Tool Up For National Maintenance Week

Get ready for #OfficeDIY with these handy tools!

Having #DIY skills is essential for anyone who owns or works in an SME. While big companies have budgets for contractors to maintain and repair their facilities, smaller firms have to be more hands on.

While serious building maintenance should be carried out by qualified tradesmen, for little jobs here and there, you could save your firm some money by making repairs yourself. Here are some of the tools you might need to get the job done during National Maintenance Week.

Cordless drills and screwdrivers

Every office should have a cordless drill and screwdriver set (with regular and Philips heads). Not only are they great for making holes in things, natch, but they’re super useful for assembling and maintaining office furniture.

Stud sensors

If you’re hanging posters or promotional materials in your building, you need a stud sensor. Use one of these to identify wood and metal beams in the wall, and find the sturdiest place to hang the picture. (This might also make a good gift for a hen night.)

Allen key set

These are so handy to have around since they’re used on all sorts of things. It turns out they are named after William G. Allen who patented hexagonal socket screws in 1910, and invented this wrench to go along with them.

Duct tape

Duct tape is absolutely essential for any office, either as a permanent fix for a problem, or to hold something together until a proper repair can be organised. If astronauts can use duct tape to repair a lunar rover up there, you can certainly use it down here.

Industrial tarpaulin

Just like trying to eat a doughnut without spilling jam on your top, whatever repairs you’re doing in the office are going to leave a bit of mess. The solution? A tarpaulin. (For the maintenance, that is. I think covering yourself in one of these at #KrispyKreme might get a few strange looks.)

Bonus item!

When working with tools, one slip could get you a nicked finger or worse. Make sure that you’ve got a good first aid kit to hand. (You could also keep a felt-tip pen nearby, in case anyone wants a teddy bear drawn on their sticking plaster.  Builders ain’t so tough.)

Have you got any DIY stories to share?  Whether they’re tales of triumph or ‘I can’t believe this has gone so wrong’ moments, let us know in the comments.