Decorating Nightmares – DIY Projects Gone Wrong

Written by Milan Jara on 23rd Sep 2014

My experience in remodeling projects reaches all of the world, and I would like to think that I have seen it all. But in the process of researching material for our own website, my wife and I uncovered some DIY home improvement failures that we just had to share. The obvious message here is that remodeling projects are best left to the professionals. We don’t like to brag, but we can guarantee you that we have never presented a customer with a completed project that looked anything like these colossal DIY project fails.

FAIL Stamp

The Sink Drains Into the … What?

As ceiling tile installers and experts, we do not deal in many plumbing projects. But that does not mean that we do not recognize a plumbing fail when we see one. Draining a bathroom sink into anything but a wall drain is not only a bad idea, but it is illegal in many parts of the country. When you drain the sink into a bathroom urinal, does that change the way that the sink is used? One thing is for sure; it is definitely more convenient to wash your hands when you are done.

Take it Easy on the Insulation

While installing expensive and beautiful ceiling tiles, we always make sure to use the proper finishing and insulating materials. It is important to understand when caulk is used and when it is appropriate to use insulation in a can. One thing we do know is that using insulation in a can to finish a bathtub installation project is going to look ugly. Just remember that you should use caulk to finish your bathtub projects.

Where Does the Paint Go?

One of the home decorating trends that we actually enjoy is taking household items and putting a coat of paint on them to turn them into a decoration. Mason jars are often used in these DIY projects, but these projects can go wrong in a big hurry. The important part to remember about painting glass mason jars is to use the right kind of paint and paint the jars on the outside. The other solution is to avoid this DIY home decorating fail altogether and buy a painted mason jar done by a professional.

Proper Cabinet Installation is Critical

Another fun DIY trend is buying someone’s old kitchen cabinets and then installing them in your house. The problem here is the misconception that installing kitchen cabinets is easy. When you need to install a car jack under your cabinets to keep them in place, then something has gone horribly wrong. Maybe it is time to bring in a professional contractor to fix that.

Did you know that one out of every four DIY disasters is the result of underestimating the time and money it would take to do the project? In the end, you may wind up spending a lot more on your DIY project than it would have cost to hire a professional. The lesson here is that while it is fun to think about doing major DIY remodeling or decorating projects on your own, conventional wisdom suggests that bringing in some professionals is a better choice.