How to Prevent DIY Mistakes

Photo: Dan Zettwoch. From: HGTV Magazine

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Prevent DIY Disaster

Heed our advice (and that of some trusted HGTV pros), and you’ll never make the same mistakes again.

Photo: Dan Zettwoch. From: HGTV Magazine

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Don’t Close a Bottle of Glue Too Soon

Don’t close a bottle crafts glue immediately after using it. This is a surefire way to clog the cap. To keep it clear, wipe the tip with a damp paper towel, then before closing the bottle, stand it upright for several seconds so the glue can drain down.

Photo: Dan Zettwoch. From: HGTV Magazine

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Don’t Paint From the Can

Don’t paint directly from the can. You may end up contaminating an entire gallon if you dip a dirty or dusty paintbrush into a can of paint. Instead, pour some into a smaller container and keep the larger can closed, opening it only when you need more.

Photo: Dan Zettwoch. From: HGTV Magazine

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Don’t Work Ahead

Don’t cut fabric for upholstery without laying it over the piece of furniture first. Always drape the fabric—especially if it’s a pattern—over whatever you’re covering to make sure you have enough fabric to work with and the design is centered. Only once you know exactly how it will line up should you make your cuts.

Photo: Dan Zettwoch. From: HGTV Magazine

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Don’t Spray-Paint on Newspaper

It may seem like a smart idea to protect your work surface with newspaper, but it’s so lightweight, a blast of paint can cause the paper to fly up and stick to your project. Heavier materials like cardboard or brown kraft paper are better.

Photo: Dan Zettwoch. From: HGTV Magazine

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Don’t Press Too Hard

Don’t press hard when cutting with a crafts knife. You may think using a lot of pressure will make a cleaner slice, but pushing down too much on a crafts knife gives you less control, which can cause crooked cuts, a broken blade, or even an injury if your hand slips. Instead, drag the knife over the material in multiple light passes.

Photo: Dan Zettwoch. From: HGTV Magazine

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Don’t Be Exclusive

Don’t sand with only one kind of sandpaper. To get a supersmooth finish, start with a coarser sandpaper (80 grit) that’s rough enough to cut through any nicks or old finishes, then work your way up to a finer sandpaper (220 grit).

Photo: Dan Zettwoch. From: HGTV Magazine

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Don’t Dry Out Markers

Don’t store markers with the tips facing up or down. Take a hint from arts supply stores—they always rest markers on their side. If a marker is cap up, it could dry out. If it’s cap down, the ink could pool at the tip and create blotches.

Cari Cucksey Star of HGTV show Cash and Cari

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Don’t Sand Paint Off Vintage Furniture

“There’s a chance older pieces—usually from before 1978—may contain lead paint, so avoid sanding them if you can. If you really want to refinish the item, make sure to wear a mask, gloves, and protective eyewear.” —Cari Cucksey, Cash & Cari

From: HGTV Magazine

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Don’t Split Wood

Don’t drive a screw into wood without drilling a pilot hole first. “It’s tempting to just put a screw into wood and hope for the best, but you risk splitting the wood that way. It’s smarter to drill a pilot hole first, using a bit that’s slightly smaller in diameter than the screw.”—Chris Grundy, DIY Network’s Cool Tools

Photo: Dan Zettwoch. From: HGTV Magazine

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Don’t Forget the Seal

Don’t forget to seal painter’s tape to your walls. “Paint can bleed under even really good tape if you don’t seal it to your walls before painting. Use an object with a flat edge, like an old credit card, to firmly press it down.”—Matt Muenster, DIY Network’s Bath Crashers

Photo: Rob Howard. From: HGTV Magazine

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Don’t Paint on a Rainy Day

“Water-based latex paints will take longer to dry when there’s lots of moisture in the air.”—Amie Sikes (left), Junk Gypsies

Photo: Dan Zettwoch. From: HGTV Magazine

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Don’t Peel Off a Stencil Too Late

Don’t wait until paint has completely dried to peel off a stencil. Stencils can stick to dry paint, so when you remove them, you might peel off some paint, too. Instead, wait a minute or two after filling in the stencil, then pull it off while the paint is still wet.

Photo: Dan Zettwoch. From: HGTV Magazine

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Don’t Cut Ribbon Straight Across

To prevent frayed ends, hold the ribbon taut and snip it at a 45-degree angle. You can also coat the ribbon’s edges with clear nail polish.

Photo: Dan Zettwoch. From: HGTV Magazine

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Don’t Leave Ink on a Stamp

Old ink could show up on your next project or blur your image. To clean the stamp, press it repeatedly on scrap paper until the image is faint. If the ink is water-based, rub the stamp with an alcohol-free baby wipe or a damp sponge. If the ink is permanent, use a special stamp cleaner (available at crafts stores).

14 DIY Don'ts to Avoid

Prevent DIY Disaster

Don’t Close a Bottle of Glue Too Soon

Don’t Paint From the Can

Don’t Work Ahead

Don’t Spray-Paint on Newspaper

Don’t Press Too Hard

Don’t Be Exclusive

Don’t Dry Out Markers

Don’t Sand Paint Off Vintage Furniture

Don’t Split Wood

Don’t Forget the Seal

Don’t Paint on a Rainy Day

Don’t Peel Off a Stencil Too Late

Don’t Cut Ribbon Straight Across

Don’t Leave Ink on a Stamp

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