Avid gardeners realize the importance of having a dry safe place to store all their tools that make the work of managing a garden easier. Beginner gardeners all start out just having a few tools such as shovels, rakes or a couple hand tools. Not really a problem for storing; most people lean them alongside the house or in the garage.

Over time the amateur gardener will notice that the sun, rain and snow are all taking their toll on his gardening tools. As your gardening expertise begins to expand so does the requirement for more tools. This is where the novice figures out that it's time for a garden tool shed.

Having a specific place just for storing your gardening tools out of the weather and easily organized all in one place is an ideal solution. Now is the time to answer some questions since you have concluded that you need a garden tool shed. Are you interested in building a kit that comes with all the materials needed and you just supply some elbow grease? Do you want to buy a complete pre-fabricated garden shed and have it delivered? Whether you make it from your designs, build a kit or purchase the complete one; are you considering wood or metal?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of wood verses metal sheds? Aesthetically a wood shed beats a metal one hands down in appearance. Lets face it wood is rugged, pleasing to the eye and blends in well with most garden settings. There are some drawbacks to wood sheds; they require protection from the sun, wind and rain and they are chewing targets for every little mouse and rat in the area. If you don't mind painting a wood shed every couple of years with a good quality wood preservative and replacing some chewed up boards periodically then a wooden one is probably the one for you.

A metal garden tool shed will never have the natural beauty that a wood shed has but it will stand the test of time. Rodents can't hurt it, and the worst weather conditions are not going to affect the appearance or deteriorate the structure. Storing mulch, grass seed and fertilizer is easy without little critters running around inside and it won't have to be treated for termites. Gather your shovels, rakes, hoes and pitch forks together to see just how much space you're going to need for your new garden tool shed.