The Ultimate Guide To Beginning DIY

A detailed resource on how to start DIY-ing, what tools to purchase, where to find them affordably, and projects that are perfect for DIY-ers

By Lindsay Fay at AButterflyHouse.com

Cost: This is one of the biggest reasons people put off new hobbies! DIY in particular has a large up-front cost for tools and materials. Since I go into ways to mitigate that cost throughout the rest of the guide, I’m going to skip the details and encourage you to move onto Part II if this is your only barrier.

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2) Safety

Having the knowledge to operate power tools safely is a legitimate concern, and anyone who implies otherwise is dead wrong. There is a right and a wrong way to operate every power tool, and operating the “wrong way” typically results in severe injury. People commonly lose fingers to table saws and toes to circular saws. Even a drill can be dangerous: in my first construction class I was told a story of a girl whose hair got in the drill, and it ripped out half her scalp. Put your hair up, people.

Luckily, here in the 21st century there are a plethora of resources to ensure you’re using power tools safely. Here are a couple ways to become an informed power tool user.

Take a class. This was how I became comfortable working with power tools, and highly recommend this route to anyone who is hesitant to try on their own. Having a professional watch you for mistakes the first time you use a tool is an excellent way to ensure you’re using a tool properly.
Utilize the internet. There are great resources available online that cover how to safely use all the different power tools available. I recommend Steve Ramsey’s Woodworking for Mere Mortals Youtube channel. He has an excellent “basics” series that covers how to use the most common saws and tools. Steve talks fast and gives a lot of information at once, but he’s very thorough, and after watching one of his videos a couple times you should have a very good idea of how to work a new tool.

Find a club. The St. Louis area has a woodworkers guild that is open to complete beginners and offers to pair more experienced woodworkers with those that are less experienced. I’m not sure how common guilds like these are, but it could be worth researching.

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3) Time

There are only 24 hours in a day, and if you don’t have the time to DIY, you don’t have the time to DIY. That being said, if your “time” issue is more a “Netflix just seems more fun” issue, and this is something you really want to do (no harm in choosing Netflix!), I’ve got some strategies for you.

DIY With a Friend- Find a friend who wants to start DIY-ing their home too! Do projects together. Make time together. Having someone to keep you accountable, whether it be at the gym or a hobby, helps make things happen.
Tell a Friend- You have no friends nearby? That’s okay. Me neither (no really, my nearest friend in Missouri is 45 minutes away.) Tell your long distance friends what you’re going to work on, and maybe even ask them to ask you about it. Then you know you better have that organizer made by the next time you talk to them, else be shamed when they ask about it.
Join a class- This is my very favorite accountability method. You get instructions, feedback, and since you’ve already paid money, a significant motivation for showing up. And yes, classes cost money, but they might be less expensive than you think. There are a couple different places you can take classes; I've detailed some of the most common ways below.

Extra Bonus: Classes

Most urban and suburban areas in the US have the population and interest to run intro construction/woodworking/DIY classes. Here are some common places that offer classes, and the pros and cons of each.

Community Colleges: Your local community college will probably have the lowest per hour cost of any of these options. I paid around $250 for my “Intro to Construction” class in San Jose, which met for six hours a week for 15 weeks. This is less than $3 per hour of instruction, which is phenomenal. The downside is the upfront $250 fee, and the fact that you may not have time for 6 hours of class a week for an entire semester.
Adult Education Programs: Some school districts have adult education offerings in the evenings and on weekends. Classes vary from one multi-hour session to a class that meets for multiple weeks. Since they’re publicly funded, the classes tend to be affordable as well. If you live in an urban or semi-urban area, check multiple school districts in the area!
Private Woodshops: Some areas (typically urban) have for-profit woodshops or maker spaces that offer classes. They tend to be more expensive than the publicly funded programs. I’ve never attended one, since I’ve always had the public options available, but they’re worth looking into. Note these private woodshops also tend to have open hours once you’ve shown you know how to use the tools, so you might be able to use their saws and tools for a monthly membership fee.

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Part 2: Affording Tools

Lets talk for a moment about Harbor Freight. Have you heard of them? If your experience with tools is limited to DIY blog posts, than you likely haven’t. Harbor Freight is hands down the cheapest tool store in the country. It is not even a competition. The lowest priced comparable tool at Home Depot or Lowes is typically 2 to 4 times more expensive. However, this price comes at a cost. The tools are low quality. A peer in one of my woodworking classes once referred to them as “disposable tools,” which is a pretty accurate statement. Since DIY bloggers tend to recommend things they use and have verified the quality of, Harbor Freight doesn’t really make the list. Additionally, they don’t have an affiliate program, so bloggers have no monetary incentive to recommend them either.

If you are just starting to get into DIY, Harbor Freight is a decent way to acquire tools without breaking the bank. The tool might not last forever, and there may be some added inconveniences of having such a low-frills tool, but most of the things you’ll purchase are so cheap that you can’t complain. Most of the tools I started out with were Harbor Freight, and while I’ve since upgraded most things to better brands, Harbor Freight allowed me to get into DIY affordably.

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As an additional bonus, with every Harbor Freight purchase you can use one freebie coupon (screwdrivers, tape measures, tarps and flashlights are commonly offered) and one 20% off coupon. I have never walked into Harbor Freight without at least two coupons in hand. I typically find the coupons in the pile of weekly ads I get, in woodworking magazines, and in magazines that have an older male target market. If you don’t have access to any of these, struggleville.net has the coupons posted (for free!) Harbor Freight accepts coupons on a phone, so I’ve never had any issues taking a screenshot of the Struggleville coupons and using them in-store.

While Harbor Freight is my primary spot for new affordable tools, estate sales are a big thing in my area as well. Since I live in a relatively rural area, most estate sales offer some assortment of shop tools. These are often quality tools with decent prices, so if you are within driving distance to a rural area, it’s worth checking out. I find my estate sales in the county paper, and if there is a decent tool selection, the estate sale typically advertises it in the ad.

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Part 3: Tools to Purchase

To help you prioritize your purchasing, I've organized this list into two sections: an "Essential, Purchase Now" section, and a "Purchase When Necessary" section. For each tool, I've detailed why I think it's important, and compared two different options that are currently on the market.

Special Note: Should you love my recommendations and purchase using the links in this guide, I may receive a small commission. There is no additional cost to you, and it helps me keep offering free products like this!

Essential Tools You'll Need Immediately

The Drill/ Driver

Why You Need This:

A drill is an essential home tool, even for people who don’t plan to become big DIYers. For example, do want to hang a curtain rod? You’ll need a drill. And if you’re purchasing a drill, you might as well make the most of it and get a drill/driver, that way you can drive screws as well. The ability to drive screws quickly and accurately is important for any DIYer, which is why I make this the number one thing to purchase.

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Least Expensive Purchasing Option

DrillMaster 18 Volt 3/8” Cordless Drill/Driver
Harbor Freight List Price: $19.99

I have had this drill/driver for years, and it’s still going. That being said, there is one main downside: the battery. The battery and charger combo is one of those old school versions that can’t sense when the battery is charged, and therefore can overcharge the battery if left plugged in too long. Additionally, after four years my battery is not as strong as it once was, and needs a full charge if I’m going to be drilling into any older hardwoods. That being said, four years is a pretty long lifespan for a drill that can be purchased for $16.00 (with 20% off coupon!)

Higher Quality Purchasing Option

Ryobi 18 Volt One+ Lithium Ion Cordless 3/8 in. Drill/Driver Kit
Home Depot List Price: $69.00

I have not used this drill, but it’s what I plan on purchasing when I either see it on sale, or the Harbor Freight drill dies, whichever happens first. Feature wise, the primary difference between the two drills is the battery. While they both claim to have 18 Volt batteries, the Ryobi battery is of higher quality, charging faster (in 30 minutes!), and lasting longer. Additionally, the battery/charger combo is a newer style, and can be left indefinitely without the danger of overcharging the battery.

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The Circular Saw

Why You Need This:

If you’re going to do any sort of DIY with wood, you’ll need a saw. There are a number of other options for your first saw, such as a jigsaw (good for curves) or a miter saw (good for straight cuts up to 24” long.) However, the circular saw is the most versatile saw on the market. It’s small and portable, and with a little bit of skill and time, can do everything both a miter and table saw can do. It’s also less expensive than either the miter or table saw, making it a good first saw due to the price and versatility.

Least Expensive Purchasing Option

DrillMaster 7 1/4” 10 Amp Circular Saw
Harbor Freight List Price: $29.99

Full disclosure: I have never used this saw, so I have no idea what it’s downsides are (although I’m sure there are some). But it is certainly affordable!

Higher Quality Purchasing Option

Skil 13 Amp Corded Electric 7- 1/4 inch Circular Saw
Home Depot List Price: $47.98

When I went to my first construction class, the circular saw was introduced as the “Skilsaw.” I’m not entirely sure how it came to be, but in the professional world, the brand Skilsaw is synonymous with circular saw. When I told my dad I wanted a Skilsaw, he was like “do you mean a circular saw?” and that’s how I learned that circular saws weren’t actually called Skilsaws. Regardless, I figure the brand name deal must be that way for a reason. I’ve been quite happy with my Skilsaw for the three years I’ve had it.

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The Sander

Why You Need This:

Every piece of wood you bring home from the hardware store needs to be sanded, at least a little bit, to be functional and safe in the home. Nobody wants to do this by hand.

Least Expensive Purchasing Option

DrillMaster ¼ Sheet Orbital Palm Sander
Harbor Freight List Price: $13.99

My dad loves this thing, so it’s clearly not completely useless. That being said, I had it for over two years and absolutely hated it. You have to cut sandpaper to size to fit in the clamps. I found that the way the clamps were caused the sandpaper to rip super easily, and I therefore spent more time replacing sandpaper than I did actually sanding. If you do get this sander, note that my dad cuts little notches in the sandpaper for the clamps, which seems to reduce the ripping of the paper (which was my main gripe with the sander.)

Higher Quality Purchasing Option

Dewalt 3 Amp 5 Inch Corded Random Orbital Hook and Loop Sander
Home Depot List Price: $59.00

This is my new sander, and I love it so much. The hook and loop system makes it so easy to change sandpaper. Addtionally, the hook and loop style sandpaper can be easily purchased in bulk on Amazon, which is great since one of my main concerns before purchasing was how much money I was going to have to spend on the fancy hook/loop system. The sander itself seems way more powerful and sands faster than the Harbor Freight palm sander, which makes my jobs go faster.

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Tools to Purchase Eventually

The Miter Saw

Why You Need This:

The circular saw is the most flexible saw on the market, which is why I recommend you purchase it first, but for most of the DIY projects found on Pinterest/ the female DIY world, the miter saw is the most convenient. Miter saws are great for cutting boards up to 12” wide (you can cut wider, but it’s trickier.) Most DIY furniture builds seen on Pinterest have been made with miter saws, although the projects can be done with circular saws.

Least Expensive Purchasing Option

Chicago Electric 10 Inch Compound Miter Saw
Harbor Freight List Price: $97.99

There are a number of entry level miter saws by Chicago Electric; this one happens to be the simplest and cheapest. My dad has had one of the slightly larger sliding ones for a couple years now. I’ve used it a few times, and didn’t see any noticeable difference between his and the one I use at home (below.) That being said, there could be issues that are only noticed with regular use. Also note: this does not come with a blade.

Higher Quality Purchasing Option

Ryobi 10 Inch Sliding Compound Miter Saw
Home Depot List Price: $199.00

This is the miter saw I have at home, and I love it. The sliding feature means it can cut a larger width than the non-sliding one above. Operation is smooth, and the purchase price does include a blade.

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The Brad Nailer

Why You Need This:

A nailer is super helpful if you’re not that experienced in building. I frequently use brad nails and wood glue to temporarily secure a project, then secure it further with screws. My dad, on the other hand, doesn’t have or need a nailer because he can drive nails quickly and accurately (unlike me). It also makes home improvement tasks, like putting up paneling or trim, go much faster.

Least Expensive Purchasing Option

Pierce 18 Gauge Brad Nailer
Harbor Freight List Price: $59.99

Note that this nailer, like many, requires an air compressor to operate. Since this isn’t an essential tool, I’d save yourself the hassle and wait to purchase a nail gun until you can afford the tool below.

Higher Quality Purchasing Option

Ryobi 18 Volt One+ Cordless Airstrike 18 Gauge Brad Nailer
Home Depot List Price: $129.00

This thing is amazing. First of all, it is an electronic nail gun, and does not require an air compressor. This is a big deal, since it makes the tool much more mobile, plus you don’t have to purchase and learn to use an air compressor to operate it. It’s super easy to learn, and almost impossible to fire accidentally. I use it in almost every project I do now that I have one. One last thing to note: This does not come with a battery, so if you didn’t purchase the Ryobi drill (which did come with a battery), you’re going to need to separately purchase the battery and charger.

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The Jigsaw

Why You Need This:

Jigsaws are good for cutting curves. Anytime you need to cut something curvy, you’ll need a jigsaw. For example, fancy edges on a furniture project and a sink hole in a countertop would both require a jigsaw.

Least Expensive Purchasing Option

DrillMaster 3.2 Amp Variable Speed Jigsaw
Harbor Freight List Price: $22.99

I still have this jigsaw, and for the most part it’s very effective. It cut through 1.5” butcherblock (albeit very slowly) just a couple weeks ago, which was impressive for such a little tool. If/when this one dies I’ll probably get something with a little more power, but I certainly don’t have any strong complaints in the meantime.

Higher Quality Purchasing Option

Ryobi 18 Volt One+ Orbital Jigsaw
Home Depot List Price: $59.97

When I decide to upgrade my jigsaw, this is probably what I’ll purchase, for a couple reasons. 1) Unlike the Harbor Freight Jigsaw, the blade change is keyless. The HF jigsaw requires an allen wrench to change the blade, which is a little annoying. 2) This jigsaw is cordless, so very portable and doesn’t require you to find an outlet for your work. 3) It allows for bevel cutting. I’ve never actually needed to do this with a jigsaw, but it’s a nice feature to have.

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The Belt Sander

Why You Need This:

Belt sanders are excellent for sanding away a significant amount of wood at once. If you ever need to even out an old table or clean up some really rough wood, you’ll want a belt sander.

Least Expensive Purchasing Option

Chicago Electric 6.5 Amp 3 In. x 21 In. Heavy Duty Belt Sander
Harbor Freight List Price: $34.99

This is the belt sander I have, and it’s all I’ve ever needed. So much that I haven’t even included another option because I’ve never felt the need to go look at something better. It sands quickly, and it’s super easy to replace the belt. My Dad’s died after 3-4 years over the summer, and he chose to go purchase the exact same one again, pointing out that it would need to die 3 times before it was the cost of a higher quality belt sander at Home Depot.

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Part 4: Projects to Try

When you’re just starting to DIY, it can be very frustrating to look for projects, not because they’re difficult, but because so many of them use tools you don’t have and are not ready to purchase. Awhile back, I lived in a one bedroom condo, and my DIY space was the balcony. Every project I wanted to do required a miter saw, which I did not have space for, and it was incredibly frustrating. As a result, I’ve organized this list based on required tools for the project. Pick projects that you both A) like, and B) have the tools for/ are ready to purchase the tools for.

DIY Couch Arm Sleeve

Author: Emily of MerryPad

Tools Required: Drill/Driver (for driving screws), Circular Saw

Why It's Great For Beginners: Not only is this couch arm table pretty and functional, it’s easy to make. Only one board is required, and while the cuts in the blog post are beveled, this could be done by attaching flat pieces of wood as well. The wood is attached using angle brackets, which are easy to use for a new DIY-er.

Changes to Make: If you don’t want to mess around with the bevel function on your circular saw, the ends can be cut flat as well. The pieces would still attach using angle brackets, with no other changes.

DIY Wooden Crate

Author: Melissa of Create and Find

Tools Required: Circular Saw, Drill

Why It's Great For Beginners: Melissa admits in the beginning of the post that she doesn’t use the power tools that often at the beginning of the post. But she put together this super simple crate anyway, making it up as she went along!

Changes to Make: None!

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Easy Scrap Wood Photo Display Kits

Author: Ana White of Ana-White.com

Tools Required: Drill/Driver, Circular Saw

Why It's Great For Beginners: This project allows you to practice making simple cuts with your saw and attaching boards together in straightforward ways.

Changes to Make: If I were making this and didn’t have brad nailer or crown stapler, I’d attach the boards together with screws and a drill driver!

DIY: Quick and Quirky Candleholder

Author: Stephanie of Somewhat Simple

Tools Required: Drill (with 1 1/2” spade bit)

Why It's Great For Beginners: This is a really easy project that gives you some experience with spade bits, a drill bit for drilling medium sized holes.

Changes to Make: None!

DIY Vegetable Storage Bin with Dividers

Author: Anika of Anika’s DIY Life

Tools Required: Saw, Kreg Jig (or angle brackets), Jigsaw (optional)

Why It's Great For Beginners: This is a little more advanced of a build than the others on this list, so it could be a way to extend your skills after trying an easier project. That being said, this is still pretty simple with easy straight cuts, and simple attachments.

Changes to Make:
1) If you don’t have a jigsaw, the storage bin will still work fine without handles, so just leave those off. 2) Anika uses a kreg jig to make pocket holes to attach some of the boards together. If you don’t have a kreg jig, angle brackets can be used instead, since they’ll end up hidden behind all of your fruit.

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DIY Wooden Doormat

Author: Ashley of Domestic Imperfection

Tools Required: Drill, Circular Saw

Why It's Great For Beginners: You’ll get lots of practice with your saw cutting down the pieces to right size, as well as drilling holes with the drill.

Changes to Make: None!

Easy DIY Wood and Metal Shelving Unit

Author: Sarah at The Created Home

Tools Required: Drill and Spade Bit

Why It's Great For Beginners: A drill is all you need to create this beautiful and functional shelf for your home! Sarah also has a great video tutorial that walks you through exactly how to create the unit.

Changes to Make: None!

DIY Wooden Arrow Wall Art

Author: Ashley at Cherished Bliss

Tools Required: Saw (circular or miter), Drill

Why It's Great For Beginners: This wall art looks gorgeous and only requires a few cuts with your circular saw. Super easy to make!

Changes to Make: None!

I hope you found this guide useful! Still have questions, comments, or just want to show me what you've made? I'd love to hear from you at [email protected]. See you on the blog!

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The Ultimate Guide To Beginning DIY

Table of Contents

2) Safety

3) Time

Essential Tools You'll Need Immediately

The Circular Saw

The Sander

Tools to Purchase Eventually

The Miter Saw

The Brad Nailer

The Jigsaw

The Belt Sander