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A drywall hammer is a specialty tool that resembles a traditional hammer, except for its milled face that’s used to grip nails and its hatchet-like end that’s used to trim drywall. The tool is mostly used for installing and modifying drywall, which is the material used to construct walls throughout your home.
Drywall hammers come in a variety of sizes and shapes. To help you select the drywall hammer that’s right for your next project, the This Old House Team researched the best drywall hammers on Amazon. Here are our top five recommendations. You can also read our buying guide for tools to find more information on finding the best products for your home.
Top 4 Drywall Hammers
- Best Anti-Vibration: Estwing 14-Ounce Drywall Hammer
- Best Grip: OX Tools 14-Ounce Drywall Hammer
- Best Value: Goldblatt 14-Ounce Drywall Hammer
- Most Durable: Stiletto Nine-Ounce Titanium Drywall Axe
Least Vibrations
Estwing 14-Ounce Drywall Hammer
- $31.98
- $39.16
- 18% off
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Key Features
- 1.5 pounds
- 13.8 inches long
- Lifetime warranty
What Customers Are Saying
Positive reviews praised the drywall hammer’s durability, with many customers stating that it’s what they expected from an Estwing product. Other positive reviews focused on the tool’s proper balance and weight. This product received just a single one-star review, with the dissatisfied customer explaining concerns over alleged carcinogenic materials used in the tool’s manufacturing process.
Best Grip
OX Tools 14-Ounce Drywall Hammer
- $29.99
- $44.99
- 33% off
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Key Features
- 1.61 pounds
- 13.78 inches long
What Customers Are Saying
Satisfied customers commented on the hammer’s value and high quality, with one customer complimenting the hammer’s balanced weight. Negative reviews contradicted the high-quality claims, with one dissatisfied customer complaining that the drywall hammer’s grip slipped off of the handle.
Best Value
Goldblatt 14-Ounce Drywall Hammer
- $20.95
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Key Features
- 1.63 pounds
- 13.8 inches long
What Customers Are Saying
Positive customer reviews centered around the product’s comfortable and balanced feel. Additional positive reviews praised the hammer’s high quality and affordable price. Although there were no 1-, 2-, or 3-star reviews at the time of this review, many customers complained that they had to sharpen the hammer’s blade after continued use.
Most Durable
Stiletto Nine-Ounce Titanium Drywall Axe
- $106
- $135
- 21% off
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Key Features
- 12 ounces
- 14.8 inches
What Customers Are Saying
Positive reviews centered around the product’s feel, with many customers praising the tool’s lightweight design and powerful swing. Negative reviews pointed out the hammer’s out-of-square and small head, which one customer explained caused them to hit their knuckles during use.
Buying Guide
Drywall hammers are useful for homeowners looking for help on serious DIY projects. Here are a few factors to consider before buying a drywall hammer.
Handle
Drywall hammers have handles that are constructed using wood, fiberglass, or steel. The choice of handle material is a personal preference, with each material having its benefits and drawbacks.
Wood handles are effective at controlling vibrations during strikes, but they aren’t as durable as their fiberglass or steel counterparts. Fiberglass is a cheaper, more durable alternative to steel, but it’s difficult to replace if it breaks. Steel is the most durable handle material and adds weight to the hammer to help drive nails. Although hammers with steel handles are long-lasting, they typically produce heavy vibrations during use.
Weight
A drywall hammer’s weight affects its power and maneuverability. Light hammers allow for a controlled swing, but they often cannot effectively drive drywall nails. Heavy drywall hammers are difficult to control, but they can provide an adequate amount of strength to cut through drywall.
Cost
Most quality drywall hammers can be purchased for around $30. While this is the average cost of a drywall hammer, many factors can increase the price of this tool. For example, a drywall hammer with a titanium head will be more expensive than one with a steel head.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a drywall hammer used for?
Drywall hammers are used by serious DIYers to install drywall. The hammer includes a hatchet and a milled front face that help users drive nails into drywall without damaging its surface.
Why do drywall hammers have a hatchet?
A drywall hammer has a hatchet with a sharpened blade for making quick drywall cuts.
What other tools do I need to hang drywall?
If you’re looking to hang drywall in your home, here are some of the tools you may need in addition to a drywall hammer:
Why Trust The This Old House Team
This Old House has empowered homeowners for more than four decades with top-notch home improvement content in the form of television programs, print media, and digital content on its website and social media platforms. The This Old House Team focuses on creating in-depth product and service review content to help inform your purchasing decision for just about any item or resource that you might need for your home. The This Old House Team has written over 1,000 reviews on products in the home space, from cordless drills to kitchen trash cans, lawn mowers, and dining room decorations.
We recommend products in each review using an intensive research process, spending hours combing through the best available models on Amazon. For a product to make our list of top picks, it must hold a solid sales record on Amazon, have consistently positive customer reviews, and offer unique features, among other factors. After narrowing down our list of recommendations, we conduct additional research and sometimes in-person testing to ensure that the products meet our standards. Once we conclude the research phase, we craft a well-rounded, user-friendly article that includes our recommended products and additional information to help homeowners like you make the right purchase.
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