The top 5 beginner woodworking tools you’ll need to get started – plus a few honorable mentions! With these tools you’ll be able to get started building without having to spend a ton of money.
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I’ve been asked a lot about how I got started with woodworking and what tools I had in the beginning. When we first bought our house, I knew I wanted to start building furniture before we even closed. I had gotten a power drill and a circular saw from my mother-in-law the year before and was excited to finally have the space to start building. The first thing I built was a workbench and the second was our dining table.
When I built our dining table I only had the items on this list. Learning how to build this table with these simpler, beginner woodworking tools taught me so much about building furniture and that tools are an extension of your skillset. You can have all the tools in the store, but if you don’t know how to use them to problem solve, you’re not going to achieve the finished results you want.
That being said, it’s so beneficial to start with these tools and learn from them. Push yourself to create with them and once you expand your workshop, it’ll be all the more easy to step outside of the box and make the ideas in your head a reality for your space. So here are the tools that I started with:
1. Protective Equipment (Face Mask, Ears Plugs, and Eye Protection)
First and foremost, protection! You’ve got to have the proper protection when working with wood. Especially with power tools, you want to protect your ears, eyes, and lungs from harmful materials and dust particles. There are different types of masks, plugs, and glasses to choose from, so make sure they make sense for the project work you’re doing – I’ve linked the most common equipment used for woodworking to save you some time.
2. Cordless Power Drill
Whether woodworking or just needing to hang curtains, a cordless power drill is a staple tool that everyone should have. Unless you elevate past the basics and go straight into wood joinery that includes chiseling, you’re likely going to want a drill to put screws into your work and a cordless drill with sufficient power is key!
3. Circular Saw
The exhilaration of a circular saw definitely contributed to the power tool bug biting me and my falling in love with carpentry. This tool is smaller and more self-maneuverable than most saws, which means there’s precaution to be taken, but once you understand the safety protocol it’s really easy to use a circular saw to achieve so much.
4. Orbital Sander
You’ll definitely want to make sure you get an orbital sander. Manual sanding blocks are great, but you’ll spend a whole day trying to sand down a project when you could achieve the same results in 20 minutes with a powered sander. I also recommend an orbital sander, as some other sanders will make the nerves in hand feel funny after using it for more than 15 minutes at a time. Be gentle with yourself and get an orbital sander.
5. Kreg Jig Pocket Hole System
This little tool is amazing! When I discovered what pocket holes were, the game was changed! They give your work such a more finished, professional look by being able to hide all your screws. The basic pocket hole system is great beginners, but as you do more projects, you’ll find the K4 system to be helpful in speeding up your work.
Honorable Mentions
These additional tools are great no matter if you’re doing woodworking crafts or any home DIY. You’ve probably got a few of these in your home already so you’re basically half way there.
Tape Measure
This almost goes without saying that a tape measure is key to just about every project you’ll ever do (except this incredibly simple 8ft picture ledge). So having one is a necessity! You know what they say, “Measure twice, cut once.”
Hammer
The majority of people will have hammers whether or not they do woodworking projects. If you want to simply hang a picture, you’ll need a hammer so it’s good to have one around.
Wood Glue
Having wood glue is so incredibly helpful, especially when working primarily with nails to join your wood. I’ve done some smaller projects entirely with wood glue and clamps. It provides such a strong bond in your projects that it’s good to always have some on hand.
Clamps
Speaking of clamps, I recommend you buy at least 2 clamps that are 1ft, 2ft, and 4ft each. I honestly don’t think you can have too many clamps, but when getting started these 6 are going to be so helpful! You may not use them every project, but you definitely don’t want to be in the middle of a project and then realize you need them. You can find clamps just about anywhere you find building tools, but I’ve found the best, affordable clamps at my local Harbor Freight. So if you have one near you, go check them out and stock up.
Speed Square
Last, but certainly not least, is a speed square. I use this puppy to mark straight lines on lumber by hanging it on the edge of the wood. Also, when you’re building any furniture you want to make sure your corners are 90 degrees and even, so a speed square is great to have to check your angles. The last thing you want is to have a sloppy drawer or something.
These beginner woodworking tools are all I had when I started building furniture. As I got more comfortable with them and started adding more tools into my workshop, I still use every single tool on this list, just sometimes in different ways. Like I mentioned earlier, the tools are an extension of you and your ability to problem-solve. So check out my beginner projects and start building your skillset and get to making those ideas of yours a reality.
Are you on your way to start building out your workshop with these beginner woodworking tools and getting motivated to start building out your dreams? When you do, be sure to tag or DM me on Instagram or Pinterest @MelanatedMakerDIY
If you want more behind the scenes footage of this or any of the other projects, check out my Instagram @MelanatedMakerDIY