Whether you’re a seasoned DIY’er or a rookie, ensure that you have a complete tool box kit by referencing this handy checklist from Bob Villa and Alliance Rubber Company.
Hardware stores began to see a spike in sales at the start of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. As can be expected, they’re continuing to report a major increase in categories for cleaning supplies and household essentials, but there has also been a major surge in sales for items such as appliances and materials for DIY home projects.
In a recent interview with CNBC, Lowe’s CEO Marvin Ellison said, “As customers are sheltering in place, they’re looking at that deferred list of home projects. As they spend time around the home, they now have more time on their hands to tackle some of those things.”
Lowe’s isn’t the only major retailer reporting a surge in sales relating to home improvement projects. True Value CEO John Hartman noticed a shift after stay-at-home orders went into effect across America. “We’ve had a huge surge in paint, and with the onset of spring in many parts of the country, a lot of lawn and garden sales,” he said. With the increase in availability of curbside pickup, these numbers continue to rise.
Who knows DIY Home Improvement more than Bob Vila?
If you’re planning on starting a DIY project of your own, the list of items you need for the project might be obvious. While you may know that you need paint, paintbrushes, and drop cloths to repaint your living room, you might forget about those handy-dandy items you need for a complete tool box kit to ensure that the project runs smoothly.
Don’t make it harder than it has to be!
Before you begin any project make sure you run through this quick list of items that Bob Vila recommends for every tool box. In doing so, you will have all the tools at your disposal when you need them, and you won’t have to worry about the inconvenience of stopping mid-project to obtain those much-needed items.
You’ll notice that the 8th item on Bob Vila’s list of essential toolbox items is: RUBBER BANDS!
We happen to know A LOT about rubber bands. After all, Alliance Rubber Company has been manufacturing them since 1923. So, you may be asking yourself, “What are the best rubber bands for my project?”
Rubber Bands come in a wide range of sizes, colors, and compounds. The type of rubber band that would be perfect for painting, might not be the best type of rubber band for building a bookcase. So, we have included some typical DIY projects below along with the rubber band that would provide the most assistance. If you want to know how these standard sizes convert to actual size, be sure to take a look at our Rubber Band Size Chart. For even further help with Rubber Band Sizes, consult our handy Rubber Band Size Calculator!
DIY Woodworking Projects
- #62 Advantage® Rubber Band to unscrew a stripped screw
- #74 Advantage® Rubber Band for added grip on a tool or to unscrew a tight jar lid
- #84 Advantage® Rubber Band to remove pencil markings from walls
- #63 Advantage® Rubber Band around spring clamps to hold hardwood edging in place until the glue sets
- #14 Advantage® Rubber Band around the jaws of needle-nose pliers to create a small-parts clamp (works especially well for starting small finish nails)
Any Project
- #81 Advantage® Rubber Band to insulate (low-wattage) exposed electrical wires. *Make sure the electricity is off first*
- #73 Advantage® Rubber Band around door knob front & back to prevent door closing
- #82 Advantage® Rubber Band around the top of a hammer to prevent it from scratching surfaces when removing nails
- #64 Advantage® Rubber Band around a pair of pliers to hold a flashlight in place for a “hands-free” hack
- #31 Advantage® Rubber Band (cut into a strip) to wedge a bolt head into the bolt socket, allowing you to start threading without losing the bolt
- #84 Advantage® Rubber Band wrapped around a drill can be used as a handy spot to hold small screws and driver bits
- #32 Advantage® Rubber Band to create an anti-skid level when making a line on a wall
- #64 Advantage® Rubber Band around the neck of ceiling fan globes where the screws grip to prevent rattling
- #30 Advantage® Rubber Band around the packing tape dispenser to keep the end of the tape from falling through the slot back onto the roll.
Roofing Projects
- #32 Advantage® Rubber Band wrapped around tools to prevent sliding
Painting Projects
- #32 Advantage® Rubber Band wrapped around the center of the paint can to scrape excess paint from brush directly into the can
As you can see, rubber bands have so many practical uses that you’ll soon find them to be one of the most essential items in your complete tool box kit!
