Five Tools Every DIYer Should Own For Becoming Their Own Handyman
It’s not until something new goes wrong in your house that you then realize how ill-equipped you are to solve the problem yourself.
Every task having to do with home improvement, no matter how small, will inevitably require you to possess some sort of specialized tool or material. That being said, there are a handful of tools that always seem to find their way into our toolboxes and work belts, no matter what the job is. Let’s go over the top 5 tools we think every DIYer like yourself should own.
Socket Set
Many household projects, from working on the car to hanging a television, require you to get involved with nuts and bolts. Using a classic style wrench doesn’t always suffice, as a socket wrench gives you the ability to work in tight areas and power through your rotations without needing to detach your tool from the bolt or nut.
Socket sets are extremely versatile for any homeowner and basic sets can go for no more than $20. If you want to dig deeper into socket sets and really see why they make for a worthwhile investment, check out this guide from Lowe’s. While you’re at the store picking up your socket set, consider purchasing a screwdriver set with interchangeable tips. Similarly, a screwdriver set will give you much versatility around the myriad of tedious projects around the house.
Channel locks
While we are in the realm of extremely versatile tools, channellocks must not go unnoticed. Giving you the ability to latch onto a variety of surfaces while applying great force, this tool is an essential. While extremely useful for plumbing, channellocks make for a worthy companion against a wide range of home improvement projects.
Additionally, a skilled carpenter can use a pair of channel locks in many ways beyond their advertised uses, truly a tool that keeps on giving.
Impact Driver (screw gun)
Cordless screw guns are on the very top of our list for must-have DIYer tools. Like your smartphone, you just feel naked without it. Anytime you want to assemble something or attach one thing to another, screw guns are there for you. We have chosen an impact driver specifically because it adds an element of forward (not only rotational) power against the screw.
If you were to have your home gutted and put back together, screw guns would be spinning throughout the whole process. So it only makes sense that you keep at least one of them around to watch over things. Make sure not to forget about the screws! Here’s a quick guide by @thespruceofficial to get you started with screws.
Power Saw
A power saw is the screw gun’s best friend, since the screw gun often finishes what the saw has started. Anytime you cut wood, the next step involves something along the lines of hammering, gluing, or screwing that wood together. Some of the more advanced tasks in woodworking or furniture building involve using complex joints, wood glue, and small nails. However, just about everything else can be solved with a saw and some well-placed screws.
We recommend you start with a cordless circular saw, and move your way up towards larger table-mounted saws. Safety is most important when working with a tool like this, so take some time to learn proper technique!
Level
The last tool we want you to have is one that nicely complements any toolkit. Incorporating a level into your work is a necessity for professionals, and simply makes life much easier for beginners.
As intelligent beings, we have come to enjoy things like flat surfaces, ninety-degree angles, and perfect symmetry. Therefore, you need something which helps steer you as close to perfection as possible. We all have that one thing in our home that is just “a tad bit off,” so do your eyes a favor and work with a level!
We are confident that your arsenal of tools is bound to expand over time, especially once you begin enjoying the benefits of becoming your own handyman. We are also confident, however, that the five tools mentioned above will always have a part in the action.
