Ryobi Tools That Come In Handy When Remodeling Your Basement

When you are ready to tackle a big DIY project at your home like basement remodeling, you may be looking for inspiration from basement remodeling ideas from one source or another. Don't focus so much on your ideas, though, that you don't prepare for the actual work by making sure you have the right tools on hand. If you don't have the equipment to do the job, your basement remodeling project will grind to a halt before it starts.

The right power tools can make the job go smoother and faster. If you want to save money on these key items without sacrificing high quality, Ryobi is a decent power tool brand for DIY home improvement projects. Ryobi products, signified by their bright green-yellow colors, represent the Home Depot retail brand. You only can buy them at either Home Depot or the Ryobi website.

Ryobi makes dozens of different power tools, many of which focus on home improvement jobs. Many of them run from a battery that is compatible with dozens of other Ryobi cordless products, making them convenient to use anywhere. That said, here are some of the most essential Ryobi tools for remodeling your basement.

A power drill is one of the most essential tools you can have on hand for DIY projects because it offers extensive versatility for multiple kinds of jobs. When remodeling a basement, you can use this tool to pre-drill holes in wood or other materials when you need to hang shelves or artwork. You also can add a bit and drive screws for attaching pieces of wood. You can even use this versatile tool for mixing paint or grout when you attach a stirrer as the bit. This power drill costs $99 at Home Depot and includes a charger and an 18-volt battery. There's no need for a traditional chuck with this unit, as the keyless chuck makes it easy to change bits at any time. On the Home Depot website, 95% of customers recommend purchasing this tool.

If you are adding trim and molding as part of the finishing work in your basement remodeling project, the Ryobi cordless brad nailer may be best for your needs. This 18-gauge brad nailer, which has a strong recommendation as an essential power tool from a TikTok user, includes a battery and charger and costs $185 at Home Depot. On the Home Depot website, customer reviewers recommend this tool at an 89% rate. It's especially helpful in basement remodeling projects where some corners can be quite tight, as it has a smaller nose for lining up the nails than a typical brad nailer tool.

Whenever your basement remodeling project includes cutting quite a bit of wood, you'll need a power saw. Whether you are cutting 2x4s for framing, trimming, or building shelving, you need to be able to make accurate cuts quickly to keep the project moving forward.

The Ryobi corded compound miter saw has a 10-inch diameter blade that can make cross cuts up to 12 inches in length, and it has a three-year manufacturer's warranty. You can pick up this miter saw for $269 at Home Depot, where 87% of customer reviewers recommend this power tool on its website.

A corded miter saw works for projects like this because of the multiple kinds of cuts it can make. Although Ryobi does offer battery-powered miter saws, we prefer the corded model when you may be making dozens of cuts in a row and don't want to worry about a low battery on a remodeling project. 

If you ever need to make an odd-shaped cut or a quick, precise cut on a small piece of wood during the remodeling project, a jigsaw is a good choice. Ryobi offers the battery-powered 18V cordless jigsaw, so you can use it even if you aren't near an outlet. This jigsaw costs $99 at Home Depot, includes a battery and charger, and it also carries a three-year manufacturer's warranty. The Ryobi jigsaw is a highly popular power tool at Home Depot, with 98% of customer reviewers recommending it.

When working in a basement on a remodeling project, you may have times when you must cut the electrical power. Poor lighting can affect the quality and precision of your work. The Ryobi 18V cordless LED panel light provides up to 3,000 lumens of light, which is significantly higher than a typical residential light bulb. It has three LED panels that fold onto each other for storage. The side panels can rotate 360 degrees, so you can aim the lighting exactly where you need it. You can purchase this three-panel LED light for $109 at Home Depot, but it does not include a battery or charger. It uses the same 18-volt batteries that you may already have on hand with your other Ryobi power tools, though. On the Home Depot website, it has a 97% recommendation from customers. 

Although you may see some other online recommendations for purchasing a tool like the Ryobi 18V Six-Port Supercharger, which costs $89 at Ryobi Tools, we'd probably skip this one for a basement remodeling project. It requires about 30 minutes to charge the battery, while the single-port units can do the job in about 45 minutes. This isn't enough of an advantage to justify the cost, especially in a remodeling project where you'll probably be regularly switching back and forth between tools, which naturally slows your work and gives you time to charge batteries.