Upholstery hammers, also known as tack hammers, are used for hitting tacks into upholstery fabric in order to fix it to pieces furniture. These hammers are generally more lightweight that other hammers with a smaller striking head. A common tack hammer design is the tool having two faces, one standard face and one that is magnetised. The magnetised face serves the purpose of helping to place tacks, and usually has a split in the surface to increase the strength of its magnetic pull.
Comparison table: 5 Best Upholstery Hammers Reviewed (November 2020 Relevant) | ||||||
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| Product | What We Think | Price | ||||
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Tack Lifter, Staple Lifter, 7oz Draper Hammer + Web Stretcher Upholstery Kit |
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Nylon Tip Bronze Magnetic Upholstery/Leather Hammer Osborne 36 |
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These days, the majority of people prefer to use a staple gun to upholster furniture as it leaves one of your hands free and you can work much faster. Some people however, prefer to use the more traditional method of using a tack hammer, and say that they are more reliable than mechanical staple guns which have multiple, small moving parts that can break.
On this page we have included a selection of reviews for the best upholstery/tack hammers out there on the UK market. Each review has a short write up followed by the main points highlighted in bullet points. Let’s begin shall we?
1. Draper Expert 19724 Magnetised forked face Tack Hammer
The Draper expert 19724 magnetised forked face hammer is a well-made, fairly priced hammer and available for just under 13 pounds on Amazon. The hammer feels well balanced in the hand and the hickory handle has been sanded and lacquered for smoothness and comfort. Both the handle and the head are solid and durable. The head is made from solid forged fine grain high carbon steel and it has been polished for a beautiful finish. One of the faces of the hammer has a split surface and is magnetic to aid placing tacks. The hammer’s head has a lacquer coating to protect it from rust.
- Well-made and good balanced tack hammer
- Forged fine grain high carbon steel head
- Magnetised forked face for helping place tacks
- Lacquer coating on the handle for comfort and on the head for rust protection
- Well priced at under 13 pounds
2. Osborne No.33 Bronze Magnetic Upholstery/Leather Hammer
This upholstery hammer by C.S Osborne will set you back just over 40 pounds. It has been manufactured to a very high standard, has great build quality and I’m sure will last you a very long time. The head of the hammer is made from solid bronze and is very eye-catching. The ends of the hammer head, or faces, are tipped with steel and one face is magnetic. The handle is made of strong Hickory and at 300 grams it is very lightweight and also well balanced.
- Made to a high standard
- Sturdy and strong, will last a long time
- Magnetic face for placing tacks
- Solid Bronze head with steel tips
- Strong Hickory handle
- Lightweight and well balanced.
3. Tack Lifter, Staple Lifter, 7oz Draper Hammer + Web Stretcher Upholstery Kit
For 42.99 you can get this set from trusted manufacturers Draper. The set includes a tack lifter and can be used to lift tacks, nails and studs and the V-shaped head sits at a 45 degree angle to the shaft to improve leverage. There is also an ergonomically shaped staple remover, a solid beech webbing stretcher, and a 7oz upholstery hammer included. The hammer is a similar design to our other reviews with a hickory handle and forged fine grain carbon steel head with a magnetic forked face. The total length of the hammer is 270mm.
- The set has all you need for DIY upholstering of furniture- tack lifter, staple remover, webbing stretcher and magnetic tack hammer
- V-shaped head is 45 degrees to the shaft for better leverage
- Forged fine grain carbon steel head
- Forked magnetic face for aiding in the placing of tacks
- Lightweight
- Strong hickory handle
4. Vaughan SU7 200g Super steel Upholstery Hammer
The first thing you notice about Vaughn’s SU7 supersteel upholstery hammer is the striking blue head. It is blue because it has been coated to help resist rust and prolong the longevity of the hammer. The handle is high grade hickory like all of our previous reviews and overall the hammer is lightweight and easy to swing around. The head has two faces, a flat end and a forked end that is magnetised and can also be used for pulling out tacks. It is on sale for under 20 pounds at the moment on Amazon.
- Coated blue head helps to resist rust and prolongs tool life
- High grade hickory handle
- Magnetic forked face can help place tacks or lift them
- Lightweight
- High quality steel head
5. Nylon Tip Bronze Magnetic Upholstery/Leather Hammer Osborne 36
This is our second review of upholstery hammers from C.S Osborne, and to be honest, it is almost identical to the other model. It also has a high quality hickory handle, has excellent build quality, and feels very well balanced and durable. So what’s different? Well, the 5.5 inch, solid bronze head has, in addition to the magnetic face, a nylon tip on the other end. This is perfect for striking decorative nails and such without causing damage to them. It is also slightly lighter than our other Osborne review at only 6oz.
- High quality hickory handle feels comfortable and solid
- Excellent overall build quality
- Solid brass hammer head looks great
- Forked magnetic face for placing and lifting tacks
- Nylon tipped face allows you to strike decorative nails without causing damage
- Lightweight yet sturdy and durable
So there you have it, 5 of the best upholstery hammers available in the UK reviewed for you. Our aim with this page is for it to be helpful and informative, and we hope we managed that. If you are interested in buying any of the products reviewed here, please click on the links provided and you will be transferred over to a page where you can purchase the item.
We also have pages on this site that are dedicated to a wide range of hand tools and power tools, complete with information on the product, reviews with bullet points, and links. If you have time, please take a look.