Home renovation has always been popular in Australia, and our latest home improvement boom is proof that even in tough economic times, our love for renovating and adding value to our homes continues to grow ⁱ. Taking a hands-on approach to improving your quality of life can be more affordable than paying contractors and homeowners can have a real sense of ownership over the renovation project. And now, with the huge range of domestic power tools on the market, the average homeowner's Do-It-Yourself (DIY) projects are now safer, easier and quicker to get done.

At Big W, we understand that you need the right set of tools to get started on a project, big or small. That’s why we’ve come up with a guide for buying power tools to help you figure out what’s what, so you can get the most out of the right set of tools and complete your DIY projects with minimal effort and maximum results.

What tools do what?

Big W stocks a wide range of tools that can help you with your project from start to finish. When it comes to choosing the right tool, you have to consider what you are using it for and whether it will be suitable for the task at hand. The right tool will be safe, easy to use, and specific to the job you are doing, so that you can finish off your project the way you envisioned.

Saws

Don’t underestimate the convenience of owning a saw; the right kind of saw can make heavyweight tasks simpler and a lot more manageable. While the general purpose of a saw is to cut through something, there are different types of saws for different materials.

• Jigsaw: While traditional saws cut in straight lines, jigsaws are great for jobs that involve cutting stenciled designs and patterns or creating curved shapes from wood and metal.
• Mitre saw: For making cross cuts or mitre joints (mitre), you'll need to use a mitre saw. This type of saw is commonly used when framing or decorating furniture.
• Circular saw: Circular saws come in all sizes but a heavyweight circular saw is likely to be too big and unnecessary for the average DIY job. Big, bulky and heavy saws can be difficult to control and increase the risk of accidents, something with a smaller blade diameter will do when building a shelf or even when erecting a pergola ⁱⁱ.
• Reciprocating saw: Perfect for rough cutting, reciprocating saws can cut through almost any material, including wood, metal, plaster, and fiberglass. This is a handheld saw.
• Chainsaw: Looking to tackle heavy weight jobs like tree felling or pruning? Then the chainsaw might be just what you’re looking for. Make sure you know the safety procedures involved with using a chainsaw as they can be very dangerous in the hands of untrained operators ⁱⁱⁱ - if possible, it is best for any job requiring a chainsaw to be carried out by a trained professional.

Drills

There are many types of drills available on the market, both manual and electric, and it’s important to make sure you find one that suits the task at hand. Drills are designed to pierce holes in materials. Different projects may require different drills, so you may end up using a separate drill for renovations that is different to the one you use for your day-to-day handiwork.

• Rotary hammer drill: These are designed to make drilling quick and effortless. The “hammering” function of a rotary hammer drill makes it easier to drill through materials such as stone, concrete and brick.
• Cordless: Cordless drills are useful when working in places that are hard to access or without a close power socket, such as the garden or the roof. Like electric screwdrivers - also often called impact drivers - cordless drills are handy to have around the home.

Grinders

Grinders are used for smoothing and polishing surfaces, or finishing off the shape of a piece of work. Grinders work by having a fast-spinning wheel that is moved over the surface of the object to remove excess material and smooth away rough parts of an object.

• Angle grinder: Typically used for metal work, angle grinders are great for cutting, grinding or polishing.
• Bench grinder: Unlike their smaller counterpart, bench grinders are bulkier and need to be fixed to a bench top. These machines are used to roughly shape metal, but they’re also handy for sharpening cutting tools.
• Mini grinder: For jobs that require a more delicate touch, the mini grinder is perfect. This tool is very versatile; they are ideal for detailed carving and sculpting but can handle rough shaping jobs too.

Sanders

A sander uses the abrasive action of sandpaper to smooth down surfaces. As a power tool, sanders are more effective and require less effort and time than handheld sheets of sandpaper. Like grinders, sanders are more likely to be used in the finishing stages of a project.

• Orbital sander: An orbital sander is a hand held tool, making it very easy to operate. They are used for smaller jobs such as fine sanding, which requires the removal of small excess materials to smooth out a surface.
• Triangle Sander: The versatility of a triangle grinder means you can say goodbye to sandpaper and sanding blocks once and for all, saving you time and effort. The sanding head is shaped like a triangle so it’s great for working in tight spaces or awkward corners, such as door frames.
• Belt Sander: Both hand held and stationary belt sanders are available for home DIY projects. Unlike the smaller orbital sander, belt sanders are generally used in early stages of sanding and are suitable for rougher jobs. When using a belt sander, make sure it’s held flat against the surface you are working on ^iv.

Screwdrivers

Whether or not you’re a home improvement enthusiast, every home needs to be equipped with a screwdriver. While perfect for small quick-fixes, manual screwdrivers can be slow and tedious when used on a big project. With power screwdrivers - also sometimes called impact drivers - you can easily put things together or pull them apart.

Router

A router is a rotating cutting tool used to hollow out wood from a surface. A router may be useful if you are working on cabinets or you want to give a fancy edge to a piece of furniture.

Planers

Non-powered planers are called planes, but these traditional planes required a lot of physical strength and movement to operate. A powered planer is definitely the way to go if you need to smooth, flatten or reduce the thickness of surfaces as part of your renovation.

Multi-Tool Kits

These are great for anyone looking to take on a renovating job. Equipped with tools for sanding, scrapping and cutting, you’ll be sure to have everything you need for any sort of task that comes your way!

Big W has a wide selection of power tools for jobs of all shapes and sizes. Check out our power tools online or come down and see them in-store at your local Big W.