I've been DIY-ing for three and a half years now, having made plenty of mistakes along the way. I've also I've picked up a number of tips and tricks to avoid certain pitfalls. Once you know a nifty hack, it will really change the game, making your projects easier, quicker and less messy. Here are the ones I swear by for work around my house…
Use masking tape to avoid cracked tiles
Even as a DIY aficionado, drilling into tiles is still daunting for me. To reduce the chance of cracking a tile, apply a piece of masking tape to steady the drill. It’s also handy for applying a mark, as it's quite impossible to draw on a shiny tile.
Wrap paintbrushes in clingfilm to prevent them going hard
After hours wasted washing the paint out of paintbrushes, which seems to take a lifetime, I then discovered that wrapping them in clingfilm is the perfect way to preserve them if you’re coming back to the project. It’s even kept my brushes and rollers perfectly usable after five days.
Use Post-it notes to catch dust when drilling
Drilling can be a messy job, especially with certain types of walls. If you’ve got a Post-it note to hand, fold it to make a small pocket and stick it to the wall. It will save the mess from reaching the floor.
Use masking tape for perfectly marking out holes
Another quick trick with masking tape is using it as a guide, to mark out multiple holes for a picture frame or brackets. You stick the tape to the item, mark where the holes are, then take it off and stick it to the wall. This way you can guarantee that the holes are the exact width apart.
Use a screw and pliers to extract stuck wall plugs
A rogue wall plug stuck in the wall can be a bother. My mother-in-law taught me to screw in a screw and use pliers to then rip it out. Although a word of caution that this technique can cause plaster to pull away too. If you're worried about that simply get a Stanley knife and cut the end of the plug that sticks out off.
Ditch big paint brushes for fiddly work
Sometimes you have to paint a very small, awkward bit, or cover up a tiny scratch. For this, a mini paintbrush will do. Instead of buying the expensive ones in a DIY store, a children's paintbrush will do the trick. Plus, they come in large packs so you’ll have plenty to use for various projects.
Prime and paint any skirting before sticking on the wall
If you’re adding new skirting, don’t wait until it’s attached to the wall to prime and paint as it will be so awkward avoiding the walls and the floor. Instead, do all of the work first and simply stick or screw them on after. The definition of work smarter, not harder.
Don't put up with mis-matched screws
I’ve got a few black fixtures and fittings in my bathroom and when I used gold screws to attach them, they stuck out horribly. I simply used some leftover black metal paint and one of the kids paintbrushes I mentioned earlier to make them blend in.
Mark only one hole first to eliminate error
When screwing something to the wall, mark your first hole, attach the item loosely then mark your next one. If you mark them both first, the second one could end up a little out. When drilling, it's easy for the drill to kick over a millimetre or two, depending on the wall type and this makes all the difference.
