key points
- Viral DIY home repair hacks often don’t work and may make the problem worse.
- DIY shortcuts use weak or incompatible materials that cannot be used rigorously.
- Experts recommend using proper materials to ensure a durable and safe repair.
Home DIY hacks have flooded the world of social media and streaming video. But can you really fix a wall with toothpaste or repair tile with a hot glue gun?
To solve this issue, we asked three experienced home contractors to weigh in on clever home DIYs that are a waste of time.
meet the expert
- danny neimela ArDan Construction is a home remodeler and contractor.
- jeremy angle is a professional home inspector and owner of Ellingwood Pro.
- dustin vince is the director of preconstruction at Bolt Builders.
Making Fake Wood Beams From Foam
Exposed wood beams in homes with high ceilings give a traditional, respectable look. but real exposed wooden beams These are difficult and expensive to manufacture and install.
Some homeowners make decorative wooden beams From foam board.
“Foam boards are lightweight and easy to use, but they can become a fire hazard, and they eventually disintegrate over time,” says Dustin Vince of Bolt Builders.
Instead, buy faux wood beams, Vince advises. Perfect size for drywall ceilings, they resemble real wood. Additionally, many false beams are made from Class A fire-rated polyurethane.
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Filling tile seams with caulk
To replace missing or chipped grout, many homeowners use caulk. Caulk is easy to use – just squirt it out of a tube.
“Besides repelling moisture, the main benefit of caulk is that it’s flexible,” says Geremy Engle, owner of Ellingwood Pro. “But with enough cleaning and use, caulk breaks down.”
Fill tile seams with tile grout. There is no mixing required when you purchase pre-mixed grout. after Removing Old Tile GroutApply new grout with a rubber float.
Making Fake Marble with Paint
painting countertops Marble look is often considered an easier and less expensive option for countertop replacement. But this home DIY hack only works in the short term.
,painted countertops There is a possibility of them chipping or flaking, especially in the kitchen. Countertop materials are heat, water, and scratch resistant, and the paint doesn’t have to live up to the job,” says Vince.
Use a countertop epoxy kit instead of traditional paint. Epoxy kits are food-safe and water resistant. Although not as durable as replacement counters, still far more durable than epoxy paint.
fresh grout with paint
Painting tile grout to change color There’s a popular DIY hack that helps you avoid the hassle of removing old grout. But Danny Niemelha, a contractor with Arden Construction, says the process confuses him.
He says, “Using a colorant may look like you’ve freshened up the grout, but in high-traffic areas that line will fade, smudge, or wear down quickly.”
is the best solution steam clean grout it. Or scrape off the grout and re-grout it sanded grout mix,
healing pores with soap or toothpaste
Most houses have holes or cracks in their walls. This is unavoidable if you have children or pets. Even everyday life is enough to damage the walls.
A classic method is to fill holes and cracks with bar soap or toothpaste.
“These materials tend to crumble, shrink, or flake once they hit a surface or are exposed to moisture,” Niemela says. “Paint won’t stick to it, and any touch-up paint will come off easily.”
Vince recommends buying a small tub of spackle or drywall compound and filling holes and cracks with it.
Wallpaper painting to revive walls
A popular remedy for dirty or faded wallpaper is to paint it. Engle says this home DIY can result in serious problems.
“The moisture in the paint loosens the glue, creates bubbles in the paper and makes a huge mess down the line,” he says.
instead, remove wallpaper Using a steamer, commercial wallpaper remover, or DIY liquid remover.
Make a liquid remover by mixing three parts water and one part fabric softenerApply the solution with a spray bottle and let it soak in. Finish by gently scraping the wallpaper with a plastic paint scraper.
Fixing Loose Tiles with Hot Glue
When tile becomes loose, an obvious home remedy is to reattach it with a hot glue gun. But it’s a poor solution on many levels, Niemela says.
“Hot glue fails when exposed to moisture and heat, so as soon as steam rises in the shower or there is increased traffic on the floor, it will come off,” he says. Once water gets behind the tile, more tiles become loose, and mold begins to grow.
Install loose tiles with their original material, thinset mortar. Available pre-mixed in tubs, thinset is the standard material for installing and re-installing tile on walls or floors.
