Stuck fingers, electrocutions, flooding, and singed eyebrows. The tales of DIY/home improvement mistakes vary from the absurd to the very serious.
Here is a selection of the very best DIY disasters (WARNING: Not for the faint hearted):
Tree-Saw
A colleague came to work one Monday morning with his arm in a sling. He was reluctant to tell us how he had broken his arm, but after some persuading he admitted that he had done the classic sawing off the tree branch that he was sitting on!
Alan, England
Well Fried
I managed to sever a heavily shielded mains electric cable while digging holes for a fence with nothing more that a garden trowel. The electricity company were so amazed that I’d managed to do it, and prepared the hole so nicely for them to make their repair, that they didn’t charge. Good job I didn’t get fried!
Richard, UK
Yanking My Finger
Preparing to start work painting a skirting board, I ran my hand over it to get rid of the dust… only to impale a large splinter through the tip of my finger - in one side, out the other. I wasn’t too worried at first, but increasingly desperate attempts to pull it out resulted in both ends breaking off. Then it started to swell. I called NHS direct as it was the weekend and my doctors surgery was closed. As I have a disabling medical condition, they spent a good ten minutes questioning me about it, whilst the finger continued to get bigger and bigger, to the point the tip of the splinter could no longer be seen… They wound up telling me to go to A&E, where I admitted in shame to being a DIY casualty and a big Hattie Jakes sized nurse yanked it out with a large pair of surgical pliers.
Caroline, Bedford, UK
Setting The Honeymoon On Fire
As a newlywed approx 30 years ago my dad set the bathroom on fire when he had the inspired idea of removing tiles using paraffin and a lighter. A visit from the fire brigade and a paragraph in the local paper ensured that my mum has undertaken all DIY ever since!
Vicki, Eastbourne, UK
Topsy Turvy
My wife wanted a new door into our lounge, one of those with lots of little panes of glass in it. Even though she knows this isn’t where my talents lie she went out and left me to it. When she got back I showed her the door hung and with all the latches and locks neatly inlet and fitted. She spoiled it all when she pointed out that it was upside down.
Kip, Norwich UK
Same thumb - different thumbprint
A couple of years ago, having had a bit of experience, I decided to lay a new laminate floor in my bathroom. The first task was to cut some hardboard to size to go under the new flooring. I started work at 9.30am and by 10.15am was in casualty waiting for several stitches, having sliced two thirds of the way through the top of my thumb with a Stanley knife. The annoying thing was that it happened so early so I didn’t have anything to show for all that blood. I’d also taken the day off work which I then had to sit out watching day time TV. I did finish that floor, a couple of months later, and luckily my thumb did heal albeit with a different thumbprint.
SR, UK
Where do I start?
Where do I start? While alone in the house I managed to stab myself in the wrist with a chisel while putting up a door. Had to ring my girlfriend [who is a nurse] for advice while laying on the floor feeling a little faint, which resulted in a few stitches and a scar that looks like I intended to try and end it all! Getting blown off a ladder changing a light fitting [forgetting to turn the fuse off]! Dropping a pot of paint stripper on my arms and splashing my legs which resulted in a cold shower and a few scars! They’re the ones I can think of for now…
Simon Wright, UK
Lumps and Bumps
My husband is a building consultant (MCIOB) Member of the Chartered Institute of Builders. He decided one summer to re-tile the bathroom in shorts. The first panel was next to the loo and we had two small boys who often had poor aim. The first tiles broke and slid down the panel slicing open his shin, we both walked up the Doctors who stitched him up - whilst I fainted, I hate needles and ended up on the floor of the surgery. He caught an infection which erupted into big lumps up his leg and needed antibiotics for about six months. We now call in the builders.
Viv Brooks, UK
The Glory Hole
A couple of years ago my brother was sawing some wood. For some reason he then decided to see if he could fit his finger through a hole in the work bench. He could, but it was stuck. Unfortunately he was the only person at home at the time, and the only way he could free himself was to saw a chunk out of the workbench, using his left hand. Somehow he managed this without hurting himself!!
Marie, England
jolly ride in an ambulance
Following a lunchtime boozing, I decided to cut a small piece of wallpaper that was annoying me. The small piece was in a corner near to the ceiling. Standing on a wobbly chair, I attempted to cut the piece with a butcher’s boning knife. Needless I slipped and plunged the knife (to the hilt) into my chest about one inch beside my heart. A jolly ride in an ambulance followed to the casualty dept and a four hour stay to stop the bleeding. Never again…!
Paul, Japan, ex-Yorkshire
I shouldn’t be here now
I managed to electrocute myself while trying to fit a loft light (pre new laws on fitting your own wiring!) I turned off the loop system in the house and headed into the loft with my head torch - however I cut into the wrong wires and found the permanent fire alarm instead which sat next to the light fittings! Dr told me I was VERY fortunate as the current went up my left arm through my chest and out of my right hand - I shouldn’t be here now! An electrician friend came round and sorted out the light in the end!!!
Chris Brown, UK
The Head Fell Off
I was about to start painting the lounge of my very first flat. I went to get the brush and walked into the step ladders and broke a toe. When moving a statue in the garden, the head fell off and the body landed on my foot resulting in a trip to A&E. I think steel toe capped shoes are a must!
Tina, Lancs
A Live Wire
Earlier this year, my father and I were trying to install ceiling fans in my new house. We turned off the breaker switches and proceeded with the job. I went into the attic to inspect the electrical box and managed to stick my foot through the ceiling after slipping in the cramped space. Then my father was mildly shocked by a live wire. After that we called the electricians to do the job.
Mark, Los Angeles, California
The incident has left a major impact on me mentally
Once, I went to help a friend of mine break down a small wooden shed. I was using a fairly big hammer to do the job. Suddenly it slipped from my hand and it went flying very, very close-by my friend’s head. Although no one was injured, the incident has left a major impact on me mentally and I now take extra precautions and always call for professional help if the job involves risks. It’s worth spending the extra money, rather than carrying the guilt of injuring someone.
Sean, Swindon, UK
Plant Killer
My brother-in-law Colin decided to plumb in an outside tap to make watering the garden easier. He used a DIY outside tap kit (the type that you fix to an existing water pipe which punctures the pipe allowing the water to flow through the tap when in use - simple!). After completing the task he stood back to admire his handy work and turned on the tap, unfortunately he had chosen the wrong pipe and instead of watering his plants he “gassed” them instead!!!!
Andrea Carney, Gwent
