Questions tagged [flooring]

For questions regarding various types of floor coverings in general, including hardwood and laminate board, tile, carpet, and sheet flooring (linoleum/vinyl). For questions about the structure beneath this top layer, please see the "floor" tag.

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Replacing hardwood floor in 100 year old house with no subfloor

This is a 100-year-old, single family house in Washington, D.C. The floors are aged and worst of all terribly squeaky. The main issue we are trying to solve is to not have the floors squeak. Unless we ...
ssm's user avatar
  • 481
19 votes
12 answers
10k views

Should hardwood floors go all the way to wall under kitchen cabinets?

I’m putting in hardwood floors and I am at the spot where kitchen cabinets would go. The last strip is going to be narrower than whole flooring boards, and usually I would rip the boards going ...
David's user avatar
  • 1,057
19 votes
14 answers
372k views

What direction should laminate flooring be placed in?

I'm thinking of installing laminate flooring and have a question: If I'm installing laminate throughout the house, should ALL of it be going in the same direction? Say for example, let's say I have ...
Mike B's user avatar
  • 8,083
15 votes
10 answers
122k views

How should I conceal gaps between laminate flooring and wall trim?

I am looking for the best way to fill some small gaps left between flooring and wall in new house, see image. Guessing the previous owners installed the flooring themselves hence why the finish is not ...
Joseph Haynes's user avatar
15 votes
3 answers
3k views

How can I remove a plank from the middle of the field?

My attic has tongue and groove planking down as the floor, and I need to do some work up there. I'd like to only remove a couple planks in the middle of the field, rather than pulling up half the ...
Tester101's user avatar
  • 132k
14 votes
2 answers
3k views

Low-cost hardwood flooring... what's the catch?

Genuine hardwood flooring is generally quite expensive... but a few local stores have glue-down hardwood planks that are actually cheaper than mid-priced laminate (~$1.80/sf). What's the catch? The ...
Bitbang3r's user avatar
  • 664
14 votes
5 answers
51k views

Can I start and stop a tile floor job?

I am tiling my bathroom floor and don't soon have a full day to dedicate to the job. Is it ok to lay down a few tiles each day and come back to the job when I have time? I would only lay mortar for ...
dpollitt's user avatar
  • 772
14 votes
1 answer
2k views

Will adding another layer of plywood improve shed floor bouncing?

I have shed floor that appears to be a sheet of 3/4 inch pressure treated plywood nailed to the joists. While the floor is "sturdy" in that it's holding up fine and shows no sign of rot, it ...
SBT23434's user avatar
  • 147
14 votes
1 answer
70k views

Which is better for deck flooring: 2x6 or 1x6 deck boards?

My current deck flooring is done with 2x6x10' boards, however they have degraded to the point now where they need to be replaced. I'm wondering if there are any specific pros or cons for using the ...
Wally Lawless's user avatar
13 votes
3 answers
23k views

How do I lay "click system" laminate flooring across an opening?

I want to lay laminate flooring throughout my apartment as one big continuous floor. Normally you start laying a row against a wall and then create a new row and click it into the previous row. This ...
olle's user avatar
  • 233
12 votes
5 answers
3k views

How do I fix a broken floor tile (without replacing it)

I need help in putting the pieces back together for the broken tile if that's still possible. What should I use? Anything I should look out for?
Kier Calimoso's user avatar
12 votes
5 answers
48k views

Why did my installer install 1/4 round corners like this and how can I fix it?

We had a guy come by to finish some previous tile work we had done. The morning of finishing the tile, he called and said he couldn't get the grout to stick along the edges, and it was just going ...
ctote's user avatar
  • 710
12 votes
1 answer
4k views

Where should the floor transition from tile to carpet go?

I have 2 rooms planned, one will be tiled and the other will be carpeted with a door opening between them. Where should the tile stop and the carpet begin? In the figure below I have 3 different ...
Jon Raynor's user avatar
  • 3,526
12 votes
2 answers
3k views

What are our options for carpeting the basement of a split-level house?

The basement level of our house (1/2 below grade) is currently just vinyl tile on concrete slab. It's cold during the winter, so we would like to carpet it. We do not get water penetration through ...
DCNYAM's user avatar
  • 581
11 votes
4 answers
42k views

How do I install cabinets on a floating hardwood floor?

We just purchased a bunch of cabinets for installation of a bar / kitchenette in the basement. There are 4 wall cabinets and four base cabinets. These are going to be installed on the existing ...
mohlsen's user avatar
  • 6,271
11 votes
3 answers
8k views

Should I install hardwood flooring under my kitchen cabinets?

I'm doing a total kitchen renovation with solid hardwood flooring. Do I go hardwood all the way under the cabinets to the wall or stop just past the toe kick and finish the rest with ply of the same ...
John's user avatar
  • 111
11 votes
3 answers
145k views

How can I remove blackened water stains from a hardwood floor?

We have several large (3' x 6') blackened areas on our hardwood floor where water damage occurred. This discoloration goes deep. Our goal is to sand the floors and apply a clear coat, but we first ...
RET's user avatar
  • 1,842
10 votes
4 answers
3k views

How can I fix chips out of painted fiberboard crown moulding and baseboards?

I have a chip on my baseboards around a corner. Can it be fixed or is it better just to replace these pieces all together? All comments are appreciated thank you.
Jacksonkr's user avatar
  • 377
10 votes
2 answers
3k views

Chipped floor planks keep snagging my socks

In my home office, there are parts of the floor that seem to be chipped off. Their pointy edges keep catching my socks when I walk by. How would you solve this problem? Ideally the solution would not ...
Ryan's user avatar
  • 409
10 votes
9 answers
124k views

Should I remove old linoleum when replacing a linoleum floor?

I'm planning to replace the linoleum floor in my kitchen in the next few months. According to a friend, I do not need to remove the existing linoleum and can just lay down new flooring on top. However,...
wdypdx22's user avatar
  • 349
10 votes
5 answers
22k views

Tongue and groove floorboards - which way up?

I bought some tongue and groove floorboards. I noticed the tongues and grooves were not centered in the edge but were offset. ┌───────────────────────────────────────────┐ ┌─┘ ...
RedGrittyBrick's user avatar
10 votes
4 answers
103k views

How do I lift a fitted carpet without damaging it?

We recently bought a house and had a bit of work done rewiring and re-plumbing everywhere. Carpets were fitted around the house before we moved in. However, we have recently noticed in our spare ...
Paddy's user avatar
  • 252
10 votes
3 answers
2k views

Should I install hardwood flooring or cabinets first?

I am installing 3/4 hardwood oak nailed down to plywood sub-flooring. If hardwood flooring is installed first, wouldn't buckling of the floor be a issue since hardwood expands and contracts?
T King's user avatar
  • 101
10 votes
4 answers
190k views

Should I remove baseboards prior to installing laminate or wood floors?

I recently bought around 650sft of laminate floors, to replace around 570sft of carpeted floors in our MN home. These will go in on the main floor, right above an unfinished basement. I'm planning on ...
alt's user avatar
  • 1,817
10 votes
2 answers
10k views

How can I remove a portion of a hardwood floor board?

I am adding a small pantry with door to the kitchen area and want to continue the hardwood floors from the kitchen area into the pantry. After removing the baseboard moldings I see that the last ...
Andrew's user avatar
  • 101
9 votes
4 answers
7k views

Is mosaic tile a poor choice for a bathroom floor?

I selected 2x2-inch mosaic tile (Daltile octagon/dot) for the bathroom floor in a small bathroom. The installer pushed back. He said that no floor is level, and that larger format tiles will feel ...
user164481's user avatar
9 votes
2 answers
10k views

How can I deal with squeaky floorboards under carpet?

I have a thick carpet but my floor still squeaks. It’s not the plywood under the carpet; it’s the floorboards themselves. What’s the best way to lift the carpet so I can screw down the floor boards ...
Terry Munro's user avatar
9 votes
3 answers
30k views

Is a radiant floor enough to heat the room?

I would like to know if an electric or hydronic radiant floor is enough to heat the room or if it's just to have a warm floor. And if yes, what is the efficiency (the time it take to warm the room, ...
Alexandre Jobin's user avatar
9 votes
2 answers
1k views

Floor tile layout process?

I am working on tiling a small bathroom with vinyl floor tiles. As I was measuring to ensure there are no unusual pieces in the corners and thresholds, I decided to check for an application to help ...
McArthey's user avatar
  • 771
9 votes
4 answers
58k views

Do I need to glue down linoleum flooring?

I am installing a new linoleum floor in a small bathroom (approx. 6' X 6'). This is a replacement for an old linoleum floor. The replacement will be a single piece. Talking with the local big box ...
Jeff Widmer's user avatar
  • 8,192
9 votes
1 answer
28k views

How can I remove large nails from cement?

I am redoing the flooring in my basement and removed a built-in toy chest. I disassembled the chest and the floor 2x4's are attached to the cement with large nails. If I had to guess on gauge I'd say ...
jon3laze's user avatar
  • 290
9 votes
2 answers
6k views

How do I obtain a smooth, white floor?

I'd like to obtain a smooth, seamless, a bit shiny, white floor in an apartment. Something similar to this: How can I achieve this? I was thinking about epoxy flooring. Is that the correct route to ...
rid's user avatar
  • 193
8 votes
11 answers
151k views

How can I protect a hardwood floor from a rolling office chair?

My wife's office has solid hickory hardwood floors, and I'd like to protect the floor from her rolling office chair. What can be done to protect the floor? Should I even be concerned about the chair ...
Tester101's user avatar
  • 132k
8 votes
1 answer
2k views

Long crack in I joist flange

Found a nasty crack in one of our I joists and need advice. Should I get a structural engineer over here asap or try to repair it? It’s over a foot long. Our shop was built in 2020, so I’m surprised ...
Bdport's user avatar
  • 81
8 votes
2 answers
7k views

How do I nicely cover this floor pipe in the basement?

So I'm adding flooring to my basement and I've got this sewer access cap thing in the way. I know I need to wrap the flooring around it and then I assume I'll need to cover it with something. What is ...
LCIII's user avatar
  • 215
8 votes
3 answers
17k views

How do I reinforce the attic floor?

We have an attic I'd like to use as an extra room. The frame of the house is solid 2x8" beams and i'm told that the weight is not a problem there. The attic framing is just a typical framing though. ...
shigeta's user avatar
  • 183
8 votes
4 answers
7k views

Floor joists connection to eaves

Apologies if this is a duplicate. I'm attempting to floor my loft space. It currently has 47mm x 75mm ceiling joists, not enough for a floor. I am going to add something like 47mm x 200mm along ...
Adam Houldsworth's user avatar
8 votes
2 answers
853 views

What to look for in buying laminate flooring

We are beginning to look at replacing the floors in our home and are considering laminate flooring. We are wondering if there is a difference in type and quality, especially when pricing is concerned. ...
user avatar
7 votes
4 answers
23k views

How do I deal with a skinny strip of flooring at the edge of a wall?

I am laying vinyl plank flooring, and have ended up with the skinny strip problem at the end of the room. I don't want to tear the whole thing up and start again (economically impractical, apart from ...
user70629's user avatar
7 votes
6 answers
111k views

When tiling a floor must I start in the middle of the room?

I am tiling a small bathroom ~45sq ft. The book I am referencing suggested starting the tile in the center of the room to prevent laying any tiny fractions of tile near one side of the room. I'm ...
dpollitt's user avatar
  • 772
7 votes
2 answers
5k views

Frame or floor planks first?

Is it best to frame a powder room and a couple closets first, on top of plywood subfloor, or best to lay hardwood planks first then frame on top? I guess it would be fewer cuts to frame second. What ...
jlpp's user avatar
  • 1,974
7 votes
3 answers
6k views

How to replace just a few boards in hardwood floor

I want to replace a few boards in our pre-finished bamboo hardwood floor. After i take the damaged boards out and put the new boards in, how do i get the last board in? How do i get the existing floor ...
Vitalik's user avatar
  • 667
7 votes
2 answers
15k views

How do I use a floor nailer near the wall?

I have the floor nailed down in the entire room , except for the last seven courses. The pneumatic floor nailer can't get any closer than that without the mallet hitting the wall. Do I really have to ...
Philip's user avatar
  • 71
7 votes
3 answers
18k views

How can I replace a board in floating wood floor?

I have a condo with a concrete subfloor so I floated an engineered wood floor above it. It's not a "click-lock" floor, it's a glued T&G install. A contractor recently did some work in the unit ...
Matthew's user avatar
  • 9,837
7 votes
2 answers
55k views

How do I make where my carpet meets tile look nice?

We've recently replaced our kitchen tiles. I'm happy with the results but have no idea what to do with the edge. How do I clean this edge up so that it looks more appealing?
Alan Le's user avatar
  • 173
7 votes
2 answers
782 views

Distributed expansion gaps in solid hardwood flooring

I am planning to install prefinished solid 3 1/4" wide by 3/4" thick ash hardwood in my home using 2" cleats. I live in Canada, so the average indoor humidity difference between winter and summer is ...
jLegris's user avatar
  • 118
7 votes
2 answers
20k views

How do I repair a nick in vinyl floor?

We had some recent work done on our house and it appears that one of the workers nicked the vinyl flooring in the kitchen -- resulting in a circular gash about 3/4 inch wide. Here's a picture: ...
Mike B's user avatar
  • 8,083
7 votes
2 answers
6k views

What do I need to do to raise a subfloor?

We're installing an engineered wood flooring in a room that already has a plywood subfloor. The engineered flooring will be 1/4" shy of the height of the hardwood in the other rooms, so I'd like to ...
DA01's user avatar
  • 24.3k
7 votes
3 answers
56k views

Can I use leveling compound between plywood and cement backer board?

I'd like to install slate tiles over a pre-existing plywood floor. The plywood floor is 3/4" and sits on joists. There's a dip about 3/8" deep by 2 feet wide by 5 feet long. My plan was to fill it ...
Drew Steen's user avatar
7 votes
2 answers
37k views

How can I build a cheap, do-it-yourself dance floor?

I would like to make a cheap DIY dance floor and I attained a roll of 3.5 ft x 6 ft vinyl linoleum for free. Can I use this in making a dance floor? Has anyone built their own cheap DIY and what ...
D W's user avatar
  • 173

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