What are diy tools?
So for their (and your) benefit, here’s my run-down of 20 essential items everybody should have in their toolkit…
I know, we’re kicking off with a pretty obvious one here, but losing all your tools at the back of a cupboard or down the back of the ‘man drawer’ is a proper pain in the backside. So get a box – you won’t regret it.
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Preferably a claw hammer that you can remove nails with, lift floorboards or use as a mini crowbar. And a 4lb lump hammer for doing the heavy work (just don’t drop it on your foot).
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You need two Phillips screwdrivers (big and small), two flat-head screwdrivers (big and small), a set of tiny screwdrivers (like you get in a Christmas cracker but more hard-wearing), and a set of Allen keys. You’ll always lose the free Ikea ones, and you never know when you’ll need them.
You could also bypass all these and just get yourself a multi-bit screwdriver set – it makes a great housewarming present and you can also load the bits into a cordless drill.
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Preferably with a hammer drill setting. You will use this for almost every DIY job you have to do.
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Stanley knives are brilliant. Blunt Stanley knives are rubbish. Whether you’re just sharpening a pencil or doing cuts on kitchen lino, you must have a sharp Stanley knife with a retractable blade.
“Multipurpose Swiss army knives are also super useful to have in your back pocket,” comments James Durr of Sheffield auction company Property Solvers.
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You need a panel saw and a junior hacksaw. If you’re feeling ambitious, get yourself a coping saw too, but make sure you have extra blades as they snap easily. A panel saw comes with 45 and 90-degree angles to help your carpentry.
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You need at least an inch chisel, a half-an-inch chisel and an 1/8-inch chisel. These will come with blade covers. Do not lose them or your chisels will go blunt. These are precision tools for carpentry and you’ll need a decent sharpening stone too.
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These are two invincible friends. Just try getting floorboards up without them.
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Don’t get a flimsy one. Anything with a broad tape is going to be much more useful. Ensure it’s at least 5m long.
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Most DIY jobs need two hands, so get a head torch or you’ll be sick of holding a normal torch between your teeth in the cupboard under the stairs.
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You can get pliers sets everywhere, and they are so useful. You should have at least a set of combination pliers, long-nosed pliers and a set of side cutters. Make sure you have new pliers with insulated handles – no raiding your dad’s old tools for these ones, or you might get a nasty shock.
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This is a mains detector screwdriver and a literal life-safer. When you’re using them, always make sure you use it on something that will give you a positive test, just so you know it’s working.
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This will save you drilling into cables and helps you find fixings on stud walls.
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Most shops sell fixings kits with a combination of all of these. Just make sure you get sets with compartments, or you’ll waste time searching for the right ones.
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Go for a metre-long one, as it’ll come in really useful for marking lines on walls for shelves, for example. If you have room, get a boat level too.
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Whether you’re stripping wallpaper or mixing up two-part filler, this will come in really handy. Just don’t hit the handle of it with a hammer or you’ll ruin it. The same goes for your screwdrivers.
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Quick grips or G-clamps, you’ll find you use these for so many jobs.
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Useful stuff. Don’t be without it.
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Carpentry is one of the most common (and most satisfying) DIY jobs. The best thing about a workbench is that no one’s going to shout at you if you accidentally drill a hole through it or stab it with a chisel (sorry, Mum!).
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As my Dad says: “It’s all fun and games until someone pokes their eye out!” From personal experience ending up in Moorfields Eye Hospital, get yourself goggles and USE THEM, no matter how uncomfortable they are. You’ll also want a face mask and gloves too.
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There you go. There are plenty of other tools you can get if you’ve got the DIY bug, and the state of my garage is testament to just how many you can cram in, but these must-haves will set you up nicely for hundreds of different jobs. The problem is, now there’s no excuse not to do them!
Whether you're new to the world of DIY or have been upcycling IKEA furniture and fixing up your home for longer than you can remember, there are a handful of must-have DIY tools that will help bring all of your DIY projects to life.
Without them, your hands will be tied and your capacity to change anything will be greatly reduced. Whether your home improvement project is big or small, whether you're wiring a plug or hanging a shelf, it's worth getting to know both your basic hand and power tools well so that you get the most out of them. Not to mention, do a good job!
Andre Thompson, Senior Merchant of Hand Tools at The Home Depot comments: 'Keeping must-have tools in your toolbox can help you complete projects faster and easier or take care of most everyday home repairs. Think about how you’ll be using your tools – from assembling furniture to hanging a picture.'
From figuring out how to use your best drill to getting measurements super accurate to ensure your DIY bathroom install goes to plan, ensure these items make it into your toolbox and you'll be able to take on all manner of home improvements, with confidence.
This is a must for any DIYer so get yourself a good quality measuring tape as it’ll be a tool that ends up being used for most projects. DeWalt, which you can buy on Amazon, offers some of the best in class tape measures and Thompson recommends the Milwaukee 25 ft. Compact Tape Measure from Home Depot.
I would go for a minimum of 5 meters as this is enough to measure most rooms. There are two main types of measuring tape and they differ due to their button. Some use a button as a “push to release” the tape so you can measure or “push to hold” the tape in a fixed position when you are taking the measurement. When the tape is released it will automatically wind back to disappear into the holder.
Pro tips on using a measuring tape
Another necessary tool for any DIY is a Combi drill. A Combi Drill will be suitable for most DIY projects and it is worth getting a battery-powered one for the flexibility it allows. Most Combi Drills have a number of settings (Drill Torque & Hammer) which are used in different scenarios. Drill bits are interchangeable ends for the drill so you can use the best for the work you are doing, whether it's driving screws or putting holes in metal, wood or masonry.
Thompson comments: 'Any homeowner can benefit from a cordless drill like the RYOBI ONE+ 18V Lithium-Ion Cordless 1/2 in. Drill/Driver Kit with (2) 1.5 Ah Batteries, Charger, and Bag from Home Depot, which makes quick work of lots of small projects.'
Real Homes' guest blogger and DIYer Jasmine Gurney goes into detail on how to use a combi drill in a separate post, but here are your basic starting points.
Pro tips on using a combi drill:
A basic but effective tool to use is a level. Particularly useful when hanging pictures, or attaching things to walls like shelves and building furniture. The principle is very basic and has been used for centuries, where a small bubble held in a liquid will indicate something is level when it is between two marked lines.
They can be used to check if things are “level” horizontally, vertically or diagonally. The level you buy will be pre-set and ready to use without any setup. Ensure your level is large enough to span the gap or item you want to test.
Pro tips on using a level
As the name suggests, a Multitool can be used for a variety of tasks such as sawing, cutting and sanding. Essentially it is a vibrating arm with different attachments at the end that is interchangeable depending on the task. Multitools are really useful for precision cutting in awkward places or to sand an area very quickly. I find myself using mine on most of my DIY projects but be warned, they are very noisy!
Most multitools come with a basic set of attachments and can be replenished at DIY stores or online. Select the attachment that's best suited to the work you need to do.
Pro tips on using a multitool:
Stud finders are really important to use in areas where you don’t know what is behind the wall (particularly in older houses) as it will help you identify what is behind the plaster. A stud finder can be used in three main ways – firstly to identify wooden thrusts behind the wall, secondly, to identify any electrical wires and finally, to identify any plumbing pipes. This can stop you hurting yourself by drilling into live electrical wires or causing a leak. Basic stud finders are relatively inexpensive online at Amazon and DIY hardware stores. Thompson recommends the Zircon HD 55 Stud Finder from Home Depot.
Each stud finder will have their own way of operating but the principles are the same.
Pro tips on using a stud finder:
- Coins. Working with coins can help your child practice giving the correct value to each coin.
- Crayons. Give your crayons a break from art stuff and use them to help your child understand math concepts.
- Dried Beans.
- Legos.
- Post-it Notes.
- Fruit Roll-Ups.
- Measuring Cups.
