Freelance Forum - The Community for Independent Professionals

c/diy-and-reno

10

zarag17•16h ago

Just realized reclaimed wood isn't always cheaper than new lumber

I was at the Habitat ReStore last weekend and saw they were charging $8 a linear foot for some beat-up barn wood. Compared that to the $4.50 a foot for fresh pine at the big box store and now I'm rethinking my whole accent wall plan. Has anyone else found that reclaimed stuff isn't the budget win everyone says it is?

15

smith.lee•18h ago

Visited the ReStore on Elm Street and their lumber section was a total mess

I stopped by the Habitat ReStore downtown last weekend looking for some 2x4s for a shed project. Their lumber rack was completely disorganized with warped boards mixed in with straight ones and prices all over the place. I spent 20 minutes sorting through piles just to find 6 decent studs. Has anyone else noticed their local ReStore's lumber area going downhill like this?

20

fionamurphy•2d ago

Just realized my grandpa's old hand plane is worth more than my whole tool collection

I was cleaning out my uncle's barn last weekend and found this beat up old Stanley plane that's been sitting in a box of rusty stuff for probably 40 years. I almost tossed it in the scrap pile but decided to look it up on eBay out of curiosity. Turns out it's a type 11 from 1910 with the original iron still in it, and similar ones are going for $400-$600 on auction sites. I nearly dropped my coffee when I saw that. I spent like 2 hours reading through old forum posts about how to date these things by the lateral adjustment lever and the patent dates. Now I'm scared to even sharpen it, let alone use it on a project. Has anyone else stumbled onto an old tool worth way more than you expected?

27

kelly_rivera•2d ago

Talked to an old electrician who said he never uses impact drivers for outlets and it got me thinking

I was helping my buddy wire his basement in St. Louis last weekend and his dad walked in, been an electrician for like 40 years. He saw me reaching for my impact driver to put in the outlet boxes and just shook his head. He said impact drivers strip out the plastic tabs on cheap boxes too easy and he always uses a regular drill with a clutch. I argued that impacts save time but he pointed out that I’ve already snapped two box ears this year doing it my way. Made me realize maybe speed isn’t everything when you’re spending extra money fixing mistakes. Anyone else ever get called out by an old timer and actually changed how you work because of it?

20

the_cameron•2d ago

I used to think brand name laminate was a waste of money

After spending $220 on a cheap click-lock floor from a big box store that started peeling at the seams after 6 months, I finally tried the well-reviewed stuff from a flooring supply house. The price hurt at first, but the locking mechanism actually holds tight - has anyone else had to redo a floor because you tried to save $50 upfront?

7

mason_murray8•2d ago

The debate about cedar vs pressure treated for a raised garden bed at my local nursery

I was at Johnson's Garden Center in Portland last Saturday picking up soil and got into it with the owner about raised bed wood. He swears by untreated cedar even though it costs $4 more per board at current prices. I argued that pressure treated pine at $8 a board for an 8-footer lasts twice as long and is safe with modern chemicals. He claimed the copper in treated wood still leaches into veggies over 5 years. Anyone here done a side by side test with tomatoes or peppers that settled this for you?

24

henry150•4d ago

Ripped out a 15 year old deck this weekend. Hit 237 screws before I lost count.

Bought this house 3 years ago and the deck always looked fine from far away. Got up close last month and saw rot near the house side. Started pulling it apart Saturday morning. By Sunday night I had pulled 237 screws out of that thing. Thought I could save some lumber but nope. Every single board was water damaged. Replacing it with composite now but man that was more work than I expected. Anyone else tear into a project thinking it'll be quick and end up with a full rebuild?

17

troyc17•5d ago

Was using the wrong drill bit for tile for 2 years and only found out when my bathroom floor cracked

I was putting in a new toilet flange in my bathroom in Denver and used a standard masonry bit on the porcelain tile. After the third hole, the tile just split right down the middle and I felt like an idiot. My neighbor came over to see what the noise was and told me I needed a carbide-tipped bit with a pilot for tile work. Has anyone else had a similar facepalm moment with the wrong tool for the job?

18

pat_harris•5d ago

PSA: That cheap paint sprayer from Harbor Freight nearly ruined my kitchen cabinets

I was out in my garage in Austin last Saturday, thinking I'd save some cash spraying my oak cabinets with that $40 Earthwise sprayer. First pass looked okay, but after about 10 minutes the thing started spitting chunks of what I think was dried paint from a previous coat. Then the nozzle clogged completely twice, and when I unclogged it the second time the whole cup assembly popped off and dumped a pint of thinned latex all over my drop cloth and shoes. Ended up spending 4 hours sanding out drips and orange peel texture from the first two doors I shot. I literally just finished hand brushing the rest of the cabinets using a $12 Wooster brush from Lowe's, and it looks way better honestly. Has anyone else had good luck with a specific budget sprayer under $100, or is it all just a trap?

20

kelly_rivera•5d ago

Why does nobody talk about how much time you lose with self-leveling compound?

I spent a whole weekend trying to level my basement floor in Omaha using a $50 bag of self-leveling compound. Mixed it exactly like the instructions said, poured it out, and it set up in like 10 minutes before I could even spread it right. Ended up with a lumpy mess that cost me $200 in materials to rip out and redo with plywood instead. Has anyone else had this stuff harden way too fast or did I just get a bad batch?

10

miaprice•6d ago

Got humbled by a $12 pipe wrench in my own bathroom

Tried to fix a leaky sink supply line in my apartment in Portland last Tuesday. Used a cheap adjustable wrench from the dollar store and it slipped, stripped the nut, and water sprayed everywhere. Had to call a plumber who laughed and said the tool was basically a toy. He fixed it in 10 minutes with a proper pipe wrench. Has anyone else learned the hard way that cheap tools just cost you more in the end?

19

laura_wilson•6d ago

Found out at the hardware store that you shouldn't use pressure treated lumber for indoor shelving

I was grabbing some 2x4s for basement shelves and the guy at Lowe's in Omaha told me the chemicals in pressure treated wood can off-gas indoors, which I had zero clue about after 10 years of random projects, has anyone else been using the wrong wood for stuff like this?

19

troyc17•8d ago

Finally figured out the hidden screw trick on my old storm door

I spent like an hour last Sunday wrestling with my storm door closer in Phoenix because the arm wouldn't detach. Finally noticed this tiny little slot on the bracket that you're supposed to push a flathead into to release it. Made the whole adjustment take maybe 4 minutes after that. Anybody else deal with those hidden release points on home hardware that aren't in the manual?

13

morganl71•9d ago

Wasted $180 on a cheap tile saw that burned out after 3 cuts in Dallas

Grabbed a budget tile saw off Craigslist for a bathroom floor job and the motor smoked out before I even finished the first row - anyone find a decent one under $300 that won't die on the spot?

10

colegarcia•9d ago

Vent: 3 years of painting trim before caulking it first

Just redid my baseboards last week and realized I've been doing it backwards this whole time. Caulk first, paint second - my painter neighbor saw me working and literally facepalmed. Anyone else have a basic step they somehow missed for years?

15

cora_west5•11d ago

Overheard a contractor say 'level is a suggestion, not a rule' at the lumber yard yesterday

Made me wonder how many of my slightly crooked shelves are actually just following that same philosophy, has anyone else gotten away with something that wasn't perfectly straight?

17

sethm58•13d ago

The way everyone levels shower pans is totally backwards

I keep seeing DIY videos where they put the preslope on top of the liner and I swear it traps water. Did a bathroom reno in my 1920s house in Cleveland and noticed mold after 6 months - had to rip out the whole pan and start over. The right way is preslope under the liner, then a final slope on top so water actually drains to the weep holes. Anyone else run into this or am I the only one who cares about rot?

18

kim_mason55•14d ago

Warning: my kitchen backsplash took 3 weekends instead of 2 days

I figured tiling a 20 square foot backsplash would be a quick weekend job. First day went fine laying the tile but cutting around the outlet boxes took me 4 hours because my wet saw kept wandering. Then the thinset said cure time was 24 hours but it was still soft after 2 days in my damp basement. By the time I grouted and sealed everything I was into my third Saturday. How long did your simple tile job actually take compared to what you planned?

3

knight.uma•15d ago

Patched a hole in drywall with a can of beans and it actually held

Last weekend I was fixing a doorknob hole in my laundry room and realized I was out of joint compound. Had a can of refried beans sitting on the counter and figured why not try it as a filler. Smoothed it on, let it dry for 24 hours, sanded it down and painted over it. Been 3 days and no cracking or falling out. Anyone else ever used random pantry stuff for repairs?

11

ward.diana•16d ago

My neighbor yelled at me for using pressure treated wood on my deck railing...

Turns out PT wood can warp and crack in the sun way faster than cedar. Had to rip it all out and start over, cost me $180 extra... anyone else get burned by bad lumber advice?

15

jennybailey•16d ago

That moment when a level told me I was wrong

I was hanging kitchen cabinets in my own house in Austin and felt so confident after getting the first one up. Pulled out my 4-foot level and saw a half-inch gap at the bottom corner. Spent 45 minutes redoing the bracket placement and it still looked off until I realized the floor itself had a slight slope from a 1970s foundation shift.

21

matthewking•16d ago

Tried restoring a 1950s table saw with a wire wheel instead of sandpaper

Picked up an old Delta Unisaw off Craigslist in Philly for $150, figured i'd clean the rust off the top with a wire wheel on my angle grinder. Ended up gouging the cast iron surface in a few spots that took me hours with a flat file to smooth out. Anyone else find a better way to strip rust from old machines without ruining the surface?

18

ross.kim•17d ago

Spent $90 on a corded hammer drill vs a $40 cordless one - which side are you on?

I bought a cheap cordless hammer drill for $40 last spring for some bathroom tile demo. Worked great for two holes then the battery died mid-job on a Saturday. Next day I grabbed a $90 corded Rotary hammer from Harbor Freight. That thing tore through concrete like butter but now I'm tripping over extension cords everywhere. What's your take - pay for power or pay for portability?

9

robin896•18d ago

That tile saw at my buddy's garage in Denver changed my approach

I was helping my friend Mike lay down some subway tile in his kitchen last month. He's got this cheap wet saw he bought off Craigslist for like 60 bucks and it kept chipping the edges no matter how slow I went. After ruining about 15 tiles I finally drove to Home Depot and rented a proper saw for 45 bucks for the day. The difference was night and day - clean cuts every time and it took half the time. Has anyone else had a similar experience where renting a pro tool saved you more money than using your own junk?

21

ben_fisher•19d ago

Question about those 'no drill' blinds I installed last weekend

I was really skeptical about those tension rod blinds for my basement windows since I have a 48 inch wide opening. But after 3 tries getting the tension just right they haven't budged in a week. Anyone else had luck with these or do they eventually sag?