What makes a good hammer

Using a hammer is relatively easy. Start by gripping the handle of the hammer in one hand and quickly inspecting it for any damage, like rust or a loose hammer head. If the hammer seems safe, use your other hand to hold a nail in position at the base of the nail, as far from the intended place of impact as possible, then bring the hammer head down onto the head of the nail to drive it into the wood.

Hammers also have a peen or claw at the back of the head that can be used to pull nails out. Just slide the head of the nail into the crevice between the two sides of the claw, then apply force toward the face of the hammer to pry the nail out of the wood.

Keep in mind that hammers can have many different uses and this is just the most basic application of using a hammer. If possible, it's advised to use a nail gun to secure baseboards, but if you don't have a nail gun available, then a hammer will work. There are specialized hammers known as trim and finish hammers that are designed for this job. Line up the nail with the stud and strike the head of the nail with the hammer. Continue to drive the nail through the baseboard and into the wall stud until the head of the nail is flush with the surface of the baseboard.

If the nail is sticking out it looks bad, makes it difficult to fill and paint, and can also pose a safety hazard to people walking past. Claw hammer is the official name given to a standard hammer. This style features a solid striking face at the front of the head and a curved claw at the back of the head to help extract nails.

Claw hammers are the most commonly used hammer by DIYers. This article was written by Michelle Ullman , the tool expert for The Spruce. She has extensive experience not only in writing about all things related to the home, but also in carrying out various DIY projects, including landscaping, painting, flooring, wallpapering, furniture makeovers, and simple repairs. Timothy Dale, a seasoned home improvement expert specializing in a number of topics, including plumbing, construction, and product recommendations, provided additional research.

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By Michelle Ullman. Michelle Ullman. Michelle Ullman has written hundreds of articles on home decor since She's a self-taught decor expert who contributes to several publications.

Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process. Our Top Picks. Best Overall:. Superior absorption of impact and vibration helps protect your hands from injury due to lengthy hammering sessions. Best Mallet:.

A versatile hammer to use for more delicate projects, such as assembling furniture. Best Budget:. For some people, there's nothing else quite like the feel of a wooden-handled hammer. This one's for them. Best Stubby:. A stubby hammer that's highly versatile and light enough for lengthy hammering sessions.

Best Lightweight:. The perfect hammer for lightweight tasks around the home, such as hanging pictures or assembling furniture. Best for Metal:. Use this heavy-hitter to shape metal or drive nails and other fasteners into hard wood or tough materials. Best Club Hammer:. No nail can withstand the power of this heavy-duty hammer designed for the toughest jobs. This type of handle should have a bell end to provide a secure grip during hard blows.

The larger mid-section of the handle gives a good grip for light blows. When looking at the solid steel handle, make sure it features an air cushion grip for comfort and shock absorption. Replacement Handles Guide. Tool Center Selecting A Hammer. Selecting A Hammer The most expensive hammer you can buy is the cheap hammer which can become a dangerous liability in its short lifespan.

What to look for in a good quality hammer. Claws are designed to easily slip under nail heads, but some manufacturers have gone the extra mile, and made a double bevel on hammer claws.

Bevel The bevel on the striking face of the hammer will reduce the chance of chipping the face with off center strikes, making the hammer safer to use. Crown A properly crowned striking face drives nails flush without marring the wood surface. Grip Of course, the first thing most of us try out on a new hammer is the grip. During testing, this Stalwart hammer excelled at minimizing vibrations and pulling embedded nails out of a 2x4.

The hammer scored in the top three for minimizing vibrations and was able to dampen the impact shock when hitting all three nail sizes. It also produced just two mishits during testing, proving to be a hammer that can easily be controlled.

Additionally, the hammer did a great job of pulling nails with its claw, which provided strong leverage against embedded nails. The hammer was the highest-rated during all three nail pulling tests, extracting 4D, 8D, and 16D nails with ease. It also has a curved claw that provides leverage when pulling nails of various sizes. This hammer received an average rating of 4.

Some customers received a hammer with its head and handle connected by epoxy when they expected it to be wedged as shown in the Amazon product photos. The Edward Tools Ounce Oak Claw Hammer performed well during our tests, demonstrating its ability to drive and pull a variety of nails.

Additionally, its etched grip provided extra control and comfort throughout the testing process. This hammer was within the top three of all hammers reviewed for vibration control. Like the other wood-handled hammer, this tool lacked driving power. Although it was more than capable of driving the 4D, 8D, and 16D nails, it was unable to do so in fewer hits than its steel-handled counterparts. It features a reinforced fiberglass handle wrapped in an overmold grip for extra comfort.

The hammer performed well while driving all three nail sizes and was the third-best hammer at driving 16D nails, taking an average of just When it faced 16D nails, however, the hammer required an extensive amount of force to remove the nails, causing it to rank fifth out of all reviewed hammers.

The Irwin Ounce Fiberglass Hammer has a traditional look suited for various woodworking jobs. It has a rounded handle and a smooth face to prevent severe scuff marks. Its fiberglass handle cushions the shock of each strike and provides a comfortable grip to minimize wear and tear from prolonged use. Other critical reviews echoed this sentiment and described the hammer as being best suited for home projects. Throughout our testing, this hammer mishit three times. After our nail driving and pulling tests, we examined the tool and found severe scarring on both the hammer head and claw.

Out of the seven hammers our team reviewed, the IRWIN hammer came in sixth during the nail driving test. It took the hammer an average of 10 hits to drive a 4D nail into a 2x4 and an average of 19 hits to drive the 16D nails into a 2x4. This hammer performed better during the nail pulling trials. It easily pulled 4D nails from the 2x4 and stripped just a couple of nail heads during the process. It was also successful in pulling 8D nails, though additional force was required during this portion of the test.

The hammer features a sharpened claw to help grip nails embedded in wood and has a magnetic nail starter for one-handed hammering. Because of its lightweight design and small frame, this hammer produced the most vibrations of all seven hammers during testing. While the vibrations were mild when striking smaller nails, they were easily felt when swinging the hammer against 16D nails. As expected, with a lighter hammer comes a smaller head and more mishits. This hammer had five mishits during testing—the most mishits of all products we reviewed.

While not as good at driving nails as heavier or ounce hammers, this stubby claw hammer was effective at driving 4D nails, which are about 1. It took the hammer an average of However, the hammer had an extremely difficult time pulling 16D nails and was practically useless in that regard. Before purchasing a hammer, there are some important factors to consider, such as handle material, weight, and claw style. Most hammer handles are constructed with steel, fiberglass, or wood.

Steel handles are the strongest of the three materials and add additional weight to the hammer to help drive nails.