We’d all love to live within coasting distance of Timber Mart, but rural cottages can make for some rocky logistics. To make sure you have the right materials on hand the next time inspiration strikes, here are some basic materials—as picked by Kevin and Andrew of Brojects—that every bro should keep on hand.
Dimensional lumber
Structural lumber is the building block to nearly every DIY project, so keep your workshop stocked with a variety of cuts like 2×4, 2×6 and 2×8.
Plywood
Almost as essential as structural lumber to the DIY bro is plywood. “You can make almost anything out of a couple sheets of plywood,” Kevin says. The thickness of plywood will depend on each project, so get a variety to be safe.
Cedar
“Just about every project we do on Brojects has some sort of cedar product on it,” says Andrew. This versatile yet attractive wood can add style to a project, so maintain a stockpile of cedar shingles and shakes at the cottage.
Timber beams
Kevin and Andrew build plenty of post-and-beam buildings on Brojects, so timber beams are vital. “They look pretty and they’ve got kind of a beachy, masculine look to them,” Andrew says.
Screws, nails, nuts and bolts
Save yourself a headache and keep every length of screw and nail on hand, and an assortment of nuts and bolts too. “I don’t know how much time I’ve wasted on the show trying to find bolts one by one in different various containers,” says Kevin. “It drives you insane. All that little hardware stuff is so crucial if you want to get things done quickly.”
Joiner products
Metal L brackets, hinges, metal plates – these hardware pieces are vital to many projects and yet nearly impossible to replicate. “If you have wood, you can kind of make anything. It’s a lot harder to make a hinge,” Kevin says. Another must-have? Carpenter’s glue. “It’s absolutely essential.”
Out of materials and can’t make it into town? No worries. “If you’re in the woods, you’re lucky because you can always go out and cut down a free tree and do it that way too” Andrew jokes. Attabro!
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