and general maintenance relating to the projects he has chosen.

In addition to all the outdoor woodworking plans and projects, Ryan has included a whole bunch of other stuff with My Shed Plans as well. For example there are some kitchen plans, plans for wooden book shelves, and even guides that show you how to build a pond, work with cement and mortar, build foundations and deal with taps and tiles. Wow!

Ryan Henderson’s My Shed Plans is a downloadable product and not something you will find in your local book store.

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When it comes to wooden garden fencing, there are a large number of different types to choose from. So before you start working with fence plans, decide what sort of fencing you want to build. Your decision will depend partly on where you are going to build the fence and why. For example a solid wooden fence will double as a windbreak while an ordinary post-and-rail fence will simply indicate where the boundary of the property is.

Apart from the type of fence and its function, you should also consider style so that it doesn’t look out of place in your particular garden environment. While solid wood fences generally work with most garden styles, a post-and-rail can look quite rural while picket fences work well for a cottage. Trellis and lattice-work fences and screens suit traditional-style homes.

If you aren’t sure how to build a fence or what type or style of fence to build, you can often get ideas from fence plans that are included with many simple woodworking projects. But also look for pictures of different sorts of wooden fences and screens for inspiration. You will usually find photographs as well as beginner woodworking plans and projects in books, magazines and on web sites on the Internet. Look for fence plans that have a lot of detail and give you step-by-step instruction of how to build a fence. If you need to incorporate a gate, make sure there is one included in the fence plans that you choose. Usually woodworking plans for fences will describe how to build one section of the fence, or possibly how to build panels that are then fixed to upright posts or poles. You will then need to work out how many sections you need to build the fence in your own backyard. But this really isn’t difficult.

Get Your Fence Plans Now!

Since generic fence plans are not intended for any specific site, you will also have to work out a site plan for yourself. A good way to do this is to use graph paper so that it will be to scale. Draw in all existing structures, including your house and garage. Also show any large trees that might have an effect on the way the property is to be fenced. If you are planning any other woodworking projects, show these structures on your plan too. You may be considering building a pergola, or perhaps a wooden shed. If these are going to be located near the boundary it could affect the way you build the fence. Alternatively you may want to screen a pergola for privacy or screen a shed to keep it out of view. Screens would not normally be included in shed building plans, but they might be.

Once you have drawn a site plan and marked where the new fence will go, you can refer to your fence plans to see exactly what you need to buy to be able to start work.

While any sort of fence could be used to screen an area from view – or to create a more private area within your backyard, a trellis is an excellent option. If you know how to be build a trellis you might not need plans, but if you don’t then you will probably find trellis plans alongside fence plans or even in how to plans for woodworking.

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Perhaps the simplest pergola structure you can build is a roofless type made with wooden poles. The upright poles are secured into the ground and then a series of cross-beams are fixed to the uprights. Building a pergola this way requires minimal carpentry skills. If you buy the poles ready-cut and drilled, all you have to be able to do is bolt the lengths together. Otherwise you’ll need to know (or learn) how to cut and fasten wood, and will need the appropriate tools & pergola plans to do this.

More elaborate pergola designs are made from planed wood that may have ends that are scrolled or cut to shape with a jigsaw to form what some people call a rafter tail. A more elaborate design would probably also involve using more complicated joints as well, although even planed wood pergolas may be bolted together, as you will see in many how to build projects.

Pergola Plans Made Easy

Another ambitious pergola design incorporates trelliswork along the sides in imitation of a period-style structure. You can buy ready-made trellis panels, but if you want a project that is more demanding, then accept the challenge and make up your own panels using lath. Whichever route you choose to follow, a trellis will provide a great support for plants that you can then train over the pergola beams for shade.

If you have bricklaying skills, you could build a pergola with brick piers and wooden beams that can be a simple or elaborate as you wish. The great Edwin Lutyens, one of the world’s greatest landscape architects who worked with the equally famous British garden designer Gertrude Jekyll, was regarded as the master of the pergola. He often used it to link the house and garden together with a pergola or two, usually combining stone or brick pillars with overhead wooden beams.

Another traditional approach is to build pergolas over walkways and use a central pitched pergola roof as a central feature. This isn’t particularly complicated to do because all it involves is creating a wooden framework of four sloping timbers that meet together in the center, and are fixed to four horizontal beams that are attached to form a square that rests on top of four equally spaced pillars. A series of lathes, or perhaps slightly thicker cross-pieces, are then used horizontally, from top to bottom, to strengthen the roof structure.

If you want to know how to build a pergola or how to do simple woodworking projects, there are some really inspiring woodworking plans that you can buy. If you buy a good package that offers access to multiple plans, once you have built your pergola you might decide to build a gazebo or even build a garden shed. There are some really great  pergola plans and arbor plans that you can buy.

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So if you are looking for small woodworking projects that you can tackle in your own backyard, and that are genuinely achievable, have a look at some of the shed building plans that are available. You might be surprised to find out that there is quite a bit of choice and some great ideas to get you started.

Well presented plans for woodworking will show you exactly how to build a shed using wood. Shed building plans will also show you exactly what you need in terms of materials and quite often in terms of tools as well. Most will have a range of projects, some of which are suitable for beginners and others that will appeal to more competent woodworkers.

Get Started with these Great Shed Building Plans

But before you decide which garden shed plans or storage shed plans to use, you need to be clear in your own mind in terms of what you are going to build – or at least what you want to build. The considerations you need to be aware of range from the size of the structure to what it will be used for. Storage sheds, tool sheds and in fact any type of garden sheds may be used for storing things, but you can also use a well-built shed as a workshop or a place for outdoor hobbies. Some people even build quite substantial garden sheds and then use them for an outdoor playhouse instead of one of the mini Wendy house designs that are scaled down for children.

You also need to think carefully about the design you are interested in and what the finished structure will look like. Garden sheds come in a myriad of styles, some with concrete floors and others with suspended wooden floors. Roof designs also vary from being almost flat, with just enough of a slope to accommodate rainwater run-off, to having a relatively steep pitch. The most complicated roof design is the gambrel roof which is a popular and quite traditional one for barns. The beauty of a gambrel roof is that it can be constructed on top of a girder or top plate assembly with a suspended floor below. In effect this becomes a mini attic that you can use to store items you seldom use.

Build Your Own Garden Shed

You might even decide to include other wooden structures alongside your shed, to help make it blend more naturally with your backyard environment. For this reason you may be interested in shed building plans that include other simple woodworking projects as well, for example those that show how to build a trellis or how to build a gazebo. With that in mind, you could use your garden shed as a storeroom for the tools you are going to need for your how to build projects.

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Generally furniture-making does not fit into the category of simple woodworking projects, and it will help if you have some good carpentry skills. The techniques you need to learn include cutting wood, chiseling wood, planing and routing wood and drilling wood. Of course you will also have to learn how to join wood. If you want to make something quite fancy, you should learn how to turn wood and how to work from scroll saw patterns.

Unlike many beginner woodworking projects for the garden, like basic pergolas, fences and even simple garden sheds, furniture making generally entails slightly more involved joints to ensure that the item will look attractive and be strong enough to stand up to use.

Get Your Furniture Plans Today!

Traditional craftsmen use many different joints for woodwork, some of which are quite complicated to cut. But with today’s sophisticated wood glues, you can often get away with reasonably simple joints. Well presented furniture woodworking plans will show you exactly how to make the required joints.
Some of the joints you might need for furniture include:

* Bridle joints for furniture frames, where the wood meets at a corner to form an L- or a T-shape. You might find these on sleigh bed plans.

* Housing joints, often used for shelving, where a groove is cut in the side timbers to support the horizontal pieces that become the shelves. Fireplace mantel plans might incorporate housing joints.

* Tongue and groove joints which are sometimes used for the backs of cupboards, where each length of wood has a groove in one side and a thin tongue in the other, so that the tongue fits snugly into the groove.

* Dowel joints, where a dowel fits into holes drilled into two pieces of wood to strengthen a joint. They are commonly used in chairs as you will see if you study chair woodworking plans, and are often used to mend furniture.

* Mortise and tenon joints where a tongue (or tenon) at the end of one piece of wood fits into a hole (or mortise) cut in a second piece of wood, to fit the tenon. You will find that mission furniture plans feature mortise and tenon joints.

* Traditional wedge-shaped dovetail or box joints that are carefully cut so that two pieces of wood interlock and form a strong connection. These are the most difficult of all to make. Traditionally they were cut by hand, but nowadays they are usually cut using special machines. Simple woodworking projects and furniture woodworking plans are unlikely to use these, but if they do you can get the edges professionally machined.

* Butt joints, where two pieces of wood are literally butted up against each and glued and either nailed or screwed, may be used for simple shelving, table tops and simple outdoor furniture. Even Adirondack chair plans show how wood can simply be screwed together in this way.

* Halving joints are stronger than butt joints because two sections of wood are cut to exactly half their thickness at the point at which they meet, so that they slot neatly together. This is the kind of joint you might find if you follow plans that show how to build a picnic table. You could also use these joints to build a bunk bed.
Of course you will often find that there are several different types of joints in woodworking project plans, so study them carefully and follow the cutting instructions accurately. If you do you will be rewarded with furniture you will be proud of.

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