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Hammer Buying Guide

Valerie Albarda

By Valerie Albarda
Updated August 5, 2022

A hammer is a hammer, right? Not really. Projects go a lot better when you have the right tool. Learn about the different types of hammers, such as framing, roofing, drywall, ball peen, bricklayer's and even sledgehammers.

A Kobalt hammer with a gray and blue handle.

Hammer Types

The variety of hammer designs lets you find one that's right for your project. Here are some of the common types of hammers:

Curved-Claw Hammer

A blue, black and silver Kobalt curve-claw hammer.

A curved-claw hammer drives nails for general carpentry work.

  • Has a curved claw for more leverage when removing nails
  • Weighs between 12 and 20 ounces
  • Handle may be wood, fiberglass or steel

Rip-Claw Hammer

A Kobalt hammer with a black and blue handle.

A rip-claw hammer also works for general carpentry.

  • Has a straight claw that rips out boards and removes nails
  • Weighs between 16 and 25 ounces
  • Handle may be wood, fiberglass or steel

Framing Hammer

A blue Estwing framing hammer.

A framing hammer is perfect for heavy carpentry work.

  • Has a longer handle than curved-claw and rip-claw hammers
  • Weighs between 22 and 32 ounces
  • Often has a milled (waffled) head for gripping nailheads
  • Can deliver stronger blows than other claw hammers

Shinglers Hammer

A blue and silver Estwing shinglers hammer.

Use a shinglers hammer to install roofing materials.

  • May have a milled (waffled) face for better grip on nailheads
  • Has a hatchet-shaped end for cutting materials, such as wood shake shingles
  • Has a notch for removing nails

Drywall Hammer

A blue and silver Estwing drywall hammer.

A drywall hammer is useful when you’re working with drywall.

  • Has a milled (waffled) face on the head for better grip on nailheads when installing drywall
  • Has a notch for pulling nails
  • Scores and cuts drywall with a hatchet-shaped end

Ball Peen Hammer

A blue and silver ball peen hammer.

A ball peen hammer is useful when working with metal.

  • Has a head with a flat end to drive punches and chisels and a rounded end for shaping and bending metal
  • Weights between 4 and 32 ounces
  • Has a wood, steel or graphite handle

Bricklayers/Brick Hammer

A blue Estwing brick hammer.

A brick hammer helps you set or split brick and masonry products.

  • Weighs between 15 and 24 ounces
  • Has a wood, fiberglass or steel handle

Rubber Mallet

A rubber mallet with a black head and a brown wood handle.

A rubber mallet is designed for assembling pieces that a typical hammer might damage.

  • Has a bounce-resistant head, also known as a dead head
  • Available with a gray, nonmarring head or a black head, which may leave marks on surfaces
  • Weighs between 12 and 28 ounces
  • Has a wood handle

Dead Blow Hammer

A blue Estwing dead blow hammer.

A dead blow hammer is often used in metal assembly work.

  • Head is filled with steel shot
  • Delivers heavy striking force while reducing rebound
  • Has a polyurethane cover that reduces marring

Engineering/Drilling Hammer

A blue Estwing drilling hammer.

A drilling hammer works for heavy hammering or demolition.

  • Weighs between 2 and 4 pounds
  • Has a wood, fiberglass or steel handle

Sledgehammer

A blue and black Kobalt sledgehammer.

Use a sledgehammer to drive stakes, pins and wedges and for demolition work.

  • Weighs between 8 and 16 pounds
  • Has a wood or fiberglass handle

Need more information on driving nails correctly? Take a look at these videos:

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