There are certain drywall hand tools that are essential for any do it yourself-er or professional. But if you’re in the business of doing it for a living, then you already know that so this really isn’t directed at you. This brief article on drywall tools is just a quick look at what every home owner should have in their tool arsenal and here is why. It’s almost inevitable that sooner or later you’ll need to do some type of repair to the walls in your home and if you have the right drywall hand tools out in your toolbox, you’ll save yourself a lot of time and frustration.
So with that said, let’s jump into some of the Drywall Contractor Sacramento tools that you might need.
One of the essential tools is naturally a taping knife or also referred to as a finishing knife. These can range anywhere from 2 inches up to 14 inches but for most uses having one or two of the smaller sizes will do just fine for most of the repairs around the house.
Always choose a knife that is made from stainless steel as these will usually last the longest. Also be sure to choose one that fits comfortably into your hand if you have to use it for any length of time. Another feature that you want to look for with these types of hand tools is at the end of the handle or what is commonly referred to as the knife hammer. Look for solid construction and a decent size striking area. This saves you from having to carry around any other tools when you’re doing your repairs.
Next on the list of must have drywall hand tools is a container for your mud. After all, it’s a whole lot easier working out of a mud pan than a small plastic container or a 5 gallon bucket of drywall mud. You can find these in either stainless steel or plastic ranging in various sizes starting around 10 inches in length. The only recommendation on these tools is to look for mud pans that have no interior seams. These can be a headache to clean.
Once you have your repair done now comes the most fun part of all and that’s the sanding. OK, maybe some of you are cringing a bit at that as it really can be quite messy. Depending on just how involved you want to get, there are various tools ranging from the most simplest sanding disks up to complete vacuum type systems to catch all of the dust you create. And yes, you will create dust with even the smallest drywall repair so be prepared ahead of time.
Now some of the other drywall tools that you might want to consider would be a good quality T-square, a jab knife for cutting and a good quality razor knife for your initial scoring. One thing to remember when you start your hunt for these tools is to look for quality over price. Quality drywall hand tools will last you a lifetime and perform each time that you may have to use them.