11 Types of Hammers and Their Uses

How to Choose a Hammer

Ask yourself what the hammer will be used for. Demolition requires a sledgehammer or even a club hammer but when working with sheet metal, a ball peen hammer or mallet is the way to go. However, if you need to build the framework to finish a room in the home, then a framing hammer can drive nails with more force than a standard claw hammer.

Is There a More Suitable Tool?

Sometimes it's tempting to just grab whatever you have on hand to get the job done, but if there is a tool that is better suited to the task, then it's recommended to use the more appropriate tool. For instance, a standard claw hammer can be used to pry wood boards, but a pry bar is designed for this purpose, so it's better to go with the pry bar than take more time and effort with a claw hammer.

Keep in mind the frequency with which the tool will be used. Standard claw hammers, framing hammers, and even sledgehammers tend to have a lot of uses around the home but this may not be the case with a ball peen hammer or mallet. Consider whether you will use the hammer frequently enough that investing in a new hammer makes sense, or if you have a suitable alternative on hand that can fill in when necessary.

Buying Considerations for Hammers

Before deciding on a hammer to add to your toolbox, it's important to understand what features to look for and the product factors that should be considered.

Face

The face of a hammer is the part used for striking an object, like a nail or a piece of metal. Hammer faces differ based on the type of hammer, but they can also have special features like a patterned or textured surface that helps to prevent glancing blows. The textured face grips the head of the nail as the hammer strikes, preventing the face of the hammer from sliding off the head of the nail.

Convex hammer faces are common on claw hammers for finishing work, while a ball peen hammer has one completely flat face, and a significantly rounded face for shaping metal. You can also find hammers with broad faces that are intended for hammering chisels or demolition work.

Handle

One of the most important parts of a hammer is the handle. The user needs to grip the handle with either one or both hands to apply force through the head of the hammer and into the target object. Handles come in three common materials, including wood, fiberglass, and steel.

• Wood handles are a classic option that some people still prefer because wood is lightweight and insulates against vibration, heat, and electricity. However, wooden handles are the least durable option and they are vulnerable to rotting or warping in wet or humid conditions.
• Fiberglass handles are designed to insulate the user from vibrations, heat, and electricity, similar to wood handles. But fiberglass is also waterproof, so you don't need to worry about the handle rotting or warping. Fiberglass handles are heavier than wood, but lighter than steel, and typically have a rubber grip to help the user control the tool during use.
• Steel handles also typically come with a rubber grip to improve user control. Steel still conducts electricity, heat, and vibrations, but the rubber grip acts as an insulating layer. While a wood handle is prone to breaking, steel handles are the most durable option available, though they can become bent and warped with years of use.
  

Weight and Length

Swinging a hammer is relatively easy, but after a significant number of strikes, the weight of a hammer can quickly tire you out. Consider the weight of the hammer head and the length of the handle. Some hammer heads can weigh as little as 8 ounces, but other hammers may have heads that weigh up to 20 pounds.

When a user swings the head of the hammer on an arc, the head reaches the top of the arc, and the weight of the head pulls the hammer down, increasing the force of the strike. This force is further increased by lengthening the handle to create a larger parabolic arc and a faster head swing. Just keep in mind that as the length of the hammer and the weight of the hammer increases, the amount of control required to swing the hammer also increases.

To get the best results for your project, choose a hammer with a balanced weight and length that can provide enough momentum to generate a significant amount of force without requiring too much effort to control the swing.

Cost

When it comes to the cost of a hammer, you won't need to worry about spending thousands of dollars on a new addition to the toolbox. Hammers can cost as little as $10 or range to as much as $300 for large, heavy-duty sledgehammers. Prices can fluctuate based on the type of hammer, handle material, weight, length, grip, and even more specialized features like a textured face can impact the price.

Keep in mind that while you can find hammers at a very low price, this price often reflects the quality of the tool, so if the price seems too good to be true, then it's likely that the tool was made with cheap material or it may be shoddily constructed. Hammers aren't expensive. Spend the extra $20 or $50 to ensure you get a high-quality product.