Flooring How To & DIY

Improve the value of your home by discovering our flooring step-by-step tips & ideas.

Cutting laminate around a door jam

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How to Cut Laminate Flooring

Laminate flooring is a versatile material. It’s affordable, durable, and looks great—if cut correctly. If not, it can chip, look sloppy, and make the installation process a pain. This guide will explain the best ways to cut laminate flooring so you’ll be completely happy with the laminate floor in your home.
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How to Install a Herringbone Floor

Seasoned DIYers can tackle this flooring project, which will add timeless elegance to your home with this showstopping chevron.
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How To Stretch Carpet 

Need to stretch a section of carpet in your home? It takes a bit of muscle, but specialized tools do most of the work.
Carpet with a burn mark that can be fixed with a carpet patch.

How to Patch a Carpet

Need to fix your burned, worn, or stained carpet? Read our guide on how to patch a carpet, plus tips on maintaining its appearance.
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Terrazzo Floors: A Comprehensive Guide

Terrazzo flooring can transform the look and feel of your house. Here's everything you need to know about terrazzo floors.
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How to Fill Pipe Holes in Wooden Floors in Your Home

Tom Silva shows a homeowner how to fill holes in a wooden floor left by a removed radiator. See how it's done in this video.
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How to Patch a Wood Floor

If you're faced with unsightly spots in your wood flooring, follow these steps to learn how to properly patch the floor to blend the old with the new.
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Tile Setting 101: Best Practices from an Expert

A veteran tile setter shares his best practices for achieving top-notch tiled surfaces.
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How To Install Tongue-and-Groove Flooring

Watch our video to learn how tongue-and-groove flooring works, how to install it, and the tools and techniques required for the job.
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How To Level a Floor

Want to level floors in your old house? Read this step-by-step guide to making a subfloor flat in preparation for installing a new finished floor.
A entryway with a staircase featuring no carpet, dark wood steps and white risers, and a black handrail.

How to Remove Carpet From Stairs

Removing carpet from stairs can be done over the weekend, without hiring a pro. Here's the best method for carpet removal on your staircase.
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How to Easily and Safely Remove Carpet

Want to remove the carpet in your home? Grab safety gear and your carpet removal tools, and follow our how-to guide.
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How To Level a Concrete Floor

Uneven concrete floor? This Old House general contractor Tom Silva teaches you how to fix it using wooden rails and self-leveling compound.
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What You Need to Know to Install a Whole House Fan

Installing carpet tiles? Read our installation tips on preparation, common mistakes to avoid, and tips for a seamless, professional finish.
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How To Remove a Burn Mark From a Hardwood Floor

Did you accidentally burn your hardwood floors? Don't worry—it can likely be repaired. Watch our video to learn how.
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How to Patch a Chipped Wood Floor

Using only hand tools and a drill, Tom Silva makes minor floor damage disappear with a simple and effective dutchman repair technique
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Subflooring Secrets to a Quiet Floor

Squeaky floors can be a jobsite nuisance or a frustrating callback. Learn how choosing the right subflooring material can help prevent the pain
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How to Replace a Cracked Floor Tile

Did you recently crack a tile? Ask This Old House general contractor Tom Silva shows the correct way to replace a cracked kitchen floor tile.
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How to Replace a Bathroom's Vinyl Floor with Ceramic Tile

Ask This Old House general contractor Tom Silva helps a homeowner replace the peeling, vinyl floor in his bathroom with a ceramic tile floor.
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How To Patch a Chipped Wood Floor

Ask This Old House general contractor Tom Silva fixes a chipped wood floor using a Dutchman and hand tools.
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How To Repair a Bad Flooring Joint in Your Home

This Old House general contractor Tom Silva shows how to fix a bad floor joint by repairing a piece of wood nosing that was poorly installed.
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How to Patch a Hole in Wood Trim

This Old House general contractor Tom Silva helps a homeowner patch a large hole in painted baseboard molding
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How to Patch a Hardwood Floor

Tom Silva installs a patch in a hardwood floor and fills the gaps with a custom wood putty
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How To Patch Hardwood Flooring

Patching a hardwood floor isn't as complicated as you may think. Learn how to complete this project on your own in this guide.
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How to Install DIY Radiant Floor Heating

Use a specialized foam panel to lock the PEX tubing in place, cover it with a sand-and-cement mix, and tile away.
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How to Perfectly Restore Terrazzo Floors in Your Home

In this guide and video, we show you how to restore terrazzo floors in your home. In most cases, you'll hire a professional for the job.
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How To Avoid Rookie Plumbing Mistakes

Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey demonstrates some common plumbing mistakes and how to avoid them.
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Everything You Need to Know to Repair a Cracked Floor Joist

Do you sagging floors have you worried about your home's structural stability? Believe it or not, you can fix a cracked floor joist yourself.
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How to Quiet Squeaky Carpeted Floors

This Old House general Contractor Tom Silva shows how you can silence those squeaks by using specials screws
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Fast Fixes for Floor Scratches

Between footwear, pets, and furniture, wood floors can take a beating. Minimize the signs of wear and tear with these easy repairs.
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6 Design Ideas for Tile Rugs

Fall in love with one of these bathroom-floor designs that provides inspiration on design ideas for tile rugs.
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11 Ways to Update Your Floors With Paint

Lively and budget-friendly paint ideas for the surfaces beneath your feet
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How To Install a Linoleum Tile Floor

Design and lay your own patterned tile floor using linoleum tiles. Follow this video tutorial and step-by-step guide for an easy walkthrough.