Have you ever walked into an empty home and regretted having to install furniture? Some types of flooring are so gorgeous that it is almost a pity that they cannot be the sole focal point. These floors are better off without carpeting and may be your secret pride.
But can you DIY floors that have this effect? The types of flooring that usually floor you (sorry!) are probably classic wood installed by the original builders or the most expensive tiles available. However, that does not mean you can’t design your own sleek flooring as part of your DIY home improvement. Renovations don’t need to cost millions in order to look great.
Here are the best types of flooring you can do yourself.
Laminate Flooring
Maybe you can’t afford the gorgeous hardwood flooring that gets nearly everyone excited. But you can still get a similar effect with laminate flooring. Laminate flooring makes the most of synthetic products to give a very organic look. Rather than spending beyond your means on each piece of hardwood, you can easily install these smartly-designed and inexpensive layers.
Because laminate flooring has a clear protective layer, you don’t have to worry about upkeep in the same way you would with real wood. With wooden flooring, every scrape of a chair leaves its mark and you have to varnish over and over again. With laminate flooring, you can stop worrying about people pulling chairs about, moving furniture, or dancing in high heels.
It is also very easy to clean and retains its luster long after installation.
Stenciled Tiles
Moving away from flooring that thrives on its organic look, when done well, tiles can look as good as any wood. Of course, if you buy inexpensive tiles at your local home improvement store you're going to be settling on cheap-looking patterns and regular cracks. However, you can do a lot better while spending less.
The trick is to get high quality but blank tiling. Tiling that won’t crack and doesn't have all-too-common patterns. Then, you can use stenciled patterns to paint your tiles yourself. When done well, your tiling looks unique, and the paint-job looks expensive and sleek. Not every tile needs to be the same, and as long as you keep it symmetrical, some subtle variations add an extra layer of style.
Vinyl gets a bad rap in some corners of the home design world, and sometimes it is deserved. Vinyl can look cheap and decay really quickly. But when it is done right, it can be more unique and expressive than the average flooring.
Vinyl flooring is easy to install, but finding the right patterns is where you need to put your creative energy. With vinyl flooring, you have endless possibilities. Often, people go with whatever will look most natural. However, if you want your flooring to draw attention rather than divert it, you should find patterns that reflect your personality.
You probably shouldn’t use vinyl flooring if you want your floors to look generic. It won’t give them a good organic look, either. But if you have grand ideas for expressive designs, vinyl can be perfect.