How-To

Essential Household Tools

Learn what hand and power tools should be in your tool box, what to look for when shopping, and how these tools work.

Photo: Michele Lee Willson, Sunset Books

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Tape Measure

A 25-foot tape measure is a good basic model for your tool kit. When the blade is extended on a 25-footer, it'll stay stiff up to 6 feet. Why does that matter? Because when you're measuring up the side of something, like window casing, it's nice if the blade doesn't collapse down on you.

On most tape measures, 1 inch is divided into 1/16-inch increments. All those little lines make for tricky reading at first. Just know that the longest line dividing each inch is the 1/2-inch mark. The next longest lines are the 1/4-inch marks, then the 1/8-inch marks, then the wee, little, need-your-reading-glasses-to-see-them 1/16-inch marks. There are even some tape measures that go way down to 1/32-inch marks. Gimme a break! Anything that needs to be cut with that much precision can beat it.

There's an old carpenter's saying about measuring: measure twice, cut once. Take this to heart. If you've bought some fancy, expensive wood trim for a window or door, you don't want to waste a piece. Measure twice, cut once.

Next: Pliers

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