Tools and Materials

A look at a new ratcheting screwdriver, the Master Mechanic Swift Driver.

Review of the Poulan 16" Electric Chainsaw.

A review of Valspar Bonding Primer.

Ryobi tools are the quintessential DIY tools: inexpensive, highly functional, and found nearly everywhere. It's because of Ryobi that many homeowners possess an 18v cordless drill, cordless reciprocating saw or circular saw, or a wet saw.

Review of the Ryobi ONE Plus 18V Compact Drill Kit.

Do you really need a Ryobi Tek4 Inspection Scope? Find out.

Review of the RYOBI TEK4 4 Volt Cordless Screwdriver.

Our profile of the Ryobi 18 Volt Impact Wrench P260.

What's the state of cordless tools today? We spoke to Jason Swanson of Techtronic, which owns Ryobi and Ridgid, about this question.

Review of Ridgid 12v Lithium-Ion Drill/Jobmax Combo.

Is the Ryobi Tek 4 laser level worth purchasing? Find out in our review.

Review of Accubrush MX and XT Paint Edger Tools

In praise of one of the best tools around: the rubber mallet. While the rubber mallet is not the most essential tool in the world, it’s sure nice to have…and here’s why.

We cast a critical eye on the Rockwell Jawhorse. Is this Jawhorse worth purchasing?

Drywall screws are the new duct tape: their usage extends far beyond their original intent. But you may be surprised to hear that you can actually use drywall screws for hanging drywall.

Let's find out basic drywall screw lengths, threads, and brands that can help you install drywall on your next home remodeling project.

Check out our review of Scotch Tough Duct Tape and see if Scotch duct tape is right for you.

Find out about the rotary laser level and how it can help your DIY home remodeling.

We test the Ryobi 7" Wet Tile Saw WS730 for you, letting you know if this Ryobi tile saw is worth the cost.

Check out our Sears Craftsman Cordless Drill review. In it, we review the 20v Lithium Ion Cordless Drill from Sears.

Cooper 250 Watt Halogen Worklight

What is a lally column and how can you use lally columns in your home remodeling projects?

Is it safe to burn MDF? What happens if you burn MDF?

What are the world's best tools? Give us your opinion!

What are the best tools for your workshop? Learn about the best tools - and specifically, the best power tools - for home remodeling and renovation.

Need a roof calculator, siding calculator, or tiling calculator? Check out our online remodeling calculator round-up!

Want to remove the caulk plug that forms at the end of a tube of caulk? How about avoiding it in the first place?

World's Worst Tools

How can you make an instant lock washer when you have run out of "real" lock washers? It's easy if you know the trick.

Follow us on our countdown of the world's 5 worst tools. Bad tools abound in home renovation, and we cover them here.

Read a review of the Skil® Lithium Ion 18V 5 3/8” Blade Cordless Circular Saw Model 5995 and 5996. Find out if the Skil® Lithium Ion 18V 5 3/8” Blade Cordless Circular Saw Model 5995 and 5996 is right for your shop.

Get a review of the Skil® Lithium Ion 18V Cordless Reciprocating Saw Model 9350 here. Find out if the Skil® Lithium Ion 18V Cordless Reciprocating Saw Model 9350 is right for your shop!

Get a review of the Skil® Lithium Ion 18V 1/2” Cordless Drill/Driver Model 2895. Find out whether the Skil® Lithium Ion 18V 1/2” Cordless Drill/Driver Model 2895 is right for your tool shop.

Here's an honest-to-goodness Skil® Lithium Ion 18V Cordless 4-Tool Combo Kit review. Find out everything you wanted to know about the Skil® Lithium Ion 18V Cordless 4-Tool Combo Kit.

We take a view look at a much improved version of the magnetic stud finder - the Magic Stud Finder. More than a mere magnetic stud finder, and more accurate than an electronic stud finder, the Magic Stud Finder does a nice job at finding those elusive studs.

Are you ready to step up to a cordless nailer? Cordless nailers are not right for everyone (maybe it's not the right time for you). Choose a cordless nailer based on your needs, not your desires.

Sawzall is both a reciprocating saw made by Milwaukee Tools and a generic term. Sawzall is often applied to all reciprocating saws.

Read our review of the Makita 18 Volt Lithium Ion 1/2" Compact Drill/Driver kit. Is this Makita cordless drill worth purchasing?

Making your own wood putty is not so much a money saver but a way to (nearly) perfectly match your existing wood. Find out how.

Can you find a decently priced cordless drill? The Hitachi cordless drill kit (12 Volt Ni-Cad 3/8" Cordless Drill Kit) delivers. Read our review of the Hitachi cordless drill kit.

In praise of one of the best tools around: the rubber mallet. While the rubber mallet is not the most essential tool in the world, it’s sure nice to have…and here’s why.

Want a product "tour" of all the best cordless power drills, reciprocating saws, grinders, nailers, circular saws, and vacuums out there?

What is a nail set and how is a nailset used in finish carpentry?

Find out if a paint sprayer is right for your job. Paint sprayers can cover side areas in a short amount of time, but there are problems involved, too.

Using a chalk snap line is one of the best ways to "draw" a line between two points, without using a ruler.

We take a close look at one of the cheaper miter boxes on the market, the familiar yellow Stanley miter box and saw combination.

Tack cloth is one of those amazing, cheap things you can buy that makes your painting project turn out so much better. Learn about tack cloth and how to use it.

Describes the function of a wet tile saw, and informs the DIY home renovator about options for buying or renting a wet saw.

A cornucopia of drill bits, spades, sockets, and other goodies in the Black & Decker 150pc Accessory Set Project Kit. Do you get what you pay for?

The Black & Decker 17-Piece Drill Bit Set is the most common and possibly cheapest way to buy a semi-complete set of drill bits for general use. Let's see whether it is worth the purchase.

What better way to learn interior painting than these crisp, succinct videos from About Home Renovations? Supercharge your learning in these instructive installments!

Find out if it's worth laying down your hard-earned cash for the Black & Decker 14.4 V Cordless Drill.

Belt sander or orbital sander? Orbital sander or disk sander? What's the difference? Learn here.

Let's take a look at the venerable Black & Decker Mouse Sander/Polisher and see if it can help you with your home remodeling projects.

Choosing the wrong grit - or "grade" - of sandpaper can either result in destruction of your project, or at the very least, extreme frustration. Everything hinges on choosing the correct grit of sandpaper.

Propane torches, heat irons, and heat guns are effective treatments in preparation for hand-scraping woodwork.

Wonderboard is the brand name for a cement backer board for wet applications, mostly under tile? What is Wonderboard, and is it any good?

Anchor screws should be used for hanging heavy objects on a wall, such as a large picture or a mirror. These allow you to hang items virtually anywhere, without having to sink the screw into a stud.

Why do you need a miter box and saw? And why, in the age of cheap power miter saws, would you need a manual miter box and saw?

A nice--but not essential thing--for a DIY home renovator to have on his or her tool bench is a reciprocating saw. Find out what a reciprocating saw is good for--and why it's not absolutely essential, too.

Framing hammers are not typically found in the DIY toolbox, but it may be worth the investment if you are serious about home renovation.

Want power when cutting through pipes and heavy timbers? Consider the Makita JR3070CT Reciprocating Saw. See full product review.

Does the Little Giant Ladder--a staple of late-night infomercials--really work? Check out our Little Giant Ladder review.

What's a microlam and how does it fit into your home renovation plans?

Ripping wood on a table saw is one of the very reasons you bought a table saw in the first place. But how do you rip wood on a table saw and do it safely, too?

I set up the ZipWall barrier system to see how well it prevents construction dust from infiltrating the rest of the house.

Review of an unusual new flooring product--Puzzle Floor.

One of the cheapest ways to find a stud.

Blue tape--a special kind of masking tape that will save you much time and effort when painting interior surfaces.

An overview of a critical tool: the caulking gun.

Critical to many plumbing jobs, including garbage disposal installation.

Check out the parts you'll be using when installing a garbage disposal.

A handy, inexpensive little device that may save your life.

Next to the hammer and saw, one of the most indispensable tools you can own.

Check out our RIDGID Shop Vacuum Review for the Ridgid WD0670 vac.

Is the Stanley® FatMax® Retractable Utility Knife any good? Check out our review of this utility knife from Stanley.

Think you need a jab saw? Here are the various uses for jab saws, cutting drywall being at the top of the list.

A review of the Arrow T50 Staple Gun.

Review of the Werner Extension Ladder 16'.

Can you paint OSB? Excellent question; glad you asked. Let's look at whether OSB--or, oriented strand board--can be painted.

Find out the easy way to read a tape measure, even if you hate math.

Let's look at twin blade saw basics with the 5 inch saw from RIDGID.

Got an old house? Then you need a lead paint test kit on hand. We look at the D-Lead Paint Test Kit.

I feature a nifty new product called PaintSmart-Trayz that helps you paint with a roller on a ladder.

Klein Side Cutting Pliers are a bit pricey. Are they worth the cost? Read our review of Klein Side Cutting Pliers and find out.

Have you had safety problems with the Ridgid 10 Inch Compound Saw? I have.

Readers weigh in on the issue of safety problems with RIDGID power tools.

Here's your guide to 9 basic tiling tools you should purchase upfront if you expect to do any significant tiling on your home.

A review of the Lehigh/Crawford 3 in 1 Tool Holder

A paint brush comb? Are you serious? Yes, a paint brush comb is the best way to keep your paint brushes clean and extend their lifespan.

A important investment in painting supplies is the canvas dropcloth.

If you have any serious painting project lined up, you need to use masking film to cover windows, doors, and more. Find out about masking film.

Review of Easy Mask® Tape & Drape™ masking film.

A list of essential painting supplies for interior and exterior painting.

A review of 21' QuickMask Masking Film.

A review of the 8 lb. B.A.S.H. Sledge Hammer (which stands for Big Ass Sledge Hammer).

A review of a pro-level paint sprayer that's right for consumers, too: the HomeRight Power-Flo Pro Piston Pump Sprayer>

Featured: Hart brand framing hammers in both hickory and steel handle versions.

Here is a list of tools for cutting tile: rail tile cutters, nippers, wet tile saws, and more.

Why use just one method when you can have a whole arsenal for removing exterior paint?

Review of Homeright's heat gun, the Heat Pro Deluxe II.

We test and review the Bosch Laser Distance Measurer GLM 50.

If you're in the market for a multi-tool, check out our review of the Bosch Multi-X Oscillating Tool Kit first.

The Bosch D-Tect is truly the Rolls Royce of wall scanning technology. How does it work in the real world?

Read our review of the relatively light-weight and low-power Clean Force 1400 PSI Electric Powered High Pressure Washer.

A collection of reviews and a mostly overall condemnation of the sorry state of Ridgid tools.

What's the best studfinder? We take a look at UWB, magnetic, and dielectric constant studfinders.