11 Things Home Depot Shoppers Can Get for Free

1 | Free paint color samples, shaking, and color re-tints

Looking to give your walls a fresh new coat of paint? The Home Depot offers plenty of paints from big brands like Behr and Glidden. You can take free color swatches home to find the perfect color for your space.

What's more, if you have old paint cans sitting at home, you can take them to the retail chain for a second life.

"When paint sits for a while, its texture changes. That can be a huge problem if you’re planning to use that paint for an upcoming project," explains Samantha Landau, consumer expert at TopCashback. "Bring it into Home Depot for a free shaking, which will help you ensure a smooth paint finish."

You can also get a free color re-tint: If you want to make the color you bought at Home Depot darker, the paint department can add more pigment to adjust the shade, Landau says.

2 | Free paint accessories

The free paint perks don't end there. "When you buy paint or paint samples from The Home Depot, you can get free paint sticks to mix the paint and mini paint can openers which can actually double as a helpful tool for other projects," shares money-saving expertAndrea Woroch.

Per the Family Handyman, a DIY blog for homeowners, you can also use the paint sticks as sanding tools by adding glue and sandpaper to them. The site notes that the mini-can openers can be used as mini-prybars, which are ideal for scraping and pulling.

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3 | Free DIY workshops

Home Depot offers free workshops so that its "associates can help you take on projects, [and] teach you how to care for different areas of your home."

According to the retailer's website, adults can register for several free, interactive live-stream or on-demand workshops, including those on indoor and outdoor home improvement, bathroom remodeling, tool basics, DIY projects, and seasonal safety.

4 | Free kids' workshops

Home Depot even offers a monthly in-store workshop for kids. On the first Saturday of each month, children aged 5-12 can attend the session that runs between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. to engage in hands-on projects using basic tools. Each participant must register in advance and will receive a workshop kit, apron, and achievement pin.

If your child can't make it, you can pick up a free Kids Workshop Kit in-store or purchase one online.

5 | Free interior design consultations

Home renovations or repairs can be a daunting task for even the most experienced DIYers. But for hundreds of projects, from kitchen remodels to closet organization installations, Home Depot offers free consultation services with experts and designers to help answer your questions and provide a quote.

"To get expert advice from a Home Depot design consultant in your area, schedule a free virtual or in-home consultation," the retailer advises. For the latter, the consultant will even take measurements for you.

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6 | Free material cutting

The materials you need for home improvement projects—wood, pipes, or wire—may not always be sold in the specific size you need. But if you're buying any of these items from Home Depot, there's a free service at all stores to cut the materials for you.

According to the DIY website Restore Decor and More, Home Depot will also cut keys, drywall, shades, wire shelving, closet poles, metal, pipes, rain gutters, ropes, chains, and blinds.

However, there may be restrictions on how many free cuts you can get at one time. And for some products—like wood, for example—the retailer won't make cuts under 12 inches or provide precision and project cuts.

7 | Free carpet samples and installation

Home Depot will help you pick the best new carpet for your space by providing free samples... and then install your favorite on the house.

The retailer offers to "send a certified technician to your home to collect precise digital measurements of your flooring area and note any special installation requirements" before they lay the new carpet.

However, Landau shares that to get the "free all-inclusive carpet installation," you have to spend $699 or more. That said, the technicians will also rip up and remove the old carpet, and move and replace any furniture that may be in the way.

8 | Free in-store pickup and shipping

Who has time for long checkout lines? Not you!

Home Depot offers free delivery on over 2 million products, including two-day delivery for orders over $45 and same-day delivery on select items thanks to partnerships with DoorDash and Uber Eats.

If you prefer to pick up your items, you can opt for free in-store pickup from a locker or the Customer Service desk.

RELATED: 10 Secrets Home Depot Doesn't Want You to Know

9 | Free products via the invite-only "Seeds Program"

Did you know Home Depot has a pretty secret review club for frequent shoppers who leave honest reviews on the retailer's site? It's called The Home Depot Seeds Program, and while it's invite-only, once you're in, you can get free products to test and provide feedback on.

"Since Seeds Members will receive access to products that are not yet available on the market, their opinions may be among the first posted on a product's detail page. The Home Depot does not influence the opinions of Seeds Members, nor do we modify or edit their reviews," the retailer states.

For their time, Seeds Members are allowed to keep the products they're sent but they are not compensated.

Want to know if you're eligible? The Home Depot says it invites shoppers to join "based on the number and quality of reviews submitted on the site as well as the amount of helpfulness feedback votes the reviews have received from other customers."

10 | Free returns on certain plants

While it'll cost you to buy plants, Home Depot's free return policy is pretty flexible if things aren't working out. You can return most plants to Home Depot within 90 days of purchase. Even better, perennials, trees, and shrubs have a one-year guarantee in which they can be returned.

At the same time, if you order plants—including, but not limited to, houseplants, perennials, trees, holiday trees, wreaths, and garlands—online, and you receive them damaged or dead, Home Depot will ship a replacement at no charge if you contact them within three days of delivery.

Since Jan. 2018, the home improvement retailer has also had an exclusive "Grow a Garden" guarantee which states: "When you use Bonnie plants with Miracle-Gro soils and/or plant foods, we guarantee you'll get a harvest."

In other words, if your Bonnie-brand plants do not produce during the growing season between March and October, you are entitled to a refund for your plant and your Miracle-Gro purchase, according to Home Depot. The only stipulations are that both products must have been purchased within three days of each other, no more than 12 months prior.

RELATED: 8 Secrets About Home Depot's Garden Department

11 | Tools can be rented instead of bought (not for free, though)

While it's not technically free to rent tools from Home Depot, it's a service that can save you a lot of money. According to the home improvement retailer, most of its U.S. stores have rental centers where shoppers can borrow tools. Home Depot even offers truck rentals so "you can transport large items safely, without damaging your own vehicle," the company explains.

Some of the items available to rent include lawnmowers, carpet cleaners, drills, saws, paint sprayers, and even a mini-excavator. You can also search online to see about purchasing used professional-grade tools that have gone through the rental program and are "still in good, working condition," according to the company.