Whether it's a main living room, a family den or a home office with its walls crammed with family pictures and awards certificates, a polished wood floor adds warmth and value to any home. A new wood floor isn't particularly expensive, but when you add the cost of professional labor the price soon becomes prohibitive. So, is it possible to install new flooring yourself? The answer varies according to your experience and the complexity of the job, but it’s a project most competent home improvers should be able to tackle.

Before You Start

Never work to a deadline. If this is your first floor project then start small; plan on a single room and allow at least a weekend or longer. Being able to close the door when things go wrong is often enough to defuse the frustration. You should also ask yourself:

• Do you enjoy home improvement and have the confidence to make a flooring project as sharp and neat as a professional?
• How are your measuring and cutting skills? A missed measurement or bad cut can ruin an entire floor and prove costly if you need to buy replacement sections.
• Do you have the equipment needed? If not consider hiring any large or expensive tools, especially if you are unlikely to use them again.

Do you have the time and temperament for details? It’s the finishing touches that set the difference between a pleasing and a near-professional job. Once the floor is laid you’ll need to affix trim around the baseboards of the room to cover any gaps. You’ll also need to install threshold covers

The Choice is Yours

There are two main types of flooring, hardwood and laminate. Both have their advantages and limitations. Laminate floor is the cheaper option and comes in a greater variety of styles and finishes. It is also easier to fit with pre-formed sections simply snapping together. A hardwood floor is considered more of a long-term investment and can be sanded down and refinished several times to make them look like new.Getting the right advice is just as important as using the right tools and materials. Most friends and neighbors who have tackled a floor upgrade are happy to share their experiences and don’t forget disasters and mistakes can be just instructive. If things do go wrong don’t be too proud to ask your local handyman to step in with a few hours labor.