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99 Times People Tried To Do It Themselves, Failed Miserably, But Bragged Anyway
Doing something yourself just hits different. If you've ever managed to successfully complete a challenging DIY project, you'll probably know the feeling of accomplishment, pride and that new-found boost of confidence. Plus, there's a good chance you saved some money by not paying another person to do it for you. But, of course, that's only when things go right...
There's always the very real possibility that your best efforts don't result in "Oh wow, I made that!" but rather, "Where did it all go wrong?" DIY projects have an uncanny way of exposing the gap between confidence and competence. And a 5-minute simple YouTube tutorial isn't always the girl she claims to be.
Fortunately, even the most disastrous attempts aren't a complete waste of time... If anything, they can provide endless entertainment and comedy for other people. There's an entire online community that showcases hilariously bad DIY fails. Bored Panda has put together a list of the best posts from the page. Feel free to refer back to it the next time you consider fixing anything yourself.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Chair Kept Sinking
When they're good, they're great. But when they're bad, they downright awful. If you've ever attempted a DIY project, only to stand back at the end wondering where it all went wrong, you're not alone. The internet is filled with perfect examples of DIY fails. What they lack in practicality, they make up for in comedy gold.
"It's no laughing matter," you may be thinking, while staring at the crooked shelf, leaking pipe, or bathroom tiles that look like an explosive just hit them. So where did it all go wrong? The answer, say some experts, often lies in the planning stage.
This can be especially true if you're taking your cue from a perfect Pinterest post or a quick and "simple" YouTube tutorial. These expert guides often fail to properly explain all the prep work and pre-planning that should be going into your project.
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#2
New Wheels For An Old Vacuum
#3
3 Day Build: Custom Wooden Tripod Stand For Webcam
Preparation isn't exactly the most exciting part of a DIY project but skipping it can come at a cost. And that cost might only rear it's ugly head long after you've completed everything.
"Painting walls, installing new flooring, or updating cabinets without taking the time to clean, sand, or apply primer will reduce the quality of your finished product," explains the Tuff Home Inspections site. "For example, skipping primer before painting can result in uneven coverage, peeling, or the original color showing through. Failing to level a floor before installing tiles causes cracks or loose tiles later."
#4
I Made This Shelf With A Piece Of Wood I Had Laying Around, And Two Big Cups. Pretty Much No Effort Or Skill Required
Upstaged75 1 month ago
I would definitely knock that down. Probably every day. I'm like a bull in a china shop. 😂
#5
Hmmm... I Didn't Quite Think This Through
#6
Made This Thing In An Afternoon For Comfortable Wildlife Camping
The Tuff Home Inspections team says another big mistake many people make is underestimating the time and effort a project requires. Replacing a faucet, painting a room, or even hanging a few shelves might seem like a fast and simple fix. But these 'easy' jobs can quickly spiral into something much bigger.
"Many DIYers fail to account for the time needed to prep, troubleshoot unexpected issues, or wait for materials to dry or cure," they warn. "Always research the steps involved in your project thoroughly. A realistic timeline saves you from rushing, making errors, or giving up halfway through when things take longer than expected."
#7
1 Halloween Mask And A Lamp = Children's Nightmares
#9
My AC Went Out Today
Many DIY experts suggest that beginners start with easy projects to build confidence and skill. It might be tempting to save a few bucks by trying to do your own electrical work, plumbing and entire home renovation alone. But if things go wrong, which they often do, you could find yourself forking out a lot of money.
Sometimes, it really is better to call in a professional while you focus on things like painting a feature wall, building a cube shelf, or basic landscaping. Never be afraid to ask for help.
#10
It's A Roof, I Guess
#11
Dog Proof Trash Can
#12
When You Don’t Have Time To Learn How To Knit But You Want Your Tea To Stay Warm - Yes I Cut A Holes In A Beanie
One survey found that the majority of Americans who've taken on DIY home improvement projects mostly did so to save money. Many admitted to biting off more than they could chew. 80% of those polled admitted to making mistakes during a DIY project, while 45% said they’ve “completely butchered” a project.
#13
Had No Normal Hooks, Only An S-Hook And Some Nails
#14
Custom Shower Curtain Rings
Shark queen 🦈🦈🦈 1 month ago
This works. This is smart. This is cheaper. I do however wish the zip ties were trimmed.
#15
Children's Lawnmower
A separate study, conducted by Porch.com, surveyed more than 1,000 people to find out which projects DIYers are failing at the most, as well as how much time and money it takes to fix the mistake.
"On average, when DIYers made a mistake [on these projects], it cost them $310 and took five and a half hours longer to complete the job," said Porch's senior communications manager Amanda Woolley.
#16
I Made This Shelf To Organize My Tools, Then I Painted It Black To Cover Up How Bad It Is
#17
Used My Bad Woodworking Skills To Make A DIY Headphone Mount
#18
DIY "Sport-Style" Earbuds Using Twist-Ties
One of the most costly and time-consuming projects to fix is floor installation.
Before you decide to buy a few bathroom tiles and "stick" them down yourself, you may want to bear in mind that the tiniest of mistakes can come at a massive cost. And again, planning and preparation is critical. You have to make sure the floor is level, as well as measure and cut the new flooring precisely.
#19
Nailed It
#20
Upgraded Phone Case For iPhone7
Speak easy buttercup 1 month ago
Better than spending 40 or 50 bucks for a new one! The phone plus accessories will cost u 2 grand(at least!) Every year! 😳🫤
#21
Improvised Humidifier For Tonight
“If you make a mistake early on, it could cause major problems down the line,” Woolley says. “For example, hardwood can cost homeowners thousands of dollars, and when those poorly laid floors need to be replaced, it's costly.”
In fact, Porch's survey reveals that one mistake can add an extra 13.8 hours to your project, and set you back around $829. If you aren't absolutely sure you can do it properly, you might want to rather enlist the help of a professional.
#22
Car Modification At Its Finest
#23
Hot Grease Hack
Janissary35680 1 month ago
Open flame + Plastic wrapped around human flesh. Yeah. What could go wrong, I mean?
#24
Just Because Our Bathroom Is Cold
AtMostAFabulist 1 month ago
Well done. You could put a towel over it or something for decoration and additional insulation
#25
Build Some Stairs For The Deck... They Said. You'll Have Fun They Said
#26
Landlords Are The Kings (Lords?) Of Bad DIY
#27
Couch Charger
#28
Turned The Arm Of My Chair Into A Mousepad
#29
I Needed To Take Over An Inch Off The Door. I Don't Have Many Tools. Sandpaper Was Taking Too Long. It Fits Like A Glove!
#30
Da Final Touches
Norm Gilmore 1 month ago
This along with tiling around power points and switches in kitchens instead of tiling underneath. Having to smash out to replace anything or fault find really....irks me. :-(
#31
Someone Has Taken A Lot Of Time On This Tiling
#32
Just Installed My New Radiator
#33
Designer Shower Head
#34
Should I Attach The Deck To The Framing Or The Siding?
#35
New Headlight And Turn Signal
General Anaesthesia 1 month ago (edited)
Follow the officer's instructions slowly and keep your hands visible to ensure safety during the stop. Steps to Follow: Move your hands carefully to the outside of the vehicle or the hood. Keep your fingers spread wide so the officer can see them clearly. Move slowly and avoid sudden actions. Tell the officer before you reach for your ID, wallet, or registration. Stay calm and listen to their next commands.
#36
I'm Not A Smart Man
#37
The Potato Kindle Stand For Hands-Free Netflixin'
Janissary35680 1 month ago
Add a couple more potatoes studded with copper and zinc nails connected in series and you might generate enough electricity to power the device.
#38
Fixed The Door Lock
#39
Not Enough Room You Say?
#40
The Bathroom Light Fixture Caught Fire, So I Replaced It... With A String Of Xmas Lights. That Was 3 Years Ago
#42
Thermal Baby Gate To Keep AC Air From Spilling Down Stairwell
#43
My Friend's Safe Spa Pool Supports
Shark queen 🦈🦈🦈 1 month ago (edited)
Okay so this is by definition unstable one of the rules of stability is that if you have anything moving in a horizontal direction, you must have something that is able to immediately oppose that or else it is considered unstable. By looking at this clearly you can see that the only reactions provided by the wood is vertical. So if so much as shifts a tiny bit to the left or right it could collapse. The chances of this occurring are further increased by the fact that that it's not a consistent piece of wood at the top If it were one consistent piece it would be safer. It would also need to be concreted in to ensure that the wood at the bottom does not shift.
#45
A Portable Charger. It Works But Probably Might Cause Damage If Used For A While
#46
AC Venting
#47
We Didn't Have A Door Knob... This Had To Do
LinkTheHylian 1 month ago
"How do I get out?" "Turn the spoon." "The what? Why is there a spoon?!
#48
I'm A Guitar Player But I Forgot My Capo So I Thought I'd DIY One Real Quick
#49
My Wife Wanted A Digital Wall Clock. Say No More Fam
#51
Improvisation
#52
Apparently My Dad Doesn't Need Help Making Garden Plots
#53
Shoutout To The Previous Tenants Of My Apartment For This DIY Attempt
#54
Portable Pizza Warmer
AtMostAFabulist 1 month ago
Does your laptop really generate that much heat? You may want to get that checked.
#55
Set Up My AC To Not Create Standing Water
Nicole Weymann 1 month ago
Judging from the puddle and the still wet multiple drip lines down the wall it works a treat /S
#57
Now For The Spackle
#58
Installed A Gutter For My Chicken Coop
LinkTheHylian 1 month ago
Dude was too lazy to finish his Rube-Goldberg machine. Sad face emoji.
#59
Parents Created This Handy Contraption To Remove Stickers Off Windshields
#60
Bad, If Effective, Tubelight Cover
#61
Best Mousepad Money Couldn’t Buy
#62
New Side Mirror Project
Upstaged75 1 month ago
One of mine is currently being held on with Gorilla Tape. But I matched it to the car at least so it's not too obvious.
#63
Electric Mixer On The Fly
#64
A Wall Light Made With LED Strips, Wax Paper, And Poster Puddy
#65
Quality Craftsmanship On This Truck Stop Mirror
Perseverantloser 1 month ago
It probably was just mounted and they are waiting for Bluetooth dry
#66
How Many Things About This Room Corner Bother You?
#67
Roommate Was So Proud Of The Shelf He Installed For His Projector
#68
I Drive Past This Mess Every Day. The Longer You Look At It, The More Things You See Wrong
SilverSkyCloud 1 month ago
is the house tilting to the left or is it just the angle of the photo?
#69
My Backdoor Has Terrible Insulation. Fixed!
#70
Friend Of Mine Has No Heater In His Bedroom, So He Built A Delicious Vent System To Bring The Heat In
#71
How My Dad Decided To Install Our Toilet Paper Holder
#72
I Decided I Needed A Headset For Games
#73
Indian Restaurant Didnt Give Me Utensils, I Had A Rolling Plate, A Broken Eyeglass Arm Cardboard And Electrical Tape, Improvise, Adapt, Overcome
#74
I Wanted An Alarm Clock With A Wake Up Light But Didn't Have A Bedside Table... Behold, My Masterpiece
#75
No Vertical Screen, No Problem
#76
Flawless DIY Pressure Cooker
Chich the witch 1 month ago
I'll be in the backyard. Call me when supper is ready or if you need some first aid.
#77
Just Noticed That The Boiler Repairs Guy Replaced The Leaking Water Line With A Gas Pipe A While Back. It's Now Leaking Red Water On Both Ends And Probably Galvanized The Hell Out Of The Boiler
#78
How To Transform Your Desk In To A Stand-Up Desk Using This One Cool Trick!
#79
Didn’t Like How Little The Old Sprayer Held So I Zip Tied Some Tubing And Put It On A Two Liter
#81
My Brothers Screen Shattered, So He Fixed It With... Plastic Wrap
#82
A Wall Mount For My New Projector
#83
Home Pool Slide Installation
#84
I Made A Table In The Garage To Smoke And Drink At
#85
Street Legal Again
#86
I Made A Really Nice Bathroom Shelf
#87
Instead Of Wasting Cans, I'm Putting Them To Use
#88
DIY Floppy Disc Coaster
#89
Made A Roof For My BBQ
#90
Custom Made Journal Lock
#92
Credit Card Bottle Opener
Sara Frazer 1 month ago (edited)
That seems like a lot of work for something that's relatively cheap. Heck I was just at my neighborhood liquor store (it's Friday and it was a shít week, don't judge!) and they sell some at the counter for $1.49!
#93
Stick Shift Broke, Had To Improvise
#94
Mobile Gaming Set Up For Apex Legends Mobile Lolol
#96
Home Printer Station
#97
New Business Starting Up In My Town
#98
My Guitar Sounds Great Now That I Fixed The Bridge
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Lukas (alt) 1 month ago
None of the links to the sources of these posts worked. I've noticed this occasionally, but none of the ones I wanted to check worked. BP, you might want to look into this.
Multa Nocte (she/her 8647) 1 month ago
They're up now, but I am adding this 5 hours after you posted.
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Lukas (alt) 1 month ago
None of the links to the sources of these posts worked. I've noticed this occasionally, but none of the ones I wanted to check worked. BP, you might want to look into this.
Multa Nocte (she/her 8647) 1 month ago
They're up now, but I am adding this 5 hours after you posted.
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