So last week I shared my top 5 hand tools that I couldn’t imagine doing what I do without having these tools
available.
And I promised a follow-up post highlighting my top 5 power tools. Here you go.
available.
And I promised a follow-up post highlighting my top 5 power tools. Here you go.
Cordless Drills. If I could only have one power tool, this would be it. It seems like nearly every day, on nearly every job, this tool comes in handy for one task or another. They’re relatively lightweight, easy to use without having to keep up with a power cord, can be used as a drill or a screwgun just by simply changing the bit, and hold a charge decently enough that you don’t need to worry too much about changing out the batteries. Heck, I’ve even used it with a wire brush attachment to clean stone. And I can’t possibly imagine building a deck or a fence without one of these bad boys.
Grinder. While the cordless drill is perhaps the most used of all my power tools, the grinder is perhaps my favorite and perhaps most versatile. Whether its cutting rebar, cutting stones, polishing stone, rounding edges on freshly cut pavers, or smoothing out unsightly or awkward bumps on stones, this is such a handy tool it’s ridiculous. When we do irregular shaped flagstone patios, this guy inevitably gets a workout as we have to trim and cut stones to fit together. And a whole lot of bang-for-the-buck too. A decent DeWalt model runs about $70. But be careful! This is an exposed diamond blade designed for cutting stones. Imagine what it could do to your foot if you’re not careful. And all the goggles/dust mask precautions should be taken as well.
Brick saw. While the grinder is easy to use and carry around, the brick saw is a beast that takes two people to move around comfortably. But the results for a bricksaw can’t be replicated, and if you’re cutting pavers you need one. Unless you want to look like an amateur. This is a wet saw designed to keep dust down and keep the blade cool for long durations of cutting. The pump pulls water out of the attached tub and spits on the spinning diamond blade as it cuts. When the day is done, the water in the tub is a mess of brick or paver slurry that needs to be cleaned thoroughly to avoid pumps or lines getting clogged with debris. Even the clean-up can take upwards of an hour. But the results speak for themselves. And when you’re enjoying your beautifully detailed paver patio, you’ll forget all about lugging the beast of a saw around or cleaning it up.
Plate Compactor. Anybody who has ever installed a successful hardscape will tell you the money lays in the base prep. No matter how pretty all that stonework looks, be it manmade pavers or natural stone, it’s of little value if it can’t hold up over the test of time. And the best way to ensure its longevity is to make sure the base prep is more than adequate. A proper hardscape install will include a minimum of 4” compacted base rock. And by compacted, I mean REALLY compacted. That hand tamper may do fine for a few household DIY projects, but if you don’t get your base prep completely compacted, nature and time will take care of it for you. Which means your patio will settle. Not good.
Every single hardscape job we do includes a base layer compacted with our handy plate compactor. I once described this to a client as a lead weight with a lawnmower engine attached. It’s a little more than that, but run a plate compactor over loose gravel, add a little moisture, and you’ll see exactly how much gravel can compact. And if you still think your hand tamper is doing the job, try running the plate compactor over your handtamped gravel. What do you know, it still had some more settling to go. A valuable tool indeed.
Every single hardscape job we do includes a base layer compacted with our handy plate compactor. I once described this to a client as a lead weight with a lawnmower engine attached. It’s a little more than that, but run a plate compactor over loose gravel, add a little moisture, and you’ll see exactly how much gravel can compact. And if you still think your hand tamper is doing the job, try running the plate compactor over your handtamped gravel. What do you know, it still had some more settling to go. A valuable tool indeed.
Skill Saw. If the grinder is the go-to tool for masonry, than certainly the skill saw wins the award for carpentry. And even though any carpenter worth his weight in nails will have one in their arsenal, it’s not just for cutting wood. Swap out the wood-cutting blade for a diamond blade, and you’re right in business for cutting bricks or stone. A must-have for anybody in the trades. Period.
So there you have it -- 5 must-have power tools if you're working in the hardscaping trades. And like last week's hand tools, there are certainly some omissions on this list; Reciprocating saw (sawzall) and cut-off saw come to mind quickly off the top of my head.
What tools could you not get by without?
So there you have it -- 5 must-have power tools if you're working in the hardscaping trades. And like last week's hand tools, there are certainly some omissions on this list; Reciprocating saw (sawzall) and cut-off saw come to mind quickly off the top of my head.
What tools could you not get by without?
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