Young House Love

Home Decorating & DIY Tutorials

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Our Favorite DIY Tools

Here it is, the much requested post about our favorite DIY tools for all of you folks who are asking Santa for something tool-ish this year (or trying to figure out what to buy a handy guy or gal in your life). None of the items in this list paid us or perked us for the mentions, they’re just actually the tools that we use and love on the regular. So without further ado, let’s chat about the things that help us get ‘er done….

We previously wrote this post about a few things that we pretty much can’t live without (any of which would make great gifts/stocking stuffers), so here’s a quick summary since we’d be remiss to leave them out:

  • a hammer
  • a crowbar
  • a flat head screwdriver
  • a phillips head screwdriver
  • a tape measure
  • plumber’s putty
  • a hack saw
  • a drywall saw
  • clamps
  • liquid nails
  • plumber’s tape
  • a box cutter

Backsplash Cutting Top

  • an exacto knife
  • straight razors
  • channel lock pliers (these are our DIY MVPS, they come in handy for all sorts of things, even stripped screws and rusted pipes)
  • wrenches of all sizes
  • needle nosed pliers
  • a level
  • sandpaper
  • caulk
  • a caulk gun
  • spackle
  • a putty knife
  • painter’s tape
  • high quality rollers (they’re labeled for smooth or textured surfaces – so pick the right one for your walls)
  • mini foam rollers (great for painting furniture and even cabinet doors)
  • paint trays and drop cloths
  • high quality angled brushes (here’s my favorite paint brush ever)
  • an assortment of nails and screws

Tools All On Rug

If you have any questions about the items mentioned above, you can read way more on those specific small-ish tools right here. And for a breakdown of the items in the photo above, there’s this post. And I’d say if you’re staring at the screen saying “I can’t ask for/buy all of that stuff!” a cute gift idea might be grouping things that go together for a common project, like:

  • a level
  • a hammer
  • some picture nails and anchors and screws
  • some spackle and a putty knife (for filling in any mistakes along the way)

Or you could toss together a cute painting kit with:

  • rollers
  • brushes
  • painter’s tape
  • paint trays
  • a drop cloth (heck you could even wrap everything up in the drop cloth and tie it sweetly with twine)

But now let’s move on to the bigger guns – for anyone hoping to give (or receive) something with a little more power. Over the years we’ve tried some heavier artillery on for size…

Trim Sawing

… and let’s just say that power tools have a way of making us permasmile in that I-am-handy-hear-me-roar kinda way. So here are a few of our favorite staples (along with a quick bit about what we’ve used them for):

      • a miter saw (nice for cutting crown molding and baseboard – but also for cutting pretty much any board less than 8″ wide – it makes quick, clean cuts, both angled or straight)
      • a wet saw (awesome for doing backsplash or bathroom tile – and even cutting patio pavers)
      • a table saw (great for tackling large boards or planks of wood – especially when you need long straight cuts)
      • a reciprocating saw (nice for cutting out old dead bushes – it’s sort of like a mini chainsaw)
      • a jigsaw (good for smaller, not perfectly straight cuts, like demo-ing out the built-in around our old fridge)
      • an electric sander (awesome for refinishing furniture or smoothing any wood you’re using to build something from scratch)
      • a cordless drill and drill bit set (for drilling holes or screwing nearly anything together)
      • a Kreg Jig (for making pocket holes to create tight joints when doing any sort of wood working like building furniture or making shelves)
      • a demolition hammer (for demo-ing out nasty old tile stuck in metal mesh and mortar like we did in our first house’s bathroom – we actually rented one at a home improvement store, which is a nice way to save money if you won’t use something very often – plus you don’t have to store it)

Bathroom Demo 8

So any of those guys would make for a great gift. After all, a new bathroom/desk/wall o’ frames/kitchen/anything else you can make with those tools is right up there with any other “big” gift – at least according to DIY junkies like us. As for where we store everything, we have three large drawers in our kitchen full of small tools and paint supplies (currently sitting in our sunroom because we have yet to put the kitchen back together/reorganize) and we keep most of the big things (like the miter saw) in the basement.

Speaking of specific products and brands, we’re sure there’s more than one way to tick things off the ol’ to-do list, but here are the companies and some of the actual products that we use in our house on a regular basis:

      • Stanley makes great screwdrivers, tape measures, crowbars, box cutters, and mini sledgehammers
      • Craftsman makes great hammers
      • Black & Decker makes great cordless drills (we have this one)
      • Black & Decker also makes great sanders (we have this one)
      • Frog Tape is the best painter’s tape we’ve ever used
      • Sherwin Williams stores sell this awesome short handled brush that we love for painting trim
      • Purdy brushes and rollers (available at Home Depot & Lowe’s) are great for nearly every painting project (we love a good 2″ angled brush for cutting in & painting furniture and a nice good quality roller for walls & ceilings)
      • We have a Skilsaw table saw and a Skilsaw reciprocating saw
      • We got our wet saw at The Tile Shop
      • Our miter saw is made by Craftsman
      • Sears sells a set of wrenches that we’ve used for years
      • Grip Rite (available at Home Depot & Lowe’s) sells nice big boxes of screws, nails, anchors, etc
      • 3M sandpaper comes in a nice wide range (we like low grit versions, like 60-100, for deeper sandings and high grit alternatives, like 200-300, for smoothing things out for a finished look)
      • Dap Caulk is our favorite brand (we get the white paintable “Premium Indoor/Outdoor Sealant” for most jobs and the “3.0 Advanced Kitchen and Bath Adhesive Caulk” also in white – which isn’t paintable but is ideal for caulking a tub, toilet, or sink).
      • We also love Dap Fast ‘N Final Lightweight Spackle (for filling holes and all that good stuff – more on that here)

ChimneyShelves Spackle

As you can see, we don’t have a bunch of expensive DeWalt things – which is a nice reminder that you can gussy up your house without owning a $500 saw (and we also definitely believe in renting and borrowing anything that you can to get the job done). We don’t want this crazy exhaustive list to sound defeating, so remember that we started fixing up our first house five years ago with a hammer, a screwdriver, and a paint brush. Das it. So we don’t recommend trying to grab all of this stuff at once (ack, that would be crazytown). Just think about what projects you might have on your priority list and grab one or two things as you can afford them to make things easier as you go.

Anyway, I hope Santa (or someone else) brings you everything on your list this year! Assuming you were good. If not… well, maybe there are crafts you can do with coal? Oh and we’d love to hear more about your take on which tools get the most use at your house. Do you have any life-changing ones that you can’t live without? Are there certain brands or products that have been especially helpful?

Psst- Once again for the people in the back: no items/companies in this post paid or perked us for the mention, we just genuinely love these tools and wanted to share ’em with anyone in need of some holiday handy-ness. Oh and we announced this week’s giveaway winner. Click here to see if it’s you.

Update: You can check out all of our favorite holiday decor finds here – many of which are under $15! 

Comments

  3. Linda says

    Thank you for this! This will be a BIG help this year.

    I’m actually getting Ye Olde Husband a Dremel Saw-Max this year, and I’m super excited to give it to him! We seem to have all of the necessities we need, so something a bit bigger should be a good draw. :)

    xoxo Linda

    Reply

  5. Annette says

    What was the grout sealer you used in your old bathroom? And would that be good for doing a whole house – all the bathrooms, kitchen backsplash, and tile floors? We are moving into our newly built house next week and we want to seal all of the grout right off the bat. Thanks!

    Reply

  6. Susan says

    Great list! And, just a note in case anyone has a generous Santa in their life: those $500 DeWalt saws pretty much rock :) We use every feature on ours all the time.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We have three large drawers in our kitchen full of them (currently sitting in our sunroom because we have yet to put the kitchen back together/reorganize) and keep most of the big ones in the basement.

      xo,
      s

  8. Samantha says

    A cordless drill is on our Christmas list this year. I wanted a Black & Decker (mostly because I love orange, is that silly?) but my husband worked at Sears in high school and swears we need a Craftsman. Great to know that you guys love your B&D drill though, so we’ll be good either way!

    Reply

  9. GatorGirl says

    Where do you store all of these tools? Do you have a shop tucked away somewhere? You could make an interesting post on this!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We have three large drawers in our kitchen full of them (currently sitting in our sunroom because we have yet to put the kitchen back together/reorganize) and keep most of the big ones in the basement.

      xo
      s

  10. Liz says

    And a partridge in a pear tree!! Lol sorry couldn’t help myself! We love the spackle putty…VERY useful when you’re living in a rental!

    Reply

  11. jeanine says

    This is a great list!

    I would add that for the box cutter/xacto etc, to make sure the handle is made of metal, not plastic. Someone told me this when I was first buying one, I ignored the advice and had the handle snap on me. Not fun.

    Reply

  12. Lolo says

    My hubby would LOVE that pic of yours with all the tools….lucky for me, he has pretty much 2 of everything you have shown! He is a handy guy too :)

    One thing I did pick up for him this year for Christmas – The Drywall Tape Buddy! It was featured on DIY’s Cool Tools. It is a container that holds drywall mud while you feed in the drywall tape…that way when you go to put it on the seams it is already mudded perfectly :)
    He will be excited on Xmas morning!
    Thanks for sharing the goods :)

    Reply

  13. Meg@Keeping up with the Jenks' says

    Clara was totally asleep when you took that tool picture. right? I mean, that wouldn’t last a second in our house.

    P.S. I second the get what you need as you go. We started with the same 3 items (hammer, screwdriver, paint brush) and now have most of what ya’ll do (except for that Kreg, maybe that’s what’s next for us!)

    Reply

  15. Rachel says

    No Kregjig? I was hoping you would mention it and point out which would be the most versatile one (SO many options!!!) for a beginner–pocket system? The whole shebang? Would you mind sharing what is the best bang for your buck on that nifty little tool?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      The Kreg jig is in the big round up (the second one) along with a power drill and a miter saw! As for the best bang for your buck on the Kreg, we just got the basic $99 version with a few clamps and we love it!

      xo,
      s

  16. Mel says

    Thanks for the list! My engineering-student-baby-brother is getting handier and handier & I like to encourage that kind of thing!

    Also – I read “Purdy Brushes & Rollers” and immediately pictured brushes and rollers in bright colors or with neat designs on them. Chalk that one up to living the south too long (where purdy=pretty)…

    Reply

  17. Courtney says

    Great suggestions! All this inventory brought a question to mind–when you purchase tools and supplies (big and small), do you list them as business expenses?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Nope, we only write off things for blogging (like computers and web hosting). Anything for fixing up our house is just a personal expense since this is our primary residence (we’d never want to “zone” our house as an office since we’d owe lots of business taxes if we ever sold it).

      xo,
      s

  19. Firesparx says

    As a Canadian I must add a Robertson screw driver to the “necessity” list :o)

    We love our laser level. It’s one of those things that you don’t realize how much you would use it until you actually own it and use it all the time.

    Reply

  20. Veronica says

    Oh my goodness, So helpful! And it gave me a fun idea. Think I will do a “MAN” stocking for the hubby this year. Instead of the usual toothbrush and socks I think I will give him some of the smaller items, maybe a putty knife, level, tape measure, and a few other things! And the maybe spring for something a little bigger. HE is wanting to build us a King sized bed next year off ana-white.com. Maybe a Kreg Jig…. hmmm or maybe one of the saws…. off to research, price, and ponder :) Thanks for the great ideas!

    V.

    Reply

  21. Alison says

    “If not… well, maybe there are crafts you can do with coal?” BAHAHAHA, that was a pretty good one $herdog! You crack me up.

    Reply

  23. heather s. says

    Small typo: it is actually ‘Skilsaw’ not ‘Skill saw.’ I have a Bosch Litheon cordless drill/driver that I LOVE. I had a Black and Decker that died after a year and a Craftsman that died after six months.

    I really want a table saw so hopefully I’ll get one this year (maybe for my birthday!).

    Reply

  24. KLL says

    1) the #1 tool I use, which has changed my life, is the adjustable pliers I keep in my kitchen drawer to make opening arbor mist wine bottles a lot easier. (True story)

    2) I asked for one of those 4-in-1 tool set things for Christmas. There are several variations, but I asked for something with a drill, circular saw, and sander included. My father stopped short of ‘you’ll shoot your eye out’ but did ask if I’d prefer a nice saw that ‘didn’t move so fast’ first so I don’t cut off body parts. It’s nice to have his support ;)

    Reply

  25. Giulia says

    Do you purchase all your tools new? We probably own a big collection like yours, but we’ve been very lucky in getting things at the DeWalt restore for much cheaper, or buying off contractors on craigslist.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Many of them have been handed down, gone in on with family (ex: we paid halfsies for the wet saw so we could both use it) and requested for birthday/holiday gifts. The DeWalt ReStore sounds amazing. Never heard of it!

      xo,
      s

  27. Melissa says

    A PALM NAILER.

    webuilt a brand new 20×20 franken-deck last year and although I appreciate the old school guys and gals who can go to town with just a hammer, this little 65 dollar-ish tool (hooks up to your air compressor) was absolutely indispensable, with all the nailing one has to do to put up framing. We actually ended up borrowing one from a friend and buying one of our own so we could both be nailing at the same time.

    it allowed us to get the framing done MUCH faster. also it allows you to get into tighter spots when swinging a hammer just won’t fit.

    http://img2.timeinc.net/toh/i/g/BestNewTools_2007/palm-nailer.jpg

    Reply

  29. Teresa says

    I have a bunch of items on that list.. but I think I need to make a full list for the husband :) It’s like a kid in a candy store…all of those awesome DIY tools!! I think my husband might give me “that look” if I ask for tools for Christmas though. He just hasn’t caught the DIY bug that I did yet. Maybe my Christmas wish will be for him to totally be bitten by a DIY bug??

    Reply

  30. Jodi says

    A great list! Have you guys had any experience with the Ryobi cordless tool packs? They have been a lifesaver for us. We’ve done a lot of construction in our homes (my Dad is a contractor, so I learned from the best), some of it quite extensive (gutting and re-wiring an entire late 1800s New England house for instance). Those Ryobi tool packs have been invaluable! They aren’t expensive, work well (even with heavy duty abuse) and all fit into a neat little bag. If you’re in the market for a few tools at a time and live near a Home Depot, I think they are worth checking out (also a great gift idea for someone just getting started).

    Reply

  31. smith207 says

    We get many of our tools at estate sales- best deals out there if you can find one in your area.

    Also, to all of those DIYers this holiday season be carful with your power tools. My dad cut his arm practically off with a miter saw one Christmas when I was a kid. He took the guard off to get that perfect angle on a molding and sliced right down on his wrist. Four surgeries later and he is starting to feel back to normal again.

    Reply

  32. Tia says

    I know I have said this before, but $herdog you totally changed my life with the post about the angled brush instead of painters tape. It is SO MUCH EASIER than tape, and it looks so much better! Our new house needed just about every room painted and has coved ceilings with a dividing line rather than a corner. That angled brush has been my best friend!

    Reply

  33. Kim says

    Aside from the big items (which I’d LOVE to have), I do have most if not all of the smaller items – mostly thanks to my dad. He was a total DIYer in his time and worked on everything! He was an electrical engineer by trade, worked on cars, made-over our house years ago including tiling a wall with that faux stone that was big in the 80s (that took him several nights and weekends to finish) and putting up paneling, he even built a console tv from a kit (‘Heathkit’) that we had for YEARS! It even had a remote which was awesome for us little kids – it only turned it on, changed channels and volume, but it was life-saving I tell ya. When I moved out, my dad gave me some of his extra tools and showed me how to properly hang pictures (instead of just banging screws into the wall-haha). Thanks to my dad, when I met my husband – I was the one with all the tools and knew how to use them! Now I’m teaching my girls how to fix stuff on their own so they can do it when they have their own place. But I really would love some of those bigger tools – I was actually drooling thinking about a kreg jig and miter saw – maybe someday!

    Reply

  34. annabelvita says

    My boyfriend bought me a jigsaw for my birthday – I thought it was so romantic :) (I mean that, because it meant he listens!)

    I love the hammer my mum bought me because it was the first tool that was wholly “mine”.

    Reply

  35. Jaime says

    I love this list! I am crossing my fingers for a power sander this year. I’ve been very nice!

    I’m also loving that I can see your pictures again from what is most definitely not my work computer *wink.* I don’t know what happened, but I could them, then I couldn’t! No we are back to business. Yea!

    Reply

  36. Kate says

    My parents got my husband and I some small hand tools, an electric drill, and a reciprocating saw two years ago, and this year they got us a miter saw and my husband is getting me a Kreg Jig for my birthday (also in December). I love tools for gifts!

    Reply

  37. Kat@Withywindle says

    I think it’s worth mentioning that all Craftsman tool have a lifetime guarantee, so even if something breaks in 45 years – you can get a new one from Sears – no receipt needed!

    (And yes, we have actually had to take advantage of this. Since when do tools break?)

    Reply

    • Kate says

      Actually, it’s not everything that’s labeled Craftsman, but it’s at least all hand tools. For example, the miter saw I got is Craftman but it only has the standard 1 year warrenty against defects.

      My mom has a funny story about one of her (still very close) friends trying to use a screwdriver to pry open something during college and actually bending the screwdriver. The guy at Sears just shook his head and sighed and handed him a new one.

  40. Kathy says

    Thank you for this list! We have a lot of small things but none of which are very good. I always have a hard tine when I go to Hone Dept or Lowes and need to buy something like putt or spackle. I’m going to put a paint package together for my Mom this Christmas. We borrowed and ruined a lot of her paint supplies this year. Plus it was really old and she deserves something better!

    Reply

  42. jess says

    What a great list! I have a beau with a b-day coming up, and I believe I’ll be purchasing a Dremel tool kit and some clamps (he loves them). Love me some DeWalt tools though (love the 18V drill)! Mike Holmes’ favorite too! Even I can use it (very tool illiterate)

    Reply

  43. Shannon Hoving says

    My most useful tool? Google. We’re restoring a 1940’s era Cape Cod by gutting and renovating one room at a time, and Google has saved us sooo many times when we’ve had those uh-oh moments.

    Reply

  44. Heather says

    A staple gun! Handy for the odd renovation job and quick upholstery projects. :) Some even use small nails instead of staples.

    Our most used tool is our cordless drill. Get the kind with 2 battery packs! There’s nothing worse than waiting for it to charge mid job! We also bought attachments to convert it to a sander (for quick jobs) and a mixer. So versatile.

    Reply

  46. Angela says

    Sherry this is completely unrelated to this post but I was thinking of you last night… I had my first experience with a sewing machine and came VERY close to tears several times (I may have thrown a few small items in frustration…) I had the crazy idea that I could sew all the napkins for my wedding (they’re turning out amazing but I’m not quite sure if it’s worth it yet!) My mom is helping me and she’s my only saving grace.
    I’m going back in tonight with fresh determination, so wish me luck! :)

    Reply

  48. Lisa says

    thank you for such a comprehensive list. I love tools!!! I’m wondering if you have or could make a list of your favorite DIY/Craft tools. I’m sometimes at a loss about what products are the best to use.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Hmm, I think I get by with good scissors, a needle and thread, wire, fabric, an exacto knife, twine, card stock, a staple gun, small craft brushes, acrylic paint, a sewing machine, Mod Podge, and Aileen’s Tacky Glue. But it definitely depends on the project!

      xo,
      s

  49. Amanda says

    My little guy (4) really wants a tape measure for Christmas…one that looks like Daddy’s, not like a toy one, a “real” one. I’m all for this, except I don’t want him snapping his fingers off. I don’t suppose you have lots of tape measure experience or ideas for me? :)

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      I would just look at a bunch in person to see which ones release faster (we have a slow release on that Clara plays with but it doesn’t have a brand name on it for me to pass along!

      xo,
      s

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