About ToolsLiving

ToolsLiving helps you know what works on what: which bit drills porcelain tile, which glue holds on silicone, which anchor holds in drywall and which blade cuts the job in front of you.

We give you the straight answer first, then the steps, then what to do if it didn't work.

What this site is

ToolsLiving is a free, independent how-to site about tools and the materials they work on. Most tool questions start in the middle of a job. You have a material, a tool and a problem, and you need to know if they go together. The answer is often buried in a manual, a data sheet or a long forum thread.

We pull that answer out and put it at the top of the page. Each guide follows the same order:

1. The quick answer. Yes, no or "it depends," with the reason.
2. What you'll need. The tools and materials, in a list.
3. The steps, split by material or situation, with safety steps where you need them.
4. If that didn't work. The common reasons a fix fails, and what to try next.

What we cover

• Fasteners and anchors: screws, anchors, nails and what holds in which wall.
• Glue and adhesives: which glue bonds to which material.
• Drilling: which bit for tile, steel, glass, concrete and more.
• Saws and cutting: which saw and blade for the material.
• Measuring and layout: tape measures, gauges and squares.
• Outdoor power: mowers, blowers, pressure washers and chainsaws.
• Electrical and power: batteries, inverters, generators and meters. We cover tools and power only, never wiring.
• Hand tools and the workshop: the basics, kept in good shape.

We also have pages for common materials, such as tile, glass, steel and drywall, and free tools and charts you can use on the spot.

Who writes the guides

Robert D. Miller writes ToolsLiving's guides on tools, fasteners, adhesives and outdoor power equipment. Each guide shows his name.

How it works

• Sources first. Facts come from makers' manuals and data sheets, standards and codes, and safety agencies. Each guide lists its sources at the end.
• Checked before it goes live. A person edits every guide and checks each number and safety step against its source.
• No reviewer program. We don't have licensed pros who review pages, and we don't say we do.
• Bench tests are planned. We haven't published any hands-on test results yet. When we do, the page will show the method, the numbers and the photos. See how we research and check our guides.

Read our full editorial policy.

When we get it wrong

We fix errors in the open. A change to a fact gets a dated note on the page, and bigger ones go in our corrections log.

How we make money

ToolsLiving is free to read. Over time, it may pay for itself in two ways:

• Affiliate links. Some links to stores may pay us a small fee if you buy. It doesn't change your price. See our affiliate disclosure.
• Ads, once the site has enough readers.

No one can pay for a verdict or a spot on a list. Read more on our advertise page.

Get in touch

Found an error? Stuck on a job? Email [email protected], or see our contact page.

Change log: Nov 7, 2026: Updated for launch: who writes the guides, how they are checked, how the site makes money. Nov 6, 2026: First version for the v2 site.