It’s hard to drive a nail with the heel of a platform shoe (come on, you know you’ve tried it!). This is where the hammer comes in. But in order to have an effective toolbox, ready to handle any household repair that comes your way, you need much more than a hammer and a screwdriver. Some companies try to market “women’s tool kits” with dainty little pink-handled accoutrements. Don’t buy them just because they’re pink! You’re doing a real job – and you want the right tools.
Claw hammer. There are several different types of hammers, sorted according to their weight and function, but this one is the best all-purpose. It’s specially designed for nailing: both putting in and pulling out. But you don’t want a little tack hammer; it’s not tough enough to tackle too many jobs. You want a heftier sixteen-ouncer.
Nails. For general use, purchase common nails (it’ll say that on the box; “common” is actually a type of nail) or box nails. For cabinets and woodwork, you’ll need finishing nails. The difference between these types of nails is all in the head: finishing nails have a very tiny head, while common and box nails have broader heads designed to stop the nail at the surface of the wood.
Screws. Screws hold better than nails. Besides that, they’re differentiated from nails by two things: the slot in their head, and their ridges, called “threads.” The most common types of slot on a screw’s head are straight slots (one groove that runs across the diameter) and Phillips (two grooves that make a cross design in the center of the head). Two tips about using screws: one, you can avoid splitting the wood – an error that commonly occurs when you’re drilling screws – first drill a “pilot hole” slightly smaller in diameter than the screw you’ll be using. Two, putting wax or paraffin on the threads of a screw will make it go in easier.
Screwdrivers. You’ll need two types of screwdriver tips to go along with the two types of screw: Phillips and standard (a.k.a. straight). Ideally, you should have more than one of each. Shorter screwdrivers are better for working in tight spaces, and long ones give better turning power.