Crafty (& Handy)

Easy Fixes Around the House

I hadn’t heard of Sugru until recently, but as I looked into it a bit, it seemed like pretty useful stuff to have around the house. It’s a moldable glue that you work with kind of like play dough. It sticks to just about everything and cures overnight, turning into flexible rubber with a strong hold.

I realized after looking at some of its uses that it would be perfect for fixing the toothbrush holder on our sink’s backsplash. We aren’t using the holders for our toothbrushes (I put a couple of glass tumblers in them because they seemed odd when empty), but the right one was loose when we moved in and time has only made it worse. One screw won’t fully tighten because it’s stripped, and the other doesn’t even catch the threads! I’d thought about fixing it with superglue but I didn’t want to do anything that couldn’t be reversed since the sink is an antique. Sugru is removable from nonporous surfaces, so even though I don’t plan on taking it apart, it’s nice to know that I could if I wanted to. I used about half a packet to make a little ball, putting it behind the backplate of the toothbrush holder before reattaching it. Done! It’s even waterproof.

Fixing with Sugru
Bathroom with Antique Marble Sink

Of course, once I already had that packet open, I started thinking about where else I could put it to use in the house. There was a loose sconce in the other bathroom, where the plaster could no longer grip the screw. A little Sugru on the backplate, the same way I used it for the sink’s holder, fixed it right up.

Fixing a Sconce with Sugru
Guillermo del Toro Sconce

(Brandon calls these our Guillermo del Toro sconces. Can’t unsee.)

Guillermo del Toro Sconce

After that, I figured I’d go fix a wobbly lampshade that had been driving me nuts. I’d tried before to fix it with tape, then wire when that didn’t work, and eventually I just resigned myself to straightening it whenever I noticed it had gotten out of whack again (which was often). I mixed up some gray Sugru to match the silver on my lamp’s harp, leveled the shade, and fixed it in place. No more wobble!

Sugru
Sugru for Fixing a Crooked Lampshade
Pink Lamp with Silk Lampshade

If you aren’t familiar with Sugru (I wasn’t before), they have a ton of different ways to use it on their homepage and a bunch of creative uses, too. I know I focused a lot on how you can use it to fix things, but I also put together a collection of my favorite tutorials and project ideas. (Aren’t those magnetic copper vases clever?)

Sugru is being sold nationwide at Target now, so it’s easy to get your hands on some. It’s good stuff to keep on hand for getting handy and for when you’re feeling crafty!

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  • Susie
    June 4, 2015 at 10:55 am

    I used some sugru to fix a broken charging cable for my phone. Worked great. And I spy the new wallpaper in your bathroom! Can’t wait to see more of it!

  • Elissa
    June 4, 2015 at 12:05 pm

    I love your sink! I got a similar sink top (without that fabulous carved soap dish) off of Craigslist, but I am still in search of a vintage looking vanity base to go under it. I had never heard of sugru before, but it looks like it can come in very handy in an old house. I can think of a few places I could use it in my own!

  • Ellen
    June 4, 2015 at 2:39 pm

    I see the you put up the Cole & Sons Summer Lily paper — awesome! I’d love to see more photos of the room.

  • jamie howe
    June 4, 2015 at 2:42 pm

    hi for some reason your blog is not rendering on my iphone anymore…other blogs are. could be my phone but figured i’d let you know just in case.

    I looks crazy – lots of pictures from your blog almost like a grid across the screen.

  • Julie
    June 4, 2015 at 6:08 pm

    I love sugru! Read about it a few years ago on AT and had to try it. Have used it for various fixes (best one was a loose vintage tile on a built in planter thingy). Last time I was at Lowe’s with my mom, I saw they have it there too-

  • Heather
    June 4, 2015 at 9:00 pm

    We’ve been using it for awhile now, fixed our iPad cable, several broken kids toys, and even made some colorful tips for the bottoms of the dogs dish so it would not scratch the floor. However I do not think we have used it for any sort of home improvement, honestly do not know if I would trust it completely.
    An easy tip for your loose screws or too big holes – Fill the hole with toothpicks and break them off at the wall, then screw your screw in just like you normally would and it should tighten right up. Have used this countless times in our old plaster walls! Quick and easy to do, no waiting for spackle or caulk to dry, and no one would ever know unless I told them.

  • Katharine
    June 5, 2015 at 12:25 pm

    Thanks for posting this! I have a broken lampshade on a Room Essentials lamp from Target, and they don’t sell replacement shades. Before shelling out $50 for a custom shade, I remembered Sugru and thought it might be worth a shot. I haven’t tried it out yet, but it’s nice to read about your great experience in such a timely way!

  • Katie K.
    June 5, 2015 at 1:22 pm

    Thanks for the tips! This will definitely come in handy for our fixer upper!
    http://www.ourblankcanvas.com

  • Lisa
    June 8, 2015 at 3:17 pm

    It’s brilliant stuff, and what’s more was created by a lady, props to the female inventors of the world:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugru#History

  • Michelle
    June 13, 2015 at 6:01 pm

    I’ve never seen this before!! I will definitely be keeping an eye out–thanks for sharing!