How to Do Your Floors By Yourself
There comes a time when you feel like doing your own special DIY project. Some people may like to exercise their creative skills in repainting their house, building a new bookcase, or stenciling their walls according to their taste. Others like to go down the more hardcore road of doing an advanced-level DIY project, such as redoing the floor themselves. So what can you do if your creative spirit becomes so hell-bent on carrying out such a complicated project? As it turns out, doing your floors yourself can be both simple and satisfying at the same time. Here’s what you’ll need to do.
Choosing the Material
Before jumping into your project, it only makes sense to understand its scope first. Doing your floors yourself can either be one hell of a hassle or super simple; it all comes down to the materials you’ll be using. Granted, getting a professional to install your floors will be efficient and practical. However, there are so many DIY options that have made the process much simpler nowadays.
If this is your first time working on such a project, here are some easy-to-install flooring materials to get you started.
Carpet Squares
Carpet squares have peaked in popularity for so many reasons, the top of which is their practicality. You can’t forget about the stylish touch they can add to your space either, as they come in a variety of colors, shapes, and material. Their installation process is also extremely simple; all you have to do is adhere the squares to each other at their corners, and you’re good to go. You won’t even have to adhere to the carpet to the floor itself, allowing you to preserve the floor material.
Hardwood and Engineered Wood Planks
Hardwood is especially popular thanks to the sophisticated look it adds to a place. Unlike older models that required sanding and finishing, modern types of hardwood make the installation process a breeze. However, hardwood is still a natural resource, making its price relatively expensive and its maintenance crucial. This gave rise to engineered wood planks that provide almost the same look of hardwood, except it’s partially man-made. This manufacturing makes it more affordable and adds to its durability, versatility, and design options. Just like hardwood, you can easily install these engineered wood planks without professional help.
Laminate Flooring
Laminate flooring is quite close to engineered wood in many ways, with the main difference being a plastic laminate surface instead of hardwood. However, it has the advantage of being more resistant to stains, scratches, and eventual wear and tear.
Floating Vinyl Sheets
Vinyl is known for its resilience that withstands humidity, making it the perfect choice for bathroom and kitchen flooring. Modern floating vinyl sheets allow for an easy installation that doesn’t require any adherence to the floor. On top of that, they provide a cushioned walking surface.
Cork Planks
Cork planks offer a 100% renewable source of flooring, as it’s created from live oak tree bark. Add that to its versatility, durability, and style, and you can understand why it’s rising in popularity nowadays.
Cleaning and Maintenance
Taking the material and installation process into account is not enough to settle on your flooring. You should be well-aware of each flooring type’s cleaning and maintenance needs before you install it. Keep in mind that every kind of floor will require its own cleaning and maintenance routine and requirements.
For instance, hardwood is generally easy to clean. Sweeping and mopping it regularly makes for easy and hassle-free maintenance. However, special circumstances demand specific measures. Just like Olivia from Woodfloors Cleaners speculates on woodfloorscleaner.com, what would you do if your pet peed on your hardwood floor? You should act quickly in such a situation before it seeps into the lower layers. In case it dries out, you’ll use a mixture of water and vinegar and keep wiping softy with paper towels, making sure you don’t use any harsh materials that would scratch the wax layer.
On the other hand, you should regularly clean and sweep your carpet to avoid the accumulation of dust. In case liquids spill on the carpet, you’ll need to use special cleaning products to clean the area and remove the stains. In case of persistent stains, square carpets make it easy to replace the damaged square.
Before deciding to do your floors yourself, make sure to do your research and understand the scope of the project. Take into account the flooring material, design, colors, and style, and don’t forget to check the installation process’s feasibility. While you’re at it, make sure to understand the needed cleaning and maintenance procedures to keep your floor shiny and pristine.
