A Guide To The Homeowner’s Essential Tools Kit
Whether you’re a new homeowner or are sitting mortgage-free in the house you’ve had for decades, there is plenty of TLC that your home needs year after year. Houses require regular maintenance, upkeep, and repairs to keep them in tip-top shape. In order to do that, and all of those home renovation projects and furniture assembly that you’ll do throughout the years, you’re going to need to have a basic tool kit at your disposal.
Here’s a comprehensive list of a basic homeowners tool kit.
A Medium-Weight Claw Hammer
A basic, medium-weight claw hammer will become a very useful tool in your tool kit. From hanging pictures and small DIY projects to extracting nails and opening a mature coconut, you’ll be reaching for your hammer plenty of times throughout your home owning experience.
A Rubber Mallet
While a hammer and a mallet are both tools that you use to hit things with, the times when you need a mallet, a hammer simply won’t do, so it’s best to just grab yourself a rubber mallet to have on hand when you do need it.
Rubber mallets have a lighter impact, so they’re less likely to damage the surface of what you’re hitting. They’re great for knocking out something that has gotten stuck, driving chisels, and knocking together wood pieces. If you want to be able to hit something hard but don’t want to leave a dent on the surface, you’re going to be reaching for a rubber mallet and NOT a hammer.
A Drill with Drill Bits
If you’re going to be hanging anything substantial on your walls (such as a TV wall-mount), you’re going to need a drill. They also make DIY projects a breeze and are handy for many home repairs.
Cordless ones will make your life easier, but it’s a good idea to grab a second battery pack and remember to always keep your back up charged so that you don’t find yourself mid-way through a project, needing to stop to let your battery charge.
An Assortment of Nails, Screws, Nuts, and Bolts
Different jobs require different types of nails, screws, nuts, and bolts, so having a variety on hand will come in handy when you need to do quick repairs. Make sure to try and leave them labelled so that you’re not blindly trying to figure out what type of screw you need in the middle of a project.
Pliers: Locking, Needle-nose, Slip-joint, and Vice-grip
Pliers are one of the most useful tools in your tool kit. They can help you get a good grip on pretty much anything, can help you straighten out bent power cord plugs, slice wiring, and so much more. You might want to grab a couple of different sizes of the needle nose pliers as they can be handy in SO many different situations.
A 25’ Steel Measuring Tape
A measuring tape is such an essential tool to have. Whether you’re looking to see what size of couch can fit in a space or measure for curtains, or if you’re trying to space out art or have a DIY project, accurate measurements are CRUCIAL. Steel measuring tapes can be stretched out without collapsing for long distances, which can be super handy.
A Caulking Gun
A caulking gun will be your best friend for sealing and adhering. They can seal up gaps between a window and frame or a tub and surround. Caulking guns make applying caulk to the areas that need sealing simple.
A 1” Chisel
While a chisel won’t be the kind of tool that you’re regularly pulling out of your tool kit, it’s the kind of tool that when you need it, nothing else will do. Chisels can help you remove access materials. It comes in handy for things like removing stuck-on glue when replacing a damaged laminate plank, or other various fixes in the home.
A Leveler
If you’ve ever tried to hang pictures or art without a leveller, then you know why it’s essential to have one. They’re also perfect for installing cabinets, laying patio stones, putting up shelves, and rain gutters. Eyeballing it won’t cut it. These are inexpensive to buy, but invaluable to have when you need one.
Sandpaper In Various Grits
Sandpaper comes in different grits and abrasives. Which one you use will depend on the project that you’re using it for. Aluminum Oxide is the most common sandpaper and can work on wood, metal, paint, plastic and fibreglass. It’ll be your go-to for most home projects. Emery is more used for removing rust from metal and Silicon Carbide is what you’re going to want for wet sanding.
A Crosscut Saw and A Hacksaw
When you’re looking to cut wood or pipe, you’re going to need a saw. A crosscut saw is created to make straight cuts across the wood. A hacksaw, on the other hand, is what you’re going to need for cutting pipe. Always make sure that whatever you’re sawing is set on something stable and remember to wear protective gear.
Scrapers
Scrapers are precision tools, so you’re going to want to take care to put them away nicely every time to avoid them going dull on you. They’re often used to remove metal from parts that need to fit together.
Screwdrivers Of Various Sizes in Square (Robertson), Star (Phillips), and Slotted Type
Screwdrivers are a must-have for any homeowner. From putting together furniture and tightening cabinet hardware that has come loose over time, to opening paint cans, there are plenty of use-cases for having a screwdriver on hand.
You can buy sets that have all of the different sizes and heads that you need, or, if you’re looking to save space, grab yourself a couple of multi-bit screwdrivers.
Socket Set and Driver
Socket wrenches are great for giving you leverage for tightening or loosening nuts and bolts. A ratcheting set will make your life easier whenever you’re dealing with a nuts and bolts situation. For the sake of space, you can get a socket kit that comes with interchangeable sizes, adapters, extension bars, and more in a convenient case that you can carry with you.
A Staple Gun
Staple guns are great to have on hand for DIY projects and home repairs. They’re powerful, easy to use and get the job done. Pro-tip: if you’re looking for an easy way to give your dining set a fresh look, a staple gun and new fabric is all you need to change up your seat cushions.
A Wire Brush
Wire brushes are great for removing rust, paint, and other unwanted elements from surfaces. They come in different types. Carbon Steel is good for working on iron, carbon steel, metal, and wood. Stainless Steel is perfect for working on aluminum, brass, copper, stainless steel, and wood. Brass can be used for any type of material.
Make sure that you pay attention to the diameter of the wire too. The lighter and more delicate the job, the finer you’ll want the diameter. Coarse wire is better for heavy-duty jobs.
A Utility Knife (a.k.a Box Cutter)
Stop using your kitchen knives for things other than cooking prep. Get yourself a box cutter to use for everything from opening delivery packages and cutting your cardboard down to DIY projects and home repairs. Pro-tip: Make sure to replace the blade when it gets dull. Sharp knives are safer than dull ones.
An Adjustable Wrench
The adjustable wrench is your handy tighten-anything-tool. Since it’s adjustable, you don’t have to worry about finding the perfect size for the job, Just adjust and proceed. It’s a good idea to have a smaller one that can fit into tight spaces and then a bigger one with a longer handle for leverage when loosening stubbornly stuck things.
A Putty Knife
If you’re looking to spackle the wall or are reglazing a window, you’re going to need one of these bad boys. But the usefulness of a putty knife doesn’t stop there. The thin and flexible blade can come in handy for scraping off paint droplets or removing wallpaper!
A Metal Straightedge Ruler
When you’re doing home repairs or renovations, measurement matters. The adage of measure twice cut once holds true and when you’re measuring, you’re going to want to use a ruler. A metal ruler won’t have its measurement markings fade as quickly as a plastic one. Plus, a metal ruler is more durable and will last longer.
A Square Ruler
A Square ruler is especially important to have if you anticipate home renovations or DIY projects in your future. This baby packs a ton of information in its form. It helps with angles and straight lines. They can be especially helpful for windows and doors.
Flashlights
Every single household should have at LEAST one flashlight (although multiple is preferred) in their toolkit. You’ll always know where it is when the power goes. Flashlights are also helpful for home repairs when you need to see what you’re doing. A small flashlight can help when you’re trying to get into tight spaces, but you also might want a larger one for more light power. Make sure to have backup batteries on hand too.
Drop Cloths
Home construction and repairs can cause quite a mess. You don’t want anything staining your floors so make sure to have some drop cloths on hand. They’re easy to throw down and they’ll save you major headaches in the long run.
Dust Masks
Do your respiratory system a favour and keep dust masks in your tool kit. Breathing in dust particles or chemicals while you’re completing home repairs or renovation projects isn’t something that you want to be doing. It’s best to just mask up before starting your messy projects.
Safety Goggles
It can be so tempting to think, “Oh, this is such a quick little job, I don’t need safety goggles”, but all it takes is for one small shard of material to fly loose and lodge in your eye to cause a serious issue. Keep safety goggles on hand and use them.
Ear Protection
If you’re using power tools you’ll want to have protection for your ears. You don’t want to damage your hearing.
A Stud Finder
Stud finders are not just used for making “I’m attractive because the stud finder beeps on my chest” jokes. They are a critical tool that every homeowner who wants to hang things on their walls should own. If you don’t hang art, shelves, or pictures on a stud, they can rip through the drywall and end up costing you! Don’t risk it and always use a stud finder when you’re hanging things.
If you spend a bit more, you can get a stud finder that also checks for electrical fields, which can save you from having an unwanted shocking surprise when hammering a nail into the wall.
Painter’s Tape
Save yourself the headache, mess, and frustration of getting paint where you DON’T want it and get yourself some painter’s tape.
Ladders And Step Stools
Unless you’re a giant, you’re going to need to keep ladders and step stools on hand to get up to those hard-to-reach places. Always remember to be safe. Don’t use the top step of a ladder (get a bigger ladder if you need to go that high) and don’t try stretching up out of reach.
A Toilet Plunger
You don’t ever want to be in a situation where you need a toilet plunger and DON’T have one. So just go ahead and buy one to keep on hand now. They’re cheap, and when you need one, you NEED one.
A Drain Auger (snake)
When your drains are clogged, it can be tempting to just reach for a bottle of chemicals, but your first line of defence should be a drain auger (also known as a snake). Drain augers can help you remove clogs that are obstructing your drains from draining properly. Before attempting to take apart pipes, always try snaking your drain first.
An Air Compressor
An air compressor is another one of those multi-use tools that is great for homeowners. They can help when cleaning in small crevices that are difficult to clean. They can help you dry something quicker. They can help you clear sawdust or water out of an area and can be a form of a pressure washer. They also help you inflate everything from tires to balls.
All-purpose Penetrating Lubricant Like WD-40
From stopping doors from squeaking and loosening rusted plumbing joints to removing glue residue from old panelling and removing crayon from walls, WD-40 is a homeowner's best friend. Keep it on hand at all times!
70% Isopropyl Alcohol
It’s always a good idea to keep some 70% Isopropyl Alcohol on hand. It can disinfect your tools and workspace. It’s also good for removing some gunk from objects. If you accidentally cut yourself during a home repair, you can also disinfect your wound quickly!
Sticky-Backed Furniture Protectors
If you invest in sticky-backed furniture protectors, you’ll be saving yourself money down the road. Your furniture can easily scratch up your floors (especially chairs around tables). Have these on hand and use them. You’ll be so happy that you did!
Now you’re armed with the basics of a homeowner’s tool kit! You’re ready for the majority of home repairs and maintenance issues as well as a good handful of renovation and DIY projects!
Of course, if you run into a daunting project, make sure that you hire a professional to do the job for you. Safety is important and for things like electrical or gas work, it’s better to leave those things to the experts to keep yourself, your home, and your loved ones safe and sound. If you’re looking to hire a professional to provide a service, make sure to check out Locorum.
Locorum exists to support small, local businesses. You’ll find a huge database of local service providers, such as plumbers, electricians, HVAC experts, painters, and more! You’ll earn rewards when you choose to work with a local business. Check out verified reviews by other Locorum users. Once the job is done, you’ll get to load your rewards onto your physical Locorum Rewards Mastercard, which you can use at any locally owned business in this city!
