Starting DIY in your home can be daunting. However, today I am going to tell you about my top four power tools, that every beginner needs to start their DIY career. These are some of my favorite products that I hope everyone loves. I wanted to choose items that would help you build the most projects with the least amount of tools.
1. Nail Gun
The first tool I want to tell you about today is a nail gun. This practical tool will aid you in applying wall accents, nailing furniture pieces together and so much more. They will get every task done fast and efficiently! My 18-gage Ryobi nail gun runs for about $100, however, the higher-end nail guns can be in the multiple hundreds. For a beginner, I think Ryobi and Hart Tools are great, and practical for every DIY project. They are not only affordable but also good-quality nail guns. My 18 gage is very universal. I have loved using it to build beautiful furniture pieces and apply all kinds of projects to my walls.
2. Jigsaw
The second item I believe every beginner needs is a jigsaw. A jigsaw is very different than any other saw because of its affordability and it moves around easily. You would find this tool most useful when applying shiplap to your walls because you will run into outlets or doors where you will need to cut rectangles to fit each piece perfectly to your wall. This tool will assist you in all of your home projects. It does take time to master so be patient during this process! Jigsaws range in prices from $50 to $200, so it just depends on what is in your price range. I use a Ryobi Jigsaw, that is not cordless, so if you are looking for something cordless you might need to increase your budget.
3. Circular Saw
The third tool I recommend is a circular saw. These saws are great for beginners because table saws can be very intimidating. Most beginners find table saws to be intimidating as this tool is a little more dangerous and can easily chop off a finger or two if not used with caution. Table saws are still intimidating to me, which is not always a bad thing. It gives me respect for the machine and allows me to air more on the side of caution.
That is why I wanted to recommend a circular saw. These saws can do almost everything a table saw can do with less risk. These saws are very user-friendly and beginner-friendly, as well as being much more affordable. I use a cordless Ryobi circular saw with a Kreg jig attachment guide. My saw can cut up to two feet wide, however, if you are looking for a saw that cuts more you can find other attachments.
Along with my Ryobi and Kreg Jig, I also use a 2-inch insulated foam board that costs about $25. When I use my circular saw, I lay the foam board down first, then my piece of wood, and then I put my saw on top. Another reason I love circular saws is that you can also use them to cut at different angles. The Kreg jig I use runs for about $30 and the Ryobi circular saw I have is about $50-$75 and is cordless.
4. Miter Saw
The next tool I recommend is a Miter saw. I use a 12-inch compound sliding miter saw. A sliding miter saw slides back and forth allowing you to create long cuts. I recommend opting for a sliding saw because it is not that much more expensive and gives you more leeway to make bigger cuts on larger pieces of wood. You can get smaller miter saws, however, I love the 12-inch saw. Originally, I had bought the 10-inch but I ended up returning it because I knew I would benefit more from the 12-inch saw. My 12-inch miter saw was about $270 but if you are hoping to not break the bank you can always opt-in for the smaller sizes.
Bonus Tool! – Pocket Hole
Even though these are my top four power tools for every beginner DIYer, I do have one more tool that would complete every toolset. A pocket hole. This is a great tool that will help you build a lot of furniture, attach corners, create hidden pockets, and much more. This tool will only run you about $40-$15, so they are super affordable. Another thing I would recommend to my fellow DIYers are new blades for all of your power tools. When you get a new tool, the blade is typically very dull and coarse. This means that the blade shreds up wood versus a clean cut with a nice finish.
I use a Diablo Blade or a Spider Blade with a fine-tooth finish on all of my power tools. Even though I recommend this to fellow DIYers, it is an investment. For my miter saw blade, I spent about $50 so I would keep that in mind when purchasing new blades for each power tool.
I hope you find my top four power tools helpful when beginning your DIY projects. With these four tools you will be set up for success and you will be able to create so many projects with these four core tools.
