One thing I have learned in my DIY adventures is that its often not what you know but if you have the right tool. Having the right tools will make the project progress much faster and with many less headaches. It will depend on the project what tools you will need. However there is a universal group of tools that will help with home remodeling, building, mechanical work, tinkering, crafts and gardening.
Before I begin my list of necessary tool I think its important to note I try to own as few tools as possible. If I can use one saw to get all my jobs done I will try and use one saw. I don’t like tools that only do very specific tasks and try to own tools that have uses across multiple DIY disciplines. The point of a DIY lifestyle is to make your life easier and simpler. Having a million tools and needing a barn to store them all is not easy or simple.
Sometimes it makes sense to own a tool sometimes it makes sense to rent a tool. If the tool is very expensive, very niche, rarely used or too big for storage, usually it makes sense to rent. Think something like a floor sander or power washer. However there are tools that will provide a wonderful return on investment over their usage. Think low cost and maximal output. Below is the tools that I have in my shed that I have used over the years.
My List of DIY Tools
Circular Saw
This is the most versatile type of saw there is and my favorite. It can cut fairly straight lines and it can cut some curves too. It has the power to cut through thicker wood but is also hand held and mobile. If you are up on a roof or on a ladder or not in a spot where you can put the wood on a bench, this saw is your best bet. You also have the choice to replace the wood cutting blade with a masonry or metal cutting blades for different uses. You can use the circular saw to cut 2x4s, 2x6s, thicker beams, sheathing, siding, corrugated metal, sheet metal, stone, concrete, tile, cement board and more.
The circular saw can be used for framing, sheathing, making porches, roofing and any cuts that need to be made freehand. You can cut slabs of granite or sheets of metal with a masonry or metal cutting blades. Things that seem hard to cut are very easy with a circular saw. That being said because they circular saw is mobile and able to make freehand cuts that also makes it the most dangerous saw to operate. The blade is not affixed to a device or cutting apparatus that is placed on the ground allowing it to be prone to kickback, dropping and other dangerous mistakes. Be very careful with the circular saw and always use a ventilator and safety goggles when making a cut. You don’t want to be breathing in sawdust or get hit in the eye with a stray fragment.
The circular saw is easy to store because of its small size and can easily fit in any shed. I also recommend getting a legitimate 3 prong extension cord to make the saw more mobile.
Jigsaw
The jigsaw is a good idea when you need to make more curved cuts. It is also mobile so it can make cuts at weird angles that other saws may not be able to reach. The jigsaw cuts on an oscillating blade and not a circular blade so it can cut in tight spots that a circular saw wont fit. If you are doing more precise carpentry the jigsaw will help with that. The jigsaw has less power than other saws allowing you to cut slower and more carefully. That being said because the jigsaw has less power it is not as effective on thicker wood.
The jigsaw can cut sheathing, cement board, thin metal, and tile. You can take wood cutting blade off and replace it with a metal cutting blade or masonry blade. I would not recommend it for thicker lumber, you are better off using a circular saw or mitre saw (see below). It is good for craft projects, light carpentry, and finishing touches or repairs in a home remodel.
Since the osilating blade moves slower than a circular cutting blade it will also creates less dust. Sometimes when you are doing a repair in a house that is being lived in you don’t want to create a sawdust cloud that comes from more powerful spinning saws. Another plus of being less powerful is that jigsaws are also less dangerous to operate. The blade moves slowly with low power. It is also small enough to be stored in any reasonable sized closet. Not a bad saw to start out with as a beginner.
Mitre Saw
Sometimes referred to as a chop saw, the mitre saw is good for fast bulk cutting projects. The powerful blade cuts a straight line in one direction. There is often a feature in the mitre saw to turn the blade at an angle to allow angled cuts. The fast spinning and large blade will cut through pretty much any lumber fast. The blade is affixed to a cutting station which makes the cutting process very smooth. Some mitre saws come with a laser function that will help the precision and ease of cutting on the mark.
The mitre saw is a good choice for cutting lumber. 2x4s, 4x6s and even 6×6 posts can be cut by the mitre saw. Since the blade is attached to the cutting station it is not able to cut plywood or oriented strand board. It is a good saw to use when you are cutting a lot of measurements of lumber for a framing or building project. You measure out your cut marks with a pen or pencil on the wood and you can make many cuts very fast.
The saw is relatively safe because it must be fixed to the ground to operate and has a guard the covers the blade while cutting. Watch your hands while cutting and keep it a safe distance from the spinning blade. It will create a lot of dust so wear you dust mask and safety goggles. The saw is a bit larger and will need more space to store but will fit in a standard shed.
Table Saw
The table saw is a good choice when you need to cut precise strips of sheet wood. The saw has a function where it has a adjustable bumper that also measures the cut. You can slide the wood sheet against the adjustable bumper for fast precise cutting. It also creates a surface for the wood to sit on allowing the user to stand at a distance and push the wood through the saw with stick. The saw is also good for cutting posts. The saw blade can be adjusted up and down to change between more shallow cutting or deep cutting. A 6×6 post can easily be cut when adjusted for deep cuts. The blade is very fast moving and powerful on a table saw. The blade can also be adjusted on an angle for more angled cuts.
Table saws are good at sheathing projects, laying subfloor and cutting notches. The table saw can make multiple cuts rather quickly without having to make a mark for measurement. If you need to cut any sheet wood like OSB or plywood a table saw is a good choice. If you need to rip a piece of wood meaning cut it lengthwise, the table saw is the best choice.
The table saw has a large fast moving blade which can make it a more dangerous saw to operate. Newer models will often have a guard or kickback protector which make things more safe. However there is a large area where the blade is unprotected and can cause a threat. I like to push the wood into the blade with a stick at a distance. Wear your goggles and respirator for sure when operating a table saw. The table saw is rather large and is the most cumbersome to store of all the saws I own. You will need a decent sized shed to store it.
Angle Grinder
The angle grinder is a versatile tool that helps cut, grind and polish metal, stone and tile. It is also small, mobile, cheap and easy to store. A true great tool for any beginner! People often look at hard objects like metal or granite and think it must be difficult to cut. An angle grinder slices through them with ease. You can change to either a masonry or metal cutting blade depending on the project. The angle grinder is not a good choice for wood. It will just cause the wood to burn from the heat form the friction.
Angle grinders can cut off errant nails or screws from framing projects. Its can cut pieces of sheet metal, slabs of granite and any tiles. If you are roofing or installing any corrugated metal an angle grinder will help, but a circular saw with masonry blade will cut faster. An angle grinder is a savior on any tiling project. Sometimes you need to cut a hole in a tile very precisely and the angle grinder is a good choice. By adding a polishing blade the angle grinder can smooth out any jaggedness in metal, stone or tile.
The angle grinder is relatively safe despite how it shoots off sparks when cutting . Obviously don’t operate it near any flammable liquids or gasses. The guard will protect most debris from the small spinning blade. You can also operate the grinder in which the sparks are shooting away from you. I would wear a face mask while operating because you don’t want to be breathing in any metal fumes or tiles dust from what you are cutting. Goggles and protective glasses are a good idea because the grinding blades are brittle and can break mid cut sending fragments of the grinding wheel flying. An angle grinder is small enough to be stored in a closet making it ideal for people with no shed.
Air Compressor
If you are planning on doing carpentry projects , painting lots of square feet, rehabbing a house or building a house from scratch, an air compressor is a major helper. The device uses compressed air to drive nails and spray paint, saving the user time and energy. I can’t imagine doing a framing project the old fashioned way with a hammer box of nails. The size of compressor you will need depends on if you are going to spray paint or not. A 6 gallon compressor is a good choice if you are using brad nailers and framing nailers. If you are planning on spraying paint I would get at least a 20 gallon compressor so there is enough compressed air to keep up.
Small 1-2 gallon compressors can feed a brad nailer for trim installation and light carpentry. 6 Gallon compressors will be good for framing nailers that will be good for framing or structural building projects. Lets say you need to paint 1000 square feet of bedrooms, a 20 gallon compressor will be able to feed a paint sprayer. If you need to shoot texture for those bedrooms, the 20 gallon compressor will keep up.
Air compressors are bulky and will be hard to store unless have a decent sized outdoor shed. Especially if you have a 20 gallon or more compressor because they are typically on wheels. I would strongly consider what you hope to accomplish before you buy a compressor. You may be inclined to get a cheap low gallon compressor just starting out, I know this because I did this. However I had to sell my compressor a year later and buy a bigger one because I wanted to start spraying paint. Sometimes its cheaper just to buy the big compressor and commit so you don’t have to change things later. Consider your plans wisely and go from there. Keep your compressor oiled up if that what it requires.
Air Compressor Line Filter
If you are going to make the investment in an air compressor and air tools that come along with it its a good idea to buy a filter. The filter will make sure moisture, dirt, oil and other gunk doesn’t get into your tools and compressor causing them to seize up and fail. A clean compressor and air tool will perform for a long time. You can screw in the filter to the hose line to attach it to the compressor.
Brad Nailer
Brad nails are small needle like nails that are a good choice for smaller carpentry or trim projects. It works only for .smaller trim peices 1” in thickness or less. This nailer is a good choice for trim, baseboard and wainscoting projects. The nails make a tiny hole that is easily covered by paint and wood putty for a seamless finishing touch. However brad nails are not very structurally strong so it should not be depended on for holding a large structure together. The nailer will come with a retractable tip that compresses when pressed against the object being nailed. Nails will not be shot unless this safety mechanism is engaged making nail guns much safer. Keep your hands and feet sway from the are you are nailing and you will be fine. The nailer will connect up to an air compressor via a hose. The brad nailer is small and can fit in any shed or closet. Lubricate your air tools before using them.
Framing Nailer
The framing nailer is the fastest way to nail wood together. Its best use is obviously framing new structures. Shooting nails through 2x4s, 2x6s, posts, OSB and plywood to create houses, sheds, porches and much more. In a world that is made out of wood buildings, the framing nailer is the catalyst that makes building houses easy. The nailer will come with a retractable tip that compresses when pressed against the object being nailed. Nails not be hot unless this safety mechanism is engaged making nail guns much safer. Keep your hands and feet sway from the are you are nailing and you will be fine. The nailer will connect up to an air compressor via a hose. The framing nailer is much bigger than the brad nailer and will require a shed to store. Lubricate your air tools before using them.
Texture Hopper
Before spraying any paint you will want to texture the drywall to cover up any seams in the drywall. The drywall hopper gun can be filled with a slurry of joint compound and sprayed on the wall creating a textured look. You don’t want to paint untextured drywall, it looks terrible. The texture hopper has a trigger and grip that sprays the slurry using compressed air. The hopper gun attaches to the air compressor via a hose just like all the other air tools. Wear your goggles and respirator to stay safe. The texture hopper can be detached from the trigger and grip part of the devise to make it easier to store. Lubricate your air tools before using them.
Paint Sprayer
Spraying paint with an air compressor is much faster and less strenuous than painting with brushes or rollers. It is a good choice for houses that are doing a full rehab or new construction. It is not a good idea for houses that are are fully fixed up and just need new paint. The downside is that is can be a messy process and should be done before any flooring, trim or fixtures are installed. If you want to paint a lot of square footage, spraying is the way to go. It is also good for a craft project in which you need to paint something that is irregularly shaped and hard to reach with a brush. I would get a sprayer with a gravity fed paint hopper and not one with a bottom paint hopper. Wear your goggles and respirator to stay safe. Lubricate your air tools before using them.
Prybar
The prybar is a simple tool with such a wide range of uses! If you are doing demolition in a house rehab, a prybar is a must have tool. Prying off trim and baseboards, prying old cabinets off walls, smashing and ripping drywall down, prying up old flooring, removing stubborn nails, and removing siding are just a few uses for the prybar. You can also use the prybar in drywall installation by placing it on the floor and stepping on one end to lift the drywall while its being screwed in place. This tool is cheap and has a long list of uses. Great tool for beginners!
Power Drill
The power drill is the go to tool for screwing in screws and driving drill bits to make holes. Sometimes using nails doesn’t make sense and in these instances using screws is the best choice. Drilling holes in wood, stone, tile, metal and cement is all possible with a power drill and the right drill bit for the job. Power drills are great for carpentry projects, some framing, tiling projects, kitchen installation, and other home rehab projects.
Power drills come in 2 flavors, corded drills and cordless drills. The corded drill needs to be plugged into the wall with an extension cord and will offer much more torque when driving screws. The cordless drill operates on a battery pack that must be charged regularly. While the cordless drill has less power than a corded drill, it is also much more mobile and can reach places that an extension cord can’t reach. If you are doing a light carpentry project a cordless drill is the best bet. If you are doing tiling, kitchen install or framing a corded drill will work better. The drill is a small tool that packs a punch. Good tool for beginners wanting to start a project.
Rachet and Socket Set
A rachet and socket set is a good choice if you are going to tighten bolts. Bolts are used in house construction, car repair, bike repair, appliance repair, diy crafts and carpentry projects. The set will come with multiple sockets that fit different sized bolts and 2 ratchets that turn the sockets. The ratchet has a function where you can tighten the bolt and turn it back without unscrewing the bolt. This allows the gear to turn in only one direction while preventing motion in the opposite direction. This function greatly increases the ability to tighten or loosen bolts quickly. The ratchet has a switch on the back that changes the direction in which the ratchet turns if you need to tighten or loosen the bolt.
At some point in your life you will encounter a stuck bolt that wont budge. The ratchet acts as a lever to apply torque to the stubborn bolt to break it free. Sometimes you will be working in a very cramped area, in that case there is an extender piece that allows you to extend the reach of the socket. You can also insert the socket bit into the end of a screwdriver and reach bolts in cramped places.
Channelock Wrench Set
Channelock wrenches are for loosening nuts that are irregularly shaped or cant be reached with a socket. They will be used for plumbing projects, appliance repair, bike repair and car repair. The wrench allows you to grip down on your target very tightly and turn it with a lot of torque. I don’t keep my channelocks in the shed I keep them in the house on my desk because I use them so often. You never know when you need to tighten something down real quick.
Drill Bits
If you invest in a power drill you will want to also invest in some drill bits. The drill bots will allow you to drill screws and bore holes in wood or metal. These are a must have for any project that requires a power drill. This includes carpentry projects, some framing, tiling projects, kitchen installation, and other home rehab projects.
There are a bunch of drill bits shapes out there, the most common being flathead, phillips and star. There is also an extender bit with an insert where you will put all the other drill bits. Don’t worry too much if you lose a drill bit because typically boxes of new screws will have a spare bit inside. The set will also include hole boring drill bits of various widths up to 1 inch. The bits with the sharp tips are for wood and the flatter headed bits are for metal.
Shop Vac
If you are doing anything DIY you will be making a mess and the shop vac is what you need to clean it up. Especially if that mess is inside you will want to maintain a clean workspace devoid of dust. Shop vacs are great for sucking up saw dust, concrete dust, construction debris and water. The vac will have a filter inside that collects the larger items and separates them from the dust that goes into the chamber. If you want to suck up water make sure to take the filter out before because it will ruin your filter. When completed with cleaning just dump your waste in a bin, fire pit or composter. The shop vac also attaches to floor sanders and grinders to make that process much cleaner.
Tin Snips
Tin snips are best used when cutting thin metal in small amounts that needs precision. You can cut metal sheets, corrugated metal, solder and electric wire. Tin snips are a must have for a metal roof or metal siding installation. For the most part you will use a circular saw with a metal cutting blade but for small tweaks a tin snip saves a ton of time. If you are doing an electrical project or wiring up a house you will want tin snips in your tool belt.
Hammer
One of the oldest tools know to man traditionally hammers are used to drive nails in wood construction. However in recent years with air nailers being availabale, the role of the hammer has shifted. I have only nailed a few nails by hand my entire career. Usually I use a hammer for demolition purposes, carpentry projects, House rehab and roofing. Many times in home construction you need to hit things whether it be a stubborn nail or a peice of wood. Knowcking things into place or out of place. Using the hammer to smash drywall or wood. Even if you use a nail gun there will be proud nails that need to be followed up on.
Drywall Joint Knife
At some point in your life you will need to fix a hole in drywall. Whether its during a home remodel or someone was trying to play catch inside and missed the ball. The drywall joint knife is a wide flat blade good for spreading joint compound in an even manner. The joint knife is also a must have for installing drywall sheets in new home construction.
Applying joint compound is a process that is best handled in steps to let each coat dry. Apply drywall tape over the seam and use the joint knife to apply joint compound on either side of the tape to stick it in place to the wall and let dry. For the next coat fill in the remaining seam where the drywall tape is covering and let dry. If there are any remaining areas that need touching up make sure to do so before applying primer and paint. You can also sand the seam so it blends in better.
Notched Trowel
This is a must have tool for any tiling project. Thinset mortar or otherwise known as tile adhesive is a glue like substance that attaches the tile to the surface. The notched trowel creates thin parallel grooves in the tile adhesive so when you stick your tile to it, the grooves act like suction cups holding the tile to surface before it dries. Without making these grooves you are at risk of the tile falling off or moving. You will notice your tile has little grooves on the bottom for the tile adhesive to penetrate and create a strong bond. A notched trowel is the go to tool for spreading tile adhesive and creating the grooves nessasary.
Screwdriver Set
Sometimes you need to drive a screw that doesn’t require a bunch of torque. You don’t want to have to break out your power drill every time you need to screw something in. For this task a simple hand screw driver with interchangeable bits will work. Make sure the screw driver comes with flathead, phillips and star bits.