ONLYTOOLS.CA
OnlyTools.ca / Carpenter

CARP  ·  Red Seal: Carpenter  ·  Apprentice wage $18–24 / hr

Carpenter apprentice tool list

Frame, form and finish — carpenters build the bones of every site. Broadest tool list of any trade, and a strong path toward site supervision or running your own crew.

Tools on this list138
Required by most employers20
Day one25

▶ BUILD THIS LOADOUT Pick brands, tick off what you own, print or share the checklist.

Follows the basic tool set and PPE a UBC training centre expects of a general carpentry apprentice.
Paid links  As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Product links open an Amazon.ca search and carry our affiliate tag - it costs you nothing extra, and we get nothing unless you buy.
Before you buy  Owning a tool isn't the same as being allowed to use it. Get trained first, follow the manufacturer's instructions, and ask your employer - they often supply the gear, and this site is not safety advice.

01  Day One - 25 tools

What you need in your hands the first morning. Nothing here is optional.

REQUIRED
Claw Hammer outline drawing

Claw Hammer

Generic · Claw Hammer
DAY ONE
A 16-20oz smooth-face claw hammer covers most work. Swing a few - balance matters more than brand.
REQUIRED
Coated Gloves outline drawing

Coated Gloves

Coated · Gloves
DAY ONE
Nitrile-coated palms give grip without losing dexterity. Buy a multi-pack — they wear out fast.
Heads-up Check if your employer supplies PPE before buying your own.
REQUIRED
CSA Safety Boots outline drawing

CSA Safety Boots

CSA · Safety Boots
DAY ONE
CSA-approved is mandatory on site. Fit matters more than brand — you'll wear these 10 hours a day.
Heads-up Best bought in person for fit. Save the receipt and check if your employer reimburses — your feet are important.
REQUIRED
Ear Plugs outline drawing

Ear Plugs

Generic · Ear Plugs
DAY ONE
Keep a pair in the pouch for when the muffs are in the truck. Hearing loss is cumulative and permanent.
REQUIRED
Hard Hat — Type 2 Class E outline drawing

Hard Hat — Type 2 Class E

Type 2 Class E · Hard Hat
DAY ONE
Type 2 protects from side impact, Class E from electrical. Many sites require exactly this rating.
Heads-up Check if your employer supplies PPE before buying your own.
REQUIRED
Hi-Vis Class 2 Safety Vest outline drawing

Hi-Vis Class 2 Safety Vest

Hi-Vis Class 2 · Safety Vest
DAY ONE
Class 2 is the site standard. Get one with pockets — you'll thank yourself.
Heads-up Check if your employer supplies PPE before buying your own.
REQUIRED
Knitted Gloves outline drawing

Knitted Gloves

Knitted · Gloves
DAY ONE
Breathable general-purpose gloves. Good backup pair to keep in your kit.
Heads-up Check if your employer supplies PPE before buying your own.
REQUIRED
Leather Gloves outline drawing

Leather Gloves

Leather · Gloves
DAY ONE
Best for handling rough lumber, steel and demo work. They break in — snug at first is fine.
Heads-up Check if your employer supplies PPE before buying your own.
REQUIRED
Safety Glasses outline drawing

Safety Glasses

Generic · Safety Glasses
DAY ONE
Buy several - they scratch and vanish. Anti-fog coating is worth it in winter.
Heads-up Check if your employer supplies PPE before buying your own.
REQUIRED
Tool Belt outline drawing

Tool Belt

Generic · Tool Belt
DAY ONE
Start simple - a basic rig with two pouches. You'll know what layout you want after a month on site.
Heads-up Wait until you know what you actually carry — most apprentices over-buy their first belt.
Earmuffs outline drawing

Earmuffs

Generic · Earmuffs
DAY ONE
Easier to keep on your hard hat than foam plugs are to keep in your ears. Look for 24dB+ noise reduction.
Heads-up Check if your employer supplies PPE before buying your own.
Headlamp outline drawing

Headlamp

Generic · Headlamp
DAY ONE
Frees both hands in a crawlspace, attic or panel. Rechargeable beats swapping AAAs.
Marker outline drawing

Marker

Generic · Marker
DAY ONE
Marks on wet lumber, concrete and steel where pencil won't. Fine tip for layout, chisel for labeling.
N95 Mask outline drawing

N95 Mask

Generic · N95 Mask
DAY ONE
Disposable dust protection for sanding and sweep-up. Buy a box — swap it when breathing gets harder.
Heads-up Check if your employer supplies PPE before buying your own.
Screwdriver Set outline drawing

Screwdriver Set

Generic · Screwdrivers
DAY ONE
Pick the drive types below — each shows the screw head it fits. A multi-bit driver covers most of these in one handle.
Site Broom outline drawing

Site Broom

Generic · Site Broom
DAY ONE
You will sweep more than you cut in year one. A stiff-bristle push broom moves debris, not dust.
Wool Work Socks outline drawing

Wool Work Socks

Generic · Wool Work Socks
DAY ONE
Merino wool over cotton — it keeps working when it gets wet. Cheapest comfort upgrade you can buy on day one.
Work Pants outline drawing

Work Pants

Generic · Work Pants
DAY ONE
Duck canvas or ripstop with a knee-pad pocket. Two pair minimum — one is always in the wash.
Heads-up Nothing loose or frayed near a rotating tool. Cuffs and drawstrings are how people lose fingers.

02  First Month - 45 tools

Bought once you know the trade sticks - layout, cordless, the rest of the pouch.

REQUIRED
Chalk Line outline drawing

Chalk Line

Generic · Chalk Line
FIRST MONTH
Snaps long straight lines across sheet goods and floors. Blue chalk washes out; red doesn't.
REQUIRED
Hand Saw outline drawing

Hand Saw

Generic · Hand Saw
FIRST MONTH
A sharp 20" crosscut handles what the power saws can't reach. Cheap ones cut fine — replace when dull.
REQUIRED
Torpedo Level outline drawing

Torpedo Level

Generic · Torpedo Level
FIRST MONTH
Fits in a pouch for quick checks on blocking, boxes and pipe. Magnetic backs stick to steel.
Allen Keys outline drawing

Allen Keys

Generic · Allen Keys
FIRST MONTH
Set screws, blade guards and tool adjustments. Get metric and imperial — you'll meet both.
Backpack outline drawing

Backpack

Generic · Backpack
FIRST MONTH
For lunch, layers and paperwork. A separate hard pocket saves your safety glasses.
Heads-up Wait until you know what you actually carry — most apprentices over-buy their first bag.
Battery Charger outline drawing

Battery Charger

Dewalt · Battery Charger
FIRST MONTH
Comes in most combo kits — buy separately only if you bought your tools bare.
Heads-up Usually comes with a combo kit — check before buying one separately.
Center Punch outline drawing

Center Punch

Generic · Center Punch
FIRST MONTH
Dimples metal so the drill bit starts where you meant it to. The automatic spring type needs no hammer.
Face Respirator outline drawing

Face Respirator

Generic · Face Respirator
FIRST MONTH
Reusable half-mask for silica, concrete dust and fumes. Do a seal check every time you put it on.
Heads-up Check if your employer supplies PPE before buying your own.
Folding Rule outline drawing

Folding Rule

Generic · Folding Rule
FIRST MONTH
A wooden folding rule stays rigid overhead where a tape flops. Electricians still carry one for box heights.
Framing Square outline drawing

Framing Square

Generic · Framing Square
FIRST MONTH
Layout tool for rafters, stairs and squaring walls. The tables stamped on the blade are worth learning.
Hacksaw outline drawing

Hacksaw

Generic · Hacksaw
FIRST MONTH
Cuts metal — bolts, conduit, threaded rod. Blade teeth per inch matters more than the frame.
Hammer Drill outline drawing

Hammer Drill

Dewalt · Hammer Drill
FIRST MONTH
Drills and drives, with a hammer mode for masonry. The workhorse of the platform.
Heads-up Pick one battery platform and stay on it — batteries and chargers don't cross brands.
Hard Hat Winter Liner outline drawing

Hard Hat Winter Liner

Generic · Hard Hat Winter Liner
FIRST MONTH
Fleece liner that goes under the shell. Most heat you lose outside goes out your head and neck.
Heads-up Must be a liner made to fit under a hard hat. A regular toque changes the suspension fit and can void the hat’s rating.
Impact Driver outline drawing

Impact Driver

Dewalt · Impact Driver
FIRST MONTH
For driving screws and lags all day. Paired with a hammer drill it covers most site work.
Heads-up Pick one battery platform and stay on it — batteries and chargers don't cross brands.
Knee Pads outline drawing

Knee Pads

Generic · Knee Pads
FIRST MONTH
Buy them before your knees tell you to. Gel caps with a hard shell survive kneeling on offcuts.
Level outline drawing

Level

Generic · Level
FIRST MONTH
Buy a 4 ft for walls and doors. Check it against a known flat surface before you leave the store.
Heads-up Check it against a known flat surface before you buy. A level that's out of true costs more than it saves.
Pry Bar outline drawing

Pry Bar

Generic · Pry Bar
FIRST MONTH
Demo, pulling nails, persuading framing. A flat bar lives in the truck; a small one in the bag.
Rain Gear outline drawing

Rain Gear

Generic · Rain Gear
FIRST MONTH
Jacket and bib in a bag you leave in the truck. Look for taped seams — coated nylon without them wets through in an hour.
Ratchet and Socket Set outline drawing

Ratchet and Socket Set

Generic · Ratchet and Socket Set
FIRST MONTH
Anchors, bolts and equipment work all need sockets. A 3/8 in. drive set covers most site work.
Heads-up Buy one set covering both metric and SAE rather than two partial sets.
Softshell Windbreaker outline drawing

Softshell Windbreaker

Generic · Softshell Windbreaker
FIRST MONTH
The layer you will wear most. Wind on a deck or a scissor lift is brutal at any temperature, and a shell cuts it without the bulk of a coat.
Heads-up Check whether your site requires hi-vis rated outerwear — a plain jacket over your vest may not count.
Stud Finder outline drawing

Stud Finder

Generic · Stud Finder
FIRST MONTH
Finds framing behind board before you drill into a pipe or a wire. Calibrate it on a known-empty spot.
Tool Bag outline drawing

Tool Bag

Generic · Tool Bag
FIRST MONTH
An open-top bag beats a box for daily carry. A hard bottom keeps it standing in the mud.
Heads-up Wait until you know what you actually carry — most apprentices over-buy their first bag.
Wood Glue outline drawing

Wood Glue

Generic · Wood Glue
FIRST MONTH
Type II is water-resistant and covers interior trim and casework. Clamp it, don't just hold it.
Work Light outline drawing

Work Light

Generic · Work Light
FIRST MONTH
Site lighting is never where you need it. A cordless flood on a tripod or hook covers a whole room.
Heads-up Check the battery platform before buying — a cordless light only makes sense on the system you already own.

03  First Year - 45 tools

Saws, chisels and the tools you buy after you have used someone else's.

REQUIRED
Cat's Paw outline drawing

Cat's Paw

Generic · Cat's Paw
FIRST YEAR
Digs out set nails you can't get a claw under. Expect it to damage the surrounding wood.
Angle Grinder outline drawing

Angle Grinder

Generic · Angle Grinder
FIRST YEAR
Cuts rebar, tile and steel, grinds welds, removes rust. Always use the guard and a face shield.
Heads-up Corded models cost far less and never run flat — worth it for a tool used in bursts.
Awl outline drawing

Awl

Generic · Awl
FIRST YEAR
Starts screw holes, marks layout points and scribes lines. Cheap and always in the pouch.
Back Saw outline drawing

Back Saw

Generic · Back Saw
FIRST YEAR
Stiff spine keeps the cut straight. Use it with a mitre box for joinery and trim.
Bar Clamp outline drawing

Bar Clamp

Generic · Bar Clamp
FIRST YEAR
Long reach for glue-ups and pulling walls together. Buy two before you buy one.
Heads-up Buy clamps in pairs — one clamp is rarely enough.
Circular Saw outline drawing

Circular Saw

Dewalt · Circular Saw
FIRST YEAR
The framing workhorse — rips and crosscuts lumber and sheet goods. 7-1/4" blade is the site standard.
Heads-up Big purchase — corded models cost noticeably less if you're not already on a battery platform.
Cold Chisel outline drawing

Cold Chisel

Generic · Cold Chisel
FIRST YEAR
Cuts and breaks metal or masonry. Never use it on wood, and never use a wood chisel on metal.
Coping Saw outline drawing

Coping Saw

Generic · Coping Saw
FIRST YEAR
Cuts the profile on inside corners of trim so the joint closes tight when the framing moves.
F-Clamp outline drawing

F-Clamp

Generic · F-Clamp
FIRST YEAR
Quick to set for holding stock while you cut or fasten. Pad the jaws on finished surfaces.
Heads-up Buy clamps in pairs — one clamp is rarely enough.
Fall Arrest Harness outline drawing

Fall Arrest Harness

Generic · Fall Arrest Harness
FIRST YEAR
Full-body harness to CSA Z259.10. Required above roughly 3 m on most Canadian sites — the exact trigger height is set by your province.
Heads-up Never wear fall protection you have not been trained on. Working at Heights (or your province’s equivalent) is required before you go up, and it is usually employer-paid. Employers normally supply and inspect the gear, and a harness is scrap after any fall.
Flush Cut outline drawing

Flush Cut

Generic · Flush Cut
FIRST YEAR
Trims dowels and plugs level with the surface without scratching it. Blade has no set.
Hand Scraper outline drawing

Hand Scraper

Generic · Hand Scraper
FIRST YEAR
Leaves a cleaner surface than sandpaper on hardwood, with no dust. Learn to turn the burr.
Heads-up Shop or bench tool — most site carpenters never carry one.
Heated Jacket outline drawing

Heated Jacket

Generic · Heated Jacket
FIRST YEAR
Genuinely changes outdoor winter work. Buy it in the brand your cordless tools already use so the batteries and charger are shared.
Heads-up Heated jackets run off tool batteries and each brand fits only its own — another reason to settle your platform first.
Jigsaw outline drawing

Jigsaw

Generic · Jigsaw
FIRST YEAR
The only saw that cuts curves and inside cutouts. Blade choice matters more than the tool.
Heads-up Cordless models lock you to a battery platform — match the one your drill already uses.
Mitre Saw outline drawing

Mitre Saw

Dewalt · Mitre Saw
FIRST YEAR
Accurate crosscuts and angles for framing and trim.
Heads-up Usually a site or shop tool — ask your crew before buying your own.
Nail Set outline drawing

Nail Set

Generic · Nail Sets
FIRST YEAR
Sinks finish nails below the surface without denting the wood. Get a three-size set.
Plumb Bob outline drawing

Plumb Bob

Generic · Plumb Bob
FIRST YEAR
Still the simplest way to transfer a point down through a floor. No batteries to die.
Pull Saw outline drawing

Pull Saw

Generic · Pull Saw
FIRST YEAR
Japanese-style saw that cuts on the pull stroke — thin kerf, clean finish and trim cuts.
Rasp outline drawing

Rasp

Generic · Rasp
FIRST YEAR
Removes wood fast where a plane can't reach. Follow with a file, then sandpaper.
Reciprocating Saw outline drawing

Reciprocating Saw

Dewalt · Reciprocating Saw
FIRST YEAR
Demo saw — cuts whatever's in the way: wood, nails, pipe. Blade choice matters more than the tool.
Heads-up Often a crew tool — ask before buying your own.
Sawhorses outline drawing

Sawhorses

Generic · Sawhorses
FIRST YEAR
A pair of folding horses gives you a bench anywhere. Cut into them; that is what they are for.
Heads-up Buy in pairs — one sawhorse holds nothing.
Sharpening Stone outline drawing

Sharpening Stone

Generic · Sharpening Stone
FIRST YEAR
Chisels and planes are consumables until you can sharpen. A dull edge is more dangerous than a sharp one.
Shock Absorbing Lanyard outline drawing

Shock Absorbing Lanyard

Generic · Shock Absorbing Lanyard
FIRST YEAR
Energy-absorbing lanyard to CSA Z259.11. Double-leg lets you stay tied off while you move.
Heads-up A harness alone stops nothing — the lanyard, the anchor and the clearance below you are one system. Get trained on all of it, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for every piece.
Shop Vacuum outline drawing

Shop Vacuum

Generic · Shop Vacuum
FIRST YEAR
Silica dust is a lung hazard, not a housekeeping issue. A vac with a HEPA filter is worth the extra cost.
Spokeshave outline drawing

Spokeshave

Generic · Spokeshave
FIRST YEAR
Shapes curves and rounds edges by hand. Specialty tool for curved work.
Heads-up Shop or bench tool — most site carpenters never carry one.
Staple Gun outline drawing

Staple Gun

Generic · Staple Gun
FIRST YEAR
Fastens house wrap, insulation and underlay. Manual is fine until you're doing it all day.
Try Square outline drawing

Try Square

Generic · Try Square
FIRST YEAR
Checks 90° on stock and marks crosscuts. Keep it out of the bottom of your bag so it stays true.

04  Specialty - 23 tools

Trade-specific and job-specific. Buy when the work calls for it, not before.

Air Compressor outline drawing

Air Compressor

Generic · Air Compressor
SPECIALTY
Pancake compressors run trim and framing guns. CFM rating matters more than tank size.
Heads-up Only worth buying if you own pneumatic tools. Check what your employer already supplies.
Anchor Strap outline drawing

Anchor Strap

Generic · Anchor Strap
SPECIALTY
Cross-arm strap that gives you a rated tie-off point where there is no engineered anchor. Only ever used as part of a system you have been trained on.
Butt Marker outline drawing

Butt Marker

Generic · Butt Marker
SPECIALTY
Lays out hinge mortises in one strike. Worth it if you hang doors regularly.
Heads-up Only worth it if you hang doors regularly.
Divider Caliper outline drawing

Divider Caliper

Generic · Divider Caliper
SPECIALTY
Steps off equal spacing and transfers measurements without reading a tape.
Heads-up Shop or bench tool — most site carpenters never carry one.
Framing Nailer outline drawing

Framing Nailer

Generic · Framing Nailer
SPECIALTY
Drives framing nails as fast as you can place them. Sequential trigger only until you are experienced.
Heads-up Cordless nailers are expensive; most crews supply pneumatic ones. Confirm before you buy.
Inside Calipers outline drawing

Inside Calipers

Generic · Inside Calipers
SPECIALTY
Measures inside diameters on turned or bored work. Shop tool, not a site tool.
Heads-up Shop or bench tool — most site carpenters never carry one.
Outside Calipers outline drawing

Outside Calipers

Generic · Outside Calipers
SPECIALTY
Measures outside diameters and stock thickness. Mostly used at the lathe.
Heads-up Shop or bench tool — most site carpenters never carry one.
Router outline drawing

Router

Generic · Router
SPECIALTY
Edges, dados and hinge mortises with a template. Learn feed direction before you switch it on.
Heads-up Bench and jig work — not a tool you carry in the pouch.
Spud Wrench outline drawing

Spud Wrench

Generic · Spud Wrench
SPECIALTY
Wrench on one end, tapered spud on the other for lining up bolt holes in steel.
Heads-up Trade-specific — only worth buying if your shop does structural bolt-up.
Table Saw outline drawing

Table Saw

Dewalt · Table Saw
SPECIALTY
For ripping sheet goods and repeat cuts.
Heads-up Big purchase — many apprentices wait until second year.

How to register as a Carpenter apprentice

Apprenticeship is run by each province and territory. Registration, schooling schedules and the Red Seal exam all go through the authority below - start there.

Other trades