Basic Painting and Plumbing Tools

Handling simple maintenance jobs yourself will save you from calling a professional. These guidelines will help give you the know-how when it comes to basic painting and plumbing projects.

1. Paint roller pan, sleeve and frame. Choose a professional-quality roller sleeve. A medium nap is the best choice for most surfaces. The roller frame should spin smoothly.
2. Paint roller extension pole. A threaded pole will allow you to paint ceilings and walls without a ladder.
3. Drywall tools. With 15- and 20-centimetre (six- and eight-inch) taping blades, you can feather on subsequent layers of drywall compound for smooth patches on walls and ceilings.
4. Paint pads. A wall pad is 15 to 25 centimetres (six to 10 inches) wide; an edge pad is narrower and suitable for trim. Pads apply paint evenly and work faster than brushes but slower than rollers.
5. Putty knife. A flexible blade spreads and smooths wood putty and filler, glazing and spackling compounds, patching plaster and other similar materials. The type with a stiff blade scrapes away paint, glue and wallcoverings. 
6. Sanding block. A block holds abrasive sheets and makes sanding much easier than using a piece of sandpaper alone. Several types are available.
7. Caulk gun. This tool holds a tube of caulk. To fill holes and seal cracks with caulk, squeeze the trigger; the bar will exert pressure on a disk, pushing material out of the tube.

1. Plunger. The rubber cup fits snugly over a sink drain or a toilet's outflow passage; pumping action creates a vacuum and sucks out an obstruction.
2. Pipe wrench. Use this tool to tighten and loosen metal pipe and tubing.
3. Drain auger. Use a 1/2-centimetre (1⁄4-inch) flexible-bulb auger to unclog a drain. It has a thin wire with coiled spring on the end. Crank the auger handle clockwise while pushing the wire back and forth in the drain until it breaks up the blockage.

Using these guidelines will help you tackle basic painting and plumbing projects yourself, without calling a professional.