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DIY Tools Evolution as You Become More Skilled

One skill most people lack is how to perform basic Do It Yourself repairs and maintenance for our homes. DIY tasks can range in complexity from beginner, intermediate and advanced. And this calls for DIY tools, from hammers through to table saws. 

If you’ve never undertaken a DIY project before, you probably wouldn’t know what tools suit what level of expertise. Lucky for you, this helpful article will share all about the best DIY tools for each level. Read on to discover more.

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DIY Tools by Level of Expertise

Basic DIY Tools For Beginners

Basic DIY Tools For Beginners

What DIY tools are best for beginners? It might help to begin by explaining what some beginner-level DIY tasks are. This level includes jobs like mounting a picture, putting up some shelving, fixing a wobbly table leg or replacing door hinges or handles.

Claw Hammer

For this level of expertise, you should acquire a few essential tools. The first one is a claw hammer. This simple tool is used to hammer in nails, and you can use the clawback head of the hammer to pry nails out of wood. It’s best to get one with a good grip so it doesn’t fall out of your hand.

Spirit Level

The following DIY tool to grab is a spirit level. You can use this tool to tell if something is sitting level, as you don’t want angled shelving or an off-kilter table.

It features a bubble of air inside a liquid medium, which will float in the middle if something is level.

Tape Measure

A tape measure is the next tool to get, which allows you to measure objects in millimetres or centimetres. This is useful if you need to measure if something will fit, such as a mounted shelf or a new piece of furniture for your living space.

Screwdriver Set

Finally, you’ll want a screwdriver set. It should contain a combination of different sizes of Phillips and Flathead screwdrivers, so you can screw and unscrew most types of screws.

Intermediate DIY Tools

Power drill as an Intermediate DIY Tool

Next up, let’s discuss the tools required for intermediate jobs. This includes painting, drilling holes, mounting cabinets, and cutting wood.

Powered Sander

Your first acquisition should be a handheld, powered sander. This versatile tool is essential for preparing surfaces, such as sanding a wall before a coat of paint or sanding your deck before oiling it.

You can get corded or battery-powered sanders. The battery is more user-friendly as you don’t have to worry about extension cords. However, you need to ensure that you charge the battery between uses.

Power Drill and Impact Driver

Next up is a power drill and impact driver. The power drill is used for drilling holes in all sorts of materials - from timber to metal and even brick or concrete.

Purchase a large drill bit set with this, so you’re covered for most jobs. An impact driver is similar to a drill bit and is used to quickly and efficiently drill screws or bolts in and out of objects.

Stud Finder

Your next purchase after that should be a stud finder. This handy tool allows you to locate stud wall frames behind the plasterboard. You use this to ensure that you mount a cabinet or shelf to the wall without it falling off and ripping the plaster off.

Power Saws

Finally, power saws, such as handheld circular saws or table saws, are an excellent purchase that will allow you to cut timber to all shapes and sizes.

Tools for Expert DIY Tasks

A man using a laser tape measure

Finally, let’s share some of the best tools for expert-level DIY tasks. 

Handheld Multitool

A handheld multitool is the first cab off the ranks here. It will come with various attachments, perfect for small, precise cutting jobs.

You can use it to cut back some trim to install a new bathroom vanity cabinet, demolish tiles for tile replacement jobs, remove rotting wood from a window, or even cut PVC or steel piping.

Handheld Jigsaw

Next up is a handheld jigsaw. This is another woodworking tool. However, it is best used for more minor, precise cuts that a power saw can’t handle. 

Laser Tape Measure

Finally, the following expert-level DIY tool to acquire is a laser tape measure. This is significantly more expensive than a tape measure but allows you to take measurements of hard-to-reach places, such as measuring your guttering before replacing it or installing gutter mesh.

A DIY Tool Savvy Summary

This informative article has shared the best DIY tools for three levels of expertise - beginner, intermediate and advanced. Slowly acquire these tools for a fully stocked tool set perfect for most DIY tasks.

About the Author Pat Moreno

Pat is our gardening tool expert here at Sumo Gardener. Working for many years as a private and commercial landscaper, Pat has used almost every type of gardening tool there is. Along with a vast knowledge for types of plants and putting together an amazing looking and maintainable garden, Pat developed a passion for gardening tools as he found that using the right tools vastly improved the ease and outcome of any landscaping job he undertook. When spending hours, days or years using a particular tool, you want to make sure you’ve got the best one for the job, and Pat is the right guy to guide us to the best gardening tools.

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