What to buy for a basic home repairs workshop
Use this shopping list to prepare a hands-on workshop covering basic drilling, screwing, measuring, sanding, and small repairs. Plan tools and materials by workstation rather than buying one of everything for each participant. Include enough protective equipment for every attendee, plus spare consumables for mistakes and demonstrations. The items below also cover the details that are easy to arrange too late, such as dust masks, first aid supplies, practice boards, and break drinks.
What to bring
Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.
Furniture
- Work tablesqty 6
- Chairsqty 24
- Reception folding table
- Storage racksqty 2
Tools
- Cordless drill driversqty 6
- Drill and bit setsqty 6
- Hammerqty 12
- Screwdriver setqty 6
- Spirit levelsqty 6
- Tape measuresqty 12
- Pliersqty 12
- Hand sawsqty 6
- Utility knivesqty 6
- Clampsqty 12
- Sanding blocksqty 12
Safety
- Safety gogglesqty 24
- Work glovesqty 24
- Hearing protectionqty 12
- Dust masksqty 30
- First aid kit
Materials
- Wooden practice boardsqty 30
- MDF boardsqty 12
- Pine slatsqty 24
- Assorted screwsqty 6
- Assorted nailsqty 4
- Assorted plugsqty 4
- Hooks and eyeletsqty 24
- Assorted sandpaperqty 6
- Wood glueqty 6
- Puttyqty 4
- Paint rollersqty 12
- Brushesqty 12
- Paint traysqty 6
- Covering filmqty 4
- Masking tapeqty 12
- Pencilsqty 24
- Permanent markersqty 12
- Tape measure labels
Equipment
- Extension cordsqty 4
- Power stripsqty 6
- Work lightsqty 4
- Vacuum cleaner
Tableware
- Reusable mugsqty 30
- Reusable platesqty 30
- Reusable cutleryqty 30
- Water glassesqty 30
- Thermos flasksqty 4
Catering
- Groceries
- Coffee - 3 packs
- Tea - 4 boxes
- Sugar - 1 kilogram
- Milk - 6 liters
- Oat milk - 3 liters
- Coffee creamer - 2 packs
- Spa Blauw - 6 bottles
- Sparkling mineral water - 4 bottles
- Cola - 3 bottles
- Cola Zero - 3 bottles
- Sinas - 2 bottles
- Apple juice - 2 cartons
- Lemons - 6 pieces
- Sandwiches - 6 loaves
- Whole grain bread - 4 loaves
- Young cheese - 2 kilograms
- Hummus - 6 tubs
- Chicken breast slices - 1 kilogram
- Peanut butter - 2 jars
- Jam - 2 jars
- Cucumbers - 6 pieces
- Tomatoes - 2 kilograms
- Bell peppers - 1 kilogram
- Carrots - 1 kilogram
- Grapes - 2 kilogram
- Bananas - 24 pieces
- Paprika chips - 4 bags
- Plain chips - 4 bags
- Mixed nuts - 2 kilograms
- Muesli bars - 30 pieces
- Cookies - 4 packs
- Vegetarian quiches - 6 pieces
- Mini wraps - 40 pieces
- Salad - 4 bowls
- Yogurt dressing - 2 bottles
- Mayonnaise - 1 bottle
- Ketchup - 1 bottle
- Napkins - 150 pieces
- Paper towels - 6 rolls
- Toilet paper - 24 rolls
- Trash bags - 2 rolls
- Dish soap - 2 bottles
- All-purpose cleaner - 2 bottles
- Disinfectant wipes - 4 packs
- Sponges - 2 packs
Tips
- Set up one complete tool set per workstation where possible. For a group of 8, four stations with one cordless drill, bit set, hammer, screwdriver set, tape measure, spirit level, pliers, clamps, and sanding blocks at each station keeps waiting time down.
- Buy at least 1.5 practice pieces per participant. Wooden practice boards and MDF boards cover drilling and screwing exercises, while pine slats are useful for simple fastening and measuring tasks.
- Provide one pair of safety goggles and one pair of work gloves per participant, plus 2–3 spare pairs. Keep hearing protection and dust masks available at every station where cutting or sanding takes place.
- Allow roughly 10–15 screws, 5–8 nails, and 3–4 plugs per participant for practice, with extra mixed sizes for demonstrations. Sort them into small containers before the workshop so participants are not searching during an exercise.
- Prepare refreshments for the full session rather than only the break. As a starting point, allow 2 cups of coffee or tea per participant, plus water, and keep the first aid kit and reception supplies ready before participants arrive.
Frequently asked questions
- What tools do I need for a basic home repairs workshop?
- For a practical beginner session, plan one shared tool set for every 2 participants. Each set should include a cordless drill, drill and bit set, hammer, screwdriver set, spirit level, tape measure, pliers, hand saw, utility knife, clamps, and sanding blocks.
- How much material do I need per person for a DIY repair workshop?
- Allow at least 1.5 practice boards per participant and approximately 10–15 screws, 5–8 nails, and 3–4 plugs per person. Add 10–20% extra materials for demonstrations, damaged pieces, and repeated attempts.
- How many safety items should I buy for a workshop?
- Provide one set of basic protection per participant: safety goggles, work gloves, and a dust mask where sanding or cutting is involved. Add 2–3 spare sets, and have hearing protection available for noisy tools.
- When should I prepare the workshop shopping and tools?
- Buy or confirm consumables at least 5–7 days before the workshop, then check every tool 2–3 days beforehand. Sort materials and place protective equipment at each workstation on the day before or at least 2 hours before participants arrive.
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