SAN ANTONIO – Do it yourself projects may look easy, but sometimes they require a lot of time and special tools to get them right. TikTok is full of DIY projects and home renovations.
“With more time at home throughout the pandemic, people have turned to DIY home projects to update their living spaces, and they’re often turning to TikTok for inspiration,” Mallory Micetich, a home care expert at Angi said. “Social media is full of DIY home improvement content that makes everything look fast, easy, cheap and flawless, but social media can also be misleading.”
Painting countertops and stenciling tiles has become a popular trend on TikTok. It can be an easy, affordable way to dress up your home. But it’s important to consider the long-term impact of painting over countertops. Keep in mind, paint is likely to chip and stain, and epoxy can yellow over time. It also can not always handle the heat and moisture.
“Stenciling tiles or stenciling your floors may look great on TikTok, but it’s pretty hard to do any pattern perfectly time after time after time and paint tends to chip, meaning lots of touch-ups. The paint many people use for these projects isn’t very water resistant, so it might not be great for those tiled rooms like bathrooms or kitchens. Instead, consider installing new tiles that are already patterned. Or, if you’re in a rental, peel and stick tiles can be a great option to update the space. Retiling can still be a reasonable DIY project but will last longer and look neater, Micetich said.
DIY videos also make bigger bathroom remodels look feasible, but some are best left to the professionals. Waterproofing the space is critical to making it durable and preventing problems down the road. But that is best handled by experts unless you are experienced in plumbing and electricity.
There are plenty of other cosmetic TikTok trends to think about, just remember, some projects are more permanent than others. So consider whether your next DIY project can be reversed if your landlord or future buyer is not thrilled with the change.