I see that congratulations are in order now that you’ve bought your very first home! But wait. Do you have all the essential hand tools to tailor to minor home projects and DIYs?
Worry not; if you’re unsure about which appliances to get, we’re here to walk you through it. Let’s take a gander at some of the must-have tools for homeowners.
20 Essential Hand Tools Must Have at Your Home
Screwdriver Set:
The number of screwdriver uses to this date remains unmatched. They can conjoin and put together doorknobs, outlets, doors, furniture, and everything in between. Basically, your house can be build or crumbled with or without the help of a screwdriver organizer.
Image: Screwdriver Set
You’ll be reaching out for the basic kinds of screwdrivers more often, thank you think. You can purchase the flat-head or a multi-bit screwdriver. The best catch here is that, with multi-bit screwdrivers, you can switch and swap the tool’s head corresponding to your DIY or project at hand.
Wrench Or Spanner:
Image: Wrenches Set
It is also heavily recommended that homeowners opt for different wrenches, like the adjustable crowfoot wrench and the wide jaw adjustable wrench. These two have various uses. Nonetheless, they’re both incredibly versatile around the house, for DIYs and these might even be of help if your car occasionally breaks down. So, yes, you’ll not be pouring all your money down the drain.
Hammers:
Image: Hammers
So, do you have any on-hand job that requires a solid whack? Get a hammer to release your pent-up stress and break that plaster wall. Experts think that the sixteen ounces claw hammer is always a trusted option, especially if you need the appliance primarily for interior jobs like hanging paintings or fixing the nook and crannies of your furniture.
Besides, these can also take up heavy-duty projects like maintaining a deck. So, this versatile tool can be delicate or robust depending on your task at hand. Most importantly, claw hammers are vital to pinch out nails from undesired surfaces such as wood.
Hacksaw Or Hand Saw:
Image: Hand Saw
Undoubtedly hand saw cutting wood for treehouses can become a leisurely haul for you to construct and your children to enjoy, after all.
There are three kinds of hand saws, the western saw, the Japanese pull saw, and the pruning saw. Traditionally, the western saws have blades of two feet tapered from bottom to the peak and can slice through wood seamlessly.
In contrast, Japanese pull saws have straight blades, and pruning saws have narrow blades. Both of these cuts through the material as you pull back your motion. A plus point that users love is that these are amazing for storage as they can fold up nicely.
Pliers:
This is where lifesavers such as staple remover pliers walk in to change the pace and outcome of your DIYs. Moreover, the combination pliers can achieve more than just grasp or grab onto particular objects. They can also exert the needed pressure that your bare fingers can’t force.
Image: Pliers
Plier pairs come with enlarged metal teeth and long handles. You can hold onto the handle for leverage and let the plier do its job of grabbing onto objects. Moreover, the leverage is needed to twist, bend and pull the objects of your liking, so that’s a huge win-win. But, the uses of extra-long needle nose pliers do not end here. You can utilize the tool to compress together wires, tailor any plumbing mishaps, level out damaged power plugs, pull out nails, or even loosen up nuts and bolts.
Utility Knife:
Image: Utility Knife
The blades of utility knives are securely tucked in the handle. Thus, it doesn’t protrude or get caught between things, or worst, cut the users by accident. What makes utility knives so versatile is with the assistance of a utility knife sharpener, you can embark on shaving off wood, sharp pencils, mark notches, and so much more. Safe to say, no task is small or big for this handy tool.
Putty Knife:
Image: Putty Knife
The handles and blades are also beneficial to pry open the can’s lids or bang it back in place when done. Amongst an entire range of putty knife sets, the 1.5-inch blades are regularly available and used. It’s versatile as the structure is broad enough to fill in more significant splits and cracks and appropriately narrowed down to sneak in between corners.
Tape Measure:
We can’t stress enough the importance of tape measures. Whether it’s to measure the sizes and length of new home decor, appliances, walls, hanging pictures, or even water pipes, you can never ensure to hit the jackpot with mere or major fixes and repairs if you don’t know the measurements.
Image: Tape Measure
No contractor or job site worker could even imagine beginning their day without their trustee tape measure belt clip. Undoubtedly, it’s one of the single most-used products on any site.
Tape measure clips are great if you dislike going back and forth with jotting down the measurements every few minutes. For DIY projects, being able to retract and lock a tape measure is a God-send. All you have to do is, put one end of the tape in place and steadily draw out the project’s length or width. You don’t have to press or hold down both ends.
As you finish up, let go of the tool so that it retracts back in place. And voila!
Duct Tape:
Among numerous kinds of tapes in the market, you will see that duct tapes are the most popular and best sellers. Duct tape waterproofing properties make it a wonder for everyday use around the house. Moreover, if you ever need DIYs that won’t mend or break with a flick, duct tapes could be a safe option. Duct tapes are intensely sticky, with woven backs.
Image: Duct Tape
Thus, you can easily tear the length you require without the tape cutting off midway due to its fragile nature. This also goes without saying; duct tapes aren’t easily breakable; hence, often, homeowners utilize their multi-efficiency in patching up buckets, handles, home decors, or ripped tarps.
Believe it or not, duct tapes are such viable, high-quality options that duct tape masks and duct tape clothes are the newest trends that have been all over Pinterest. This brand new rave has been a recent favorite amongst all ages alike. As duct tapes come in various vibrant and striking colors, the ideas of DIYs are endless.
Socket Set:
Socket sets are mostly a collection of essential hand tools that serve multiple needs, such as plucking out or screwing in bolts, nuts, and other smaller appliances. The wrench-like apparatus can move around from side to side to get its purpose accomplished. The sets also perform with precise leverage and interchangeable parts.
Image: Socket Set
So, you can correspond them according to your need and exercise just enough pressure as needed for the project you have on hand.
The whopper in these deals is that the socket set organizer cases come with generous amounts of interchangeable components and socket heads. However, you must also know that the socket set toolbox will not arrive with all the socket sizes ever created. So, it’s a mix and match that’s upon you to decide and purchase.
Voltage Testers:
Trust us, even with kids around; non-contact voltage testers have to be the safest choices that you could ask for. What’s even better is that they’re effortless to operate too.
Image: Voltage Testers
On the other hand, let’s say you don’t want to commit yourself to purchase a whole new appliance just yet. Well, even then, there’s a way of checking voltage with voltage tester screwdrivers. These are immensely reliable, too, and perfect if you need to immediately check a circuit carrying current in any electronic device. Mind you, these can be a tad bit tricky to comprehend at first.
However, the best voltage tester screwdriver will never rip you off the pleasure of cautiously checking the readings.
Generally, voltage testers are intricate devices that let you check the current and voltage flow within wires, circuits, and other electrical appliances. Homeowners need to be comprehensive during this process and secure too. Thus, the tool is created in a manner that you wouldn’t have to touch or come in contact with its parts.
Flashlight, Torch, or Torchlight:
You can’t always count on yourself to attain the most exquisite DIY pieces if you don’t have suitable lighting. Sufficient lighting from rechargeable handheld flashlights is, as of date, one of the best discoveries. Whether you want to work in dimly lit garages, poorly lit basements, or any other pitch dark crevasses, a flashlight can be your go-to buddy.
But, most importantly, when you take on projects in complete darkness, all hell can break loose from the tiniest misconduct. When you need to check out the circuits and wires during a power cut-out, no other device will support you as much as a high-power flashlight rechargeable.
Image: Torchlight
And the best part? Even the cheapest flashlight deals can provide you precisely what you need – adequate lighting. Shockingly enough, if your flashlights are embedded with LED lights, the value elevates even further. LED flashlights are comparatively far more durable and long-lasting.
Nevertheless, the constructions of both of these battery-powered flashlights do not deviate far apart. The generic structure involves grade-A aluminum and batteries.
For detailed works inside the house, basement, or DIYs, you can invest in electrical headlamps. These can be easily mounted on the user’s forehead, which leaves you with a no-hands approach. Therefore, you can busy yourself with the more important job on hand.
Paint Brushes:
The paintbrushes’ influences are as unlimited and broad as your home and wild mind for the craziest DIYs. However, choosing the correct value deal is also vital when it comes to paintbrushes. There can never be a home fix or DIY that wouldn’t need a last-minute touch. Fortunately, this touch is the swap of your personal and desired color schemes.
We recommend novices to try out a good quality paintbrush set. If you can hit the luck with these, you will be left with state-of-art, heavy-duty brushes that come in an array of shapes and sizes. Thus, tackling any home improvement will be a composition of art.
Image:Paint Brushes
The unique notion about paintbrushes is that you will need these appliances for multiple chores and paint colors. The paintbrushes involve painting on varnishes, masonry, staining, trimmed finish, oil-based finish, and the all-rounder, which can tackle all paints.
Depending on the responsibility at hand, you will need to switch between the brushes and bristles’ shapes, sizes, and materials. For example, if you need cutting edge control and ergonomic with an angular bristle style, you can opt for paintbrushes meant for cutting-in.
Similarly, to paint in masonry, fences, or any other exterior and rigid interior surface, the rough and tumble brushes are your way to go. In contradiction, for varnishing, you will need solid and sturdy synthetic brushes. So, now that all the paintbrushes come with distinct classifications, you know what to invest in to get optimum results.
What else could meticulous DIYs or renovating your kitchen need? The last-minute touch counts. It’s what shines through on the outside; make sure you hit the bullseye in this end scene.
Magnetic Sweepers:
The best magnetic sweeper for grass is great for extracting unwanted grass, pavement, dirt, broken concrete, nails, or gravel from within the shrouded areas. As you pull on the lever of the best magnetic sweeper for gravels, the machine can suck out steel debris in large chunks and exterminate most accidents, even ones as simple as poking your toe with a nail. Ouch!
Image: Magnetic Sweepers
Moreover, to remove the gathered debris in the trash, simply release the lever safely. Our money goes to the magnetic sweeper with wheels as they’re amazingly manageable to maneuver and operate, especially on uneven and stubborn grassy surfaces.
The innovation works so that it can attract any ferromagnetic material that comes within its magnetic field’s range. The pull of force is so powerful that if you can maneuver and hold the device in place adequately, you can wipe out an entire garden with ease. Needless to say, if your magnetic sweeper has a larger field of attraction, it will attract more materials as its range of force increases too.
Staple Gun:
Albeit most staple gun uses are strictly done during DIYs, the merits of owning such a versatile tool can be helpful for all homeowners too. Even when home DIYs become impossible to put together, sturdy staple guns can always run to the rescue.
Whether you utilize a staple gun for woodwork, reupholstering, installing birdhouses, mending picture frames, reinstalling chairs or doors, if you have the correct kind of staple gun at your disposal, you can repair heavier or even intricate details all-around your house within minutes. Now the trick is to opt for the correct device according to your needs. For example, a sturdy, built manual hand-held staple gun for carpets repair or flooring sounds sufficient.
Image: Staple Gun
There are three kinds of staple guns. Pneumatic, electric, and manual. While manual staple guns can withstand generic regular work around the house or for crafty DIYs. Other needs such as staple guns for wires can’t be under the manual staples’ span. For wires or intricate work as such, perhaps, you would need pneumatic or electric staple guns.
However, users might need to exert uneven amounts of pressure and force while stapling hardy materials. The optimum pressure needed also depends on the type of staple gun that you’re using. Driving in heavy-duty staples isn’t the biggest deal once you have the right appliance.
The span of this tool is so great that it can pinch through masonry, plastic, wood, walls, roofing, carpeting, wiring, house wraps, insulations, and other nitty-gritty like crafty materials. Honestly, fixing as much as drywall can be child’s play for you now. Who would’ve thought?
Glove:
There’s nothing new to propose to homeowners about glove uses. In fact, taking on any job without comprehending the risks and necessities of protecting your bare hands is a big no. Sturdy and durable gloves can protect you from pretty much any obstruction that your bare hands can’t take up head-on.
When paired with glove holder clips, the necessity and performance could even multiply for your good. When gloves are aptly made with top-tier materials, they can obstruct rough surfaces and work consistently to prohibit splinters and scrapes.
In a more fundamental sense, what makes glove clips and gloves so realistic to practice all around the house is because of its resistance to electricity, heat, and cold. All you need to do is unclip them, shove them in your hands, fix the leak in your kitchen, check the circuit boards, repair the lamp’s bulb, or even work in the snow.
Image: Gloves
Sure, they’re not made of steel that they could absorb any tough blow to your hand, but it will definitely soften it to your comfort with swifter recovery. If you’re thinking about going all-in with safety and gloves, you could also invest in glove dryers. After completing an assignment, wash your gloves thoroughly and rest them on a dryer so that the plastic dries instantly and adequately.
This will also restrict any mold build-up later on the surface of the plastic gloves.
However, a good quality glove should protect you against most of its claimed odds and offer a firm grip on your DIYs. Therefore, you can invest in a well-made, slightly expensive pair or cheaper alternatives like disposable gloves. Either way, they should be able to complete the ultimate purpose.
Stud Finder:
It’s a no-brainer that you need them to stay put when you’re putting up wall cabinets or other hanging furniture. Imagine the consequences if they don’t, simply because you slacked on investing in a plasterboard stud finder. Yikes!
The worst part of it all is that when you hang furniture with no unconditional support at their rear end, they will eventually fall off, taking out the drywall along with them. This can surmount to a cumulative horror scene and a waste of your time and money.
Image: Stud Finder
To do this correctly, you need to mount the furniture secure with wall studs. But, the ordeal involves having to locate the studs as they’re embedded deep within the walls. Finding timber behind plasterboard essentially works with sound effects. You can knock on the wall to locate the stud or purchase a stud finder for a more straightforward approach.
Stud finders are constructed with magnets inside so they can locate the screws of the stud instead of the stud itself. Many durable and sturdy stud finders can cost not more than ten dollars.
However, if you’d like to invest more in finding wall studs behind plaster, that’s possible too. Electronic stud finders work unimaginably accurately with battery-powered operations, informing you about the studs’ specific positions. The truth is, no matter how fancy or how cheap the device is, they can do their work accordingly.
Multi-Tools:
A collection of all the handheld multi-tools that you could ever need is the final aspiration. When you purchase the entire bundle, you wouldn’t have to look for scrapes here and there, and that’s a banger.
Hand-held tools such as these come with an array of plus points and practice like trimming downpipes or screws, plunge cutting the deck, trimming floorboards or other wood bits, removing rust and corrosion, cut open drywall, scraping off adhesive, and sanding down furniture.
Image: Multi-Tools
Amidst all the grinding and scraping, you will notice at once that the tool comes with high multi-functionality and powerful interchangeable parts that can compete against most catastrophes around your house.
Even investing in multi-tool knife pliers might profit you more than buying singular pieces of such appliances. Get this – the pool of the tool’s versatility is so broad that some climbing multi-tools used by the military are also a viable option for you.
Basically, it would rarely matter if you’re an amateur or an expert in undertaking any home restructuring. Multi-tools are an inevitable value that can enrich your overall experience and deserves a space in every home and toolbox.
The benefits of an oscillating tool are that you can add in and also modify interior partitions. Surgical cuts on the inside of the house can be tricky, but not anymore. Moreover, there is also the possibility of performing neat undercuts for doors or even minor trims.
But the outpour of gains does not stop here. You can easily remove grout, install or reinstall cabinets, repair windows, install plank floorings, paint, sand down, and cut out drywall.
Don’t these sound like highly comprehensive work unattainable by generic homeowners? Absolutely not! If you can pair the multi-tool kit with adequate safety gear, you’re good to go!
Cordless Drill:
Believe it or not, you will be reaching out for a portable cordless drill in every other home repair that you can encounter. Even though there are two kinds of drills, corded and power, you can utilize either to make cordless hand drills. Hands down, our money is toward the cordless drill, and this is why.
The cordless drill organizer is highly multi-functional as the drilling can make various-sized holes. Whether you need large holes to hoist up a TV, or wall cabinet, or tinier holes to hold a picture up, a cordless drill rack can submit all your needs at once. Stacking up the shelf is all on you and according to your requirements around the house.
Image: Cordless Drill
What’s even better for a day full of remodeling the house is owning a cordless drill holster or a cordless drill holder. They can both adequately heap all the necessary interchangeable screwdriver bits and pieces ready to be used. Replacing the screwdriver section is a lot fleeter in most hand-held cordless drills. Thus, you can finish up multiple tasks in a short period.
Besides, the drill exchanges are vital to building doghouses, drywall, or other minor setback repairs.
The truth is, cordless drills aren’t as powerful as corded ones, but they’re easier to install and maneuver, making them perfect for any pro and beginner homeowner. So, if the treehouse needs a tiny fix, you don’t have to call a professional.
Cordless drills come with lithium-ion batteries, which are astonishingly lightweight, versatile, and fit any user’s hands. This exquisite upgrade in the drill machine world made it home-friendly. Furthermore, the lightweight nature is a whopper as they prevent arm cramps. So, for exceptional handling power, promising warranties, and a budget-friendly drilling partner, cordless drills never disappoint.
Toolbox:
As you forage through your way between these miniature and heavy-duty tools, you will understand the importance of owning a tool kit box for your home. These comprehensive collections can be lost as speedily as delivered to your footstep.
Even if you don’t own many home essential tools, scoring a small toolbox can make your life organized. Moreover, don’t get tricked by the small size either; they’re equally sturdy, with enough compartments that you would need.
Cheap toolboxes are a big hit because they can protect the instruments inside with as much integrity as any other high-end branded toolbox. However, you must purchase a toolbox according to your tool sizes, shapes, and amount.
Image: Toolbox
With a good toolbox, you can carry it around the house or garage for swifter repairs. Keep in mind to check the latch and lid’s strength while purchasing. If the materials spill out at the end of the day, it would be a cry for help.
Users also love the lift-out trays in toolbox home use. It’s effortless to discover the tools, sort them, and shift your hands around them as you spot the device you lack. You can rely on expert advice when it comes to the kind of toolbox that you should get.
According to professionals, having too many compartments could consume needed space and limit your ways around the box. They recommend opting for tool bin systems. These are structured to store the apparatuses vertically, so you can immediately position, pile, and fish them out.
Why should you invest in them? Good question. If you like to have everything ready and on the go, this will save you ample time. Fumbling around the house and cluttering isn’t the best gig, and we all know it. Keep everything at an arm’s reach, and never losing a dime is a bandwagon that we can all aboard.
Conclusion:
Ready to put these easy-to-use essential hand tools to work? You bet!
Finally, your DIY inner self can shine through. You can also ditch the idea of having to spend thousands on contractors and professionals. With our list of must-have tools for homeowners, anybody can master this art!
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