My 8th grade math notebook had every margin filled with that same star pattern.

Oh man, that's the DIY version of putting a band-aid on a broken leg.

Cheap work lasts as long as it takes to pay. You're spot on about skipping steps to save a few minutes. That line about a quick job feeling cheap hits home. Rushing over bad pad just guarantees a callback or a unhappy customer who tells everyone about their lumpy floor. It makes our whole trade look bad. Taking that extra time to do it right is what separates a real installer from a hack.

Have you ever considered that rings might be tougher than this? I get the concern, but it sounds like overkill. If a ring falls apart from a little sunlight, it was likely cheap to begin with. Good materials should hold up under normal conditions without constant worry. People treat everyday items like they're made of glass now. Just wear your ring and live your life.

@john_dixon61, a hinge really showed the difference? I'm shocked something that small could warp without normalizing.