5 Essential Tools to Get Started Making Furniture and Other DIY Projects

It can be intimidating looking at prices for tools when you’re not sure if you actually need them or not. If you are just getting started woodworking and need an idea of what kinds of tools you will need, read the list below!

SUPER IMPORTANT: Always make sure you read the user’s manual on how to safely operate your tools, and always make sure you are wearing proper PPE (personal protective equipment) such as safety glasses, masks, and gloves. See my post about important PPE here.

 *This post contains affiliate links at no extra cost to you. View my full disclosure here. 

1. Circular Saw:

This power tool is great when you have limited space. A circular saw does not take up very much room, and you can cut down big sheet goods fairly easily. With a circular saw, you can make almost any kind of cut that you can make with a table saw or a miter saw, with just a few exceptions. There are all kinds of accessories that you can get to help make using your circular saw a little bit easier, but all you really need is something to guide your saw to make a straight cut.

2. Cordless Drill:

Making furniture and other woodworking projects will inevitably require you to use screws, so a drill is a must! I have been using this cordless drill for a few years now, and have loved having it.

3. Orbital Sander:

It is possible to sand your pieces by hand, but the time and energy that an orbital sander will save you is SO worth it. They make orbital sanders very easy to use with a hook and loop system (like Velcro) to attach your sand paper. Just make sure to clean out your filter, and always always always wear a mask when sanding. The particles that sanding throws up into the air are very bad for your lungs.

4. Miter Saw:

If you already know that you will be making pieces or doing home renovations that will require a lot of cross-cuts, angled cuts, or beveled cuts on wood, investing in a miter saw will be well worth your money. I use mine for almost every project that I make, and sometimes it is the only saw that I use. There are many different miter saws out there at different price points, but you don’t need to spend a fortune to get your money’s worth. The miter saw that I use is a sliding compound miter saw. That means that it can slide out to cut a wider piece of wood, it can tilt left or right to make beveled cuts, and the base swivels to get the angle you need. Basically, if you’re going to be using dimensional lumber, like 2×4’s, you will want (almost need) a miter saw.

5. Kreg Pocket Hole Jig:

Some of you may think this tool is superfluous, but to that I resolutely say, “Nay!” Joining wood together is an absolute breeze using this tool. It is best used when joining wood perpendicularly, but it can also be used to screw wood together at its edges to make something like a table top. The system that I use is the Kreg K-4, and it is well worth the money. Sometimes my husband makes fun of me for how many pocket-holes I use in my pieces, but he is always astounded at how sound and sturdy the joints are.

This small list of tools will help you get started with your DIY project, and won’t break the bank, especially compared to how much money you save building pieces yourself. It’s always fun to compare the money I have saved making a piece of furniture verses how much it would cost to either hire someone or buy it from a store.

Let me know if you found this helpful and you are ready to get started ‘doing it yourself’!

Much love,

Whitney