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Think of your toolbox as the first aid kit for your home. You’ll keep your house “healthy” and save yourself both time and money if you’re prepared to tackle at least the smaller jobs on your own. Here’s advice from a Home Depot tool expert on what to buy and approximately how much to spend on each item.
THE BASICS
1. Hammer. Heft a few until you find one that feels comfortable in your hand and seems to have a good balance when you raise it to swing. If you choose a wooden-handled hammer, look for a cast, rather than forged, steel claw. A 16-ounce weight claw hammer will probably be most comfortable for men; women often prefer a 12-ounce size. Expect to pay between $9 and $20.
2. Pliers. Pliers come in many varieties, and deciding which you need for your toolkit can be confusing. Start by getting the following four pairs, and you’ll be armed for most challenges that call for pliers:
• Standard pliers, sometimes known as pump pliers and sometimes referred to by a common brand name, Channel-Lock. Use these for plumbing work, tightening bolts, etc. (For larger plumbing jobs, see adjustable wrenches below.)
• Needle-nose pliers. They’re commonly used to hold wire in electrical work, so to be extra safe, buy a pair with an insulated handle (but never use them, or any other tool, on live wires).
• Heavy duty cutters. These can cut bolts and screws as well as thicker sheets of metal.
• Wire cutters. These will cut wire and thinner pieces of metal.
You can pick up a good pair of pliers for around $5 apiece—less if you buy a packaged set. Choose a tool that feels comfortable in your hand, but generally a pair about 8 inches long will work well for assorted tasks.
3. Adjustable wrench. These wrenches, commonly referred to by the brand name, Crescent wrench, open and close to the size of the item you’re turning. They’ll open up very wide to accommodate larger pipes. A good-quality wrench that’s easy to grip should go for $15 to $20.
4. Screwdrivers. You’ll want a variety of these, including one or two cheap ones for dirty jobs like opening paint cans. The easiest way to make sure you always have what you need is to buy a set of four: a large and small flat and a large and small Phillips head. Look for a one- and two-point Phillips and a 1/4-inch and a 3/16-inch flat. You can even get a single-handle package with interchangeable heads for $15 or less. You’ll also find a surprising number of uses for one of those tiny screwdrivers used for repairing eyeglasses. They come in handy for jobs on cabinet hinges, towel bars, childproofing devices, and, well . . . eyeglasses.
5. Cross-cut saw. Also called a hand or ripping saw. As the name suggests, this tool cuts across the grain and is the basic saw you’ll use for most projects. Choose one with eight teeth to the inch and expect to pay about $20.
6. Hacksaw or close-quarter hacksaw. This is a C-shaped saw generally used to cut metal (as in pipes). Look for one that costs about $8.
7. Miter saw. This saw cuts at an angle, making it ideal for cutting molding or other angled wood cuts about an inch or less. It should be roughly the same price as the hacksaw.
8. Electric drill. If you get a cordless drill, you’re ready for anything—including making repairs when a storm has knocked the power out. Plug-in models are less expensive and generally more heavy-duty. Figure on spending about $40 for the cordless and $10 less for the traditional drill, plus another $10 for a set of starter bits.
9. Plunger. Although these are known as plumber’s friends, using one can save you from lining your plumber’s pockets. It’s a good idea to keep a small plunger for unstopping sinks and a larger one exclusively for toilets. They cost around $6 each.
10. Utility knife with razor blades. These are invaluable for scraping paint from windows, opening boxes, cutting wallpaper or carpeting, and a variety of other jobs. Get one with a pointed edge to use for boxes and one flat push type with a retractable blade for scraping. Expect to spend only a few dollars on each.
OTHER SMALL BUT HANDY ITEMS TO KEEP IN YOUR TOOLKIT
1. Measuring tape, 16-foot metal.
2. Picture hangers and wall anchors (for hanging heavy items such as large mirrors or paintings).
3. Glue gun. If you don’t already have one, pick up this handy device. Chances are you’ll be keeping it within easy reach for help with everything from broken crockery to craft projects. About $5 at hardware or craft stores.
4. All-purpose glue (such as Elmer’s) and super glue. If you just want to make a quick repair and don’t want to bother heating up a glue gun, keep a tube of each handy.
5. Pencil and eraser. For marking (and unmarking) your measurements. Erasers are also great for removing small scuff and scratch marks from painted walls.
6. Putty-knife and hole-filling compound. The type of filling material you need will depend on what kind of walls you have (plaster, drywall, etc.).
7. Sand sponges. These are good for smaller sanding jobs because they’re much easier to grip and use than sandpaper. As a plus, they can be washed and reused.
8. Miscellaneous screws, washers, bolts, etc. These are sometimes called assortment boxes and come in clear plastic containers. Look around your house first to see what size you’re most likely to need. An assortment tray that’s 6×6 inches, 1/2–3/4-inch high with six to ten compartments should come with everything you need to do from hanging your kindergartner’s art to fixing a wobbly table.
9. Two-foot level. This plastic device will tell you whether you’re hanging pictures and mirrors straight and also help you get vertical plumb lines—and it will fit in your toolbox. You only need a level longer than two feet if you expect to be working on larger projects.
10. Pair of C-clamps. For holding items together while you nail, glue, or screw them, C-clamps can be better than an extra set of hands.
11. Card of thumbtacks. A thumbtack is perfect for temporarily holding something to wall since it makes only a tiny hole. For installing picture hangers, drapery hardware blinds, and so forth, use thumbtacks to mark the spot and then use that as the starter hole.
12. Duct and masking tape. Use duct tape for emergency situations until the final repair can be set in place. If a window is shattered but not broken, duct or masking tape will hold it together. Mend torn window screens, cover drafty cracks under windows, or use these tapes for any other job that needs to be done immediately, but must wait for a permanent repair. Masking tape is also useful for labeling boxes and shielding areas you’re painting around.
13. Electrical tape. This is used for making capped wire connections watertight. Never connect wires with electrical tape alone because the wires won’t be insulated and electrocution is very possible.
14. Assortment of wire nuts. These are plastic caps in multicolors, coded for size. Red ones are large, yellow are medium, blue are smaller. Have an assortment at hand for connecting and insulating all sizes of wire.
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