Your Best DIY Tip for DIY?

funnysht on 12/07/2020 - 16:39
Last edited 12/07/2020 - 16:40

Wanted to create a thread about what your best DIY tip is. Because of coroanvirus i was doing quite a bit of diy, and really like it!

Here's mine:

If you don't have a mixing spade drill for concrete/cement etc:

When mixing concrete/cement, I saw on youtube mixing it in a bag. Instead i poured half the water in a bucket then about 10kg of concrete, closed the lid tightly then rolled it over the grass for about 30 sec. Then opened and poured the rest of the water and repeated the rolling process. When I opened it it was a perfect mix with ALL the concrete mixed with water. After you're done just wash the bucket out. Minimal mess, don't need to clean the floor/wheel barrow and probably 10-20% of the effort.

Home & Garden

Comments

  • onetwothreefour on 12/07/2020 - 16:47
    +5

    Measure twice cut once.

    • funnysht on 12/07/2020 - 16:49
      +1

      measure once, cut twice as fast?

      • Kangal on 12/07/2020 - 18:31
        -1

        Circumcision?

        • Indomietable on 12/07/2020 - 21:27

          first it was too long, then too big

    • Euphemistic on 12/07/2020 - 20:52
      +2

      Measure twice, cut once, measure again - too long. Cut again, measure again - too short. Start again.

  • Halo375 on 12/07/2020 - 17:05
    +3

    My favourite DIY tip is to get someone else to do it when you have no idea what the hell you’re doing.

    • netjock on 12/07/2020 - 17:07
      +1

      Call a friend and pretend you've tried it like 10 times and ask for help.

      • funnysht on 12/07/2020 - 17:13

        what if you don't have any friends because your house is falling apart…it's a catch 22

      • payton on 12/07/2020 - 18:05

        higher chance of success if you're a girl
        they'll gladly fix everything else in the house too

  • [Deactivated] on 12/07/2020 - 18:19
    +2

    If repair work is too complex, simply get new house

  • Hithere on 12/07/2020 - 18:31

    My DIY tip, don't believe everything you see on the home reno shows on TV.

    They have plenty of 'off camera' time to start again and fix/hide their stuff-ups.

  • animeisnowbanned on 12/07/2020 - 19:10
    +3

    If you can't find metal stucco lath,

    Use carbon-fiber stucco lath

  • Travis J on 12/07/2020 - 19:31
    +1

    Where do you get these buckets with tight enough lids to be rolling them around with cement inside?

    • funnysht on 12/07/2020 - 20:34

      any bucket with lid would do….just add some duct tape over it if you're worried. When you're rolling it you hold the lid tight against the bucket anyway, not complicat

  • pegaxs on 12/07/2020 - 20:52
    +2

    Wear PPE gear, even if you think it’s only a small job and you’re too cool for PPE…

  • Euphemistic on 12/07/2020 - 20:53
    +2

    The first 90% of the job takes 10% of the time. Final finishing takes 90% of the time.

    For paint preparation: if you can feel it with your fingers, you will see it in the paint.

  • whooah1979 on 12/07/2020 - 23:54

    Installing more GPO in random places around the house for fun.

  • Porker on 13/07/2020 - 09:14

    Get the right tools for the job

    • Euphemistic on 13/07/2020 - 11:36

      For me spending $100 on tools for the job typically is an investment that saves several hundred of a tradie cost. The tools are then useful for the next time - or you can sometimes sell them too and they effectively cost even less. Hiring is also an option.

      Probably had about $3k worth of tools for my major renovation, most bought prior but some specifically for a task. Total cost of Reno was around $30k ($10k for carpets, $3k for Windows). A builder would have probably cost around $60k plus carpet (but competed it in a couple of months, not the 18 it took me)

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