Name labels for tools: label machines and boxes
If you want to mark tools so they can be identified and returned, write your name and phone number on a durable label and place it on a smooth, hard surface on the machine, battery and box. A self-adhesive name label does it in a few seconds, but it can be picked off, so against theft you need engraving, marking paint or security marking. The best approach is often two layers: a visible label showing who it belongs to and a permanent marking that only becomes visible when someone looks for it.
Here we go through which methods are available, what each method can actually withstand, where on the tool a label stays in place, and how many labels a typical collection of tools needs.
Two things are called marking tools
If you search for marking tools, you get two types of results. One is about tools that make marks in materials: scriber, center punch, marking pen and chalk. This page is about the other: marking your own tools and machines so everyone can see who they belong to.
Why tools go missing
A tool that goes missing is not always stolen. It often ends up in a neighbor's garage, leaves a construction site in the wrong vehicle, or ends up in the wrong box after a workday. When the whole team uses the same brand and battery system, the machines also look alike, and then all it takes is for someone to take the wrong battery from the charger.
Theft is a different matter. On construction sites and in service vans, expensive machines disappear, and a label that can be peeled off is no protection there. The police state that equipment should be marked so it is easily recognizable and traceable by the police. This requires marking that remains in place even when someone tries to remove it.
Marking tools: six methods compared
| Method | Good at | Weak at | Suitable for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self-adhesive name label | Fast, clear, printed name and phone number, the same label on everything | Can be picked off, wears away where the hand grips | Household tools, loaned items, batteries, chargers and boxes |
| Label maker with tape | Text you write on site, tape in several widths | Requires a machine, often text only | Workshops and companies that mark a lot |
| Engraving or stamping | Permanent, difficult to remove | Takes time, hard to see, can damage plastic | Expensive machines, metal parts |
| Marking paint or spray paint | Visible from a distance, all tools get the same color | Doesn't say who you are or how to reach you | Worksites where many people have the same brand |
| Brand marking | Permanent on wood | Works only on wooden handles | Hammers, axes, chisels |
| Theft marking with registration | Trackable code, warning sticker deters | More expensive, requires registration | Businesses and expensive machines |
Rule of thumb: a name label solves mix-ups and forgetfulness, not theft. If the machine is expensive or left at a worksite overnight, engrave it or mark it as theft deterrent too. The label shows who owns it; the permanent marking proves it.
What to label
Label the things that change hands without anyone noticing, not just the expensive items. A checklist to go through in the garage:
- Batteries. They are moved between machines and chargers all the time and are the items most often left with someone else.
- Chargers. Easy to forget in a power outlet at the worksite or at a neighbor's.
- Drill, screwdriver, sander, jigsaw. Label the tool itself, not just the case it is kept in.
- Bit and drill sets. Small boxes that look alike in everyone's collection.
- Hand tools you lend out: spirit levels, folding rulers, pliers, screwdrivers, crowbars.
- Toolboxes and system cases. On both the lid and the short side, so it is visible when the boxes are stacked.
- Garden machines: trimmers, hedge trimmers, leaf blowers.
- Ladders and wheelbarrows lent out in the association or neighborhood.
Where the label stays on the tool
Lappu labels adhere to plastic and metal. How long they stay on depends mostly on where you place them:
- Good: smooth, flat surfaces on the machine housing, on the side of the battery, on top of the charger, and on the lid of the box.
- Bad: the handle and grip surfaces, where your hand wears away the edges.
- Bad: surfaces that rub against materials, floors, or other tools, such as the underside of a sanding tray.
- Avoid: places that get hot when the machine is running and surfaces that are always oily. Lappu has not published any tests against oil, solvents, or heat, so do not expect the label to withstand them.
- Avoid: soft rubber grips and silicone. The labels do not adhere well there.
How to apply it:
- Clean the surface. Wipe away dust, sawdust, and oil so the surface is clean and dry.
- Peel off the label and place it. Choose a flat surface where it will not rub against anything.
- Press firmly for approximately ten seconds. Pay particular attention to the corners.
- Wait one day. The adhesive needs approximately 24 hours to cure before the tool is used heavily.
What should be written on the label?
Write whatever enables the person who finds the tool to return it. For most people, this is a name and phone number, which fit on two lines. A company can write its name and switchboard number. All labels in a set have the same text, so think about what should be written on everything before ordering.
A phone number makes a difference. Anyone who finds something is, according to the police, required to report it to the police, but if your number is on the machine, it is easier to simply call you. Consider choosing a color or motif that stands out, so you can distinguish your machines from your colleague's from a distance.
Which name label for which tool?
Lappu has three sizes. All are designed online, where you choose the text, color, and motif, or a simple design without a motif.
| Label | Set and price | For |
|---|---|---|
| Large name labels | 30 labels, SEK 139 | Machine sheds, toolboxes, storage boxes, garden machinery |
| Name labels | 124 labels, from SEK 139 | Batteries, chargers, bit cases, spirit levels |
| Small name labels | SEK 129 | Narrow items such as screwdrivers, marking pens, and folding rulers |
Want to learn more about how the labels work and what they can withstand? See self-adhesive name labels. If you also label work clothes or bags, see the tips on name labels for adults.
Make a list with photos and serial numbers
A label only helps if the tool is found. If it is stolen, you need to be able to show that it is yours. The police checklist asks whether you have inventoried, photographed, and made a detailed list of your belongings. Here's how:
- Photograph each machine, preferably with the marking visible.
- Photograph the nameplate showing the serial number.
- Enter the brand, model, and serial number in a list on your phone.
- Save receipts for expensive machines in the same folder.
Example calculation: how many labels the garage needs
Example calculation using Lappus prices, intended as an example. Suppose you have four battery-powered machines, six batteries, two chargers and three toolboxes. The machines and boxes get one large label each, seven labels, and the batteries and chargers get one standard label each, eight labels.
- A pack of large name labels, 30 for SEK 139, is enough for machines and boxes, with plenty left over for a trimmer, a ladder and new machines.
- A pack of standard name labels, 124 labels from SEK 139, about SEK 1.12 per label, is enough for batteries, chargers, bit boxes and all the hand tools you lend out.
- Together, that comes to SEK 278. Shipping is SEK 25 and free over SEK 199 according to the pricing page when we checked in July 2026.
The labels arrive in your mailbox within a few business days. If you are not satisfied, the satisfaction guarantee applies for 60 days from delivery.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I brand tools?
You apply a branding mark yourself using a branding iron with your initials, which is heated and pressed against the wood. It only works on wooden handles, for example on hammers, axes and chisels. It does not work on plastic and metal; engraving or a label is more suitable there.
Is a name label enough as theft protection?
No. An adhesive label can be removed, so it shows whose tool it is but does not stop a thief. To prevent theft, you need permanent marking such as engraving or security marking, preferably together with a list containing photos and serial numbers.
What do you write when labeling tools?
Name and phone number, or company name and number if the tools belong to the company. That is enough for whoever finds the tool to contact you. An address is not needed.
Does the name label stay on a power drill?
The labels stick to plastic and metal, so place one on a smooth, clean surface on the machine housing and press firmly for about ten seconds. Avoid the handle and areas that become hot or oily, and wait one day before using the machine heavily.
How do you label tools so they can be seen from a distance?
Color is easiest to see from a distance, for example a bright-colored label or a label in a color that stands out. Feel free to combine the color with a label containing a name and number, so whoever finds the tool knows both that it belongs to you and how to contact you.