20 Must have Construction Tools

Articles > 20 Must have Construction Tools

Introduction

Some of the tools in construction are of utmost importance as without these tools construction works can’t be done with accuracy and precision. Contractors and laborers use many common tools in their daily construction activities but there are also some unusual tools that may be costly but are effective in saving time. No owners buy tools as not everyone uses tools in their day to day activities. These tools are mostly used by professionals and to use these tools special skills are required. Among all the tools, the 20 most important are going to be discussed here.

HAMMER - It is the most popular tool in any industry. It is used in various works like pushing nails against any surface or pushing heavy metal against a surface. It is the most versatile tool in any industry. One of its types is a claw hammer which can pull nails out from any surface. Another type is the sledgehammer which has a long handle and is used for demolition purposes

Fig 1: Claw hammer

Courtesy: Wikipedia

WRENCH - It is a tool that is used to tighten nuts and bolts and it comes in different sizes as per nuts and bolts requirements. It is mostly required in the case of structures made from steel. Although welding is mostly preferred over riveting in the construction industry, it can be proved to be an effective tool for fixing bolts and nuts in those areas where welding is not possible.

Fig 2: Variety of wrenches

Courtesy: Wikipedia

SAW - It is a tool that is used to cut wood or timber or aluminum to build structural elements like a door frame, lintel as well as non-structural elements like furniture, cabinets, and many more. These tools consist of metal blades with a row of wedged teeth that helps to create cuts every time the saw is pulled up and pushed back down.

Fig 3: Saw

Courtesy: Wikipedia

SCREWDRIVERS - It is a tool that comes in two types - automatic and manual. When automatic, the drilling is done, which is fixed on a screwhead that tightens or loosens when rotated in different directions. Whereas in manual to and fro movement is made that rotates the screw until it gets attached to the required location.

Fig 4: Screw driver

Courtesy: Wikipedia

MEASURING SQUARES - These are tools that allow measuring right angles perfectly with accuracy. Wherever an angle is encountered in construction works, such tools are effective in measuring the right angle otherwise it will lead to miscalculation and it will affect other calculations that are involved in drawing.

Fig 5: Try Square

Courtesy: Wikipedia

LEVELS - These are tools that are used to see if a surface is perfectly horizontal or not. It is mostly used in laying bricks, surveying, or finishing the concrete layer in a perfectly horizontal position. It consists of a bubble in a tube that indicates the horizontality by maintaining the bubble in the middle position in the tube.

Fig 6: Level

Courtesy: Britannica

PLUMB BOB - This is a tool that is used to see if a surface is perfectly vertical or not. It uses the verticality of walls or any other vertical surfaces. It is a tool that consists of a thread tied to a top that is made of metal. At the end of the thread, there is a horizontal element whose level matches that of a top.

Fig 7: Plumb bob

Courtesy: Wikipedia

SHOVEL - It is used for digging soil for excavation purposes, transporting aggregates or sand from trucks to nearby structures, mixing cement and water, and many more. It is also used for trenching for the laying of pipes and laying cables for electrical works.

Fig 8: Shovel

Courtesy: Wikipedia

MEASURING TAPES - It is one such tool without which any kind of construction work is impossible. This is used to ensure that the structure is built as per the measurements given in the drawings. It is the most important tool for laborers and is portable to carry inside pockets.

Fig 9: Tape

Courtesy: Wikipedia

CHISEL - It is a tool that is used for carving wood and doing other woodwork. It can also be used to get rid of chunks of concrete that get deposited on the surface. It cleans the surface and makes way for others finishing work to get started.

Fig 10: Chisel

Courtesy: Wikipedia

FLOAT - It is a tool used for making the concrete surfaces smooth after they have been plastered on the wall or ceiling. It is made of timber with a handle on top for a good grip.

Fig 11: Concrete float

Courtesy: Wikipedia

PLIERS - It is used for twisting nuts and bolts. It is made of metal while for getting a good grip the two metal ends are covered with a rubber material. Some pliers can also serve the purpose of stripping wires, cutting cables, or bending metals.

Fig 12: Plier

Courtesy: Wikipedia

DRILLS - It is a tool that can be found both cordless and with cord. It involves rotating mechanisms for making holes in concrete or metals. It can also be used to swiftly screw or unscrew bits from wooden planks or any other surfaces. Cordless drills come with replaceable batteries and facilitate a variety of operations to work with a wide variety of screw sizes, and most operate by pulling a trigger located on the handle.

Fig 13: Drill

Courtesy: Wikipedia

CONCRETE MIXER - It is used to mix cement, sand and aggregates in fixed proportions. Mainly large mixing trucks are used for large volumes but small ones are effective in case of roads. Here, it consists of a large barrel which continuously rotates to mix the ingredients as per desired specifications.

Fig 14: Concrete mixer

Courtesy: Direct Industy

SAFETY GEARS - It is one of the most important tools for labourers as it protects them from any kind of accidents. These include ropes, harnesses, helmets, gloves, safety shoes and many more.

Fig 15: Safety gears

Courtesy: 3 Benefits Of

CHAINSAW - It is a powerful tool for cutting large quantities of timber, steel and other materials used for construction. A chain is attached to the blade that revolves around it. This is the mechanism involved and it is way better than conventional manual sawing.

Fig 16: Chainsaw

Courtesy: Wikipedia

CONCRETE MOISTURE METER - It is a device used to measure levels of moisture in concrete such as slabs. RH sensors, for example, help contractors specify areas of concern for further MC testing using more accurate techniques.

Fig 17: Concrete Moisture Meter

Courtesy: Gardco

WHEELBARROWS - It is a container with a single wheel at the front and a handle at the back for its easy manual movement. It is used for transporting construction materials to the worksite. It can be tilted towards the front for the ease of emptying the contents of the container.

Fig 18: Wheelbarrow

Courtesy: Wikipedia

LADDERS - It is one such tool that is used to reach higher places. Mostly it is used for roof works or to reach any other storey of building. From plumbing to electrical work, this comes in handy.

Fig 19: Ladder

Courtesy: Wikipedia

WRITING MATERIALS - Pencils and chalk come under this category. It is the most minimalistic tool that requires precision for mirroring the drawing to reality. Some of the works where it is used are fixing pipe lengths, carpentry works or woodworks, etc.

Fig 20: Writing accessories

Courtesy: Healthy Handyman

Conclusion

There are other tools as well that are important for the construction industry. As times are changing, a single tool is being made for multiple purposes or speed is induced in some equipment for quick completion of work. Thus, advancements in this field are continuous and many more innovations can be expected in the future.

References

Healthy Handyman, “THE ESSENTIAL CONSTRUCTION TOOLS LIST: 45 DIFFERENT TYPES & THEIR USES”- https://healthyhandyman.com/essential-construction-tools-list/
Go Codes, “Top 20 Tools Most Contractors Wish They Had”- https://gocodes.com/top-20-essential-toolsequipment-most-contractors-wish-they-had/

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