There’s no other shopping I love besides grocery and tools! Take me to a grocery store with a list of 4 items, I’ll come back with 10. Tools? I can always use this tool or that tool not to mention I’ll also probably need a new tool chest for storage.

Tools make our lives easier. Need to chop onions? Knives are great. Need to bring wood from the wood shed? Load up a wheelbarrow to eliminate 3 extra trips. Need to organize your contact list? Put it on a spreadsheet.

We use all sorts of tools in our everyday lives we don’t even realize. When we do, we take a moment to acknowledge the brilliance of those who came up with the idea. Seriously, what did people do before these inventions? I can only imagine.

Tools are essential in the building process. I mean sure, you probably don’t need a compound mitre saw, or a pneumatic nailer. Imagine cutting 2x10s with a handsaw, or hand nailing 6 – 3 ½” galvanized nails onto each stud. That’ll take a while and longer yet if you haven’t developed the proper sawing or hammer swinging skills.

If you are to embark on a building project, even a small one, here is a list of both hand and electric tools I recommend having in your arsenal as a beginner:

Hammer – What is building without a hammer? Even with the use of nail guns, carpenters are never without their hammers. There are multiple types of hammers but the 2 you’ll need the most are a finish hammer and framing hammer.

Finish hammers have a smaller head with a rounded claw. Used for finish work like trim or some cabinet work. The smooth face of the hammer protects your project from damages when you miss the nail. It is shorter, smaller, and lighter than framing hammers.

Framing hammers have longer shafts and can go up to 24 oz in weight for extra leverage and maximum striking force used for driving longer and thicker nails through lumber. They have a milled (rough) head for added grip so the hammer doesn’t slip while striking the nail head.

Measuring Tape – The most important tool in your toolbelt. We measure everything to ensure that everything fits perfectly and that everything is in its correct location. They come in metric, imperial and both. In construction, we use all of those units of measurements particularly inches/feet and millimetres/metres. Be sure you know how to read and go back and forth between the two. Always remember: Measure twice, cut once!!!

Speed Square – This square is actually a triangle, I know, doesn’t make sense. We use this to mark stud placement, mark angles, as a circular saw guide, and determine if 2 lines/pieces are “square” (a fancy way of saying perpendicular or 90° to each other). This tool is also used to mark the pitch of a roof. The pitch of a roof is the angle or the roof in relation to how much the roof goes up vertically in inches (rise) per 1 foot (12 inches) horizontally (run). Simply stated Pitch=rise over run.

Framing Square – Is also not a square. It’s like two different size rulers put together to form an L. Its uses are much like the speed square, only it has a table on it with a lot of roof math. It is also used for laying out the rise and run of stair stringers . Stringers are members that carry the treads of the stairs.

Level – I can’t stress enough the importance of a level. Levels are used to ensure everything is “level” (horizontal plane) and “plumb” (vertical plane). They also come in different lengths. Make sure you have at least a 4-foot.

Cat’s paw – Is an eraser of mistakes. Did you nail something in the wrong place? You can use a cat’s paw to dig into the wood and grab onto the nail head and leverage its claw to pull it out. It’s a very handy tool and as a beginner, you will make a lot of mistakes, so make sure you have one. Keep in mind though that it will tear off the face of the wood you’re pulling nails from, so don’t use this tool on a finished surface.

Circular saw – One of the most versatile cutting power tools out there. You can cut and rip any wood product with this tool. You can set the angle of the saw as well to make bevel cuts.

Impact Drill and Drill Driver – Used to bore holes and drive screws. Trust me, you will always find a screw somewhere – whether you need to put things together or take things apart. There will always be a screw.

Drill bit set – Is the yang to a Drill set. There are plenty of different types of bit sets depending on what you are trying to do. There are bits to make holes, and bits to drive screws. Make sure you establish 2 things before you buy a set of bits – What material are you trying to penetrate into and what type of screw head are you driving?

Is it a lot? Yes, and that is just the basic. There’s so many more tools out there I barely skimmed the surface.

Great news is that you don’t need to spend thousands of money to buy a tool that you might need a couple of hours learning how to use and might only need to use one time. We got an arsenal that we are proficient at using which makes building your home accurate and efficient.