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Fitting a kitchen by yourself is no easy task, but it’s entirely possible. Particularly if you have experience with DIY projects.

To do this, you don’t need to own top-of-the-line, gigantic toolboxes with every tool known to mankind. In fact, you might be able to do most of the job with tools you already own.

However, fitting a kitchen does call for some rather specific tools, which is why we’ve created a handy list that will let you know exactly the best tools for kitchen fitting so you are not caught unaware halfway through the renovations.

Let’s get started!

Even if you’re not an avid DIY’er, you should still make it a goal to buy the best screwdriver set you can afford. After all, screwdrivers are handy in just about any situation and buying decent ones will save you a lot of problems.

In the kitchen fitting process, screwdrivers will help you remove fixture and kitchen units, as well as screw in all kinds of things, such as wall plugs kitchen doors, cabinets, etc.

While electric screwdrivers will certainly make the job easier, we advise against using them, at least when it comes to things made out of wood.

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#2. Electric Drill

This is another tool you should consider owning if you’re a DIY’er, but you can also rent or borrow one if power tools aren’t for you.

You’ll be using an electric drill in order to fit your kitchen more often than you believe, as it will help you drill into things such as stone, brick, plaster and even metal.

We recommend using a cordless drill, as this will allow you more freedom of movement. However, remember to always have a spare battery charged and ready, so you don’t have to wait for your electric drill to charge while in the middle of the fitting.

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#3. Worktop Jig and Jig Saw

A right chainsaw takes a while to find and might be able to complete a variety of works but kitchen fitting isn’t one of them, so put that thing away and go get yourself a good jig saw and an accompanying worktop jig.

These tools are essential for cabinet building, as they’ll help achieve a good and personalized fit for the cabinets, doors and even drawers in your kitchen.

Don’t worry about buying these unless you think you’re going to use them over and over again. You can borrow from someone or even rent them.

Or, if you’re not interested in bespoke cabinets, you can simply do without any of these by making sure to take measurements quite carefully and buying cabinets that adjust to your needs.

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#4. Tape Measure

No fitting job can possibly be achieved without a tape measure. In order to ensure the best, or even just successful, results you need to know the measurements of your kitchen, the cabinets, the fixtures and the fittings. You need to know the height of the cabinets, the size of the bases, and much, much more.

Because of this, a tape measure will become one of the most used, if not the most used, items in this list so make sure you get a good one that’s been graded correctly, not one of those freebies you receive when purchasing a tool kit.

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#5. Adjustable Wrench

You’ll find yourself using an adjustable wrench for a variety of tasks, such as installing a faucet, working with the gas lines and generally working with compression nuts.

This isn’t only limited to kitchen fitting. Chances are, if you own your own house and are in charge of your own maintenance, you’ll eventually need an adjustable wrench to make sure things are working properly so having one around is necessary.

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#6. Putty Knife

You never realize how often you use putty for quick fixes until you’re replacing your kitchen. Then you’ll find old putty in places you didn’t even thought possible. Putty you’ll have to remove before doing anything else.

A putty knife will help you remove old, dried putty so you can work on a clean surface, ensuring your tiles and fixtures seal perfectly. A putty knife will also help you remove excess putty or sealant in order to ensure your handiwork looks its best.

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#7. Stud Detector

To ensure your safety, kitchen cabinets are often fixed to framing studs, which are drilled into the wall to bear most of the weight of said cabinets. Without them, the cabinets would be resting on the plaster, increasing the risks of them collapsing and taking a chunk of your wall with them.

A stud finder will help you find these framing studs so you can either remove them and place your own or, ideally, reuse them in order to place your new cabinets.

If you don’t own a stud detector don’t worry, you can always use a small hammer and your own hearing to find them.

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#8. Plumber’s Tape

Tape can get you out of a variety of problems as long as you have the right tape at hand. For kitchen fitting, this means plumber’s tape.

This tape is used to seal pipes and faucet shanks. It is sold in various widths to ensure the right seal so you want to measure your pipes before you go out and buy any.

Remember that to use this tape, you need to make sure the pipe threads are clean and start from the end of the pipe towards the length. Doing this will ensure the tape doesn’t lap over the end of the pipe, which can not only result in improper fitting but also lowered water pressure and even clogging.

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