Mistakes to Avoid when Decorating a Home
We've all seen videos where things can go wrong, yet many of us are still guilty of making so many mistakes when decorating or renovating our homes.
19/01/2020
I'm sure that many have seen articles and videos where things go wrong, yet so many of us are guilty of making mistakes when decorating a home. Here are 5 practical tips you need to keep in mind when you next tackle a decorating project.
1. ALWAYS USE A SPIRIT LEVEL
Whether you are putting up a small shelf, hanging a piece of art, or installing wall cabinets or cupboards, it's important to get the level right the first time. Give it a quick look and betting that it's straight usually gives you lots of problems to fix up and a skew shelf is definitely not something you want.
A spirit level isn't an expensive tool to have and it can save you a big headache when you are hanging something that needs to be perfectly straight or aligned. Using a spirit level to mark and measure before you hammer or drill holes is the best way to go.
2. THINK BEFORE YOU DRILL
Drilling into walls is a necessity if you want to hang or install fixtures and fittings properly. The only problem with drilling into walls, especially tiled walls, is that you don't know what is hiding behind the plaster or tile. You're probably thinking that nothing happened the last time you drilled into a wall, but there are only so many times you can be lucky!
When a house is constructed, the walls are where they chase out channels to install water pipes and conduits for electrical wires. It is always safer to use a digital detector to check before you drill to prevent expensive accidents from happening.
3. DON'T STRIP JOU MOER
A stripped screw or stripped nut can cause your blood temperature to rise very quickly when you need to remove it. When you strip a screw you remove the grooves that define the drive in the screw head. Once you remove the grooves it becomes almost impossible to tighten or loosen a screw. There are methods that can be used to remove a stripped screw and this article is very informative on what you can do.
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When driving a screw, either in or out, make sure to use the correct screwdriver and that the screwdriver bit or screwdriver is firmly seated in the drive at all times. You will find more tips and tricks on this topic in our DIY Tips section.
4. DO IT THE RIGHT WAY
Quick fixes aren't meant to be permanent solutions and it is always better to do it right the first time. The only time a quick fix should be considered is when you don't have the right tools or materials to do a proper job and you need a solution until you can do it the right way - the way it's supposed to be done.
The problem with DIY today is that too many DIY enthusiasts look for a quick way to do a project without thinking about the long term repercussions. Yes, there are shortcuts for everything, and yes, sometimes a quick fix might solve the problem. But always keep in mind that by doing it properly the first time you will have a permanent solution that won't fail later on.
5. USE THE RIGHT TOOLS AND MATERIALS
I suppose I could have added this to the step above, because sometimes when you want to do a project you don't always fully understand the importance of using the right tools and materials for the job at hand. For example, I often rant and rave about using nylon wall plugs as opposed to plastic wall plugs. But there's a reason for this - and it's a good one...
When hanging a curtain pole, rail or track you are given the screws and wall plugs to do this. The only problem is that the wall plugs provided are plastic and it seems that manufacturer's don't always keep in mind what is being hung. A few small screws and some plastic wall plugs might hold up a curtain pole, rail or track, but will it still do the job once you have added the - heavy- curtains?
Always give careful thought to any decorating or DIY project that you need to do and make a list of tools, materials and supplies you will need. If you're not sure or in doubt of the best way to go, use the Google Search on our website and type in your query. We have a very comprehensive selection of articles and features that will be able to guide you to do it the right way.
