20 DIY Garden Tool Storage Plans You Can Make Today (with Pictures)
- Pete Ortiz
- Last updated:
Small tools get mixed up in the “tool drawer,” and your long-handled tools get hung up on random screws in the wall. If only there were a way to organize the tools…
If you’re not afraid of a bit of sawdust and ready to roll up your sleeves, we’ve compiled a list of 20 garden tool storage ideas to inspire your next DIY project. They range from easy to advanced in difficulty, and we’ve included a list of tools and materials you’ll need. So, you’ll know at first glance if it’s a project you’re ready to tackle.
The 20 DIY Garden Tool Storage Plans
1. Design by D9: Garden Tool Storage Wall
Materials: | ½” plywood, dimensional lumber, 2” PVC, paint and primer, screws, chalk |
Tools: | Drill, miter saw, tape measure, straight edge |
Difficulty: | Easy |
The garden tool storage wall plan takes a simple concept and adds an elegant flair. You can make a functional wall storage rack with basic tools and materials. Then you’re free to customize it any way you want with the colors and lettering. These plans can be changed to fit any size of shop or shed and any selection of garden tools because you’re doing all the labeling.
2. Instructables: Garden Tool Rack
Materials: | Dimensional lumber, stain, or paint |
Tools: | Spade bit, drill, miter saw, sandpaper, square |
Difficulty: | Easy |
Do you have lots of long-handled tools? This garden tool rack is simple but effective. All this plan requires is an existing tool shed or shop. You’ll use the existing frame when putting these custom-cut racks on the wall. If you have short-handled tools, it’s easy enough to add a third rack to the plans. This addition will accommodate multiple sizes of tools.
3. Empress of Dirt: Portable Tool Storage Shed on Wheels
Materials: | Dimensional lumber, screws, wheels, stain, cans |
Tools: | Drill, circular saw or miter saw, Kreg Jig, sandpaper |
Difficulty: | Moderate |
It’s one thing to have a tool shed in the backyard. Wouldn’t a portable tool storage shed be better? This storage idea is ideal if you have a large garage and you’re trying to organize your garden or yard tools in one area. It will also work if you have a landscaped yard with pathways. The nice thing about these plans is that they use reclaimed would if you want to be more eco-friendly with your DIY projects.
4. Ana White: Garden Tool Storage
Materials: | 2×4, screws, paint (optional) |
Tools: | Drill, circular saw |
Difficulty: | Easy |
This garden tool storage rack is so easy that even the beginner DIYer will have no trouble tackling it. Because of its simplicity, you can customize it to fit anywhere. Then you can paint it to match the siding or interior color. This rack is ideal for long-handled tools but will not be great for smaller garden tools.
5. Chris in Town: Garden Tool Rack
Materials: | ½” plywood, dimensional lumber, L brackets, screws, wheels (optional) |
Tools: | 2” hole saw, drill, circular saw or miter saw, jigsaw (optional) |
Difficulty: | Moderate |
These plans offer another long-handled garden tool rack. If you opt for only making 2” holes, then this one is easy. However, if you decide to go with some oval holes like the plan shows, then it gets more complicated. A jigsaw will make these oval holes easier, but the same effect can be accomplished with just the hole saw.
6. Saws on Skates: Yard Tool Rack (Mounted)
wMaterials: | Dimensional lumber, screws, wood glue |
Tools: | Miter saw, Kreg Jig, drill, countersink drill bit, tape measure |
Difficulty: | Easy |
Do you have larger garden tools? This mounted yard tool rack will make your organization much easier. It’s sturdy enough to hang things like a weed wacker or leaf blower. Plus, it has built-in spots for batteries, chargers, mix oil, or anything else you need to maintain these tools. The rack is also designed to hang anywhere where there are studs strong enough to hold the weight.
7. Homeroad: Garden Tote
Materials: | Dimensional lumber (reclaimed is ideal), screws, paint, mesh |
Tools: | Miter saw, drill, tape measure, sandpaper, stapler |
Difficulty: | Easy |
Spending an afternoon in the garden means packing around multiple tools. This garden tote will make your life easier by keeping everything in one easy-to-carry kit. These plans are a great way to use reclaimed wood you have laying around such as an old table—or even a pallet. How many tools you tend to pack around will determine how big or small you make this tote.
8. Fabulously Frugal: Pallet Tool Storage
Materials: | Pallet, screws, paint or stain, sealer (optional) |
Tools: | Hammer, pry bar, drill |
Difficulty: | Easy |
Talk about minimal materials. These pallet tool storage plans give you storage that is almost free and can be done with things that you likely have laying around the garage if you’re already into DIY projects. You can leave this storage rack natural if you want. However, if you’re going to have it outside, it’s a good idea to paint it with exterior paint or stain and seal it to protect it from the elements.
9. Homeroad: Potting Bench
Materials: | Pressure-treated dimensional lumber, screws, knobs or hooks |
Tools: | Circular saw or miter saw, drill, tape measure |
Difficulty: | Easy |
There’s no reason you have to be inside or on your hands and knees when potting. That’s where this potting bench comes into the picture. You’ll have all the storage space you need for your potting supplies. Plus, this bench has ample room to house the common tools you use. If you want to vary its uses, adding additional hooks to hang other garden equipment on is easy.
10. Caruth Studio: Pallet Tool Station
Materials: | Pallet, paint, screws, hooks, pots, clamps |
Tools: | Drill, paintbrush |
Difficulty: | Easy |
This pallet tool station can serve many purposes in your garden. As long as you use exterior paint or stain and sealer, you can mount it outside without any worries. The neat thing about these plans is they give you the gist of what’s going on but leave it open for you to customize the tool station to suit your particular gardening needs.
11. Family Handyman: Garden Storage Box
Materials: | Wood glue, 1×12 boards |
Tools: | Caulk gun, circular saw, drill bits, drill, square, chisel, hammer |
Difficulty: | Easy |
If you’re looking for a unique storage solution, this garden storage box is worth checking out. It’s simple, and you can build it quickly in an afternoon with basic tools and woodworking knowledge. You won’t be storing large tools in this box. However, this box will do the job if you’re looking to keep smaller tools where you use them the most. The cool thing is that it will blend into the garden and not stick out as an obvious storage area.
12. Instructables: Garden Toolbox
Materials: | Dimensional lumber, wood glue |
Tools: | Clamps, table saw, drill |
Difficulty: | Moderate |
If you’re looking for a more advanced box project, this garden toolbox looks great, plus it will stretch those woodworking muscles a bit. It is possible to do this with a circular saw and use screws. But using the table saw will allow for much more precise cuts, and the glue will give a much better finished appearance. Like any “box” project, you can make this one as sophisticated as you want, but it’s harder to build a nice box than you might think.
13. Owner-Builder Network: PVC Yard Tool Storage
Materials: | PVC pipe, ¾” plywood or reclaimed planks, screws, colored tape (optional) |
Tools: | Drill, band saw, measuring tape |
Difficulty: | Easy |
These PVC tool storage plans give a simple but effective way of organizing your long-handled tools. The plans specify a band saw, but a circular saw will work fine too. Also, if you have specific tools you will be storing, the colored tape is an excellent idea for labeling. It will satisfy the need for everything to have a home, so you always know where the tool is when you need it.
14. Instructables: Long Tool Organizer Cart
Materials: | Plywood (multiple sizes), wheels, screws, wood glue |
Tools: | CNC router, brad nailer, clamps |
Difficulty: | Advanced |
This long tool organizer cart is not difficult to make. Anyone with basic woodworking knowledge will be able to accomplish it. It is advanced because it calls for a CNC router—a tool most weekend woodworkers won’t have. The main benefit of using a CNC router is that it will cut the plywood with much more precision. However, if you don’t mind the extra work a hole saw and jigsaw offer the same result.
15. Ana White: Garden Tool Storage Rack
Materials: | Dimensional lumber, screws |
Tools: | Circular saw, drill, tape measure |
Difficulty: | Easy |
If you have the space, this garden tool storage rack will offer everything you need for storage. It looks like an intimidating project, but there’s nothing complex about it. The rack needs minimal materials or tools. So, it will be inexpensive to make outside of the outrageous lumber prices right now. But if you have a large garage or shed, this will enable you to organize just about every outdoor tool you own.
16. Instructables: Garden Tool Rack with Foldable Bench
Materials: | Dimensional lumber, bolts, hinges, screws |
Tools: | Circular saw, measuring tape, drill, screwdriver, wood chisel, hammer |
Difficulty: | Moderate |
A tool rack with a foldable bench is an excellent addition to your outdoor design. As storage, it holds all your gardening essentials. But when you’re partway through a long day in the garden, it will offer a place to sit and rest. This is especially nice if you set it somewhere that gets afternoon shade. The plans are flexible in the number of tools hooks you put on this rack. So, adjust it to your particular needs.
17. Owner-Builder Network: Potting Shed
Materials: | Dimensional lumber, plywood, shingles, concrete blocks, lattice, concrete mix, Lexan, shatterproof glass, greenhouse tracks, screws, glass sealant, adhesive, hinges, hooks |
Tools: | Table saw, miter saw, paintbrush, nail gun, shovel, trowel |
Difficulty: | Advanced |
Forget a rack or box; why not build a potting shed? This DIY project is not for the beginner. It requires a decent knowledge of construction and has a couple of advanced concepts. However, you can build this small shed for a reasonable budget if you’ve got the skills. You can also get kits that might have some slight differences from this shed, but they will come with all the materials you need for a flat price. The DIY route will allow for more customization, though.
18. Setting for Four: Potting Bench with Sink
Materials: | Reclaimed wood, nails, screws, sink, faucet, plumbing pieces, shelf brackets, hose reel, containers, paint |
Tools: | Circular saw, drill, hammer, paintbrush, measuring tape, wrench |
Difficulty: | Advanced |
This potting bench with a sink is similar to the one we mentioned earlier. However, this one is much more complex, with a working sink and garden hose hooked up to your home’s water supply. This is an advanced project but still doable for an experienced DIYer. The most challenging part will be doing the water hookup. You want to ensure it’s done right because leaking water can get messy and expensive.
19. RYOBI Tools: Simple Yard Tool Storage
Materials: | Dimensional lumber |
Tools: | Drill, circular saw |
Difficulty: | Easy |
One of the most straightforward projects is RYOBI’s yard tool storage. If you’ve been waiting for your first DIY project that’s guaranteed to be successful—this is it. This project can be customized to fit the types of tools you are trying to organize. It can also be customized to hang anywhere in your garage or shed. Keep in mind, though—this one is only suitable for long-handled tools.
20. Owner-Builder Network: Four-Door Shed
Materials: | Four doors, dimensional lumber, shingles, screws, nails, paint or stain, hinges, doorknob, hooks |
Tools: | Drill, hammer, paintbrush, circular saw, orbital sander |
Difficulty: | Moderate |
A four-door shed might sound like something out of a sci-fi movie, but it’s a great way to use old doors destined for the dump. Not only will these plans give you a functional little shed for tools storage, but it’s also unique. The website with the plans also includes pictures of this shed’s different variations. These should help get your creative juices flowing for how you can make it fit perfectly into your garden’s design.
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Closing Thoughts
Gardening is a unique hobby. No two gardens look the same, and neither should the storage choices. That is the great thing about all these plans. They all offer some flexibility in making the design your own. Whether you change the color, add a shelf, or change the size, the joy of DIY is being able to bring your vision to life. You can also focus on using reclaimed materials as much as possible to bring an eco-friendly element to your gardening.
See also: 10 DIY Outdoor Storage Ideas You Can Make Today (With Pictures)
Featured Image Credit: CGN089, Shutterstock
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