5 Of The Best Home Depot Finds For Expert DIYers

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The expert DIY renovator is a special case. These homeowners spend countless hours poring over project plans and making mistakes while fixing up problem areas in their residences. DIY projects tend to involve a bit of on-the-job learning, but the expert fixer has been through all that heartache and slow progress to learn a broad range of skills. They leverage these to continue tackling ever more complicated projects that promise to amplify the beauty and functionality of their home to even greater heights.

A seasoned home renovator knows that their skill and capability are intimately tied to the tools. Whether it's power tools from big brand names, support systems that bring added flexibility (like DIY storage solutions), or key safety measures into the picture (think ladders, eye protection, or blade sharpening tools), a resource for finding new gear is crucial. Lowe's offers some solid DIY options, as do Harbor Freight and many others. But the outlet with the largest overall presence in America may be Home Depot. Handheld power tools can be rented from the orange home improvement icon (as well as plenty of other, larger pieces of equipment). There are more than 2,000 Home Depot locations in the United States, and the brand's catalog includes a number of expert-level finds that can amplify your capabilities significantly as you approach a new job. Here are five of the home improvement giant's offerings that can make a big impact right away.

Scaffolding accessories often feel like overkill. During most DIY jobs, there is no real need to raise the surface you're standing on by a significant margin. Plenty of jobs demand the use of a ladder or even a basic work platform, but in most situations, the tasks found overhead are limited or involve lightweight fixtures or tool usage. Getting up to perform the swap, repair, or installation and returning to the ground is common in residential projects. However, when it comes to building new components around the house or working on projects like gutter repair or garage door installation, getting up to the project space's height level and remaining there with all your gear is crucial. 

This is where a tool like the MetalTech 6-Foot Baker Scaffold with Platform comes into play. This scaffolding platform solution features a safe reach of up to 12 feet high. It offers interoperability with additional units, allowing users to stack up to three on top of one another for a maximum rated height of 24 feet. The platform can be raised or lowered in 2-inch increments to accommodate the exact height you require for any particular job. It can carry a maximum load of 1,250 pounds, more than enough to support multiple workers and their tools. This is a great solution for any major projects that require height and a little more freedom than a ladder. Major painting works or drywall installation in a new extension or addition to your property, in particular, are jobs the scaffold can help with. 

A tamper doesn't evoke significant responses from most people. It's not an exciting or particularly interesting-looking tool. But what a tamper lacks in pizzazz, it makes up for with massive functional range. Anyone tackling jobs outside can benefit significantly from the addition of this site preparation tool. The tamper is a tool used to level base gravel before laying down a concrete pad or paver walkway. It can be leveraged when performing asphalt repairs. It's also ideal for packing dirt ahead of landscaping projects that require flattened or otherwise compacted soil layers. When tackling yard projects, walkways, driveways, and even sand layers to support other building tasks, a steel tamper that's built with durability and a large plate is an ideal and versatile tool.

Even with its utility, not all tampers feature the same points of focus for overall build quality. A versatile solution is the DeWalt Black Steel Tamper. Available at Home Depot for $55, it features hardened steel construction with a welded connection between the base plate and handle. The plate features a square, 10x10-inch face while the handle measures 44.88 inches and is adorned with an overmold end grip to prevent fatigue over lengthy periods of use.

Welding is a specialist project area, to be sure. Some casual home improvers won't go near these kinds of jobs, and part of the reason is that welding equipment feels foreign and off-limits in many instances. Many DIY enthusiasts will be intimately familiar with beginner woodworking projects or even dabble in intermediate carpentry tasks. Plumbing and electrical work may also be within the purview of many DIYers, as are jobs like landscaping and even brickwork in some cases. But when metal components break, plenty of homeowners throw in the towel and opt for a replacement rather than seeking to repair the item themselves. This is where expert-level DIYers may ultimately set themselves apart.

In order to work on welding tasks, you'll first need a welder. The Ridgid 190 Amp Multi-Process Welder with Start Up Kit is available from Home Depot. You'll find it as a kit or the multi-process welder on its own. The multi-process unit enables you to work with any welding solution that suits your needs and the job's specific parameters. 

Ridgid is a consistent name in the professional contractor market, and this welder offers coverage across four separate welding processes (MIG, stick, flux-core, and DC TIG), as well as dual voltage support (120 and 240 volts) and output levels ranging from 10 to 200 amps. In addition to the welder, you'll receive a 2-pound spool of .030-inch flux-core wire, an ADF helmet, and gloves.

Working on your home's HVAC systems is no joke. Many homeowners call in professionals to handle these kinds of tasks, but the most hardened DIYers know that with a little bit of research and a willingness to figure it out, even HVAC repair is something that an experienced home improver can accomplish. Of course, as is the case with any other complex repair job, if you find yourself in over your head, it's always best to call in a professional to support your needs.

For those with confidence in their abilities, a pipe bender will quickly become a necessary tool. The Vevor Ratcheting Pipe Bender Kit offers a great starting point. It's an ideal solution for bending aluminum alloy and copper tubing, commonly used in various helpful applications. These kinds of pipes feed refrigeration systems, air conditioning units, oil supply hookups, and plumbing systems. They may also feature in environmental control assets and automotive or pneumatic systems you may have installed in the house.

In many instances, PVC pipe and other softer tubing solutions just aren't the right tool for the job. When a metal tube is necessary, the need to bend that piping quickly arises. This ratcheting pipe bender offers up to 90-degree bends in both forward and reverse directions, with coverage for pipes ranging from ¼-inch to 7/8-inch diameters. It also comes with a bearing-type pipe cutter and a deburring tool, as well as other accessory components, providing comprehensive coverage of many standard piping job requirements in this area.

Working through electrical jobs is yet another task that's not for the faint of heart. Even basic rewiring demands a willingness to dive into the classically murky world of electrical current. If you're just changing out an outlet, it might be fairly simple to hit the power and swap connections on each wire one at a time. However, adding new sockets, installing additional lighting elements, or engaging in more substantial rewiring operations to add new lines to your circuit board can quickly become a significant challenge. Keep in mind that any job involving electricity is inherently hazardous. Do not attempt to work on electricity without expert assistance. 

Anyone even remotely familiar with electrical work will know that the first step in avoiding potential problem areas with electricity is to shut off the power. But this isn't the only safety precaution that DIY sparkies must take. Electrical testing equipment is a key resource that helps prevent unexpected shocks or damage to the system or home. Testing an outlet or switch after you've hit the power allows you to work on the element knowing with complete certainty that it is not carrying live current.

One way to add a layer of safety to an electrical job is to use Klein Tools' Premium Electrical Testing Tool Set or a similar product. The set comes with a digital multimeter, a pen tester, and an outlet tester solution. The trio allows you to safely engage with any electrical system you might tackle, be it a part of the home or a standalone electronic device you're hoping to bring back to life. The multimeter, in particular, delivers a tremendous range. You can test batteries and continuity with the tool, as well as current, resistance, and AC/DC voltage.