Five Beginner Power Tools Every Fixer Upper Needs- Plus Bonus Printable Tool Shopping Guide

Friends are often asking Mike which  tools they need for projects. Sometimes they ask me too, but I just give them a blank confused stare, refer them back to the husband, and continue looking at pretty things.  I do know that the right tools are important, I mean they must be since there are sooo many in my garage. I asked Mike to write a shopping list to help you be the best Fixer Upper you can be.   He also made you an easy printable list of power and hand tools to bring with you to the store.  There are many more power tools, but Mike says these are the best five to start with and relatively easy to operate.  Here is his list of Five Beginner Power Tools for Every Fixer Upper.

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Drill and Impact Driver

Great versatile tools for drilling, tightening screws, and heavy duty bolt tightening.  Battery pack makes it easy for quick applications without the worry of cords. I’ve used this on every reno project I’ve done including installing the vanity in our master bath remodel.

Circular Saw

The circular saw is your go-to for ripping planks, 2×4’s or cutting down plywood, My advice is to get the corded version, the battery pack option, although they have their place, tend to not sustain the power needed to move through long rips and cuts.  Also, spend the money to get a good blade like a Diablo, It makes all the difference in the world.  There are so many uses for this saw , it was great for creating the wood wall in our dining room.

 

Jigsaw

When you need to cut curves in wood or metal, the jigsaw is the perfect tool. Like the Valentine’s Day Heart Heather gave away on the blog.

Oscillating Multi-tool

This tool is great for many things and I highly recommend getting one.  Good for cutting out difficult pieces of trim without removing the entire piece, flooring applications, cutting out a single broken tile easily, small and detailed sanding applications and more. You can sand in tight areas with this, like the trimwork on the Farmhouse Style Headboard in our Guest Room.

 

Orbital Sander

When it comes to DIY and Wood working, you will always be sanding something.  The Orbital sander will become your best friend, to make easy and faster work when it comes to sanding your projects. I use it on almost every project, like the Farmhouse Shelves I built for Heather’s office.

 

 

So there’s Mike’s power tool list, I hope that was super helpful for you. To make your life even easier we made a printable shopping list for you and also included 11 hand tools Mike thinks are essential for you to own. This is a great list to bring to the store or to circle what you want and leave as a hint for family 😉
Below  you can download our free printable shopping guide with five power and 11 hand tools every fixer upper needs. You can print it or save it to your phone.