I started my deck project tool-less and without knowing a single thing about building em. I did hours of research and the postings here were invaluable.

In "giving back" I wanted to post my tool choices I made for the project. I researched these like crazy, obsessed over it, and am really happy with what I got and how they perform. All of these tools (whatever brand you choose) I consider crucial to a diy'er and my project. I also justified the purchases with how much $$$ I saved building my screen porch myself (that post will come later).

My criteria for picking these were a combination of price and reviews. I bought some refurbished tools and they worked great and saved a bunch of $.

Ok...short and sweet with links to amazon for reviews etc. (I did buy most of my stuff there cuz I get free 2 day shipping with my "prime" membership)

Compressor: Makita MAC700

I got it cuz it got great reviews and was considered much quieter than the "pancake" type. It's been awesome and super quiet. Also got 50' 1/4" polyurethane hose. Misc fittings from HD.

Nailers: Milwaukee framing nailer (7100-20) and finish nailer (7140-21)

I dunno why I chose these...went by reviews and the light weight. They both work very well, no jams etc. There's no way I could have done this project solo without these nailers. The nails I used mostly were galvanized 3" for framing, 2 1/2" for finish, and some 1" for trim.

Saw: Milwaukee 6390-81 circular

chose for light weight, good reviews. Added a freud blade 40t for finish cuts and used the cheap 14t standard blade for cutting framing. Also got the rip fence which I've used a lot. Don't use the "tilt" feature. Didn't get the brake but probably would if I had to buy again.

Hitachi C10FCE2 Compound Miter saw (refurb)

This has got the job done and is inexpensive. On the cheap side buildwise, I'd probably look a bit more on craigslist for a better one...I added a laser thingy (Irwin laser guide) which is nice to have, saves time in drawing lines. It keeps tripping my arc-fault breaker so I had to use another circuit.

A cheap jig saw from HD.

Drills: Makita Li-ion set

The impact drill is a beast for drilling lag screws and decking screws. Quality stuff. I like the LED lights, extremely fast charging.

Electric Planer: Freud FE82K

This was cheap and one of those things that has come in handy when i screw things up. It's an amazing tool and has lots of uses. It can take from 1-3mm of wood off of a surface. I measure wood a tad long and then run this over the end for a snug fit.

Router: Hitachi KM12VC

I didn't really know how to use a router but it's come in handy esp with cutting roundovers and making wood siding fit perfectly with cut channels. I got a cheap 1/2" multi bit set with it. I'm sure I'll use it more with more experience.

Airless Painter: Wagner Paint Crew Sprayer (refurb)

Since I had to paint my beadboard ceiling (prime both sides of 4x8, 2 coats of finish) this saved me many, many hours and works incredibly well. Beautiful finish. Highly recommended for lots of painting. Probably not the best for indoors but I'll probably use it anyway. Fairly easy to clean.

Orbital Sander: Mine's an older 5" Porter Cable random orbital and use mostly 60-80 grit. It gets used a lot.

Books: Decks and Wiring (great book)

Misc: Wood chisels (I use these for everything), Some of those Irwin Clamps, 6" and 12" speed squares, A large framing square, a good wide tape measure, short/long levels, Get lots of cedar shims! A Bow Wrench for sure. Get eye protection and wear it, esp with nailers. In summer get a couple large fans to keep you cool. Some umbrellas/popup awnings work great too.

I found some good tool reviews here.

Here are some pics of my deck from about a month ago. I should have it "done" on monday and will post the finished pics.