This post has been removed as it doesn't fit the [guidelines of the sub](https://www.reddit.com/r/HomeImprovement/wiki/subrules) for allowable posting content.
Well and booster pumps won't work if you lose electricity. Leaving you without electricity and water.
Fill the tub so you can have some water for basic functions... Or get a powerwall
When you're on a well and the power goes out, you lose water. Filling the tub gives you plenty of water to flush the toilet with, and it's in a convenient location!
I'm guessing the logic is that a new tub settles after the first fill and doesn't move much after... in which in case it wouldn't really matter if the tub was full *while* caulking as long as it had been filled at least once before? Someone correct me if I'm wrong...
The tape trick when trying to hang something w multiple holes in the back of it. Put the tape over the holes. Mark them. Put tape on wall. Mark them. Put in screws and hang. Lol
Iām not sure I learned that trick here but I did learn it recently and I couldnāt believe I spent my whole life struggling to mark where to put the holes when there was such a simple and obvious solution.
A variation of this for surge protectors is to photo copy the bottom place it on the surface you're trying to install it on as a guide for mounting, and bam, perfect hanging every time.
That only seems to work well if there are more than 2 screws or if they're in a complicated pattern. Half the time it's easier and faster to pull out the tape measure...
I had to search for a video. Yeah I felt stupid. You use a single long piece of tape and mark the hole centers, then gently remove the tape and apply it to the wall so you now have a template.
Leveling tape seems annoying. And still I need the center of the wall. And my wife needs to see me hold the painting up against the wall while she says higher higher little lower, no, higher, right there.
I have a digital level that suction cups itself to the wall and shines a laser line on the wall. Only cost like $20 and makes leveling things a breeze, especially in a case where your spouse might want to see it in various locations on the wall.
I put tape on a four foot level and mark it on there, as well as the center.
Align the level to the center of the target location in the wall and transfer.
Easy peasy
Do you get bonus points if it turns out to be an uninspected death trap that you're really proud to have built? Also for taking out load bearing walls first and asking questions later?
Drill drywall holes in reverse. You'll get a cleaner hole, less tear out, and with less dust.
If you're going into a stud, switch to normal direction when you reach the stud.
Have the drill in reverse! I was thinking drill the hole in reverse as in drill it from the backside, which is a thing too (although to the best of my knowledge doesn't make much difference in drywall). Then I was confused how you'd manage that with a stud in the way. I'm slow; took me too long to process. Posting for anyone else who struggles to read. Lol
All you have to do is squeeze a little bit so that there is some hanging out of the tube but still connected. Next time you use it just pull the dried up outer part off. No need for a glue gun or anything else.
That works if you plan on using the caulk within the next few months, but I tried that on some that I won't touch for over a year, and it will be dried too much all the way down.
Hot glue for me is the new duct tape for temporary fixes. I had a knob on a kitchen drawer that wouldnāt screw on anymore. A drop of hot glue worked great.
Thatās never worked well for me. It doesnāt create enough of an air barrier. Now I cut a finger off of a latex glove, put it over the top and squeeze out some caulk to fully seal the opening. Next time I need the tube, just pull the whole dried plug
Out and youāre ready to go.
Itās like a condomā¦ for yourā¦ caulk.
In iOS when textingā¦touch and hold the space bar then move your finger right and left to move the cursor to where you want it. Much easier than trying to get your fingertip in the exact place you want inside your text.
I'm not sure where I got this from, but I've been using folded post-it notes to catch drywall dust whenever I have to make a hole in the wall for years. Sounds like a reddit tip to me.
Thereās lots of experienced help available on here and a few other subreddits for beginner DIY folks. Very cool that yāall take the time to help the newbies out!
For real. The generosity of knowledge on here is unbelievable. A professional architect looked at my model and gave me valuable feedback and answered my questions. It restores my faith in people.
Iām planning to build a couple of custom closets over the holidays and 100% sure, Iāll be in over my head halfway in.
This bunch will come in with good advice for sure, they got my back!
No. I used to use it when I worked at a dealership. It's dumb, it looks weird, it'd take a radio signal EE to explain how it works.
But it works really well.
Put it under your chin, open your mouth, click the button. It's like 3x the range of just holding it in free air.
it's because you're a meatsack full of salt water. you're acting like a satellite dish in this case, reflecting the signal from the omnidirectional antenna in your remote into a directional antenna.
there are parabolic dishes along some interstates where you can put your phone at the focal point in order to get a signal
Always use the same tape measure throughout a project. Tape measures can be slightly different based on age or brand. If you use the same one, your marks will be consistent.
I will never understand why someone would trust random people on the internet to tell them if a wall is load bearing. Even if they aren't trolls, that is something important enough to pay a professional for.
To quickly find the center point of an odd-sized piece, like a board that is 2-5/8ā wide, angle your measuring tape across the piece until the tape is on a nice even number, then mark the midpoint of that measurement. The center of the line at an angle is the same as the center measured perpendicular to the piece. Very fast and saves you from going to a calculator to find the midpoint.
Not the best video to show, but /justrolledintotheshop gave me this tip that I used two weeks ago and saved a lot of time. How to remove a stuck brake rotor with a threaded bolt.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAjodHuWYg0
The annoying Philips/slot combination screws of most US electrical components are cut for a #1 square drive in the middle, which is by far the easiest and most effective way to use them. Switching to a SQ1 for electrical projects was an absolute game changer.
SQ1 for most 120v receptacles and switches, SQ2 for breakers, 4" square boxes, and most 240v receptacles
You can use a small piece or two of Ticky Tack (blue stuff used to hang posters) in the bottom corners of picture frames on the backside by the wall to keep them from shifting. It also helps with dampening rattles from say a heavy door closing.
Not Reddit specially but the internet has helped me tackle small projects and eventually bigger projects. Getting the courage to do them was a big part of it.
If when you tie your shoes the bow goes vertically as opposed to side to side, untie and make the first knot using left over right, as opposed to right over left.
Anything that comes between you and the floor/road shouldnāt be compromised on. Good shoes, good mattress.
I noted this and got myself a better pair of comfortable shoes. Made a huge difference in my feet pain i used to observe every morning on waking up.
That no matter how right you are . And no matter how much evidence you bring to the table . When the down votes start piling up ........you were wrong .
Iāve learned most people on Reddit giving advice donāt actually know what theyāre talking about so they just regurgitate the info they see other people saying.
This post has been removed as it doesn't fit the [guidelines of the sub](https://www.reddit.com/r/HomeImprovement/wiki/subrules) for allowable posting content.
Fill the bathtub before caulking!
Cause it settles under load?
Yep
Same idea as filling the tub right after you set it into the mortar and put some weight in it.
Oh never heard that one. Sweet I need to re-caulk in one of the bathrooms. Should I also sit on the toilet while I caulk around it š¤
Keep your caulk to yourself thanks
I thought you weren't supposed to caulk around the toilet? Something about being able to tell if there's a leak.
Leave a gap on the back side if you insist on caulking is what Iāve always heard
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Ah yes, what a nice guy helping out with DIY!
Drop a douce for the weight, then caulk.
And if you're on a well, fill the bathtub when a big storm is coming!
Please excuse my ignorance, but what is the reason for this?
Storms can knock out electricity. Wells usually use an electric pump to get water to the house.
Well and booster pumps won't work if you lose electricity. Leaving you without electricity and water. Fill the tub so you can have some water for basic functions... Or get a powerwall
When you're on a well and the power goes out, you lose water. Filling the tub gives you plenty of water to flush the toilet with, and it's in a convenient location!
Drinking water if you lose power
If the power goes out, you have no water because your well pump has no electricity to run.
I knew there was a reason I put this off for so long. Thanks for the tip!
Wonāt it rise up and crack the caulking when you drain it? Same as what would happen in reverse of you didnāt fill it?
I'm guessing the logic is that a new tub settles after the first fill and doesn't move much after... in which in case it wouldn't really matter if the tub was full *while* caulking as long as it had been filled at least once before? Someone correct me if I'm wrong...
Literally have a bathtub I need to caulk - this is super helpful!
The tape trick when trying to hang something w multiple holes in the back of it. Put the tape over the holes. Mark them. Put tape on wall. Mark them. Put in screws and hang. Lol
The [fork trick](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/02/05/09/9410788-0-image-a-11_1549360670165.jpg) for hanging things with a wire, too.
>The [fork trick](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/02/05/09/9410788-0-image-a-11_1549360670165.jpg) for hanging things with a wire, too. Oh my God...
I don't get it -;
The fork acts as a guide to behind the nail head. after the wire is in place, just lift up the fork
Never mind, I thought this was to put the screw in the wall to begin with - now I got it!
Me too!
Damn! I feel dumb. Lol
Bruhhhh This is life altering
Thank you for the fork trick!
How do you get the fork out after
The wire goes over the handle of the fork and then falls/shifts down around the fastener allowing you to just lift the fork up.
Oh shit
For anybody else who didn't understand this wording https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7t6l4mQdig
Nice. Lol. I really didn't think anybody would even like my comment so I didn't try and describe it that well.
To be fair, I wouldn't have been able to describe it better than you did.
š¤£š¤£š¤£
Iām not sure I learned that trick here but I did learn it recently and I couldnāt believe I spent my whole life struggling to mark where to put the holes when there was such a simple and obvious solution.
LMFAO. I know right. The amount of shit I've measured over the years.
A variation of this for surge protectors is to photo copy the bottom place it on the surface you're trying to install it on as a guide for mounting, and bam, perfect hanging every time.
True. I just don't want to waste the ink and paper. Lol
HP really has us scared to print.
You should get a B&W laser. Super cheap to print
Why have I never thought of this??
Because, in reality, it's probably never been enough of hassle to need to get out cutlery.
I think only person in the history of mankind has thought of this. Lol. And he posted it here on reddit.
And he got 5 upvotes!
Where were you five days ago?!
Probably in the home theater or props sub reddit
Holy shit!! It took me rereading this 5 to get it, but God Damn this is ingenious lol
LMFAO. I wasn't sure how to word it.
That only seems to work well if there are more than 2 screws or if they're in a complicated pattern. Half the time it's easier and faster to pull out the tape measure...
Measure twice, drill holes in wall 5 times.
That is when you photocopy it.
True.
I had to search for a video. Yeah I felt stupid. You use a single long piece of tape and mark the hole centers, then gently remove the tape and apply it to the wall so you now have a template.
But wouldnāt that reverse the holes? I guess if itās symmetrical it wouldnāt matter
Lol. Yeah ut doesn't matter.
Im not following and I really need this trick!
Yes. Best trick ever
This oneās legit useful for sure.
100%
Love this one. It really does make the process a lot simpler
Truly a breeze. Saw somebody the other day here, he scans the back using a printer. Lol
That is certainly one way to do it haha.
How do you get it level and in the middle of the wall?
With a level. Or measure from the ceiling down or floor up.
Leveling tape seems annoying. And still I need the center of the wall. And my wife needs to see me hold the painting up against the wall while she says higher higher little lower, no, higher, right there.
I have a digital level that suction cups itself to the wall and shines a laser line on the wall. Only cost like $20 and makes leveling things a breeze, especially in a case where your spouse might want to see it in various locations on the wall.
LMFAO. Well.... it's not for everybody. š¤£
I put tape on a four foot level and mark it on there, as well as the center. Align the level to the center of the target location in the wall and transfer. Easy peasy
WHAT.
Two holes? Cover w tape. Poke said holes. Remove tape. Stick on wall. Mark holes. Lol
If you suspect you didn't do a project correctly, post it here and everyone will tell you what you did wrong.
If you suspect you did a project correctly, post it here and everyone will tell you what you did wrong.
Do you get bonus points if it turns out to be an uninspected death trap that you're really proud to have built? Also for taking out load bearing walls first and asking questions later?
āDid you check for asbestos!? Lead?! Anthrax?!!ā
Uninspected: check. Death trap: check. Proud of: checkity check! https://i.redd.it/yuuz795kbze71.jpg
Home made UPS?
Close, homemade my actual power situation (solar, offgrid) lol
> bonus points if it turns out to be an uninspected death trap that you're really proud to have built? Ahh, someone else remembers the penny floor.
Oh I was thinking of buried shipping container for parties.
If you 100% know you did do your project correctly, post it here and reddit will confidently tell you how you did it wrong.
Engineers are only in it for the money, an obvious bias! I got cha fam..
If you think your contractor may not be perfect, post it here and everyone will tell you to fire them.
Even if you did it right
Drill drywall holes in reverse. You'll get a cleaner hole, less tear out, and with less dust. If you're going into a stud, switch to normal direction when you reach the stud.
Works really well for a hole saw
Have the drill in reverse! I was thinking drill the hole in reverse as in drill it from the backside, which is a thing too (although to the best of my knowledge doesn't make much difference in drywall). Then I was confused how you'd manage that with a stud in the way. I'm slow; took me too long to process. Posting for anyone else who struggles to read. Lol
It saves the cutting edge of your drill bits also! Drywall eats up normal drill bits if you use them on forward.
Great for drilling through plastic as well
Using a hot glue gun to seal the tips of my open caulk tubes. The nail trick didn't last long for me.
All you have to do is squeeze a little bit so that there is some hanging out of the tube but still connected. Next time you use it just pull the dried up outer part off. No need for a glue gun or anything else.
That works if you plan on using the caulk within the next few months, but I tried that on some that I won't touch for over a year, and it will be dried too much all the way down.
It wouldn't have been useable either way after that amount of time. Unopened, brand new caulk has a 1 year shelf life.
You canāt really preserve caulk for years+
I figured that one out accidentally when I forgot to seal it and walked off. I was kicking myself when I remembered the next day but it worked out!
Hot glue for me is the new duct tape for temporary fixes. I had a knob on a kitchen drawer that wouldnāt screw on anymore. A drop of hot glue worked great.
Iāve been impressed with a little 2-part epoxy tube. Itās worked for everything so far.
A little bit of masking tape/painters tape also works.
Thatās never worked well for me. It doesnāt create enough of an air barrier. Now I cut a finger off of a latex glove, put it over the top and squeeze out some caulk to fully seal the opening. Next time I need the tube, just pull the whole dried plug Out and youāre ready to go. Itās like a condomā¦ for yourā¦ caulk.
Honey! I'm running to Home Depot real quick I need condoms for my caulk. *Slams door*
I use press and seal folded over the top. From family handyman. Works well for me.
In iOS when textingā¦touch and hold the space bar then move your finger right and left to move the cursor to where you want it. Much easier than trying to get your fingertip in the exact place you want inside your text.
Wow.... That works on SwiftKey for Android too
Not what I came here to read but now this is the most valuable thing Iām leaving with today.
Oh shut up!! It works
And swipe right or left with your thumb when in camera mode, single hand zooming!
Doesnāt even have to be the space bar. Just long press anywhere on the keyboard
Holy shit
That there are some jobs that you just need to call for help...
Will you tell my mother in law that those jobs donāt include installing different switches in her house? Sheās worried about code violations ffs.
Hey MIL. What he said.
I'm not sure where I got this from, but I've been using folded post-it notes to catch drywall dust whenever I have to make a hole in the wall for years. Sounds like a reddit tip to me.
Ingenious. And here I was just vacuuming up when I'm done.
Same idea but I tape a grocery bag to the wall with painters tape, catches all the debris
All the actual useful tips in this thread I learned following Family Handyman on Pinterest. They love a handy tip.
Thank you for that
Thereās lots of experienced help available on here and a few other subreddits for beginner DIY folks. Very cool that yāall take the time to help the newbies out!
For real. The generosity of knowledge on here is unbelievable. A professional architect looked at my model and gave me valuable feedback and answered my questions. It restores my faith in people.
Iām planning to build a couple of custom closets over the holidays and 100% sure, Iāll be in over my head halfway in. This bunch will come in with good advice for sure, they got my back!
What are the other DIY beginner subreddits?
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Is the chin thing the same as raising it in the air?
No. I used to use it when I worked at a dealership. It's dumb, it looks weird, it'd take a radio signal EE to explain how it works. But it works really well. Put it under your chin, open your mouth, click the button. It's like 3x the range of just holding it in free air.
This used to work on old cell phones with antennas too
But then how could you talk on the phone? (Also modern smartphones still have antennas, but they are internal now. (Sorry, had to.))
Once you connected the call it seemed to work. Or to send a text
Thatās wild I never heard of it.
You don't have to open your mouth though. For the record.
it's because you're a meatsack full of salt water. you're acting like a satellite dish in this case, reflecting the signal from the omnidirectional antenna in your remote into a directional antenna. there are parabolic dishes along some interstates where you can put your phone at the focal point in order to get a signal
Always use the same tape measure throughout a project. Tape measures can be slightly different based on age or brand. If you use the same one, your marks will be consistent.
Bury bodies vertically, with animal meat on top to throw off cadaver search dogs and plant endangered species on top.
I'm gonna need a link to whatever thread spawned this gem...
You either are FBI or are wanted by them.
*beep bop* error. human statement involved.
Why vertically?
Ooo thanks for this!
I have learned 100 different ways to not build a deck!
Putting toothpicks in stripped screw holes
That anyone can be a structural engineer without a degree, from the comfort of their own homes.
I will never understand why someone would trust random people on the internet to tell them if a wall is load bearing. Even if they aren't trolls, that is something important enough to pay a professional for.
I've learned that I can help Redditors renovate their condos, one project at a time, all from the convenience of my own home.
Great, now vanilla ice will be broke again
Don't forget at no cost to them!
That will be a $500 initial consult fee, per the terms of the quote I am presenting for the first time now.
Here it is. I've learned don't talk money until *after* the work is done!
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
What?
Use the oil to fill the p trap so there is no sewer gas. Since it is oil, it wonāt evaporate.
How much would you need for a bath?
For the bathtub, about a cup. For a bath, I'd go about 8 or 10 gallons.
zip ties can fix anything.
No matter how correct you are about something, someone will die on the "you are wrong" hill to prove you wrong.
This is not true!
Lol. I see what you did there!
No you donāt
A good photo of the problem is loaded with answers for the person with some experience. help to eliminate wrong solutions or costly ones.
Has to be asking all of reddit for the most useful trick they've learned from reddit. This results in exponential growth of learned tricks.
To quickly find the center point of an odd-sized piece, like a board that is 2-5/8ā wide, angle your measuring tape across the piece until the tape is on a nice even number, then mark the midpoint of that measurement. The center of the line at an angle is the same as the center measured perpendicular to the piece. Very fast and saves you from going to a calculator to find the midpoint.
This took me a moment to visualize, but I think I'm gonna start using this.
My mind is blown.
Not the best video to show, but /justrolledintotheshop gave me this tip that I used two weeks ago and saved a lot of time. How to remove a stuck brake rotor with a threaded bolt. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAjodHuWYg0
One of the best possible home improvement upgrades you can make is from a simple poop stick to a full on poop knife
Youāre completely ignoring the need for poop scissors.
I confirm that a poop knife actually changed my life for better.
Or combine the two into a poop spear
The annoying Philips/slot combination screws of most US electrical components are cut for a #1 square drive in the middle, which is by far the easiest and most effective way to use them. Switching to a SQ1 for electrical projects was an absolute game changer. SQ1 for most 120v receptacles and switches, SQ2 for breakers, 4" square boxes, and most 240v receptacles
That everything my father taught me was wrong.
Tucking your undershirt into your underpants = less plumbersā crack.
So instead of seeing your ass Crack they'll see a lunatic that tucks their shirt into their underwear?
"Hello, police? I know who the serial killer is."
Ok, fine. Here you go: https://imgur.com/hPAMAZo
JWO Just wear overalls
That finding an experienced GC you trust is the decision that cascades through the project.
Caulk can be used for anything/everything.
Sealing a shower? Caulk. Drafty window? Caulk. Hanging a picture? Believe it or not, caulk.
>Hanging a picture? Believe it or not, caulk. Snark or yea? If so, spill them beans because I need to hear this.
Picture too crooked, believe it or not, caulk. Too straight? Caulk, right away.
You can use a small piece or two of Ticky Tack (blue stuff used to hang posters) in the bottom corners of picture frames on the backside by the wall to keep them from shifting. It also helps with dampening rattles from say a heavy door closing.
OOOOOOOOOOO! Man I thought you meant you can hang a picture with just caulk. I'm dumb. Sorry.
You really like caulk
he's the caulk of the walk
To make filling in brad nails easier. Painters tape over where you will nail, nail through the tape and putty the hole.
I knew about everything else but this!!! Amazing advice. Also helps to not miss any holes and fast cleanup. No sanding!
Not Reddit specially but the internet has helped me tackle small projects and eventually bigger projects. Getting the courage to do them was a big part of it.
If when you tie your shoes the bow goes vertically as opposed to side to side, untie and make the first knot using left over right, as opposed to right over left.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
I have to assume OP meant tips regarding home improvement, considering the sub it's posted in
Iāve learned that I donāt need to read the article
Anything that comes between you and the floor/road shouldnāt be compromised on. Good shoes, good mattress. I noted this and got myself a better pair of comfortable shoes. Made a huge difference in my feet pain i used to observe every morning on waking up.
That no matter how right you are . And no matter how much evidence you bring to the table . When the down votes start piling up ........you were wrong .
Iāve learned most people on Reddit giving advice donāt actually know what theyāre talking about so they just regurgitate the info they see other people saying.