Construction Tools: Essential Guide for Builders and Contractors

The construction process involves the development of several structures and their supporting frameworks. A unique set of standards, methods, and tools is needed for each individual part. Different tools are used for every single job on a building site. 

Workers on a construction site cannot do their duties without the right tools, and equipment for the job. The following is a list of construction tools that may be required on a construction site from the beginning to the end of the project. 

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Construction tools for cement pouring

Mixers

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It is an indispensable tool that can only be found on a building site. A Mixer may be motorised or operated manually, depending on your preference.

Wheelbarrows

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It is not always possible to employ heavy vehicles to transport materials since they must be hauled across many locations. On construction sites, wheelbarrows are used for the purposes of moving materials and facilitating logistics.

Rubber Boots

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Concrete is a difficult material to move through, and the best method to avoid getting it on your skin while navigating it is to wear footwear that is waterproof. After the concrete has been poured, it is very simple to clean your shoes and boots.

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Gloves

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Numerous concrete mixes include admixtures that have the potential to be caustic, and these admixtures may cause severe burns if they come into prolonged contact with the skin. Gloves prevent excessive exposure to these components and are thus recommended.

Safety Glasses

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When cutting, grinding, drilling,  or power trowelling concrete, it is crucial to make sure you are wearing safety glasses, which are standard equipment on most construction sites.

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Compactors

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A compactor is useful for positioning stone or aggregate at the location where a concrete slab will be poured if the location needs to be prepared with any kind of sub-base.

Levels

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It is essential that the sub-base as well as the slab surfaces be level. You will be able to check if the slab is totally in accordance with the specifications both before and after the pouring of the concrete by using a regular long-line level or a laser level.

Tape Measures

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The adage “measure twice, pour once” should be applied to the verification of the concrete elements as well as the slab depth on the construction site. They may also be used for testing the positioning of objects and mapping.

Saws

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Construction sites often need reciprocating and circular saws, or grinders to make quick work of slicing through rebar or grinding down forms. Also, they may be required if an issue arises under the slab, necessitating the removal of hardened concrete.

Shovels

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Concrete may be distributed across a project site using shovels to fill in any gaps left behind by the pouring stage or for use for more specific purposes. Shovels with squared-off ends are often more effective for working with concrete, while those with rounded ends tend to distribute the concrete in an uneven manner.

Rakes and Come-Along Rakes

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Utilising a rake is the most efficient method for achieving a more even distribution of the newly-poured concrete when starting the process of putting it into position. It is possible to use a garden rake, but concrete rakes, which are also known as come-along rakes, feature a blade that is carved more deeply and are designed to make pre-levelling fresh concrete much simpler. In addition, the rear of the blade of a concrete rake is equipped with a spike that may be used to assist in the lifting of the nailhead or mesh into place before the concrete starts to cure.

Tampers

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To force the aggregate under the slab surface in low-slump concrete, a tamper is utilised. It is possible to utilise roller kinds from the edge of the slab or stand-on types directly on the wet concrete.

Vibrators

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When working with concrete that has a medium to high slump, a concrete vibrator may be used to alleviate potential issues by dispersing air bubbles and removing excess water.

Screeds

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Screeds are available in a number of sizes and may either be specialised tools (also known as hard lines or bump cutters), or they can just be straightforward pieces of flat dimensional timber. A screed is a tool that is used to level concrete when it has been placed into position by removing any surplus off the surface of the slab.

Bull Floats

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Once the screeding is complete, the concrete is given its first pass with a bull float, a tool with a broad blade, and a long handle used to fill in any gaps and smooth out any ridges.

Magnesium Floats

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Handheld magnesium floats, often known as mag floats, are used for finishing smaller slabs and float slab edges.

Kneeling Boards

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Kneeling boards offer a comfortable technique to support your body weight on wet concrete while allowing for easy movement over the slab surface. This is particularly helpful for work that requires hand troweling.

 

Construction tools used for adding finishing touches

Trowels

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Concrete surfaces may also be smoothed using trowels in preparation for their final coatings, which are then allowed to dry. The use of a hand trowel is customary for working with smaller slabs, whereas motorised trowels are often favoured for working with larger slabs. There are several distinct kinds of trowels available for use with various concrete-related tasks.

Float and Troweling Blades

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Floats and electric trowels come with a number of various blade options, each one optimised for a certain finish. When troweling, it’s important to avoid burnishing the surface, which will slow drying time.

Groove Cutter

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When it comes to some sort of work, grooving the surface helps minimise cracking as well as extra damage from shrinkage caused by the concrete while it cures or while it is being used.

Edger

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Concrete edges that are exposed to the elements may be rounded off with the use of a tool called an edger.

Brooms

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A concrete slab may be given a traditional finish known as a “broom finish,” which involves dragging a broom over the surface of the nearly-dry concrete slab to create a surface that is slip-resistant. The completed design may have the appearance of a clean line or a more intricate pattern.

Polishers

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Once the slab has cured completely, polishers may be used to give it a variety of finishes, from a matte one that is good for grip and durability to a glossy one that is just aesthetic.

Grinders

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When the surface of a slab is over-troweled, and extra moisture is trapped within the slab, grinding may be required to remove the excess moisture or for purely cosmetic purposes, such as creating a distressed look.

Dust Collection Systems

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A dust collecting system is beneficial for cleaning the work environment and protecting the health of worksite employees while grinding, polishing, drilling, or cutting concrete. It also helps remove the dust.

 

Other construction tools

Survey Ropes

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One of the earliest and still-most-commonly-used methods of building alignment is the use of survey ropes. To ensure an even wall while laying bricks or to take accurate measures on unlevel ground, these tools are indispensable.

Safety Helmets

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It is a kind of hard helmet that can be seen fairly often on construction sites when workers are present, and it is required to be worn on the majority of construction sites. These helmets have a high level of durability and can protect against the impact of large falling items.

Tool Belts

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Construction workers may benefit from tool belts by carrying their hammers, screwdrivers, pliers, and other hand tools close to reaching.

High Visibility Vest

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It is recommended that employees wear these vests so that they are immediately visible in heavy traffic areas in an effort to reduce the likelihood of accidents.

Hearing Protection

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Hearing protectors are worn on construction sites in order to reduce the risk of experiencing significant hearing loss as a result of prolonged exposure to loud noise.

 

FAQs

Which three tools make up the foundation of any construction project?

Tools for general construction work, tools for working with wood, and tools for working with masonry and concrete are all necessary for builders.

What is the difference between equipment and tools?

What are some small tools used in building?

How many different kinds of tools exist?

Both power tools and manual tools are considered to be important categories of tools. When we talk about power tools, we're referring to any tool that gets its power from anything other than human exertion, such as batteries, electricity, gas, or another source. Many distinct kinds of tools, each with a specialised function or goal, may be found within each primary category. One such method of categorization is based on the function of the tool.