If you’ve recently developed a passion for DIY, you might have tired of repeatedly borrowing tools from a friend or family member. If you are often doing odd jobs around the house, you should probably buy your own tools – but which ones should you buy, at least in the beginning?
While your bank balance would thank you if you held off buying some of the more advanced pieces of kit, here are some tools which ought to be core inclusions of every DIYer’s toolbox.
Screwdriver
Not just one, either; Buildopedia.com insists that every household should have multiple screwdrivers of various sizes and both flat and Phillips (or “cross”) heads.
It’s easier to screw and unscrew when using magnetic-tipped screwdrivers that are comfortable to grip. However, the more persistently you use those screwdrivers, the more worn their tips will inevitably become. Fortunately, you can file those tips to help keep your screwdrivers easy to use.
Utility knife
If you have a package to open, paint to scrape or edges of a frayed carpet to trim, a utility blade can help you to do the job both effectively and safely. The tool would be especially safe if it comes with in-built storage as well as a comfortable rubber handle.
Electric drill
With one of these, you can easily make holes – and, no, you probably won’t end up as the one rotating, like Gromit in “that” part of a certain Wallace and Gromit film. Electric drills come in both corded and cordless models, with each type having its own merits and drawbacks.
For example, while a cordless drill is easier to use, as you won’t need to worry about an extension cord’s length, it will be pricier than a corded drill, which also won’t need its battery replacing at significant expense. A drill of either type can support various drill bits for enriched functionality.
Wrench
Given how many different types of wrench are on the market, you would be doing yourself a big favour by spending on just one: an adjustable wrench. Lifehacker calls this type of wrench “like having multiple wrenches in one”.
A wrench’s ability to tighten or loosen hexagonal nuts can prove useful for rectifying a dripping tap, clogged sink or sticky radiator valve.
Claw hammer
You don’t necessarily need a hammer as magical as Thor’s Mjolnir hammer, but you should still invest in a solid hammer of the claw variety. That flat end is, of course, meant for driving nails into a surface, while you can use the clawed end to remove nails if they have been accidentally bent.
These hammers come in various sizes, but opting for a claw hammer that weighs a pound and measures 16 inches long will give you sufficient power for the majority of DIY jobs.
However, if you intend to work on a roof, obtaining assistance from professional roofers in Darlington, Durham, Newcastle or elsewhere in the North East can help make the project a lot less stressful. Findley Roofing & Building can provide those professionals.
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