Tools Every Homeowner Needs

Today tools boxes years ago were all metal, now there are plastic versions and even soft canvas bags with lots of pockets.

Choose a vibration-dampening rubber grip. A 16-ounce steel- or fiberglass-shaft hammer.

“A 12- to 15-inch pry bar is an absolute necessity.

4. Vise grips:

The long, tapering, forged head that gives needle-nose pliers their name is particularly useful in electrical work where spaces can get tight. Get a pair with a wire-cutting blade near the hinge.

Get a good-quality mixed set that includes 1/4- and 3/8-inch flat heads and No. 1 and No. 2 Phillips head drivers. Get a bit that fits your drill to for power driving.

You’ll thank yourself for getting a good-quality, easy-locking, 3/4-inch-wide model. The half-inches just don’t stay in place when extended; the one-inches are overkill.

Before working on any wiring you should be testing to make sure the electrical current is NOT present. the tester can also be used to see if an outlet or switch is working.

This 3/8th-inch reversible drill is a super important tool to have. We’ve all seen the cordless varieties but if you only use tools periodically you need a corded too.  First of all their less expensive and they always have power.  Cordless tools need to be charged and often times the batteries are dead when you need them.

I use my utility knife more than my hammer.  Having a utility knife with replaceable blades is also another necessity.

If you invest in a circular saw, you may find few situations in which you’ll still need a handsaw.  A good utility saw is the 12-inch Stanley FatMAX.

Torpedo levels with the bubble that floats to center are essential to leveling everything from shelving, picture frames to kitchen cabinets.  A 24″ level and a 48″ level are also useful for larger DIY projects such as deck building and door and window work.

There simply is no substitute for effective eye protection.

A quality pair of leather gloves will protect your hands from cuts and dirt.

A stud finder helps you locate framing material and pipe behind a wall.

This square is triangular shaped and helps you to cut squarely when you use it to measure and mark a straight line at a right (90-degree) angle ad a 45 degree angle.  Framing squares, in the shape of an “L” are also useful on larger DIY projects for ensuring 90 degree corners..

This tool is indispensable to the DIYer.  It quickly removes material with out leaving alot of scratches on the material.  A random orbital sander can be used on indoor bookcase and furniture projects as well as interior and exterior house trim.