Backyard Shed Woodworking Shop

Ed Brady wanted to move his shop out of the basement, so he proposed the idea of a backyard-shed shop to his wife, Kathy. She agreed, on two conditions: it had to be cute and it had to include an antique window salvaged from a neighbor’s 1930s-vintage house. 

Yard space for Ed’s shed only allowed for a maximum of 12×12′, but Ed didn’t build just a square. He designed a 5-sided building that tucks into a corner of the back yard. It features straight 12′-long walls along the back, but in front has three shorter walls, with the angled one showcasing that salvaged antique window.  

Ed built the shed himself, only calling in help when lifting the main roof truss and drywall panels. A neighbor did the roofing. During construction, another neighbor commented, “Oh, you’re building a studio.” When Ed corrected him that it was just a wood shop, his wife suggested they combine the two and call the space his “Woodio.” The name stuck and she had the sign made for the…