Real Estate South West Florida

Ten Critical Tools You Need to Stock Your Toolbox


Every time I hang a picture or measure a window, I carefully place my toolbox back in its place: an inconvenient corner in the back of the closet, next to the ironing board, underneath the winter coats, and behind a cabinet. Because I cant actually see in the closet, the next time I go to take out my toolbox, I have to squat down and reach blindly past the ironing board, beneath the coats, and around the cabinet to lug it out. When am I going to learn that I use my toolbox on an almost daily basis?

A well-stockedand easily accessibletoolbox can make anyones life a little, be she a homeowner, renter, or college student. The ten most basic tools listed below will put you in the right direction on the path toward complete tool sufficiency.

1. Toolbox
Not one to overlook the obvious, I would like to point out that the toolbox itself is an essential element of a well-equipped toolbox. My first toolbox was actually a plastic tackle box with a removable tray. It worked like a charm, holding my claw hammer, Phillips head screwdriver and a random assortment of nails and screws. Now Ive graduated to a fancy toolkit made of molded plastic where all the various tools and accessories snap into a particular place. If, like me, there are certain tools you use once a decade, the molded plastic option at least gives you a clue of whether the missing tool is long and skinny or short and square.

2. Home Repair Manual
Although technically not a tool, a good home-repair manual can open doorsliterally! Peruse the selection in your local bookstore or check out some online reviews of the most popular ones. All repair manuals will have the same basic information, so base your decision on the wording that makes the most sense to you and the pictures that you find the most helpful.

3. Hammer
Most often used for driving nails and breaking things apart, the hammer typically consists of a handle and a head. The most essential hammer to have in your toolbox is the claw hammer, which is useful in both driving in and removing nails. Other implements in the hammer category include: framing hammer, upholstery hammer, ball-peen hammer, rubber mallet, wooden mallet, and sledgehammer.

4. Screwdrivers
Screwdrivers tighten or loosen screws by applying torque. The typical hand-held screwdriver has a head that engages the screw, a shaft, and a handle. Screwdrivers vary in both size and head shape, and are identified by the screw heads they are used to tighten or loosen. The most basic screwdrivers are the slotted and Phillipsevery toolbox should have a couple of each in varying sizes. Additional screwdrivers include: PoziDriv, Robertson, crosspoint, Torx, and Hex.

5. Pliers
Pliers are used to increase gripping ability and leverage. However, within this category, pliers can perform slightly different functions. Cutting pliers sever or pinch off materials. Gripping pliers, as described above, are pretty self explanatory and include flat nose pliers, round nose pliers, and needle nose pliers. Gripping pliers are the most common variety, and are a tool no toolbox is complete without. Finally, crimping pliers are used in electrical work to crimp electrical terminals and connectors.

6. Tape Measure
Although tape measures can be made of cloth, ribbon, or metal, most toolbox tape measures consist of a stiff metallic ribbon, housed in a plastic case, which is self-retracting but can also be locked into place. Twenty-five feet is a good, all-purpose length.

7. Saw
A saw is used for cuttingthe type of material to be cut varies with the saw. A saw consists of a serrated blade, handle, and can be powered by hand, steam, water, or electricity. For your basic toolbox, a relatively small hand saw may be all that is required for minor projects around the home. In addition to the hand saw, back saws have a thinner blade that is reinforced by a steel or brass back. Frame saws stiffen the blade by placing it in a frame. For example, a hacksaw is a frame saw.

8. Putty Knife
A putty knife has a flat, flexible blade. Rather than being used for cutting, a putty knife is useful foryou guessed it!scraping and applying putty. Not too much to describe about this simple tool, but I can tell you that its handy in many different situations, and one of the most inexpensive tools on the list. Why not get it?

9. Wrenches
A wrench is used to create additional leverage in turning nuts, bolts, or other stubborn items. The most basic wrench is an open-end wrench, which is a solid piece of metal with a U-shaped opening at one end that grips the sides of a nut or bolt. More advanced wrenches include: a box-end wrench, which features an enclosed opening and is typically used with nuts or bolts that are hexagonal in shape; an adjustable end wrench or Crescent wrench (so called after the original patent holders brand name, Crescent Tool and Horseshoe Company); a socket wrench, and the Hex key or Allen wrench.

10. Awl
An awl is a woodworking tool, very useful for starting holes before drilling. Quite simply, the scratch awl is a steel spike with a sharpened tip at one end and a handle on the other. In actual woodworking, a scratch awl is used for scribing a line to be followed by a hand saw or chisel.

Be wary of lenders who try to take advantage of you and give you a loan which you may not possibly be able to pay back.

Grown-ups Can Play with Mud Too: Three Basics to Know when Mudding Drywall

After installing and fastening your drywall, you need to move on to the taping and compound stage. This is an important stage because the final look of your walls will really be determined by how well you apply the mud or compound to your drywall.
Here are three of the most basic things you need to know about mudding drywall.
1. Know Your Compounds and Your Tools
Preparation is the key in anything, particularly in home improvement projects. Take the time to familiarize yourself with products and techniques before you begin a project will save time down the road and will also result in a better-finished project.
Jointing compound comes in both a powder and pre-mixed form. There are also different textures. Taping compound is coarse and should be used for the initial taping layer. Topping compound is much thinner and smoother than taping compound and should be used for finishing the surface. There is also all-purpose joint compound on the market, which is halfway between taping and topping compound in terms of both texture and thickness.
To apply the mud, you should be using taping knives. These tools come in different lengths and you should use one that is slightly longer than the previous one for each new layer.
At this stage, you also want to make sure that all of your nails and screws are properly sunk in and that none of them are sticking out. You check this by running a taping knife along the edges and seams. If you feel or hear anything against the metal, then you need to go back and sink the nail or screw further into the drywall.
2. Follow the Proper Steps
Mudding drywall is a four-step, four-day process. You need to make sure that you allow at least twenty-four hours of drying time between each application of compound.
You start with a taping layer. At this stage, you apply compound and then insert paper-jointing tape into the joins and then smooth with more compound. You also need to cover up all of the nail and screws with compound (ensuring first, of course, that they are properly sunk in). After completing the taping layer, your surfaces should be all filled and everything should be leveled.
The next step is to apply two layers of compound that will smooth out your surfaces. With each application youll want to use a taping knife that is one or two inches longer than the previous one. For the second and third coat, youll want to use a taping knife that is anywhere from seven inches to a foot long.
You want to try and apply the compound on the joint and then smooth it by stroking each side and then one last stroke right down the middle.
It can be tricky to apply this compound. Youll need to apply the mud in different thicknesses and with different pressure in different spots. When doing the side strokes, you want to apply more pressure to the outside of the knife, whereas when you do the center stroke, youll want to keep the pressure evenly distributed. This will take a bit of practice and a lot of patience.
The final coat is a finishing coat. This is where you will have to be most fussy to ensure a smooth finished product. Start by scraping a wide taping knife over the joints to ensure that all ridges and bumps are removed.
You can thin out the compound for this last stage. Some people do and some people dont it is just a matter of personal preference.
3. Have a Little Patience
When mudding drywall, the key is patience and consistency. Though you may be eager to get through this stage and on to the priming and painting, this stage is crucial and will make all the difference in terms of the appearance of your finished walls. You need to make sure that you leave the proper amount of drying time between coats. You also want to take the time to check for bumps and ridges between coats and then sand the room after your final coat. This sanding will smooth out any remaining little ridges. This can be a messy process so make sure you lay down plastic to seal off the room and also wear protective gear to eliminate the threat of eye and respiratory irritation.