I have been storing my power tools, including a Ryobi table saw, a bench router and a chop saw. Because I have limited space, I am thinking about building a small storage shed in my backyard to hold them. I plan on using 2×4 framing, with sides, top & bottom made from OSB, and then wrapping the structure with Tyvek® or tarpaper. Would this protect the tools well enough, and prevent any rusting? Are there any additional steps I can take to protect the tools while being stored? I live in the Northeast. – Albert Costabile
Chris Marshall: Covering your new shed with house wrap or building felt are good first steps to keeping those stored tools from rusting. I would side the building as well—sunlight can damage housewrap over time. Here are two further suggestions that will also help: First, don’t forget to install a vapor barrier (4 or 6mil poly sheeting or rigid foam board are two options) under the floor of your shed to prevent ground moisture from permeating the flooring and raising the humidity level inside the shed. Be sure to coat the iron or steel surfaces of your tools with a rust-inhibitive spray (Boeshield T-9®, TopCoat®, etc.), wax them or wipe them down with a light-grade oil. If your new shed will have power, you might even consider putting a small dehumidifier inside and running a drain tube through the wall and out.
