The Great 'what are your easy MoneySaving DIY tips?' Hunt

Former_MSE_Debs · 7 March 2013 at 3:17PM

Great 'what are your easy MoneySaving DIY tips?' Hunt

Masking tape on skirting boards is an obvious one, but what other tricks do you use to make DIY easier, cheaper and less time-consuming? We want MoneySavers' collective knowledge to help those wishing to spruce up, add value to or revamp their homes.

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determined_new_ms · 12 March 2013 at 11:44PM

Go to wood merchants & small shops much better than the big DIY store and a fraction of the price.

Use ebay for sanding paper disks

buying a second hand kitchen - just make sure you buy one which has more units than you need so you can fit the kitchen to your space.

Use youtube for tutorials on how to do things! I have just watched how to replace washing machine seal and bought online, fraction of what it would have cost to call someone out

gloriouslyhappy · 13 March 2013 at 12:45AM

When nailing down loose floorboards, closely follow the pattern of nails in the rest of the boards, don't be tempted to use the clear spaces as that's where the gas lines, water pipes and electric cables run. I found out the hard way when I was fixing a board and to my horror I heard a hissing noise, thought it was gas, was instructed to evacuate the premises until the gas company arrived to inform me I'd nailed through a water pipe (luckily not the gas!!). £75 later for the plumber, I'm passing on this tip - avoid the untouched parts of the floorboards for your nail holes!

When drilling into walls, always use a vacuum cleaner with brush part off, ie hose only, or a mini-vac, and hold it right underneath as you drill - it will catch all that awful gypsum dust which goes everywhere and is a nightmare to clean otherwise. And don't drill near the light switches or fittings, see tip above!

Stooby2 · 13 March 2013 at 1:25AM

I screw floorboards down as they don't work loose so easily and are far easier to take up again if you need to.

diywhynot · 13 March 2013 at 8:24AM

Read the 'In My Home' forum. Be aware of regulations, responsibilities and good practice as a householder when working on DIY projects. Consult a professional if you are not competent...money saving in the long term.

More advice on the Planning Portal.

supermonkey · 13 March 2013 at 10:22AM

The Youtube tip is a great one.

This may not apply to everyone - Don't assume you can't do the job yourself.

When using silicone/mastic to seal (eg around top of cooker/windows etc), use a wet finger to leave a smooth finish. When doing the bath, fill it with water first.

Use a nail brush to clean dirt from tile grout.

Don't start jobs awkward jobs when shops are not open. Eg, plumbing jobs where you can't turn the water on until finished & you realise you need another tool/part.

Lemanie_2 · 13 March 2013 at 10:49AM

Go to a trade center for paint, if you can. We bought Dulux from a trade centre and whilst is it branded the same as the stuff you get from DIY shops etc, it is a bit more expensive but MUCH better quality and you only need to do one coat so it ends up being cheaper (and easier!).

Also, get good quality brushes - you get much neater edges and the paint goes on much more easily.

A_Ross · 13 March 2013 at 12:57PM

If you are putting embossed paper on and painting it use decorators caulk along all the borders and smooth off with a wet sponge. This will close up those litle holes you get with embossed paper that collect dirt and show up black after a few months.

Maybe not a money saving tip but cuts down on decorating. Use white gloss radiator enamel instead of ordinary white gloss on woodwork. Doesn't yellow and dries in hours. Costs more per can but it lasts longer

Carriannelouise · 13 March 2013 at 1:14PM

My father is like the master of DIY we used to call him bodge it on a budget! and well i think it has rubbed off on me.

Screwfix is brilliant, stuff is really cheap and you can order online to collect
If doing any job where the water is going to be switched off then thouroughly wash the bath and fill it with water, that way if the worst happens and you need to keep it switched off then you still have water.
when doing taps use the isolater under the tap rather than switching off all water.
when using filler dont smooth it level before it dries as it contracts a bit as it dries. i leave it unlevel and sand it for a better finish.
Bargain paints usually mean the consistency of water and 1000000 coats trade paints tend to be 1 coat and cheaper.
keep paint brushes and rollers moist in plastic bags between days of painting, it stops horrible finishes from stiff brushes between days.
Never ever ever buy pound shop paint brushes they shed worse than a dog.
you can buy push fit plastic plumbing that way its a bit like lego! pick the piece and push it together all you need is a pipe cutter and plenty of different fittings (great if you nail through a pipe)
if you need a small plumbing job and dont feel confident for example a tap fitting look in the paper for an odd job man. they charge much less than a plumber and yield the same results.
puppy training pads are great to put under pipes in case any residual water comes out.
turn the water back on very slowly and with a "spotter" to check incase of any leaks as you turn it back on.
if worse comes to worse and you have to phone a work man always offer a cup of tea!
youtube is amazing.
make friends with a plumber!
Ladies are just as able to do DIY as men. more so in my house! my other half is hopeless.

Winter_Phoenix · 13 March 2013 at 2:36PM

Wallpapering:
Wipe off any stray wallpaper paste from the ceiling before it dries, using a damp cloth - otherwise it will catch the light and show up for ever.
If a corner or edge of wallpaper, or a tiny overlap in a corner of the room, just won't stay stuck down, let it dry and then stick it down with border adhesive.
Disguise any small tears in wallpaper, after it has dried, by using a child's crayon of the right colour.

Stripping wood:
Stripping paint off old doors or furniture can be a lot of hard work for nothing, if you discover an area of white filler under the old paint. Try painting over the white filler with an artist's brush, using a blend of two colours similar to the natural wood colour and folowing the grain of the surrounding wood.

Tiling:
Walls in older houses are usually uneven, which can spoil the finished effect of tiling. Be prepared to be more/less generous with the tile adhesive as necessary, and also keep a box of matches handy when tiling - supplementing some tile spacers with a scrap of wood from a matchstick can keep your tiling rows beautifully straight even on an oddly-shaped wall.

tonyE1951 · 13 March 2013 at 3:43PM

I don't like the expensive plastic edging DIY stores assume you will buy to cover the gap between the edge of laminate flooring and skirting board to allow for expansion. My solution is to purchase quartered dowel, glue in place then paint. It's a lot cheaper and once painted doesn't look like edging to hide a gap.

The Great 'what are your easy MoneySaving DIY tips?' Hunt

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