Ep 22: The Price is Right (Hardware Store Edition) & Embracing Body Neutrality
Welcome back to another episode of How To Handyma'am! This week, we braved late-night basement work shifts , Arly barely survived a brutal bout of food poisoning, and we dealt with our fair share of internet trolls to bring you an episode that is equal parts heart and hardware.
Here is a breakdown of what we discussed this week:
Mental Health Wins & Body Neutrality
Before we got into the DIY tips this week, Samantha shared a great mental health win about finally finding a new therapist. Having a professional to talk to when you are balancing life and a rapidly growing business is incredibly important.
Then, Emily took a moment to address some of the fat-phobic comments we’ve been seeing online lately. If you are participating in diet culture or feeling the need to comment on other people's bodies—please just keep scrolling!
At How To Handyma'am, we practice body neutrality. The least interesting thing about a person is their body size. We aren't here to worry about fitting into a specific pair of pants; we are here to make sure our bodies function well enough to carry a 35-pack of water, walk up a flight of stairs, and build beautiful things for our homes. You do not need to be smaller, better, or different to do what you love. Come exactly as you are—you belong in this community!
The Price is Right: Big Box Store Edition
To test our contracting knowledge, Arly stepped up as our game show host for a game of The Price is Right, challenging Emily and Samantha to guess the retail cost of standard materials at stores like Home Depot and Lowe's.
Here are a few price-point takeaways if you are planning a DIY project soon:
LVP Flooring: A good, durable box of click-and-lock Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP) from a brand like Shaw will run you about $73.48 a box. Pro Tip: Look for flooring in the $2.50 to $3.80 per square foot range. If you go cheaper than that, the tongues will snap during installation, and you will hate yourself.
Quality Paint: A single gallon of Sherwin-Williams Emerald Urethane (which we absolutely love) costs a staggering $126.49 full price!
Plywood: A 4x8 sheet of 3/4-inch cabinet-grade plywood is currently sitting around $65.65.
The MDF Warning 🛑
While we were discussing plywood, we had to issue a very stern warning: Do not build furniture or bathroom vanities out of MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard). MDF is essentially wood pulp and glue pressed together. It is incredibly heavy, insanely fragile, and a nightmare to work with. Stick to cabinet-grade plywood for your built-ins!
🎉 MILWAUKEE DRILL KIT GIVEAWAY! 🎉
To celebrate our amazing community, we are giving away a Milwaukee M18 Drill Kit! This includes the drill, two batteries, a charger, and a carrying bag.
How to Enter: Head over to our Instagram (@howtohandymaam), make sure you are following us, and click the link in our bio to join our email newsletter list! We will be drawing a winner from our email list in May. Good luck!
