6 Makita Tools That'll Come In Handy During A Bathroom Remodel

Bathroom remodeling can be an exciting, albeit challenging project to take on. You can change colors and styles, and even add intelligent bathroom necessities to personalize the space. However, whatever you're doing, especially if it's tearing down old tile and replacing flooring, you'll need a reliable set of power tools to help you get the job done quickly and safely. 

Even if you only plan on fixing one item or doing a paint job, you'll want to be prepared if an accident happens or if you learn that other parts of the bathroom need replacing as well. Remember, you're working with a room that could have unseen water damage or possible mold.

Makita has many tools that will help homeowners keep their bathrooms updated and functioning properly. Based on professional reviews from ProTool Reviews, a reputable publication in the industry, as well as user reviewers, here are six Makita power tools that will come in handy when you renovate your bathroom. A more in-depth explanation of our methodology can be found at the end of this article.

Whether you're replacing wood beams and drywall or simply hanging up some lights and a mirror, you're going to need a drill with the proper torque to complete the job. Makita sells its 18V LXT Brushless Hammer Drill and Impact Driver Combo Kit that gives you a wide range of power options. Though technically two separate tools, they are sold together with two 4.0 Ah batteries, a battery charger, and a carrying bag as a kit for $289. If you're newly investing in a Makita battery system, purchasing a kit is a good way to start, especially since this kit has a 4.7 out of five-star rating from over 4,300 buyers.

Both of these brushless and variable-speed power tools serve a purpose based on their power load. The impact driver has 1,500 pounds of torque, which is great when you need to drive in screws, and it can deliver up to 3,600 IPM and 3,400 RPM. Meanwhile, the hammer drill has 530 pounds, which is perfect for setting up drywall, and delivers up to 2,000 RPM. Just beware of the differences between the two tools, especially when it comes to properly changing out your drill bits — impact drivers are a bit different from the traditional drill you may be used to. Additionally, impact drivers are a more point-and-drill easy tool, while the hammer drill has icons and numbers for different types of projects.

Many times renovating a bathroom can come with replacing baseboards or building out cabinets. These components of the project need precise cuts that could be difficult with a hand saw or an oscillating tool. Though a pricey investment for your Makita collection at $1,369 at Home Depot, the 18V x2 LXT 12 Inch Brushless Dual-Bevel Sliding Compound Miter Saw Kit comes with two 5.0 Ah batteries, which you'll need to keep the tool running longer — with the included batteries at max charge, you can get approximately 175 cuts.

This 12 inch miter saw can cut up to 8 inches of vertically nested crown molding, 6-3/4 inch baseboards, and 15 inch crosscuts at 90 degrees. It also has multiple positive m stops from 0-60, left or right. Additionally, there are dual dust collection ports to help your work area stay clean during cutting sessions.

ProTool Reviews did a review of this miter saw back in December 2019, and they were impressed with its capabilities. According to the article, there was no blade wobble, which will give you consistent cuts. However, they did have to adjust a 1/8 inch miter offset, but that can be a common fix that needs to be done with these types of tools. Another feature the professional reviewers were impressed with was the lasers that come with an adjustment dial, so you can place it exactly where you want the cut to line up.

Oscillating multi-tools are must-have tools no handyman should be without. Makita has a couple of different styles, but the 18V LXT Sub-Compact Brushless StarlockMax Cordless Multi-Tool will give you the most access to the multiple different styles of Starlock accessories. For example, a StarlockPlus accessory wouldn't be able to fit on Makita's standard 18V oscillating tool. This tool costs $249 at Home Depot, and users gave it a 4.8 out of five-star rating.

Even more, ProTool Reviews gave the StarlockMax multi-tool a 9.4 out of 10 score. Though they did mention that the shape of this oscillating tool isn't as slender as its counterpart, they were impressed by its power and control. According to the review, the vibration is so low that even when the speed dial is on high, you can barely feel the vibration in your hand. This will lead to more control over the tool, so you can cut bathroom tiles and other components with ease. It has a range of 10,000-20,000 oscillations per minute and a 3.6 degree oscillating angle. Lastly, it weighs only 3.7 pounds with a battery, so you won't get quickly tired while using this tool.

Caulk is necessary for a bathroom model. After installing a new tub or toilet, you're going to want to line the edges with caulk to keep water from leaking into any cracks and causing damage to your newly redone room. For $264, the Makita 18V LXT 10 Ounce Caulk and Adhesive Gun is a game-changer because you no longer have to manually push down the trigger to release the caulk, which can turn into a forearm workout. Instead, you merely only need to press and button, and the tool does all the work for you.

This caulk gun can fit 10 ounces and 300 milliliter cartridges, both of which are popular caulk and adhesive sizes. There is also a five-speed dial, which gives you a 0-66 IPM flow rate. Makita's caulk gun comes with a 4.7 out of five-star rating and many positive reviews stating how easy the tool is to use. One comment did say that it takes the dispersion some getting used to, but they were still happy with the product.

Whether you're painting the walls or tearing them down for a rebuild, you're going to need a reliable sander for a smooth finish. Makita sells its 18V LXT 5 Inch Variable Speed Random Orbit Sander for only $139. It comes with a three speed setting with a 7,000-11,000 OPM range and a pad brake to help reduce free spin — this ensures that you'll have a smoother finish.

A ProTool Reviews assessment had many good things to say about this sander. First, they were impressed by how quiet the tool is. The decibels are not given in the specs by Makita — although, the writer of the review stated that it was noticeably quieter than their two corded sanders. Additionally, it mentions that the dust collection was done fairly well. However, the review did state that even though Makita says you can get 40 minutes of run-time on one battery on low, it doesn't seem likely that many would apply the tool at that speed. They used it at a higher speed, and it ran for about 25 minutes, which is still a good amount of time with a 3.0 Ah battery.

For multiple reasons, a wet/dry vacuum would come in handy during a bathroom renovation. With a 4.3 out of five-star rating, Makita has an 18V LXT Brushless 2 Gallon HEPA Filter Portable Wet/Dry Vacuum that runs for $499 at Home Depot. Because of the 2 gallon tank, if there's a water leak, the tool can suck up the water along with any dirt mixed in, and you can easily discard it. Additionally, you can also pull up any dust created from standard renovation work like drywall debris. There is also a blower feature, which turns this vacuum into a multi-tool that would come in handy for other types of projects.

With one 5.0 Ah battery, you can get up to an hour of runtime along with 57 CFM and 27 inch water suction. Additionally, it comes with a HEPA filter, or a high-efficiency particulate air filter, that was designed to remove around 99.97% of dust, pollen, mold, bacteria, and other airborne particles that are 0.3 microns or larger. With the amount of dust flying around during construction projects, a high-quality filter would be a necessity.

These Makita power tools were selected based on the typical work done during a bathroom renovation. Though many other tools could have been added to the list, especially because everyone runs into different requirements during a project, the tools mentioned above are some of the items that would more than likely come in handy. Some of these tools were chosen based on reviews from ProTool Reviews, a dependable online publication who have written thousands of in-depth reviews on various tools and tool brands. Additionally, some of the items were selected based on high user ratings and positive written reviews.

Each of the tools in this article is part of Makita's LXT 18V battery line. There are over 300 products that can all use the same battery. However, Makita also has two other battery lines: the XGT 40V and the CXT 12V. These two other battery systems have some of their own versions of the tools listed above. Either way, especially if you are just starting, we would recommend you research all of Makita's systems to ensure you are investing in the right one for you.