We are living in that age of DIY where nothing is impossible. The same can be said about home improvement. While opting for professional help gets the work done faster, it is fun if you do it on your own. With the right set of tools, you have got home improvement in the bag.
To give your home improvement projects the attention they deserve, invest in some inexpensive tools – five of which we will be looking into in this blog. These tools are super convenient and can come into a lot of usage besides home improvement.
It matters not if you are a first-timer or absolutely clueless about home improvement tools. If you want to learn about the tools you will need, you’ve come to the right place. Besides, over time, these tools will help you a whole lot of hassle later with your other projects.
Equipping it with all basic tools is key to having a perfect home improvement kit. A hammer, pliers, screwdriver, wrenches, and safety tools like safety gears, handy hardware bits, and first aid kits are a must. But it varies from project to project. For example, if you are remodeling, and are in your painting phase, a ladder for painting stairs will come in handy.
Let’s get right into five tools to start your home improvement project without further ado.
- Hammers
Hammers make for the most primary of home improvement tools. The best bit about them is that they are multi-purpose; you can use them for more than just whacking. There are two kinds of hammers for use: claw and lump.
With the claw hammer, you can use one end to drive nails in, while the other can be used for bending or pulling nails out from wood and wall. Its counterpart, the lump, comes with a heavy head that helps with whacking. You can also use it for breaking plastered walls, glass, and even bricks. They are perfect for when brute force is needed.
To be on the safe side, choose something versatile that has a smooth head and a curved claw. The smoother the handle, the better your hammer will be at absorbing vibration when swinging and hitting. You could opt for a cordless hammer drill for working on concrete.
- Screw Drivers
Screws come in various shapes and sizes. Your furniture, baby toys, electronic appliances, doors, and other equipment have different screws. The two types of common screwdrivers out there can be used with most of these items. The flat head screwdriver has a single slot on top, whereas the Philips one has a small cut in the middle on top.
The trick with screwdrivers is that you should buy one that caters to multiple items. If you are a screwdriver aficionado, you can buy yourself a whole kit. If not, and if your use is limited to basic unscrewing and screwing, buy a multi-bit screwdriver.
Pick one with a sturdy handle that is comfortable to grip and can be used easily. Make sure you keep your screwdrivers away from the reach of children.
- Pliers
Pulling, turning, twisting – they are all part of home renovation. You will find yourself tilting and turning tiny screws, nuts, and other objects that cannot be handled with bare hands. A good pair of pliers comes in hand for tightening and unplugging screws, and nails, for the straightening of thing cables, for cutting wires, et cetera.
A pair of adjustable multi-purpose pliers are your best friend for loosening and tightening screws, plumbing fixtures, and special repairs like broken jewelry and whatnot.
So, which plier should you pick? There are a number of pliers based on usage. To put together a high-quality toolbox, it is recommended that you pick either a good one or a set of two that you will use often. Since pliers are also multi-purpose, pick something long-lasting so that it does not go to waste.
- Wrenches
Also known as spanners, wrenches are also used to loosen and tighten bolts and nuts. In some cases, where screws and nuts are not used, nuts and bolts are the alternatives. Wrenches are given preference to pliers here.
This tool comes in a different range of measurements. However, adjustable wrenches are used today to keep the user’s options open. These expand to the size of the nuts and bolts used and can be tightened later for use.
This saves the trouble of buying different-sized wrenches. In general, adjustable size wrenches are available in either 6, 8, or 10 inches. Six may be too small to be universal, and ten too large. It is recommended you buy a size eight as it will be the easiest to adjust. This wrench will come in hand for most of your home renovation projects and DIY repairing tasks.
- Accessories to Tools
While minimal, there still are risk factors associated with these tools. You need proper safety equipment to prevent these risks. It could be dust that you are allergic to or fumes. Eye injuries are the most common and the most dangerous should these tools not be used properly.
It is recommended that safety gloves be worn at all times. Goggles do not come in handy until you are up to an advanced DIY project, but it doesn’t hurt to own a pair nonetheless. Keep a med kit at arm’s length as well in case of cuts or nicks that happen very, very rarely.
If you want to make a kit of the tools mentioned above, it would be better if you had a hardware belt strapped to your waist. It can hold your nails, screws, wrenches, pliers, all the essentials at the ready for use.
With all said and done, we hope you now understand the basic tools needed for every home improvement project. Without the essentials we have discussed, you cannot aim for the success you want DIY-ing your way around your house.
For specific projects, you might want to add to your kit, like paint brushes for painting, for instance. DIY-ing is super convenient with these tools, so you don’t have to run over to the hardware store when you have a little store going on for you at home.