Used to think real craft stores were better until the Dollar Tree foam core project

I always figured you needed proper craft store supplies for anything that would last. Last month I needed to make some display signs for a bake sale and I was about to drive 20 minutes to Michael's. But I stopped at Dollar Tree first just to see what they had. I grabbed a pack of foam core boards for $1.25 each and some acrylic paint. Honestly the foam core is a bit thinner but it cuts way cleaner with a box cutter. The paint stuck fine and the signs held up all day outside in the sun. Now I'm wondering how many other dollar store items I've been overlooking. Has anyone else switched from hobby store supplies to dollar store stuff and been surprised at the quality?

2 comments

2 Comments

joseph45516d ago

I read somewhere that a lot of dollar store stuff actually comes from the same factories as the name brand stuff, just with different packaging. I grabbed some foam core for a school project my kid had and was honestly shocked how clean the cuts were. It's a little flimsy but for stuff that's not getting handled a ton it's totally fine. I've had worse luck with some of their acrylic paint though, it can be really watery.

the_spencer16d ago

Is it ever the paint and glue stuff that's the gamble, like that's where they seem to cheap out the most but the foam core and paper goods are totally fine? I've honestly started just buying the supplies where the material matters most at the dollar store and saving the name brand stuff for when I really need it to hold up.