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Step 1
Determine the right hammer to purchase by the type of work you need to do. There is a hammer for almost any job, whether it's carpentry, upholstery, roofing, laying shingles or doing metalwork. However, the one hammer that almost everyone needs in his or her set of tools is the basic claw hammer. The claw hammer has either a curved claw, which is better for pulling out nails, or a straight claw, which is better for ripping out boards.
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Step 2
Decide what weight your hammer should be. The curved claw hammer gives you more leverage when pulling nails out. For general household use, you need a 16 or 20-oz. weight. The smaller 7 to 13-oz. weight hammer is best for light duty work. The 18 to 24-oz. weight is what you need for heavier framing work or house building.
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Step 3
Choose the type of face, which is the part of the hammer that hits the nail. The waffle face is the best choice if you need more control when hammering nails into large boards and is more useful on the larger framing hammers. The smooth face, referred to as a finishing hammer, won't leave a mark on the wood if you miss the nail. This face is generally on the smaller hammers ranging in size from 7 to 16 oz.
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Step 4
Pick a handle that is comfortable to you. They come in hickory, fiberglass and steel. This is a personal preference and doesn't affect the performance of the hammer. A smaller person may want to consider a lighter weight material, but you need to hold them and decide for yourself which feels best to you.
