Framing Tools Worth Buying
The tools that go with the calculators on this site, from layout to sheathing. Every pick is a brand pros already trust, with strong reviews and steady sales. We list what to buy and why, without filler.
How we picked: by brand track record, thousands of reviews where possible and how much each item actually sells on Amazon. We haven't lab-tested these. Links go to Amazon, and FramersMath earns a commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you. Prices change, so check them on Amazon.
Layout & squares
Most framing mistakes start with a bad layout mark. A speed square, a full framing square and a good calculator cover rafters, stairs and squaring up. Pair them with the rafter, stair and square-up calculators.
Swanson 7" Speed Square (S0101)
The original Speed Square. Common and hip/valley scales for marking rafter cuts, plus a fence for square crosscuts.
Swanson Big 12 Speed Square (S0107)
The 12" version marks a plumb cut across a 2×10 or 2×12 in one stroke. Comes with Swanson's Blue Book of rafter tables.
Klein Tools 24" × 16" Framing Square (935FSQ)
A full-size steel framing square for stair stringer layout and checking corners for square.
Kapro 317 48" Adjustable Drywall T-Square
Scores a full sheet of drywall or sheathing in one pass, and the head adjusts for angled cuts.
Calculated Industries Construction Master Pro (4065)
The standard jobsite calculator. Works in feet, inches and fractions, with built-in rafter, stair and area functions.
Marking tools
A sharp line is a straight cut. Carry a carpenter pencil for wood, a marker for wet or dusty stock and a chalk line for plates, sheathing and roofing.
Klein Tools Skribes Mechanical Carpenter Pencil (80188)
Thick 2.8 mm lead that doesn't need a knife: the sharpener is built in, and it comes with 10 refills.
Klein Tools Skribes XL Chisel-Tip Marker (86103)
A bold jobsite marker for lumber, sheathing and concrete. Made to write on wet, dry or oily surfaces.
Milwaukee Inkzall Fine Point Markers, 4-pack (48-22-3104)
One of Amazon's best-selling jobsite markers. A fine point for cut lists and layout marks on dusty lumber.
Tajima Chalk-Rite Jam-Free Chalk Line (Bold)
Fast rewind and a chalk chamber built not to jam. Snaps a bold line for plates, sheathing and roofing courses.
Tape measures
Get a 25 ft tape with a wide blade. Standout, how far the blade reaches before it folds, matters more than anything else on a framing tape.
Stanley FatMax 25 ft Tape Measure (33-725)
A wide blade with long standout, so you can reach across a span without it buckling. Stud marks every 16".
Milwaukee 25 ft Compact Wide Blade Magnetic Tape (48-22-0325)
A compact body that rides easily in a pouch, and a magnetic hook that grabs steel and joist hangers.
Framing hammers & tool belts
Even with a nail gun you still need a hammer every day: toenailing, persuading plates, pulling nails. Steel is the standard; titanium costs more but is easier on your arm.
Estwing 22 oz Framing Hammer, Milled Face (E3-22SM)
One piece of forged steel, so the head never loosens. The milled face grips nail heads, and the grip cuts shock.
Stiletto TiBone 15 oz Titanium Hammer (TIB15MC)
Titanium drives like a heavier steel hammer with much less weight on your arm over a full day. A premium pick.
Occidental Leather OxyLight Framer Tool Belt
A made-in-USA framer's rig with 21 pockets and holders: nails on one side, tape, square and pencil on the other.
Levels & laser levels
A 48" level for walls and posts, a torpedo for the pouch, and a laser for anything longer than the level, like deck posts, headers in a run or ceiling layout. Green beams are easier to see indoors than red.
Stabila Type 196 Level Set, 48" + 16" (37816)
Heavy-duty box levels known for accurate vials that stay accurate. The 48" for walls and posts, the 16" for tight spots.
Klein Tools 8" Magnetic Billet Torpedo Level (935RB)
A machined aluminum torpedo level that fits a pouch. Magnetic edge sticks to hangers, straps and steel.
DeWalt Green Cross-Line Laser (DW088CG)
Self-leveling level and plumb lines in green, which is easier to see indoors than red. Good for walls, headers and cabinets.
DeWalt 12V 3×360° Green Laser Kit
Three full 360° planes: level all the way around the room plus two plumb planes for layout. Battery and charger included.
Huepar 3×360° Green Laser Level
The budget pick: the same three 360° green planes for far less money, with thousands of Amazon reviews.
Nail guns: battery vs. air
Battery framing nailers need no compressor or hose, so they're great for punch lists, decks and small jobs. They are heavier and cost more per tool. Pneumatic nailers are lighter, cheaper and fire faster, which is why framing crews still run air. Match the nails to the gun: 21° guns take plastic-collated nails, 30–34° guns take paper-collated ones. Use hot-dip galvanized nails in treated lumber.
Milwaukee M18 FUEL 30° Framing Nailer (2745-20)
Battery framing nailer with no compressor, no hose and no gas cartridges. Takes 30–34° paper-collated nails. Tool only.
DeWalt 20V MAX 30° Framing Nailer (DCN930B)
DeWalt's brushless battery framer for 30° paper-collated nails. The pick if you're already on DeWalt 20V batteries. Tool only.
Metabo HPT 21° Pneumatic Framing Nailer (NR90AES1)
One of the best-selling air framers on Amazon: light, fast and simple. Shoots 2" to 3-1/2" plastic-collated nails.
Metabo HPT NR83A5 21° Framing Nailer
The heavier workhorse version, used by framing crews for decades. Switch between single shot and bump fire.
Metabo HPT Coil Siding & Framing Nailer (NV75A5)
A coil nailer built for siding and fencing, holding a few hundred nails per coil. Depth adjusts so you don't crush the siding.
DeWalt 4.5 Gallon Hand-Carry Compressor (D55146)
Enough air to keep up with a framing nailer, 225 PSI max, with wheels and a handle to move it around the site.
Metabo HPT 3" × .120 21° Ring-Shank Hot-Dip Galvanized Nails
Hot-dip galvanized for treated lumber and outdoor work, ring shank for holding power. Fits 21° framers.
Metabo HPT 3" × .120 21° Bright Framing Nails (1,000)
Bright (uncoated) nails for interior framing. Check your nailing schedule for the size it calls for.
Saws
The worm-drive circular saw is the framing standard: the blade is on the left so you can see the line, and it has the torque for rafters and gang cuts. Cordless versions now keep up.
DeWalt FLEXVOLT 60V Worm-Style Circular Saw (DCS577B)
Cordless worm-drive power for rafters, ripping and gang-cutting. No cord to drag across the deck. Tool only.
SKILSAW Lightweight Magnesium Worm Drive (SPT77WML-01)
The corded framing classic. The blade-left worm drive is the saw most rafter cutting is done with.
Milwaukee M18 FUEL 7-1/4" Circular Saw
Full-size 7-1/4" cordless sidewinder for the Milwaukee M18 platform. Tool only.
Milwaukee M18 FUEL Sawzall Reciprocating Saw
Cuts nails, old framing and plates for remodel and demo, like opening a wall for a new header. Tool only.
DeWalt 12" Double-Bevel Sliding Miter Saw with XPS Light
Crosscuts a 2×12 and cuts angles on blocking, trim and decking. The XPS light shows exactly where the blade will cut.
Drills, impact drivers, bits & batteries
Pick one battery platform, DeWalt 20V or Milwaukee M18, and stay on it. Bare tools are cheaper once you own batteries. Most deck and structural screws use a T25 Torx bit, so keep spares. See the decking calculator to count screws.
DeWalt 20V MAX Drill + Impact Driver Kit (DCK240C2)
One of the best-selling tool kits on Amazon: drill, impact driver, two batteries, charger and bag. A good first kit.
Milwaukee M18 FUEL Hammer Drill + Impact Driver Kit (3697-22)
Milwaukee's pro-grade brushless pair with two 5.0 Ah batteries. Enough power for ledger lags and long structural screws.
DeWalt 20V MAX XR 3-Speed Impact Driver
A brushless impact with three speeds: low for deck screws that shouldn't strip, high for structural screws. Tool only.
Milwaukee M18 FUEL 1/4" Hex Impact Driver
Milwaukee's brushless M18 FUEL impact driver: compact, with a short head for driving between joists. Tool only.
DeWalt 20V MAX Drywall Screwgun (DCF630B)
Sets every drywall screw to the same depth without tearing the paper. Much faster than an impact driver for hanging board. Tool only.
DeWalt 20V MAX 5.0 Ah Batteries, 2-pack (DCB205-2)
The batteries to buy for bare DeWalt tools like the nailer and impact. 5 Ah runs a framing nailer for a long stretch.
Milwaukee M18 XC 5.0 Ah Starter Kit (2 batteries + charger)
Two 5.0 Ah batteries and a charger, the way to power bare Milwaukee tools like the framing nailer and saws.
DeWalt 40-Piece FlexTorq Impact Bit Set (DWA2T40IR)
Impact-rated Phillips, square and Torx bits in one case. Tens of thousands of reviews and still a top seller.
Milwaukee Shockwave 3-1/2" T25 Torx Bits, 6-pack
T25 is the drive on most deck and structural screws. The 3-1/2" length reaches into tight spots, and bits do wear out.
Bosch Impact Tough 8-Piece Torx Bit Set (CCSTV208)
An assortment of impact-rated Torx sizes in a clip, for the different screws on one job.
Structural screws & ZIP System tape
Structural screws replace through-bolts and lags in many connections; always follow the manufacturer's spacing and code listing. ZIP System sheathing panels are sold at lumberyards, not on Amazon, but the tape and roller are.
GRK RSS 5/16" × 4" Structural Screws (400)
Structural screws that drive without pre-drilling. Often used to join plies of built-up beams; follow the maker's spacing.
GRK R4 #10 × 3-1/8" Framing Screws (630)
An all-purpose framing screw for blocking, backing and fixes where a nail won't do. Self-countersinking.
ZIP System Flashing Tape, 3.75" × 90 ft
The tape that seals the seams of ZIP System sheathing, and a common pick for flashing windows and doors.
ZIP System Tape Roller
Pressure activates the tape's adhesive. This roller is made for it, and is faster and more even than rubbing by hand.
Ladders
One multi-position ladder covers most framing work, and a 6 ft fiberglass stepladder handles ceilings and blocking. Fiberglass doesn't conduct electricity near live wiring.
Little Giant Velocity 22 ft Multi-Position Ladder
A-frame, extension, or stairway ladder with uneven legs, with leg levelers. One ladder for most framing work.
Louisville 6 ft Fiberglass Stepladder, Type IA (FS1506)
A 300 lb Type IA fiberglass stepladder, non-conductive near wiring. The everyday ladder for ceilings, headers and blocking.
Tools are only half of it. Check your numbers with the FramersMath calculators before you cut.