Power tools can seem very intimidating. Purchasing the right ones even more so. It doesn’t have to be that hard! Here is the ultimate list of user-friendly, super easy-to-use, soon-to-be-indespensible tools of your DIY arsenal.
If you’ve seen some of the ambitious (read: slightly insane) renovation projects that we’ve taken on in this house over the past few years (I’m lookin’ at you, mudroom), then I’m sure you’d deduce that we probably have a fair number of power tools in our collection. Power tools kind of make our world go ’round over here. It’s funny though, because not all power tools are necessarily as useful as others and the bigger, fancier power tools aren’t necessarily the ones that really help get the job done when it comes down to it. I thought I’d share a little list of the power tools that have really made a big impact on our DIYing today. These are the tools that, once you own them, you find yourself thinking “Where have you been all my life?” You may have been able to get things done without them in the past, by why would you ever want to when they make life so much easier?! 🙂
This may seem like an obvious thing that every one should own, but I’ve seen more than one tutorial for DIY projects suggesting that you can complete them with “just a screwdriver”. Sure you could do that, but if you’ve been using a simple screwdriver for your DIY projects, a drill will make you feel like king (or queen) of the world!
Bonus Item – A handy Impact Driver set will work with any drill and has all the bits and drills you’ll need for most projects.
I bought one of these for Chris a couple of years ago when I got tired of him needing to haul the big air compressor all over the house for even the simplest trim work. Our brad nailer probably cuts our molding and trim time in half and it gets used constantly. Plus it’s fun! 🙂
You’ve probably seen more than a few TV infomercials about this type of tool over the years and that can really make these oscillating saws seem like they’re probably too good to be true. In fact, it turns out that they really are super handy to have around. We use ours a lot because of all the weirdness that comes up when you’re dealing with an old house. You never know when you need to be able to get into a really tight corner, or trim just a tiny bit off of something with incredible control and precision. Once you try one of these oscillating saws out, you’ll be surprised how often you reach for it.
Expensive table and mitre saw setups are staples in any master carpentry shop but an inexpensive circular saw can still accomplish any of these straight cuts that a DIYer might need to complete. Even better, a cordless circular saw is so super convenient when you need to power through jobs quickly.
Bonus Item – an inexpensive square will help you line up straight cuts every time.
A jig saw is such a useful thing to have, especially if you like to do DIY projects that are a little more fun and whimsical, or home decor-related. The possibilities for projects like creating your own outdoor holiday decorations are pretty much endless when you have a jigsaw ready to go in your workshop!
With all these tools in your workshop, it’s a great idea to stock up on extra batteries to keep you from having to slow down and wait for batteries to recharge during your projects. It’s a little thing, but it definitely makes a big difference when you’re trying to fit in all your DIY projects into an already busy schedule!
Pro Tip – Find a place in your DIY shop or home to leave your all chargers lined-up near a power outlet and ready to use so switching out batteries is quick and easy. Remember, Lithium batteries become ineffective at cold temperatures while storage at high temperatures will decease it’s life, make sure you find an area of moderate temperature, close to 15 degrees (59 F) to line-up your chargers and store your batteries.
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Courtenay Hartford is the author of creeklinehouse.com, a blog based on her adventures renovating a 120-year-old farmhouse in rural Ontario, Canada. On her blog, Courtenay shares interior design tips based on her own farmhouse and her work as founder and stylist of the interior photography firm Art & Spaces. She also writes about her farmhouse garden, plant-based recipes, family travel, and homekeeping best practices. Courtenay is the author of the book The Cleaning Ninja and has been featured in numerous magazines including Country Sampler Farmhouse Style, Better Homes and Gardens, Parents Magazine, Real Simple, and Our Homes.