Safety Equipment

All of this messy demolition requires what could be perceived as the most important tools in demolition — safety equipment. This is an absolute must, as demolition can be the most dangerous part of a renovation project. Start with a good pair of work gloves, something with leather palms that will help prevent blisters and protect your hands. You also need to get some safety goggles. Flying debris can easily send you to the hospital if it gets near your eyes. Make sure you get something comfortable so you won’t mind wearing them for hours at a time. It may seem like overkill, but wearing a helmet for demolition work above your head is simply smart. You may not win any fashion contests, but you’ll be glad when that two by four with a nail sticking out of it comes down on your noggin. The final thing you should buy is a good respirator and some cotton masks.

Hammers

If you have a tough demolition job ahead of you, you’re going to need a few different options for hammer time. Start with a standard claw hammer. This classic tool can do small pry jobs when a crowbar isn’t necessary as well as take out buried nails. It’s also good for knocking small holes in drywall when you’re looking for power, water or gas lines. The next step up is the heavy hammer, also called a mini-sledgehammer. It’s about the size of a claw hammer, but has a heavy sledge head for stubborn tasks. This hammer is also great for knocking wood support beams and interior framing.

Pry Bars

There aren’t many demolition jobs around that don’t require the use of a crowbar at some point, so it’s a good place to start when collecting demo tools. A well-placed crowbar can safely pry most any kind of nailed wood. It can also be handy for taking up old tile and wood flooring and pulling out stubborn nails. Pry bars come in all sizes, but two carefully selected ones should get you started.

San Angelo Bar

This high-carbon hexagonal steel javelin-like bar is definitely a heavy hitter. It’s a pretty basic tool — it has a sharp point on one end and a chisel on the other. You can use the San Angelo’s chisel end to get up stubborn floor tiles, or chip away at stubborn red clay. If you have some concrete that needs busting, drive the point end down with some brute force and watch it break apart before your eyes. The San Angelo isn’t for delicate jobs and because of its weight, you won’t want to use it on anything but the flooring.

Screwdrivers

Not all demo work requires the heavy hand of a sledgehammer. You can do some serious damage to your gas, water and cable lines if you go in swinging. Buy a few different screwdrivers to help with the more delicate work. Taking apart electrical outlets and switches is always the first part of a wall demo and you can’t do that with a sledgehammer. Screwdrivers are also good for taking up small pieces of wood flooring and tile when you aren’t removing the entire floor.