Flooring is often one of the biggest expenses of a remodel project, but it can make the biggest impact. If you?re on a budget, choosing a type you can install yourself can save you money. Most homeowners find about a seventy percent ROI on new floors when they go to sell their house. So, by utilizing the easiest flooring to install, you can add a lot of value to your home if done right.

What is the easiest flooring to install yourself? We've detailed a few of our favorites below.

LAMINATE FLOORING

Installing laminate flooring is easier than you might think. The tongue-and-groove laminate flooring planks just snap together. Note that you?ll want to allow the planks to acclimate for at least 48 hours before you plan to install them. This gives the laminate flooring time to adjust to the temperature and humidity in the room.

Laminate Floors Prep

Make sure you have a Laminate Install Kit. If the material doesn?t have an attached pad, a roll of foam underlayment gets installed first. Then you?ll need either a laminate cutter, power saw or handsaw to cut the planks, and you may need a hammer and tapping block to help tap the laminate flooring planks together as you install them.

LUXURY VINYL PLANK FLOORING

Also called EVP, LVT and LVP, luxury vinyl planks are a durable, pliable, water-resistant, or even waterproof option compared to sheet vinyl. It is available in a variety of high-definition patterns, including wood-look vinyl and stone-look vinyl plank flooring. Some offer a cork or rubber pad for additional padding and warmth, with multiple installation choices.

Flooring made of vinyl planks can be glued down to an existing floor, or there are selections that are click-together or peel-and-stick to make installation easy.

Luxury Vinyl Tile

Easily give a dated kitchen or bathroom a new look with luxury vinyl tiles. LVT is manufactured to look like traditional ceramic and porcelain tile. This is a great DIY installation project with long-lasting, durable results.

VINYL SHEET FLOORING

Vinyl sheet flooring is one of the most economically priced flooring materials. Either install it by gluing down or by using a floating floor method.

Vinyl Sheet Floors Prep

Starting with a clean, smooth subfloor, as well as getting accurate measurements of the room, is critical with vinyl sheet flooring. In a large room, it?s best to use double-sided carpet tape around the edge of the room and under seams if using floating sheet vinyl. As always, follow manufacturer recommendations for installation.

A helpful tip for accurate measuring is to use a roll of butcher paper or craft paper to make a template of the room, which can make for more accurate cuts than just taking measurements. Vinyl sheet flooring easily cuts with a utility knife, eliminating the need for a lot of tools. This is often the most inexpensive flooring option for waterproof flooring.

WOOD FLOORING

One of the most popular flooring choices for homes, hardwood flooring can add warmth, value and style to any room in your home. Hardwood flooring is durable and available in engineered and solid options, as well as a variety of colors. If you want a DIY hardwood floor, there are several install methods you can learn.

Engineered Hardwood Flooring

The installation of wood floors has a higher difficulty level, but if you?re comfortable using power tools, it?s still a manageable DIY task.
Engineered hardwood planks have tongue-and-groove edges like laminate planks, but they?re usually adhered to the subfloor with a pneumatic brad nailer or floor stapler. Rather than foam underlayment, builder?s felt is typically used, which is attached to the existing floors with a hammer tacker.

PAINTED WOOD FLOORING

Another cost-effective DIY flooring upgrade is to simply change the look of your existing floors. Painting a solid hardwood floor is not a weekend project that will only take just a few hours, because you must allow at least 24 hours for each coat to dry, but you only need to use sandpaper and a paint brush or roller.

Before starting and after priming, you?ll need to sand the floor and vacuum it. You?ll apply 1 coat of oil-based primer, 3 thin coats of oil-based paint, and 2 coats of clear polyurethane. Let each coat dry for 24 hours before applying the next one. It is always best to test a sample patch on an inconspicuous place if possible.

CARPET TILES

If you want carpet flooring without the expense of professional installation, carpet squares can be a splendid choice.

Carpet tiles are an easy DIY floor option

Carpet tiles are an easy DIY floor option because they are generally less expensive than traditional rolled carpet, don't require any installation tools other than a tape measure and cutter, can be replaced if damaged or stained, and come in a broad variety of styles. Easier still is peel-and-stick carpet tiles where no adhesive is needed and additional materials like padding and underlayment aren't needed either. If you choose to go with roll on carpet rather than tiles, you will need all those things, as well as adhesive, but even this is a do-it-yourself project that doesn't require professional installation.

Not only are carpet tiles easy to install, but you?ll also have the option to create a custom pattern with your flooring. If one section of tile gets stained or damaged, you can just replace it with a new square.

Carpet Tiles Prep

The only tools you need for installation are a tape measure, chalk line and cutter. If you choose peel-and-stick tiles, no adhesive is necessary. For dry-back tiles, you?ll need either mastic or double-sided carpet tape.