c/dollar-store-diy

1

williams.amy•3d ago

Found a pack of 50 command strip hooks at Dollar Tree today

I was rearranging my garage shelves last weekend and grabbed a bunch of those little adhesive hooks for hanging tools, and they actually hold up my heavier screwdrivers without falling off after a week. Has anyone else had luck using dollar store adhesive stuff for workshop storage?

10

linda_clark•7d ago

Serious question, why does everyone love spray paint so much?

I tried it last week on a dollar store vase project over on Elm Street, and I just don't get the hype. The coverage was patchy after 3 coats, and it still smelled like chemicals 2 days later in my garage. Isn't acrylic craft paint just as good for most things, and way cheaper to mix colors? Has anyone else had better luck with the brush-on stuff from the discount aisle?

18

jordan134•7d ago

Dollar store superglue lied to me about drying time

I was trying to fix a cracked plastic planter last weekend and grabbed a 2-pack of superglue from Dollar Tree. The tube said "dries in 10 seconds" so I held the pieces together for maybe 15 seconds and let go. Nope, they fell apart instantly. I actually timed it with my phone and it took 3 full minutes before the bond held. Has anyone else gotten frustrated by the bogus drying claims on dollar store adhesives?

20

schmidt.amy•22d ago

Had to pick between contact paper and spray paint for my old nightstand

I was trying to fix up a beat up nightstand I got for $5 and couldn't decide between covering it with dollar store contact paper or giving it a coat of their spray paint. Went with the spray paint because I figured it'd hold up better on drawers that slide in and out. Took like 3 coats but it actually looks solid and no peeling after a month. Has anyone tried both and found one lasts longer?

22

jamies45•24d ago

Wish I figured out dollar store picture frames for seed starting 3 years ago instead of those fancy plastic trays from the garden center

I used to drop $12 on those flimsy green seed starting trays at Lowe's that cracked after one season, but now I grab those 8x10 frames for $1.25 each at Dollar Tree, pop out the cardboard and glass, and use the frame itself as a mini greenhouse lid with some clear wrap taped on top has anyone else repurposed dollar store frames for something totally different in their garden?

18

ninab95•24d ago

Fight me on this: Dollar store super glue is way better than the expensive stuff for most repairs

Okay so I keep seeing people in here raving about using name brand glues for their dollar store builds and I'm like... why? I fixed a broken garden gnome with a $1.25 tube of the off-brand stuff from Dollar Tree last month and it's been sitting out in the rain for 3 weeks now and it's still solid. Meanwhile my buddy spent $8 on Gorilla Glue for a cracked flower pot and it failed after one freeze. But I also get that some people say the cheap stuff dries too brittle or takes forever to set. My question is: what's your actual experience with the dollar store super glue vs the expensive kind? Have you had it fail in a way that made you regret going cheap or am I just lucky so far?

12

hart.ryan•24d ago

That lady who told me her dollar store glue gun was better than my name brand one

I was at the checkout at Dollar Tree last fall grabbing some silicone molds. This older woman sees my cart full of glue sticks and says "you know that $5 gun from Walmart is junk, right?" She pulls out this bright green gun she got for $1.25 and shows me it's been going for three years. Said she makes all her holiday decorations with it. I pretty much shut up and bought one. Been using it for six months now and yeah, it works fine. Anyone else have a cheap tool that just won't die?

9

troy_owens•25d ago

My dollar store glue gun project took 4 hours longer than I planned

I tried making a fake stone planter out of foam board and hot glue from the dollar store, thinking it would take like 2 hours. Ended up fighting with glue strings and melted foam for 6 hours before it looked halfway decent. Has anyone else found a trick to keep dollar store hot glue from getting too runny?

24

price.jake•27d ago

Spent $50 on a laser level kit from Dollar Tree and the bubble vial was actually more accurate than my contractor grade one from Home Depot.

Got curious after a framing job went crooked so I tested them side by side on a 12 foot 2x4 in my garage; has anyone else found something that works way better than it should from a dollar store?

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ruby_sanchez45•27d ago

Made a full shelf unit from $12 of dollar store cutting boards last week

Picked up 8 of those thin plastic cutting boards and some zip ties, stacked them into a shoe rack for my entryway. It held up through a rainy week without sagging - has anyone else found a weird use for those boards?

27

mason_ward•28d ago

Just checked the ingredients on Dollar Store super glue

Turns out it's 80% the same stuff as the name brand, which is great, but it says 'dries clear' in tiny letters on the back and mine dried yellow. Anyone else get burned by a specific dollar store glue surprise?

6

kim.emma•29d ago

My sister said my wreath looked 'sad'

She was right. I used a flimsy foam ring from Dollar Tree and cheap mesh. After 2 days the whole thing sagged. Now I buy two foam rings and hot glue them together. Makes it sturdy. Anyone else get harsh but helpful DIY feedback?

16

elizabeth_williams•1mo ago

Hot take: Dollar store paint brushes vs. foam brushes for craft projects

I'm working on a set of small wooden signs for my daughter's wedding favors and hit a wall with my dollar store paint brushes. The bristle ones left streaks no matter how careful I was, but the foam brushes kept shedding little bits into the paint. I went with the foam ones after 3 tries because the streaks were worse, but now I'm picking foam fuzz off 20 signs. What's your pick for dollar store brush projects, and how do you avoid the flaws?

20

shah.olivia•1mo ago

Remember when dollar store craft paint was actually decent?

I swear back in 2019 you could grab those little Apple Barrel bottles and they'd cover in one coat. Now I just bought six of them for a sign project and it took four layers to stop seeing the wood grain underneath. Anyone else notice the quality slip or am I just unlucky with my local store?

25

sam_anderson•1mo ago

The dollar store hot glue gun caught fire after 20 minutes of use

I was trying to make a jewelry organizer out of a picture frame and some clothespins when smoke started pouring out of the handle, and now I'm wondering if the cheap ones are even worth the $2.50 or if I should just save up for a real one from the craft store - has anyone else had a glue gun literally melt on them mid-project?

19

finley_lopez98•1mo ago

Walked into a Dollar Tree in Phoenix and changed my mind about their baking stuff

I always thought their baking pans were garbage until I saw someone's cake on here that came out perfect. Picked up a 9-inch round pan for $1.25 and used it for a birthday cake last weekend, no sticking or warping at all. Anybody else find a dollar store item that surprised them?

7

the_skyler•1mo ago

Unpopular opinion: hot glue guns from the hardware store are a total rip when the $1.25 one from Dollar Tree does the same job

I used a $1.25 hot glue gun to fix a broken garden hose adapter last weekend and it held up through three days of 90 degree sun, so why would I ever spend $15 on the same thing at Lowes again - has anyone else put a cheap glue gun through something crazy?

1

finley_lopez98•1mo ago

Talked to a janitor at the bus station about glue guns

I was waiting for the 7am bus last Tuesday and this janitor sat down next to me. He saw my Dollar Tree glue gun poking out of my bag and asked if I ever used it to fix the bristles on a push broom. I said no and he explained how you can put a bead of hot glue along the base of the bristles to keep them from splaying out. It hit different because I spent $12 on a new broom last month when I could have just fixed the old one for a dollar. Anyone else got weird repair tips from strangers that actually worked?

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paul_webb45•1mo ago

That week I tried to make a coffee table from $2 fence pickets

I swear my local Dollar Store in Phoenix had these skinny wood pickets that looked perfect for a rustic coffee table. Spent four evenings gluing and nailing them together, only to have the whole thing warp and crack after one humid afternoon in my living room. Ended up using the scraps to make a janky phone stand that actually works fine. Has anyone else had dollar store wood just fail on them like this?

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charlie_roberts87•1mo ago

Dollar store command strips actually held my curtain rod for 6 months now

I needed to hang a lightweight curtain in my shop's front window but didn't want to drill into the frame since I'm renting. Picked up a pack of those no-name adhesive hooks at Dollar Tree for 1.25 and used two of them to hold a tension rod in place. Figured they'd fail within a week but it's been half a year through summer humidity and everything. Has anyone else gotten lucky with dollar store adhesives for stuff they shouldn't hold?