Nov 16, 2013

DIY Master-class – Essential Tools (a guest post)

Interior design isn’t all window treatments and wall coverings. Choosing the right colours and textures for your room is extremely important, but the skill to carry out your designs is vital, especially if you don’t have the money to hire a professional. The array of tools and equipment in the average hardware store is overwhelming but with a little background information you can make sure you have the right kit for any design job.


The Mitre Saw – For furniture making projects, shelf installation and anything else where you need accurate straight line cutting in large volumes, a mitre saw is your best friend. Automatic saws are faster and far more accurate than the manual version; blades are less likely to flex and bend, and you don’t have the problem of changing pressure and angle as your arm gets tired. A mitre saw is probably the most expensive tool in the DIY tool kit, but it is well worth the investment. Make sure you do go for a quality tool such as this Dewalt, available online at Elcocks – this is not the area to economize.


The Electric Drill – It goes without saying that an electric drill is superior to a manual one, but not all drills are made equal. Small, lightweight drills are great for craft working, but for serious DIY projects you need a decent quality drill. Opt for one that comes with a full range of drill bits, and if possible one that doubles as an electric screwdriver. Make sure you don’t buy one without checking the weight; if it is too heavy for you to hold up then it is useless to you. If it takes two hand, you don’t want to buy it – you need a hand spare for steadying and holding. In the case of a drill, it is the quality of the drill bits themselves where you don’t want to economise; you can afford to pay a little less for the drill itself. 



The Jigsaw– The fact is, sawing is not always about the straight line, especially when it comes to interior design as opposed to simple DIY. The ability to cut wood and plastic into specific shapes can transform a simple piece of furniture into a style statement. Because it is such a popular tool (and often used by people in place of a mitre saw, though this is not recommendable if you want a truly accurate straight edge) choosing one of good quality requires a more detailed guide. That said, it is an essential tool for anyone serious about DIY.

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