18 DIY #BluHacks using Blu Tack® Grey
Bostik Blu Tack® now comes in grey - offering even more uses or ‘#BluHacks’ than ever before! In this article, we’re going to explore how to use Blu Tack® Grey in your DIY hacks.
But first, it’s important to understand the benefits of using Blu Tack® Grey compared to the other colour variations that are available.
Benefits of Blu Tack® Grey
- Goes undetected on most dark surfaces, such as home appliances, electrical devices, cables and car dashboards
- Less likely to show dirt or dust when compared to other colour variations of Blu Tack® - perfect for DIYers and trade professionals
- Uses the same, tried and tested formula as Blu Tack® original
- Non-toxic, solvent-free, clean and easy-to-use
- Provides an instant, repositionable bond
1. Use as a temporary marker
Hanging something on the wall? Whether it be a photo frame, a clock or a shelf, ensuring that these items are hung up perfectly can be tricky, even for an experienced DIYer. To help achieve a flawless finish, use Blu Tack® Grey as your temporary marker and keep your things in-line.
Use your leveller and measure where your hooks should go. Then, instead of adding a pencil mark, pop a blob of Blu Tack® in its place. Once you’re ready to remove the Blu Tack®, it can easily be peeled from the surface without leaving a permanent stain – which pencil sometimes can!
Tip: Depending on the item’s weight, Blu Tack® can also temporarily hold your items on the wall. This makes it super easy to test whether your items will look straight when on their hook before permanently fixing to the wall.
2. Secure screws in a screwdriver and drill bits in a drill
Renovations inevitably come hand-in-hand with mess. If you are required to use fiddly items such as screws or drill bits that aren't magnetic, the last thing you’ll want is to drop and lose them.
We recommend using a small blob of Blu Tack® Grey to fix screws or drill bits in place when using a screwdriver or drill.
Gently push the blob of tack on the top of your screw and press your screwdriver into it so it is secure. You’ll be able to easily align and realign the screw in its intended hole, to create a firm fixing without the hassle of searching for a dropped screw.
You can then peel away the blob of Blu Tack® adhesive from your screwdriver and re-use again and again.
3. Store screws, drill bits, pens and tape measures
Once you’ve finished using your screws or small drill bits, you can keep them neat and tidy by sticking them in a secure and easy-to-find position on the wall.
The same applies for almost anything including pens, pencils, tape measures, rulers, rubbers and more.
Did you know, Blu Tack® is also a great pencil eraser? If you want to erase pencil marks, Blu Tack® is also a great eraser. Ensure that when attempting to erase the pencil, you are pressing gently to avoid causing damage to the surface underneath.
4. Collect drill dust
Although almost inevitable, you can use our grey adhesive tack to reduce dust in your workshop when drilling. Use a good size blob of tack and mould into a ‘sausage’ shape. Firmly fix the tack underneath the hole you’re about to drill. The larger the hole, the larger the piece of Blu Tack® Grey you’ll need.
As you drill into your desired surface, the Blu Tack® will help to catch the dust, creating less mess.
5. Clean those hard to reach places
If dust or other bits of debris get into narrow or hard to reach places, such as corners of boxes, phone ports, tool ports and more, it can be difficult to remove.
Squish the adhesive tack into the cracks and as you pull it away from the surface, the dust and debris will leave with the Blu Tack®.
6. Plan your tiles
If you’re unsure of where to cut your tile trim when tiling a wall, Blu Tack® your tiles to the wall or on a table, and measure the height of the tiles so you know where to cut the trim.
Tip: Start with a mitre cut first, then trim it down to size before removing the Blu Tack® and continuing with tile adhesive.
How much weight can Bostik Blu Tack® hold? 0.5 grams of Blu Tack® will hold an approximate 105 gram load, but Bostik Blu Tack® is not designed to hold heavy objects for long periods of time.
7. Secure objects in place before sanding
If you want to sand an object without it slipping but don't have an anti-slip matt, you can Blu Tack® it to your work table.
8. Keep items steady when painting
When painting an object, you can prop it up with blobs of Blu Tack®. That way, you can paint the edges more crisply and easily for a perfect finish.
9. Keep your paint pots steady
Another way to use Blu Tack® is to add some at the bottom of your paint pot when painting to prevent knocking it over and spilling the paint. The same applies for a paint tray.
10. Temporary plug for a bathtub or sink drain
If your bathtub or sink starts to leak water when the drain is plugged, a simple and inexpensive solution is to use Blu Tack® Grey instead. Blending nicely with a dark or silver drain, Blu Tack® Grey is as an ideal temporary plug, particularly in the case of emergencies.
Simply tear off a large blob of grey adhesive tack and warm it in your hands by rolling the grey putty back and forth. The heat created during this movement will allow the tack to become more flexible and sticky, creating a more secure seal once applied.
Plus, as Blu Tack® Grey is repositionable, you can mould and re-mould it into the right shape for your drain, making it a one-product-fits-all solution.
11. Secure the end of a tape measure
Another handy use for Blu Tack® Grey is to secure the end of a tape measure in place – particularly useful when you don’t have a spare pair of hands to help.
Take a blob of your Blu Tack® Grey and warm it in your hands. Position this on the end of your tape measure and fix it in place. Ensure you firmly press it to your surface so that it won’t move as you extend your tape measure.
12. Secure items on shelves
If you're constantly knocking items off your shelf, simply add some Blu Tack® to the bottom – a quick and easy fix.
13. Fix a template together before routing
Use Blu Tack® as a fail-safe measure when routing if you don’t have a router table. Stick the two wooden surfaces together and then clamp the wood to some sawhorses.
Remove the clamps as you go, and the Blu Tack® will keep the two sides secure.
14. Clamping for routing
If you don't have any clamps, with absolute caution, you can use lots of Blu Tack® on larger pieces of wood and press down to a workbench to secure them.
Make sure the router bit isn't too close to the workbench or table in case you cut into it, and don't push too hard with the router, which may loosen the Blu Tack®.
15. Use coins as spacers when hanging doors
When you need to hang new internal doors, you can Blu Tack® coins as spacers to ensure they sit nicely in the door frame without being too tightly installed. You can fix them to either the top of the door or below the architrave and along the sides.
16. Reduce a door slam noise
If you have cupboards and lockers that make a noise when closing, you can add some Blu Tack® on the door frame to reduce the noise. What’s more, the grey adhesive tack blends with the darker coloured cabinets that are typically used in garages and workshops.
17. Cover your webcam
If you’re worried about cyber security, stick a blob of Blu Tack® Grey over your webcam when working. The grey adhesive tack goes unnoticed on your laptop or desktop device so just like you, it goes unseen.
18. Keep cables out of the way
Speaking of electrics and gadgets, you can use Blu Tack® to keep cables out of the way and stop them from getting tangled.
Let's sum up!
You are now equipped with some ingenious ideas of how to use Blu Tack® Grey. Hopefully these simple, yet effective, DIY hacks will ensure you make the most of this handy adhesive tack and give you inspiration to create new #BluHacks.
Want more inspiration? Check out our #BluHacks page or watch more workshop #BluHacks on YouTube.
Don’t forget to share your #BluHacks with us on Instagram and Facebook to be featured on our website and social feeds. Plus, you can follow our accounts to stay up-to-date with the latest competitions and social giveaways!
