5 Things That Make More Sense To Rent From Lowe's Instead Of Owning

The weather is warming up for much of the country, and you may have a list of DIY weekend warrior projects: building a new deck, painting the front porch, or creating a backyard fire pit. These types of projects can be both fun and rewarding, but they also have the potential to empty your back account. The costs can add up quickly, and in addition to the materials needed for your projects, you may find that you need some tools or supplies that require a trip to the hardware store.

Before you head to Lowe's to spend your hard-earned cash, you should take a moment to think about whether you'll use that expensive tool or piece of equipment again, or if it's a project-specific item that may end up gathering dust in your shed or garage. If it's not something you'll keep using, put your wallet away and consider renting some of what you need. Select Lowe's stores offer tools and equipment rentals on everything from power tools to floor care, and everything in between. It's easy to reserve what you need. Simply visit Lowe's rental website, select the closest available store and choose your equipment and desired rental dates, and reserve online. When you visit a store to pick up your items, make sure you bring along your credit card and a valid ID. Here are five items we think should be rented rather than purchased.

Dreaming of gleaming, freshly re-finished hardwood floors? Perhaps you've just bought a fixer-upper, or you're finally ready to refinish the floors after your kids have grown and flown the coop. Refinishing your floors can increase the value of your home and give it a fresh, new feel, but it can be an expensive venture, potentially costing thousands. If you're ready to tackle the job yourself, consider renting some of the equipment you'll need rather than purchasing those tools. This is a job you probably won't do again anytime soon, and you won't have to find a place to store large equipment.

A floor sander will remove old paint, varnish, and scratches from the surface and bring your floors down to the bare wood. There are different types, but Lowe's has both orbital sanders and drum sanders available for rent starting at $57 for four hours. If you need the sander for a full day, expect to pay $81. The sanders must be returned clean, or you'll pay an additional $50 fee. An orbital sander may be a good choice if you're inexperienced, and Lowe's CherryHill U-Sand Orbital Floor Sander is three tools in one, doing the work of a floor sander, an edger, and a buffer. You must be at least 18 years old to borrow these tools.

Lowe's also offers polishers, carpet stretchers, scrapers, commercial vacuums, and more floor care items for rent.

Most of us have at least one ladder at home, even if it's just a small step stool or a six-foot stepladder. But what do we do when we want to clean out the gutters, paint the shutters, or tackle another job that's typically more than six feet above our heads? You may head to Lowe's to purchase a ladder, but in addition to the cost, you also have to find a place to safely store it where it will not get damaged. Instead, you can consider renting one. While you'll still have to figure out a way to transport it, it's a more cost-effective option that will give you access to a selection of specialized equipment.

Lowe's offers a wide range of ladders to rent, including fiberglass and aluminum options, in different heights, ranging from 10 feet to 32 feet. There are basic stepladders, extension ladders, and even a Little Giant multi-position leveler ladder. If you're tackling a large project, Lowe's also offers scaffolding systems for rent in various sizes and configurations. Prices on ladder rentals range from $24 per four hours to $39 for four hours. Scaffolding rentals are more expensive and range from $39 to $76 for four hours.

Remodeling your bathroom can cost thousands of dollars, but it can also increase the value of your home. It can also simply make your life happier or easier. You can add smart gadgets, install a double vanity so you no longer have to share a sink, optimize storage, or upgrade to a modern, upscale shower. If you're hoping to save some money by doing the renovations yourself, you may be thinking of investing in some new tools. Hammers, drills, and wrenches are useful additions to any tool kit, but Lowe's can rent you the more specialized tools required for a bathroom remodel, including a tile saw.

A tile saw is typically used to cut stone, porcelain, and ceramic tiles without cracking or breaking them. They make the precise, straight cuts necessary for tile installation. Lowe's offers several different types for rent, including smaller, portable options, bridge saws, and wet saws. Prices range from $16 for four hours to more than $60, so we recommend that you do your research to determine which type of saw will work best for your needs.

You may not agree with this one but hear us out! We're not recommending you rent a carpet cleaner to tackle small jobs. You can easily purchase a spot cleaner for under $100 and even invest in a larger upright cleaner for slightly larger jobs. But if you plan to clean the carpet in every room in your house or hope to salvage a particularly dirty carpet, and you don't want to call a professional service, you can rent cleaners similar to what the pros use and tackle the job yourself.

You can rent a professional-grade hot water carpet extractor that will spray water and cleaning solution into the carpet, scrub, and then recover the dirty water back into the tank, all in one pass. According to Lowe's, this cleaner uses half the water of leading brands and has a chevron brush that works without adjustment on all carpet types. It also has an adjustable handle and large wheels for easy maneuverability.

If you need to tackle a few stubborn stains, Lowe's also offers a canister-style portable carpet cleaner with a hose tool. This will offer a deeper clean than your standard spot cleaner and has a stainless steel scrub wand and 15-foot vacuum and recovery hoses. To calculate your rental price for either of these carpet cleaners, you have to enter a location and rental dates.

If you spend every weekend in your garden, getting your hands dirty — literally — you may have considered investing in some heavy-duty gardening equipment. Of course, you already have pruners, hand trowels, gardening gloves, rakes, and maybe even some cool smart garden gadgets, but bigger tools like tillers are needed for bigger jobs, such as starting a new garden bed.

If you're breaking ground on new landscaping, you can rent a variety of lawn care and gardening implements from Lowe's rather than investing in costly new tools that are also expensive to maintain. Tillers are available from about $55 to more than $125 per four hours, depending on the type. You can select from a heavy-duty hydraulic tiller, a rear tine tiller, or a middle tine tiller. Installing a new fence? Rent a post hole digger and a post driver to make the process a breeze. If you're preparing part of your yard for a new flower bed or vegetable garden, rent a cultivator to loosen the soil for planting. Lowe's also offers wheelbarrows, lawnmowers, aerators, seeders, blowers, and much more.

Lowe's rental program is extensive and offers a long list of tools and equipment. In order to narrow it down to a list of five items that may make more sense to rent instead of buy, we focused on three factors: size, price, and usability. Some items, like tall ladders, are difficult to store, especially if you live in a small space. Other items, such as floor sanders, are expensive or have a specialized function. We tried to select items that meet the short-term needs of an average DIYer. While almost every household needs a small stepladder, for example, many don't need a 24-foot telescoping ladder. Of course, your needs may differ, and Lowe's offers all of these items for sale online and in-store.