Save Money with DIY Flooring
When something goes wrong with your flooring and carpet, what’s the first thing you do? Do you immediately call your contractor and schedule a home repair? Or do you grab your toolbox, roll up your sleeves, and fix the problem yourself? If it’s the latter, you’ve probably made the right choice. Most people think that flooring work is best left to the pros, and spend thousands of dollars every year on professional home maintenance. But most flooring problems can be fixed even by a complete beginner, and often with very good results.
Do-it-yourself flooring is picking up in American households and is even becoming a hobby. Think about it: if you start seeing cracks on your floor, wouldn’t it be best to fix it right away rather than wait (and pay) for the pros? You paid a good amount for your floor, so it won’t make sense to pay even more for maintenance. And it’s not just about saving money—it’s also about taking control of your own home and knowing what to do with future flooring problems. Get started with this simply DIY guide.
Damaged floorboards
Surprisingly, hardwood floor repair is one of the simplest tasks in DIY flooring. This is because it’s often easier and safer to replace the entire plank rather than fix the flooring on the spot. This gets rid of the problem entirely, so there’s no chance of the damage spreading to neighboring planks. It also saves you the extra step of cleaning up the edges and covering up the join. At most, you may have to fill in the gaps with filler or sand the edges a bit.
Needless to say, it’s important to choose the right timber to use for your new floorboard. Ideally you’ll have some spares from when you installed the floor, but if you don’t, try getting the exact same model from your dealer. You can bring a sample from the damaged floorboard as reference. Otherwise, try to match it as closely as possible so you don’t get that awkward shift in shades.
Squeaky floors
If your floor is starting to creak in places, it’s a sign that that part is starting to wear out and needs to be revitalized. The squeak is caused when the joists holding the planks start to loosen, causing the floorboard to sag where it’s least supported. So to fix squeaky floors, you’ll need to target not the floorboard itself but the structure that’s holding it up. Depending on how your floor is built, you may need to pull up some planks and access the underside of your flooring.
Older floors are usually easier to fix because the structure is simpler. Usually, all you’ll need to do is tighten the joists or reinforce them with wood blocks. If your floors are in the newer tongue-and-groove style, it might be easier to access the damaged board directly by getting underneath the floorboards. Otherwise, you’ll have a pretty tight space to work around, and you’ll be more likely to make costly mistakes.
Floor tile installation
Tile flooring is a popular choice for DIYers because—you guessed it—it’s DIY-friendly. You don’t need any special tools or training for laying floor tiles. Most people can tile an average-sized room over a weekend, or even a day if they’ve got an extra hand. There are lots of tile materials to choose from, but the easiest to install are vinyl and ceramic. And surprisingly, they’re also the easiest to maintain and repair.
Planning is obviously essential to tile installation. Your first step is to measure your floor and find out how many tiles you will need, including those that will have to be cut. You will also have to prepare the sub-floor to make sure there are no bumps or particles, which will result in an uneven floor. Start laying them from the center going out, So that the cut marks are on the edges rather than the middle of the room.
Stained carpets
You’ve probably pictured that dreaded scene of red wine or chocolate on your pristine white carpet. Some stains are harder to pick out than others, but the good news is that they can be removed. Let’s start with the most basic of carpet cleaning tips: clean them up as soon as possible. This way, they won’t have time to seep into the fibers and become more permanent. Older stains can usually be loosened with some warm water or specialized cleaning solution before washing them out the usual way.
It’s important to follow instructions on your cleaning solutions, as they tend to be harsh and can damage your carpet when wrongly used. Measure them out carefully and don’t leave them on longer than required, even if the stain’s still there. If you still see the spot, just let it dry and reapply the solution the next day. Make sure to dry it as soon as possible, as wet carpets are a breeding ground for mold and bacteria.
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