To ask what kind of drill I need?

[GarlicBreadStan]

Hi!

I'm pretty new to DIY.

Me, my mum and my son are moving into a new house and the back gate doesn't have a bolt on it. I'm trying to find a drill to use to attach the bolt to the back gate (just a standard wooden one) but I don't know what kind I need. Do I need a hammer drill, or an impact drill? I'm looking on Argos. My budget is around £30. I don't know if there's such a thing as just a "normal" drill, or if I have to pick from these options.

Thank you in advance. And I'm sorry for the stupid question 😅

Do you need a drill, or will a screwdriver work just as well? I’d try that first before buying a drill! Try a Phillips screwdriver.

My worry is is that I don't want to use a screwdriver and apply too much pressure and end up stripping the screwheads 😅 but I can certainly try that first! Didn't even think of that lol so thank you for your suggestion

I don’t find that’s a pressure problem - usually happens if you’re using a screwdriver that’s too small for the screw head! But I’d definitely try and attach it manually first instead of paying out for expensive kit 🙂

Just use a non-electric screwdriver.

Is there already a hole for the bolt/screw? If so it might need a rawplug or packing with some bits of wood. It's hard to advise without a photo of the gate hinge and the upright it's attached to.

Go to Argos and pay £20 for a cheap "drill/driver".

You won't strip anything, it's wood, not steel.

I was worried I'd strip the screwheads, not the wood.

My brother, big DIYer swears by an impact drill, that’s what he advised me to get for fixing things around the house….he’s been teaching me!

Wood isn't strong enough to strip a screw thread. If you over tighten it, the screw will just come lose. Obviously, make sure you are using an outdoor wood screw, but otherwise, just screw into the wood until the driver stops. They have a clutch that will cut off when the screw reaches a certain tightness.

This is definitely a screwdriver job, not a drill job. Best to invest in a cheap set of different sizes/kinds of manual ones. Use a sharp pointy thing to make a pilot hole so your screws will get a grip before you have to start applying pressure.

I would use a pointy thing ( called a bradle?) to make the hole in the wood then just use a screwdriver.
I so so often wish I had learnt this sort of thing at school rather than logarithms and Shakespeare.

Just looked it up.
It's a bradawl. Apparently.

I would also just use an awl and screw straight into the wood. If you haven’t got an awl, just lightly hammer a nail into the right spot (not all the way) and then carefully remove it. You shouldn’t need a hammer drill for wood, it’s usually for masonry.

I find a ratchet screwdriver much better for DIY jobs and don’t have an electric screw drill.

You can even just lightly hammer your screw in a little way to make the pilot hole. Heresy, but it works.

I's say a normal corded drill. For £30. The battery drills for that budget aren't going to be the greatest imo.