What Happened to My Corners?!
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Have you ever tried something new and thought you had it all under control, but you didn’t? It happened to me recently and it had me scrambling to figure out what I did wrong and how I was going to fix it.
The problem is that sometimes I get so excited about a project that I go in with both barrels blazing. If it’s a project requiring me to use a skill or technique that is new to me, then that’s where I get in trouble. Trust me, I research and study up, but sometimes I think I know what I’m doing when I really don’t…
Such as, my recent board and batten treatment. In the end, it turned out beautiful, but I made some mistakes along the way.
When I started this bathroom makeover, it was the first time I had ever done a board and batten treatment…hung moulding…or used a nail gun. Before I started, I read the manual for my nail gun and researched how-to’s that were shared by other DIYers. I really felt like I had it all under control.
I measured and planned until I was 100% certain about the process. Then I began to cut…
Using a standard miter box and hand saw, I started with my chair rail. I measured and had the perfect angle for my cut. Once it was cut, I proudly took my rail into the bathroom and nailed it to the wall.
I was doing good!
Then I cut my second piece of railing. I measured, cut and proudly took the second piece into the bathroom and lined it up with the first piece.
What happened to the corners?
I screwed up!
A little more research and study was in order…and I discovered that I hadn’t considered the “orientation of the wood toward the angle of the cut.” Who knew?! I guess a lot of people do, but since I’m not a seasoned carpenter, that knowledge was not on my radar.
I figured out that I should have placed the wood railing upside down and backwards in the mitre box. (Sorry I don’t have pictures. I was so frustrated at that point, I didn’t feel like taking any!) But, you can learn a little more about cutting an inside or outside corner here.
If you’d like more information about using a miter box, check out this article from Bob Villa. He can explain the process a lot better than I can, considering I’m still learning…
Luckily, I figured out what I did wrong and fixed it!
The process started out with a mistake, but it turned into a learning experience. Isn’t that the best type of mistake? One that makes us stop and change things.
That’s how we grow and expand our horizons. It’s how we become better…whether it’s simply becoming a better person or becoming better at a skill. Mistakes can be positive, if we learn from them.
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