Furniture Flipping Tools to Save Time and Money
Several weeks ago I did a post on my must-have furniture flipping supplies. I intentionally kept that list of things I use most often but that don’t cost much. One of the great things about furniture refinishing is that you don’t need to spend a lot of money to get started. That said, there are more expensive furniture flipping tools that you can invest in that will save you time and money in the long run and that I think are a worthwhile investment. I recommend putting aside a portion of your profit and saving up for each tool. Or be creative – I remember the year I asked my husband for a sander for Christmas!
So when you are ready to take the next step and invest in some quality tools, here is what I would recommend spending your money on. I’ve divided them into power tools and non-power tools and tried to prioritize them. Just keep in mind my refinishing priorities may be slightly different than yours. For example, I don’t do a lot of building in my projects, so things like table saws and miter saws aren’t something I use (but I have refinishing friends who use them all the time).
Power Tools
Power tools are generally more of an investment compared to non-power tools. And even within a category, there is a wide range of money you can spend.
1. Electric Sander
Every single piece of furniture you flip requires sanding of some sort. Every one. So, getting an electric sander and moving away from hand sanding will save you tons of time if you are working on furniture regularly. I started with a basic orbital sander and used it for a few years before finally deciding to upgrade.
When I was ready to invest more in a sander, I decided on a SurfPrep 3×4 Electric Ray. I have had mine for nearly 4 years, use it on every project, and it is still going strong! It is perfect for scuff sanding and detail sanding. I love it because its size makes it easy to reach in all of the nooks and crannies and the sponge abrasive pads make sanding contours and details a breeze.
While I loved my SurfPrep, I still used my old orbital sander when completely removing a large area of old finish (sanding down a dresser top, for example). When it finally died, I did some research and decided to replace it with a Festool orbital sander. While more expensive than my previous sander there are two reasons why I think it is a good investment. One – it doesn’t vibrate like my old orbital sander did so my hands and wrists aren’t tingly at the end of a sanding session. Two – it hooks directly into my dust extractor (read more on vacuums and dust extractors below).
3. Shop vac/dust extractor
When you are using a power sander you create a lot of dust! The good news is you can attach it to a shop vac or dust extractor to vacuum away the dust while you are sanding. And you want to know what doesn’t like to get dusty? Wet paint or freshly painted furniture. I started out with a regular shop vac, which reduced the dust tremendously, but there was still some around.
A couple of years in I decided to upgrade to a Festool dust extractor. This is an investment, but was worth it for me for the time and place my business was in. The dust extractor has a HEPA filter and has stronger suction than my shop vac. So it sucks more dust in, and once it’s in, nothing escapes back out because of the filter. I can sand inside my house in the winter months and it does not make my house dusty at all.
Another great thing about having a vacuum on hand is for cleaning your furniture. I’ll often start the cleaning process by vacuuming out the insides, bottom, and back to get rid of all that dirt and cobwebs.
2. Power drill
When refinishing furniture, you take apart and put back together pieces all the time. Having a power drill to remove things like hardware and hinges is a definite time saver. I also use my drill to drill new hardware holes if I’m changing the hardware size or location.
4. Paint sprayer
A paint sprayer is by no means a necessity. If you know my business, you know that I hand-paint the majority of my pieces. However, I do own a sprayer and there are projects I find it very helpful for (like chairs, other intricate pieces, glossy finishes). And there are a lot of furntiure painters who use a sprayer on every piece because it is much faster than hand painting. The sprayer I use is a Wagner Flexio 5000 and I’ve been very happy with it.
5. Jigsaw
Again, another tool that isn’t a necessity, but I love having it on hand. I’ll use it cut details off furniture to give it a new look. I walk through an example in this article – The one I use is made by Black and Decker – its inexpensive and nothing fancy, but does what I need it too.
Non-power tools
While not all of these items are completely necessary, I find them all extremely helpful and would definitely consider having them on hand.
- Tape measure – I have at least 5 and can never find any of them!
- Carbide scraper – saves so much time removing the finish when used before stripping and/or sanding.
- Putty knife – great for all sorts of small tasks like spreading wood filler and chipping off loose veneer.
- Kreg jig – this is such a time saver when re-drilling new hardware holes! Keeps everything level and measured correctly.
- Bolt cutter – when the screws that come with new hardware are too long, this tool is great to clip them to size.
- Exacto knife – I use this mostly when lining drawers with peel and stick wallpaper, but it comes in handy for other things as well.
- Safety gear – I mentioned this in my supplies post, but it bears repeating. Having the right respirator mask, safety glasses, and gloves are essential.
Summary
I could go on and on with all sorts of furniture flipping tools and gadgets that many refinishers find helpful. But I really wanted to focus on the ones I use the most and that make the biggest impact in my day-to-day operations. But I’d love to know, is there something I missed that you use all the time? I’m always wanting to try new things and I love this business becuase I am constantly learning!
If you’re interested in more products that I used often and would definitely recommend to others, I have them all in my Amazon Storefront. And I also have a post that covers my favorite supplies. Be sure to check these out!
Other Articles That May be of interest:
- 11 Must have Furniture Flipping Supplies
- How to Paint Furniture
- Repairing Furniture: How to Fix Before Painting
- Lining Drawers in Furniture and Cabinets
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