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June 15, 2023

Is there anything better than a brand new floor? We might be a little biased here, but we’re pretty sure the answer is an emphatic no.

And that’s because replacing your floors can completely transform your space! You can make a sterile-looking room as cozy as it comes with some carpet or cork, or improve the value and appearance of your entire home with some hardwood or travertine. 

If you are replacing your floors, we recommend ordering a sample from one of the highly reviewed flooring brands below.

  • Proximity Mills – For active households with pets and kids
  • Newton  – For those looking for true value products
  • Paradiso – For a luxurious feel
  • Doma  – For a design forward look

Best of all, if you’re wondering how to replace flooring, you have a ton of options to choose from. From endless types of flooring to numerous installation methods, you can really go in any direction you want. 

That’s why below, we’re going to dive into 8 excellent ideas for people looking to replace their floors. From the classic to the DIY-friendly to the totally unusual, these options will give you some awesome ideas on how to replace flooring in your home—or anywhere else. Now let’s dive in!

Flooring replacement methods that require some skill

If you’re trying to figure out how to replace flooring in a DIY-friendly way, these might not be the best options for you—but that doesn’t make them any less amazing! The fact is, some flooring types require specialized skills and tools. Luckily, you don’t have to go it alone—find a flooring dealer near you to make these ideas for replacing your floors a reality!

1. Hardwood flooring: gorgeous and long-lasting

How to Replace Flooring—Hardwood Floor, Wiping Hardwood Floor

We could go on and on about the pros and cons of hardwood flooring—but the truth is, hardwood flooring is hard to beat. It’s beautiful, it’s great for the resale value of your home, it’s warm, there are tons of wood flooring types to choose from… 

Sorry, we know we said we wouldn’t go on and on—hardwood floors just get us excited! 

That said: if you’re considering replacing your floors with solid hardwood, remember that it’s usually best left to the pros. Solid hardwood doesn’t generally come in a click-lock setup, so there are special tools needed to glue or nail it down—and improper installation can ruin the entire floor. 

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2. Bamboo flooring: eco-friendly and sustainable

Wait. Isn’t bamboo a type of hardwood? Nope. Sure isn’t. Bamboo is technically a grass! That being said, the best bamboo flooring options are just as durable as hardwood and drop-dead gorgeous to boot. As with hardwood flooring, installing bamboo flooring can be tricky if it’s not in a click-together setup, so hire a professional if you have any concerns. 

3. Tile: cool and classic

Tile is a wonderful choice for moisture-prone areas such as kitchens and bathrooms. And in warm parts of the world, tile’s a cozy choice for every room in the house! It’s durable, water-resistant, and what’s more, you have a zillion types of tile to choose from. Ok, ok, maybe not a zillion. Porcelain, ceramic, metal, glass, stone… what are you into? There’s a tile for you. 

How to Replace Flooring—Laying Tile, Tile Install

As wonderful as tile is, it is among one of the hardest types of flooring to install. You need to have a tile saw, grout, spacers, mortar, buckets, and more. It can be messy, difficult work, so if you’re looking into replacing your flooring with tile, reach out to a pro. 

4. Carpet: warm and cozy

You may think you already know all about carpet, but today’s carpet is not your grandmother’s carpet. These days, there are carpet options that are hypoallergenic, resistant to mold, anti-mildew, stain-resistant, the list goes on. Laying carpet can be extremely difficult, though, so if you’re trying to learn how to replace flooring with carpet as a DIY project… well, let’s just say it’s going to take a while. 

Flooring replacement methods that are DIY-friendly

If you’re ready to take on a DIY flooring replacement, you have some great options! There are tons of types of flooring that lend themselves to easy replacement these days, so you really have a lot to choose from. Let’s take a look.

5. Click-together planks: vinyl, laminate, engineered hardwood, and more

When it comes to DIY-friendly floor replacements, click-together flooring is really the gold standard. Click-together or “click-lock” flooring planks have an intricate tongue-and-groove system that, when inserted together, creates a seamless surface.

How to Replace Flooring—Click-together Floor Install

Most of today’s best vinyl flooring options (sometimes called LVT or vinyl plank) come in click-together setups. The same is true for laminate, engineered hardwood, and even some types of bamboo, solid hardwood, and cork! 

Added bonus: if you’re looking into waterproof flooring options, you’re going to see a lot of click-together vinyl and laminate products. These are some of the most durable flooring options on the market today, and they’re relatively easy to install. So if you’re trying to decide between tile vs. laminate for your kitchen or bathroom, make sure to consider ease of installation (or lack thereof) when making your choice.

6. Peel-and-stick carpet tiles: easy to install, easy to replace

Peel-and-stick carpet tiles are an amazing DIY alternative to conventional broadloom carpet. If you want to replace the flooring in your home but don’t have the tools or experience you need to cut and lay carpet (and let’s face it, who does), just grab some Home Depot carpet tiles instead! They come in a variety of materials and styles—and as we mentioned, you can pick them up at Home Depot, Lowe’s, or even Amazon. 

Pro tip: you can find peel-and-stick cork tiles too! These nifty little squares give you all the benefits of a cork floor, but are incredibly easy to install and replace. Seriously—they’re one of the best cork flooring options around.

How to replace flooring with something unconventional

How about some more creative options? You can always use unconventional materials to create a gorgeous floor. Obviously, the question of how to replace flooring gets a little more complicated when you’re talking non-standard materials, but you know us—we’re all about style. 

7. Rob the piggy bank: use pennies!

Give a penny, take a penny. Bright copper pennies can make a beautiful and entirely unconventional floor. How many will you need? Approximately 278 pennies for each square foot of your project, with clear epoxy to pour over and seal it. It may take a lot of work to glue down so many pennies, but the results are incredible. 

Our advice: find a flooring expert near you to talk this one over—they’ll have some good advice on proper subfloors and installation concerns.

8. End-grain wood floors: exceptionally strong and super beautiful 

How to Replace Flooring—End Grain Flooring Texture

End-grain wood floors are unique and visually striking. You can choose raw, round wood, or finished lumber. When cut in uniform slices and installed end-up, the little-seen end grain is on display. With a proper finish, you’ll have one of the most durable flooring options around—and a gorgeously unique surface!

Conclusion

Whatever flooring you choose, replacing the floors in your home is a worthwhile investment that improves the beauty and functionality of your living spaces. And now that we’ve explained how to replace flooring in your home, get the process started in earnest—by finding a flooring retailer in your area to discuss the right option for you! They’re the real experts, because flooring is everything they do (unlike the box stores “flooring experts”, but that’s another story entirely…)

And for more information on all things flooring, check out:

About The Author

Dr. Sara Austin

March 4, 2020

Best known for being “not that kind of doctor” and never knowing which fork to use, Sara is a learning designer and writer, former real estate agent, and builder with a penchant for home design and remodeling.

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