The Home Depot, the world’s largest home improvement retailer, is best-known for selling just about everything DIY … but it’s surprisingly good about giving away a number of complimentary services and items.
Home Depot’s freebies are designed to help customers of all skill levels, whether you’re a seasoned professional, a first-time DIYer, or even a kid. (No, really! Home Depot even offers workshops for kids.) And while its freebies are generally provided in-person, when applicable, they’re also offered online.
If you’re looking to get a head start on your projects without spending a dime, look no further. I’ve compiled a list of some of the best freebie services and items available at Home Depot.
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Don’t Miss Out on These Home Depot Freebies
The Home Depot has nearly 2,350 stores across the U.S. (including several territories), Canada, and Mexico. While much of its success can be chalked up to competitive pricing and an extremely wide offering of home improvement products, its free services and samples have likely convinced at least a few customers to return.
However, many of Home Depot’s freebies fly under the radar—they’re not widely advertised, and they don’t get prime real estate on their website. But they’re still worth checking out.
Here are some of Home Depot’s top free services and items you should know about.
1. Wood Cutting
Let’s say part of your wooden fence breaks, so you need to buy a few new replacement boards. Well, Home Depot sells a lot of wood. From pressure-treated lumber to plywood to boards and planks, and much more, you’re bound to find what you need.
And you won’t need to follow your trip to Home Depot with a visit to a generous neighbor to ask about using their saw. That’s because a Home Depot employee will cut them to your desired length(s) at the store’s Cutting Center.
Home Depot will do a certain number of cuts for free, but how many varies by store. Some will only do a few at a time, while others’ limits are closer to 10 or 12. Also, note that some stores might not make cuts under 6 inches for safety reasons.
2. Kids Workshops
Looking for more free, fun activities for your children? Home Depot has you covered.
On the first Saturday of every month, Home Depot hosts free in-store kids workshops. Some workshops have a theme that matches the season, such as creating haunted candy boxes around Halloween, while others are more timeless, such as making toy excavators.
The workshops, which are designed for children ages 5 through 12, give kids practice with hand tools, such as screwdrivers, and experience painting. Each Kids Workshops kit also comes with a related STEAM activity your child can do at home.
Adults and kids can arrive any time between 9 a.m. and noon (though supplies are limited, so earlier is better), and kits take 30 minutes on average to build and paint. You can see the upcoming workshops on the website and register for any that you think your kid would enjoy. This could be an easy way for one adult to do some shopping for home essentials while another keeps the child occupied.
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3. Kids DIY Projects
Don’t feel like making the drive to Home Depot for a workshop? No problem! Home Depot also has free kids DIY projects available online. Every guide or video comes with a supply list (usually everyday household items) and step-by-step instructions.
The crafts and projects are appropriate for various age groups. For example, younger kids might enjoy the guide on How to Create a DIY Interactive Sensory Board. Older kids might prefer making a fire-glass suncatcher, creating a road-trip game box, or building a milk-carton birdhouse.
These projects are an excellent way to bond with your child and teach them useful skills.
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4. Livestreamed How-To Workshops for Adults
Kids aren’t the only ones who need a little handiwork help! Adults do, too—which is why Home Depot also offers two types of free virtual how-to workshops for adults who need help with DIY projects.
The first type is livestreamed how-to workshops, during which associates help you with projects and explain how to care for different areas of your home. Because they’re live, you can ask clarification questions in real-time and participate in polls. A few examples of livestream sessions done in the past include:
–How to Install Tile Backsplash
–How to Update Cabinets
–Power Tool Basics
–How to Plan for Your Bathroom Project
–Electrical Basics
You can filter for workshop categories, viewing days, and viewing times to find livestreams that work well with your goals and schedule.
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5. On-Demand Adult How-To Workshops
If you’re not able to fit a livestream into your busy schedule, that’s all right. Home Depot also has on-demand how-to workshops.
You can watch these videos any time you need a little help with home-related tasks. A small sample of available videos includes:
–How to Un-Ding Siding
–How to Install Window Treatments and Blinds
–How to Un-Stop a Disposal
–How to Remove and Install Carpet
–How to Stain a Deck
You can filter by workshop category, such as choosing a room in your home, to more easily find the how-to videos you need.
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6. Written Resources
Personally, I prefer to learn from written documents, rather than videos—and fortunately for people like me, Home Depot also offers a variety of written resources and educational documents, such as:
–How to Hang Wall Décor
–How to Repot a Plant
–How to Replace a Window Screen
–Sanding Basics
–Tape Measure Basics
–How to Tile a Shower
Some guides are also available in Spanish.
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7. Paint Swatches, Shakes, and Sticks
Home Depot has you covered with freebies throughout your painting process.
Like many stores that sell paint, Home Depot will let you take home free sample swatches. This allows you to hold colors up against various surfaces you want to paint to see how it would look in your home. (And afterwards, you could even use the swatches for crafting.)
Once you’ve picked the perfect color, an associate can shake the paint for you to ensure it’s mixed and ready to go. Paint should be stirred before use to recombine components that have separated, which will help evenly distribute the color.
Finally, you can take home a paint stir stick to mix it up again later as necessary.
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8. Virtual or In-Home Consultations
Whether you want to do a full-room renovation or just make a small change, Home Depot can give you advice through a free virtual or in-home consultation.
Let’s say you want a virtual consultation about storage solutions. You would take measurements, then initiate a video chat with a design consultant. The consultant would discuss custom storage solutions, show you product samples, use a 3D digital design tool to help you see options, and offer you a quote for doing the work. Virtual consultations usually last around an hour to 90 minutes.
If you opt for an in-home consultation instead, the design associate would visit your home to talk about your project. Just like with the virtual consultation, they would show you samples, use the 3D design tool, and give you a quote. Better still: The consultant will take measurements for you. In-person consultations generally last between 45 and 90 minutes.
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9. Carpet Samples
Home Depot has (an admittedly limited) number of free carpet samples available in its stores.
You won’t be able to take enough to fill your room, but you can snag a square to see how it looks in a space and feels between your toes. If you schedule a flooring measure, you can also get curated carpet samples sent to you for free.
Currently, if you want an in-home flooring measure, you must pay a non-refundable deposit of up to $50, depending on the location. However, the deposit is then credited toward the total cost of your carpet installation.
If you already know you’re planning to buy and have your carpet installed by Home Depot, it makes sense to get curated free samples sent to you. If you’re still unsure who you’re getting your carpet from, it’s best to stick with the in-store samples.
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10. In-Store + Curbside Pickup
Free in-store and curbside pickup are a pair of conveniences that are becoming more commonplace, but they’re still worth mentioning.
Home Depot offers free in-store pickup in two hours for thousands of eligible items. When you order online, you simply select the Pick Up In-Store option. Once you receive the pickup notification, you can head over to the store’s service desk. Then, you show your identification and notification email.
Don’t even want to enter the building? The store also offers curbside pickup. When completing your online order, you choose Curbside Pickup at checkout, assuming your items are eligible. After you receive an email or text message that your order is ready, you can head over. As you’re leaving, use the link from your notification to check in on The Home Depot App and let them know you’re on your way. (Note: Curbside pickup is only available in select stores between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.)
Finally, you park in the designated Curbside Pickup spot and mark in the app that you’ve arrived. An associate will bring out your order, look at your identification, and load your items into your vehicle.
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