Five Tools Every Backyard Build Actually Needs
The short list of tools that show up on every plan set in this shop — and the ones you can safely skip for a first build.
Plan sets get asked the same question more than any other: what do I actually need to buy before I start? Here’s the honest, short version.
- A circular saw. Most cuts in these plans are straight rip and cross cuts on dimensional lumber — a circular saw handles nearly all of them without needing a table saw or miter saw.
- A drill/driver with a full bit set. Framing is mostly screws, not nails, in every plan on this site — pilot holes and driving both come from the same tool.
- A 25-foot tape measure. Every dimension on the sheet traces back to this. Buy one good one rather than three cheap ones.
- A 4-foot level. Framing that’s out of level compounds fast — a stud that’s slightly off at the base is noticeably off by the roofline.
- A speed square. It marks 90° and 45° cuts faster and more reliably than a pencil-and-tape-measure guess, especially for roof angles.
What you can skip for now
A miter saw, a nail gun, and a table saw all speed things up, but none of them are required by a plan in this shop. If this is your first build, borrow or rent before you buy — you’ll know by the second project which of those is worth owning.