Home tips

Southern Living, Jan 1999 by Joyner, Louis

Basic Tools

As a trip through the local hardware store will show, there are literally thousands of tools to choose from. But for most home maintenance and repair jobs, you can get by with just a few. If you are starting out in your first home or apartment, begin with these basic tools and add more specialized ones as you need them. Even if you have a full complement of tools squirreled away in the garage or basement, consider getting a second set of these frequently used tools to keep handy in the kitchen or in the hall closet.

Here are our suggestions for the essential tools.

QUALITY COUNTS

With a little care, a quality tool should last decades. For instance, I bought my last hammer in 1977. It has seen me through repairs and remodelings, and, though scarred, it is still as good as new. But it wasn't a cheap hammer. I paid $6 or $7 for it; a comparable one would sell for around $22 today. At any rate, that hammer has cost less than $1 a year to own.

I could have bought a cheap hammer 20 years ago. But I doubt it would have lasted, and I

Hammer

From hanging pictures to framing a new deck, a hammer is an indispensable tool. Although there are different sizes and types for specialized jobs, a claw hammer is the most versatile. You can use it to drive the smallest brads or to pound in 16d framing nails. A 16-ounce hammer will work well for most jobs. If you'll be doing a lot of framing, opt for the heavier 20-ounce hammer because it is actually less tiring to use when driving large nails. Choosing a traditional wood handle or a fiberglass one is a matter of personal preference. Expect to pay $18 to $24 or more for a good hammer.

Screwdrivers

You'll need these for most assembly jobs. Because you will encounter both standard slotted screws and Phillips screws, you'll need both kinds. And you'll need a couple of sizes of each. Slotted screwdrivers are measured by the width of the blade. A 3/16-inch, -inch, and 5/16-inch set should cover most home jobs. Phillips screwdrivers range in size from #0 (the smallest) to #4. For home use, a #1, #2, and #3 should cover most situations. Remember to match the width of the screwdriver blade to the slot in the screw to give maximum torque in driving the screw and to minimize the chance of the screwdriver slipping out and damaging the screw head or the work surface.

Expect to pay $4 to $6 each for good screwdrivers. You can often find screwdriver sets that are a good value-but avoid cheap ones. Whatever you do, never use a good screwdriver to pry open paint cans. It will damage the blade. would have been frustrated for 20 years, trying to use a poorly made, ill-balanced tool.

Think of your tools as long-term investments. Buy the best quality tools you can afford and take care of them. Use them for what they were designed and don't abuse them. You'll save money in the long run. And you will be rewarded with the pleasure of using quality equipment for a long, long time.

Tape Measure

How big is it? Where is the center of the wall? Will this rug fit? All these questions and more can be answered with a good tape measure. A 25-foot tape will accommodate most home projects. A name-brand 25-foot tape will cost $10 to $20. You may want to add a more compact 12-foot tape ($8) for smaller jobs. Even with shorter tapes, buy as wide a blade as possible. The wide blades are stiffer and less likely to collapse just as you are trying to take a measurement.

As with any tool, it pays to stick with one of the major brands. The tape will last longer and you'll be able to get replacement blades.