Do it Best

Do it Best covers hand tools, yard supplies, work gloves and painting supplies for homeowners making repairs and crews working through a job. That breadth helps when your project needs several kinds of supplies. Start with the work: turning fasteners, repairing a hose, protecting your hands or preparing wood for paint.

The business behind the name is a member-owned wholesaler based in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Arnold Gerberding founded it as Hardware Wholesalers, Inc. in 1945. Independent hardware-store members are its sole shareholders. Its business spans hardware supplies, lumber and building materials.

Hardware for the job list

Within Do it Best’s hardware category, the range reaches from tools for the repair to supplies for the cleanup.

Hand tools include socket sets, individual sockets, socket extensions and combination wrenches for fastening and repair work, along with staples.

Lawn and garden supplies include fence posts, hose menders, bow rakes, leaf rakes, sprinklers, kneeling pads and hand cultivators for different parts of yard maintenance.

Work gloves include chore, jersey, string-knit and leather styles, giving you several types to compare for the task at hand.

Painting supplies include paint, exterior wood primer and paintbrushes, covering separate parts of preparing and coating a surface.

Cleanup supplies include drum liners and lawn-and-leaf bags for lining containers and collecting yard waste.

Buying together, choosing by the job

Gerberding built the cooperative around pooled purchasing so members could obtain better vendor volume pricing. The shared buying arrangement is the practical benefit of member ownership.

For your project, judge each item by its intended use, fit and stated specifications. Those details decide whether it belongs on the job. A replacement part has to match the part it joins; a coating has to suit the surface and exposure.

For lumber and building materials, compare the specified grade, dimensions and intended use against your project plans.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Do it Best Corp.?

Do it Best is a member-owned cooperative that wholesales hardware, lumber and building materials, based in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The name identifies the wholesaler, but it doesn’t tell you who made an individual item or how that item will perform on your job.