Barndominium & Shop Building Gear We Recommend

Airthings Wave Plus Indoor Air Quality Monitor (Radon, CO2, VOCs, Humidity)

Airthings

Battery/Bluetooth monitor tracking radon, CO2, VOCs, temperature, humidity, and air pressure — not a smoke or CO alarm, but useful for tracking indoor air quality in a tightly-sealed new build or a below-grade shop/utility space.

3M SecureFit Protective Eyewear (Anti-Fog, Clear Lens)

3M

ANSI Z87-rated anti-fog safety glasses with pressure-diffusion temples for all-day comfort — suited to cutting, grinding, and framing work.

Ironclad Ranchworx Work Gloves (RWG2)

Ironclad

Leather-reinforced work glove built for construction and ranch/shop trades — abrasion resistance and dexterity for framing, metal work, and general build tasks.

First Alert CO615A Carbon Monoxide Plug-In Alarm

First Alert

Plug-in CO alarm with digital ppm display and battery backup — electrochemical sensor, 5-year limited warranty.

X-Sense Wi-Fi Water Leak Detector Kit (SWS0A41)

X-Sense

4-sensor Wi-Fi leak detection kit with app alerts — placed at water heaters, sump pits, and under sinks to catch leaks before they cause damage.

Flo by Moen Smart Water Monitor and Shutoff (3/4")

Moen

Installs on the main water line to monitor flow, pressure, and temperature and can automatically shut off supply if it detects a leak — useful when nobody may be present in the shop bay when a pipe fails.

WAYNE WSS30V Combination Sump Pump System with 12V Battery Backup

WAYNE

A pre-assembled 1/2 HP primary pump plus a 12V battery-backup pump that keeps a sump pit draining during a power outage — critical on a well/septic property where storms often knock out power during heavy rain.

Zoeller Aquanot Spin 508 Self-Testing Battery Backup Sump System

Zoeller

A self-testing battery-backup sump system with alarm indicators, protecting a slab-on-grade utility room from flooding when the primary pump loses power.

MEASUREMAN 2-1/2" Water Pressure Gauge Kit (0-200 psi)

MEASUREMAN

A brass, glycerin-filled pressure gauge with hose-thread adapters for checking well pump/pressure-tank cut-in/cut-out pressure at any outdoor spigot.

Dr Infrared Heater DR988 5600W Portable Industrial Heater

Dr. Infrared Heater

Electric (240V) forced-air/radiant cabinet heater built for garages, workshops, and construction sites — needs a dedicated 30A 250V outlet; no combustion venting required.

Broan 512M Through-Wall Fan, 6-Inch, 70 CFM

Broan-NuTone

Wall-mounted exhaust fan for spaces up to 65 sq ft, marketed for spot ventilation near workbenches or equipment — clears fumes and humidity from a shop bay.

iCrimp IWS-1807CN PEX Crimping Tool Kit

iCrimp (IWISS)

Angled 1/2"/3/4" crimp kit with go/no-go gauge and tubing cutter — for accessible above-slab PEX supply runs.

iCrimp IWS-1960DT PEX Expansion Tool Kit

iCrimp (IWISS)

Manual ProPEX-style expansion kit with auto-rotation 1/2"/3/4"/1" heads — the stronger choice for joints embedded under a radiant slab.

Klein Tools NCVT1P Non-Contact Voltage Tester

Klein Tools

Pen-style non-contact voltage tester with LED alarm — a fast way to confirm a shop circuit is de-energized before working on it.

TP-Link Kasa Smart Plug (KP115)

TP-Link

Wi-Fi smart plug with per-outlet energy monitoring — useful for tracking individual shop tool or equipment circuits; not a substitute for whole-panel monitoring.

Klein Tools RT250 GFCI Outlet Tester with LCD Display

Klein Tools

A plug-in tester with backlit LCD readout that checks 3-wire 120V receptacles and GFCI trip function — useful for verifying shop and garage circuit wiring after a build.

Klein Tools 1010 Long-Nose Multi Tool (Cutter/Stripper/Crimper)

Klein Tools

An 8-inch multi-purpose electrician's tool combining wire stripping, cutting, and crimping in tight spaces — handy for panel and outlet wiring.

Brady M210 Portable Handheld Label Printer

Brady

A one-touch thermal label maker with laminated tape output — useful for labeling electrical panel circuits, breakers, and shop storage.

Schlage Encode Smart Wi-Fi Deadbolt Lock

Schlage

Built-in Wi-Fi keyless deadbolt with touchscreen keypad and app control, no separate hub required — grant or revoke access codes remotely for contractors or family.

Grandfalls Retractable Pressure Washer Pro

Giraffe Tools

Wall-mounted, 3700 PSI, auto-retracting 100 ft hose — genuinely useful for washing down a shop floor, equipment, or a vehicle without a hose snaking across the slab. Frees up floor space a barndominium shop rarely has to spare.

Retractable Air Hose Reel-Alloy Steel Reel-3/8in 25ft-50ft

Giraffe Tools

Wall or ceiling-mounted air line for a shop compressor — auto-rewind, stop-anywhere lock, 135° guide arm. Keeps 25-50 ft of air hose off the floor instead of coiled and tripped over near pneumatic tools.

Retractable Extension Cord Reel-12/14/16 AWG

Giraffe Tools

Wall-mounted, auto-rewind extension cord reel with 3 LED outlets and built-in circuit breakers — one fixed power drop instead of a cord reel rolling around the shop floor.

Wall Mounted Hose Reel-Stainless Steel-Heavy Duty

Giraffe Tools

304 stainless steel, manual-rewind hose reel with solid brass connectors — built for an exterior hose bib on a barndominium where a plastic reel won't hold up to sun and freeze-thaw cycles.

Wall Control 4 ft. Metal Pegboard Standard Tool Storage Kit

Wall Control

A 20-gauge steel modular pegboard system with hooks/accessories included — far stronger than standard pegboard, for organizing hand tools along a workbench wall.

Milwaukee PACKOUT 22" Rolling Tool Box

Milwaukee

A stackable, weather-sealed rolling tool box with all-terrain wheels and 250 lb capacity — moves gear between shop, job site, and property, and stacks into the PACKOUT storage wall.

CRAFTSMAN Retractable Extension Cord Reel, 100 ft., 4 Outlets

CRAFTSMAN

A ceiling/wall-mount retracting cord reel with 4 grounded outlets and 100 ft of reach — keeps shop floors clear of cord clutter.

Klein Tools MM400 Auto-Ranging Digital Multimeter, 600V

Klein Tools

An auto-ranging multimeter that tests AC/DC voltage, current, resistance, and continuity — for diagnosing shop wiring, generator output, and tool electrical issues.

Metabo HPT NR90ADS1 Pneumatic Framing Nailer

Metabo HPT

30-degree paper-collated framing nailer for interior partition walls and blocking.

Metabo HPT NT65MA4 15-Gauge Finish Nailer

Metabo HPT

Angled 15-gauge finish nailer for baseboard, casing, and trim during the interior finish phase.

DEWALT DW088K Self-Leveling Cross Line Laser

DEWALT

Self-leveling cross-line laser with red beam — sets the zero point for pier heights and keeps framing layout square.

Franklin Sensors ProSensor 710+ Stud Finder

Franklin Sensors

A multi-sensor stud finder that instantly shows the full width of a wood or metal stud/joist through drywall — useful for shop shelving, trim, or verifying framing layout.

LASELION 2-in-1 Pin & Pinless Moisture Meter

LASELION

Switches between pin and pinless modes to check slab moisture before flooring and framing-lumber moisture before insulation/drywall.

STANLEY FATMAX 25-Foot Tape Measure with BladeArmor

Stanley

A rugged 25 ft tape with an 11 ft standout and 16"/19.2" stud markings — daily layout work across both shop bay and living space.

IRWIN STRAIT-LINE Classic Chalk Reel (100 ft)

IRWIN

A 100 ft chalk reel for snapping long, straight reference lines on a slab or subfloor — used for laying out wall plates and post-frame column lines.