Don’t damage the item – or yourself – when using a hammer. Play it safe and follow these simple instructions.
Step One
Use the right hammer for the job.
Step Two
Grip the hammer by the handle firmly.
Step Three
Keep your wrist straight and use your whole forearm to lift and drop the tool.
Step Four
Let the hammer do most of the work, using its weight to drive the nail, rather than pounding on it with your full force.
Step Five
Angle nails against the grain for better holding power and stagger them to avoid splitting the wood.
Step Six
Protect finished wood surfaces by placing a piece of pegboard over the nail before hammering. Then use a nail set to drive the nail even with the work surface.