Hammer Tools Used in Carpentry

A hammer is a striking tool that pushes metal into place. Usually, it has a metal head and a plastic or wooden handle. If you see a hammer with a wooden head, it is a mallet. Don't strike other tools that have wooden handles with hammers. This job belongs to a mallet. There are varieties of hammer tools used in carpentry. Each one has a different weight and shape for the job.

Joiner's or Framing Hammer

Use a joiner's hammer when you want to do heavy work. The names joiner's hammer and framing hammer are interchangeable because the joiner does the framing. These are used for, as the name implies, framing houses and working with larger board and nails. Usually, the claw for pulling nails is on the opposite end of the hammer face, but some newer hammers offer it on the side.

Tack Hammers

The tack hammer is for small, lighter-weight jobs. The head has a flat plate on one side for hammering and the other side either has a magnetic face that's slotted to hold and start nails or a small claw to remove the nails. These are ideal for a carpenter who puts up trim and molding.

Claw Hammer

Claw hammers are another way of classifying hammers. A straight claw, also called rip claw hammer and the traditional claw hammer, comes in a variety of weights and sizes. The difference lies in the angle of the claw for pulling nails. Some hammers have a nail pulling feature at the side of the head instead of a claw. Other hammers have a crowbar as the end of the handle to do the pulling and the head has no claw.

Club Hammer

This is the most practical if the carpenter needs to remove a wall before building. Also called a lump hammer, its primary use is light demolition. It has a large canister head with two faces.

Cross Pein Pin Hammer

One end of this hammer has a pein and the other end has the hammer head. The pein is useful for starting openings for tacks and panel pins. The bigger version is called the cross and straight pein. Both are for lighter work such as furniture making.