Must Have Tools - Tools That Every Home Owner Must Have For Household Repairs
Every homeowner is going to be faced with a situation at some point in which they are going to require tools.
Whether it be hanging pictures, putting together the kids bunk beds or that new entertainment center.
But what tools should a new homeowner invest in? This article will list what I consider to be the basic tools that every homeowner needs.
I will also describe what to look for in each tool.
Hammer-First off you will need a hammer.
What type of hammer? This should be a typical "claw" hammer.
You know the ones I am talking about, they have a head that has a curved claw opposite the striking surface.
This curved part is used for pulling nails and different types of prying operations.
There are many types of claw hammers and for the average homeowner I recommend one that has a weight between 12 and 16 oz.
There are some claw hammers that have a straight claw instead of a curved claw and these are used mainly in the construction industry as "framing hammers".
Carpenters use them when they are framing a house and are generally heavier.
I recommend ones with a sturdy handle of either wood, metal or fiberglass.
This is going to be a personal choice on your part but beware of some of the metal handles, as they are "hollow" and are made of soft metal that will either bend or break when used in the prying motion, Screwdrivers-There are many types of screwdrivers.
For the average homeowner I recommend having both a standard head screwdriver and a Phillips head screwdriver.
A standard head screwdriver has a blade that tapers to a flat point and fits into the straight slot on the screw.
The Phillips type screwdriver has a head that is shaped like an "X" and fits into the cross shaped slot on the Phillips head screw.
If you want to save some money you can buy a combination type screwdriver handle that comes with interchangeable driver bits that slip in or out of the handle.
Slip-joint pliers-This type of pliers as the name implies has an adjustable pivot point which allows the jaws to open wider.
This is accomplished by a slot at the pivot point.
This allows the user to position the object that he is gripping closer to the pivot point giving more gripping power.
These type of general purpose pliers can be used for any gripping actions like turning a nut or pulling small nails.
Needle nose pliers-This type of pliers has a pair of jaws that taper down to a narrow point that is used to reach into tight places that regular pliers will not fit.
I can't tell you how many times this feature has comm in handy around my home.
Adjustable Wrench-An adjustable wrench is a wrench that has one fixed jaw and one movable jaw that adjusts via a thumb wheel.
This type of wrench is called a Crescent wrench, partly because of the shape of the fixed jaw which looks a little like a crescent moon and partly because of one manufacturer's brand name Crescent was so widely used that it became the common name for the wrench.
Much like a facial tissue is called a Kleenex.
This wrench is sized by the length of the handle and the size I recommend for homeowners is a 6" or 8".
Tape Measure-A tape measure is a flexible measuring device.
They can be different lengths and the most common is probably 12' of 16'.
This tool is on the must have tools list because of the many different types of measuring jobs that crop up around the home.
From measuring the height at which you want to hang the pictures to find out if the sofa will fit in the living room to measuring the growth of your kids.
Whether it be hanging pictures, putting together the kids bunk beds or that new entertainment center.
But what tools should a new homeowner invest in? This article will list what I consider to be the basic tools that every homeowner needs.
I will also describe what to look for in each tool.
Hammer-First off you will need a hammer.
What type of hammer? This should be a typical "claw" hammer.
You know the ones I am talking about, they have a head that has a curved claw opposite the striking surface.
This curved part is used for pulling nails and different types of prying operations.
There are many types of claw hammers and for the average homeowner I recommend one that has a weight between 12 and 16 oz.
There are some claw hammers that have a straight claw instead of a curved claw and these are used mainly in the construction industry as "framing hammers".
Carpenters use them when they are framing a house and are generally heavier.
I recommend ones with a sturdy handle of either wood, metal or fiberglass.
This is going to be a personal choice on your part but beware of some of the metal handles, as they are "hollow" and are made of soft metal that will either bend or break when used in the prying motion, Screwdrivers-There are many types of screwdrivers.
For the average homeowner I recommend having both a standard head screwdriver and a Phillips head screwdriver.
A standard head screwdriver has a blade that tapers to a flat point and fits into the straight slot on the screw.
The Phillips type screwdriver has a head that is shaped like an "X" and fits into the cross shaped slot on the Phillips head screw.
If you want to save some money you can buy a combination type screwdriver handle that comes with interchangeable driver bits that slip in or out of the handle.
Slip-joint pliers-This type of pliers as the name implies has an adjustable pivot point which allows the jaws to open wider.
This is accomplished by a slot at the pivot point.
This allows the user to position the object that he is gripping closer to the pivot point giving more gripping power.
These type of general purpose pliers can be used for any gripping actions like turning a nut or pulling small nails.
Needle nose pliers-This type of pliers has a pair of jaws that taper down to a narrow point that is used to reach into tight places that regular pliers will not fit.
I can't tell you how many times this feature has comm in handy around my home.
Adjustable Wrench-An adjustable wrench is a wrench that has one fixed jaw and one movable jaw that adjusts via a thumb wheel.
This type of wrench is called a Crescent wrench, partly because of the shape of the fixed jaw which looks a little like a crescent moon and partly because of one manufacturer's brand name Crescent was so widely used that it became the common name for the wrench.
Much like a facial tissue is called a Kleenex.
This wrench is sized by the length of the handle and the size I recommend for homeowners is a 6" or 8".
Tape Measure-A tape measure is a flexible measuring device.
They can be different lengths and the most common is probably 12' of 16'.
This tool is on the must have tools list because of the many different types of measuring jobs that crop up around the home.
From measuring the height at which you want to hang the pictures to find out if the sofa will fit in the living room to measuring the growth of your kids.
