Top 8 Tools for Home DIY Repairs and Maintenance

If your time at home during the pandemic left you craving DIY or home improvement work, you are not alone. While some of those projects were as simple as repairs and maintenance, some homeowners were more advantageous projects like finishing a basement.

Continue reading for the top eight tools you'll need if you are a handyman gearing up to make repairs or complete maintenance projects around your home.

In addition to the material to complete the project or repair job, you will need tools. Eight tools that every repair or home maintenance man will need are:

1. Hammer

A hammer is a tool that has a long wooden handle and a metalhead. One part of the head is flat and used for banging nails or other metals into the wall, and the other end of the metal is designed like a fork to pull nails out of the wall or other wood materials.

A tip for those making home improvements is knowing that there are different hammers and that using the wrong hammer can cause projects to go awry. Some other style hammers are:

Claw hammer

Ball Pen hammer

Lineman's hammer

Mallet

2. Screwdriver

A screwdriver is a hand tool used for tightening and loosening screws. Carpenters or home repair people use it for getting nails into walls or other materials. Screwdrivers have a handle and a tip that fits into different shapes or shaped screws.

The type of screw determines typically the different kinds of screwdrivers for which it is used. Some of the most popular ones include:

Phillips Screwdrivers have a head shaped like a cross and have pointed edges.

Flathead screwdrivers are the most common screwdrivers sold. It has a flat head and a straight blade that fits into various screw heads.

Allen Key Screwdriver has a hexagonal cross-section and is shaped like an L.

3. Measuring Tape

If you will be doing woodwork or replacing something in your home, it is essential to have a measuring tape. Measuring tapes are necessary to know the exact dimensions of the items you are working on or will build.

For a handyperson, measuring tapes are packaged in a compact metal or plastic case and have a switch to work alone and ensure that you are getting the correct measurements. Measuring tapes also have a pull handle that stays in place as you move the tape. That is great for a handyman who doesn't have a helper to hold it in place.

4. Tool Storage

There is nothing like needing a tool and looking around for it. That is what makes tool storage boxes great. That makes a handyman's job easier and more efficient by keeping everything within reach in a handy place.

Tool storage boxes come in different sizes, based on what you have. They can fit into a corner or a room or be wall-sized.

5. Pliers

Pliers are hand tools with two handles and two grippers or jaws at the end. They are used to lessen the pressure on hands when something needs to be opened, cut, or pulled. There are at least 30 different types of pliers with varying heads.

6. Pressure Gauge

If you have an old home and are working to find leaky pipes in your bathroom, you will need the help of a pressure gauge. Pressure gauges are beneficial for hydrostatic testing and become necessary for acknowledging leaks or loss of pressure in pipes.

7. Level

A level is a popular tool used in carpentry and the construction field. As a home repair or maintenance person, a level is essential to help set up level points on the wall. A level is a gadget, usually wood or plastic, with a centering bubble to confirm that a line or area is leveled.

8. Stud Finder

If you are doing handiwork around a home, like hanging pictures or a television on the wall, you will need a stud finder. Studs are the thicker cuts of wood used to hold up the frame or drywall inside a home. Although the drywall is thin and easy enough to bang nails into, those nails will not necessarily hold your hanging item. Therefore, nailing into studs is vital if hanging something heavy. Stud finders help find the changes in density in a wall so that you know where the stud is.

Conclusion

As you can see, there is more to doing home repairs and maintenance besides motivation. You will also need tools to complete the jobs. Eight popular tools for handymen are listed above and a great place to start.