Always Read The Directions
I don't care whether you're buying a tube of caulking, or
assembling a spaceship, it's never been a bad idea, to read the
directions. Obviously if you go down and buy a piece of lumber, you're
not going to have any assembly directions and the lumber yard doesn't
really care what you do with this piece of wood, after you have
purchased it.
But there are some things that have directions on them and I would like
to suggest, to you personally, that you always read the directions. Some
products aren't made, to be used in certain situations. Let's take a
tube of silicone caulking for example. You might not even realize that
some silicone caulking isn't paintable. Some of them are, if you
would've read the directions, you wouldn't have any problems, painting
over the caulking that doesn't seem to let the paint stick to it, very
good.
Let's say that you're assembling a barbecue, you don't read the
directions, and you have about 150 parts left over. Do you think that
you assembled it properly and is it going to be safe? You're dealing
with gas or propane, do you think it would be a good idea, especially if
you're trying to live to a ripe old age, to have assembled the barbecue
properly.
I don't really care what you're doing, you probably got the time to read
the directions. If you don't have the time to read the directions
immediately, make sure that you read them later, just to make sure that
you have used their product correctly.
Don't forget, some products can not be used in the rain, high
temperatures, humid environments, underwater, above ground and anywhere
else, that the manufacturer is telling you in the directions, that it
cannot be used.
I myself have learned a lot, from simply reading the directions and I
would suggest that you start making a habit of it also.