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These are the simplest ducting tools and the most basic. The tools you will need to install duct are also the hand tools for duct fabrication.
The list is simple. If you understand what all of these are, no more reading is necessary. If you still have questions, read on.
HVAC Sheet Metal Tools List
| Tool | What it is for |
|---|---|
| Left-cut and right-cut offset snips (paid link) | Cutting sheet metal. Reds cut left, greens cut right. Commonly packaged together, can be bought separately. Buy the pair. |
| Straight tin snips (paid link) | Cutting short pieces of metal not full size duct. |
| Bulldogs (paid link) | Snap lock and s-cleats. Anything with more than one layer of metal. |
| Modified roofing hammer (paid link) or a tinner’s hammer (paid link) | Punching the hole for a take-off, and driving drives on and off. |
| Offset hand seamers (paid link) | Folding edges and bending hanger strap. |
| Cordless impact driver (paid link) | Every screw you can get square on. |
| Beater screwdriver or straight prybar (paid link) | Taking a drive off without wrecking the duct. |
| Lineman pliers (paid link) | Clamping behind a drive so it does not curl as it goes on. We also called these beater pliers. |
| Duct board knife (paid link), the economical one. This one is my favorite (paid link), and the one I own. | Serrated side for duct board, razor side for duct wrap. Something about a wood handle feels timeless. |
| Needle nose pliers (paid link) | Use these to pull a joint together when the duct stretchers don’t fit, or you don’t want to carry stretchers around. |
| Offset duct stretcher (paid link) | Pulling a joint together. The offset keeps your knuckles off the metal. |
| Banders (paid link) | Cinching zip ties on a day you are doing a lot of them. |
| 11-in-1 multi-tool (paid link) | The screw the impact cannot reach. It carries the 3/8 nut driver. |
| Diagonal cutters (paid link) | They bite and pull. They cut straps, wires, and they are already in your bag. |
That is everything you need for ductwork, aside from drill bits and chucks.
Gloves are not on this list because they are not a tool, but they belong in the bag. Here is what I wear and when they come off.
Pro Tip: I have never found the straight snips to be very useful when working with ductwork, but they have their moments when they are needed. I am not including a link because the cost does not outweigh the benefit. If you want to use them for something useful, cut s-cleats with them and plan to replace them regularly. It is one more tool in the bag you are carrying around.
All of these can be bought at the big box stores like Home Depot or Lowe’s, and they can also be bought on Amazon. The affiliate links are there so you can see exactly what each item is, and if you are ready to buy, you can use them.
Offset snips
It has been asked “What tool do you use to cut ductwork?” Tin snips are the answer, but there are many kinds. The offset snip is the hybrid snip that has made cutting ductwork easy.
Used by right handed people and left hand people alike. There really is no separation between these snips. They are like salt and pepper, they belong together.
The snips are not handed, they are directional. If you are right handed, you need both. If you are left handed, you also need both.
These are the most common type of snips and if cared for they will last a very long time.
Bulldogs
These durable and tough set of snips are used to cut the snap lock on a piece of duct. That 3/4″ piece of bent up metal will destroy your offset snips.
Take it from a pro, if you use your offsets to cut the snap lock on the duct edge too many times, the fine teeth will break and your offset snips will need to be replaced.
Bulldogs are used for cutting multiple layers of metal at the same time. For instance, s-cleats or snap lock seams. If you want to know how those seams are actually formed, I wrote about snap lock versus Pittsburgh seams.
The Hammer
A regular nail pulling hammer doesn’t work well for this line of work. The duct is bent when pieced and becomes hard to seal after installing take-offs.
It is the best recommendation to use a tinner’s hammer or a modified roofing hammer. (The modification to the roofing hammer is to grind the rounded end of the axe side to be straight. This allows for a clean pierce into duct.)
There is a wood handled version of the tinner’s hammer. It is nice and a lot of people have them. I prefer the rubber handle to help absorb the hitting throughout the day. You would be surprised at how a little vibration suppression helps you keep going.
The Offset Hand Seamers
Like so many tools there are a variety of variations. The offset hand seamers is a variation of the straight hand seamers. While they have a place, they are easily replaced with their offset counterpart.
Most of the edge folding is done more efficiently with offset hand seamers. They are ergonomically designed to allow less wear on the wrist.
These will be used a lot, so best to take advantage of the convenience of science on this one.
Cordless Impact Driver
The impact driver has revolutionized duct installation. What was once a two step process of drilling a hole with a drill bit and then putting a screw in it has turned into an easy install process. The impact driver and self tapping screw combination have made this task a game changer.
Most self tapping screws for duct use a hex head. Residential is mostly a 1/4″ hex head, 1/2″ long. Commercial is mostly a 5/16″ hex head, 3/4″ long, with a bit tip. There are larger screws used on mechanical units, like 3/8″ or 1/2″ hex heads, but they are less common, and the 1/2″ is the least common of all. Industrial is varied and uses a wide range of materials and parts. The phillips pan head self tapping screw is not generally used on duct. That one is mostly for metal stud framing.
The impact driver is essential. From fastening straps to straightening duct, using a cordless impact driver is the most widely used means to install duct. Of course, there are many options that go along with this. The impact driver has evolved over the years to include a light, a clip for changing chucks easily, clips to connect onto belts and bags, and, most importantly, battery life.
Batteries Got Better
Before Lithium batteries were used, batteries sucked. The NiCd (paid link) batteries were the standard. They were heavy and awkward to haul around in tool bags and they had to constantly be charged.
Not only did batteries for cordless drills not last very long (maybe 3 hours), they wore out over time. How long they would hold a charge dwindled with every charge and then to replace them cost $100 a battery.
Ryobi changed things. They had an economical drill and the same quality of battery. Companies like Dewalt and Makita had to evolve and they did!
Now the lithium technology has extended battery drill time and battery life. Amperage has also increased to give drivers more power. They have even incorporated battery life remaining indicators. Here is the standard in batteries today (paid link).
Get rid of the cords and go cordless, your project will go much faster.
The Beater Screwdriver
Unfortunately, some duct is going to need to be taken out if installed improperly. This tool will be used in so many different ways and it is just convenient to have something to hit that extends the reach of a hammer.
If a good beater screw driver cannot be found, a straight pry bar with a handle can be used, but usually the tip is offset at an angle and it doesn’t work the same as a straight screwdriver.
Lineman Pliers
These pliers are such a convenient tool. Installing drives is a common and necessary part of the job but on some of the tight seams the drives curl as they are hit, that is where these pliers come in.
Use these pliers to clamp onto the drive. They reinforce the drive so the end does not curl. The drive will be installed and the end cut off and folded over.
For the knife, cutters, stretcher, banders and the 11-in-1, which one to reach for and when is in which tool for which job.
Electronic Tools
This page is about tools, but not all tools are hand tools. Every day installing duct was a new adventure. Duct does not always run straight, and the trunk and branch lines need to shift.
To shift duct you need a few things: some of the tools listed above, and a calculator. The math that helps is a² + b² = c², the 3-4-5 rule, and SOHCAHTOA.
If all of that sounds like nonsense, I built a free 3-4-5 offset calculator that does the math on your phone.
Do I need a ladder?
Tools are one thing. Getting to the duct is another.
For duct on a roof, usually a ladder is not needed on the roof but a ladder may be needed to access the roof. If the duct is very large, a ladder may be needed to get to the top of it.
In spaces like an attic, generally, no ladder will be required. On mezzanines and catwalks, fall protection may be required along with a ladder but generally, no ladder will be needed.
Finally, for very high duct, consider an articulating lift or scissor lift to gain access. Remember that if access is needed outside of the basket to reach, use fall protection to help you get home at night.
Duct Tools Closer
Now you know the tools you will need to install duct. With this information, any installation should go relatively smoothly if you know how to use them. With proper access and the right tools, you got this.
Are you cutting in an HET (High Efficiency Takeoff), here is the guide.
Just starting out? Here are the hand tools worth buying first, and here is what to carry them in.
Once the work is done you still have to bill for it. I built a free invoice and estimate tool for tradespeople; no signup, no subscription: quickdrawinvoice.com
You have more questions, here are some resources: