Screw it!
We use two pet gates to separate the living room from my office in the downstairs of our home. They help immensely as we slowly introduce our long-term resident cat to our new cat.
The bottom gate is 24″ high but is about a foot less wide than the door opening. We have spacer wood that it can press against to hold it in place. The top gate is wide enough to nicely fill the width of the opening.
The spacer wood is made up of two thicknesses of maple flooring, a good color match for the installed maple flooring that flows through both rooms. The two thicknesses were put together with pressure sensitive adhesive. Over time, the sideways pressure of the gate has separated the two pieces.
We need to find another solution, perhaps one that is less cosmetic and more durable. We’ve decided to screw the two pieces of flooring together. The screw heads will be visible from the back side, but likely a much sturdier fastening method.
This scenario is much like other life situations. Often, we want a fix or method that is easy and/or pretty. We don’t want seams, scars, or any clear acknowledgment that a problem existed. In our quest for invisibility, we may compromise durability.
Today’s message reminds me that function may be more important than appearance. When my focus is on solving issues well rather than invisibly, I’m more apt to be satisfied. A cosmetic fix may screw me over.
Please reflect and share. What solution have you recently had to redo? Did you choose a different method the second time around?