How Can I Get The Cheapest Flooring But Not Buy Junk?
Since the pandemic started, many of us have been spending a lot more time at home. You may notice that some areas of your house, including your floors, are looking a little worse for the wear. But what do you do if you want to give your floors new life without selling a kidney to pay for it?
There are several cheap flooring options in the market today but we will be focusing on products that can be purchased for $2 a square foot or less, including any extra materials needed for installation. I will also give you the approximate installation costs that are associated with that particular type of floor.
Sheet Vinyl is Cheap Flooring
Sheet vinyl is one of the most affordable and uncomplicated options for getting a new floor. Vinyl flooring is a synthetic option mainly made of PVC that is lightweight and durable. It’s water-resistant, it doesn’t need special maintenance, and if you take good care of it, it can last for more than two decades. If sheet vinyl does take a real beating at your home, it is so cheap that getting it replaced shouldn’t break the bank. Especially since it’s commonplace to place new sheet vinyl right on top of an old installation.
Sheet vinyl can be found for as little as $1 a sq ft at retailers that keep rolls of vinyl in stock, and most of the sheep vinyl that are on the market allow a loose lay installation which requires no glue, so you can save on that. Where this option will get into your budget is on the waste. Most vinyl comes in rolls that are 12 feet wide. Unless your room is the same width you will have waste. When finding what a floor will cost for your project you can use the sq ft price to give you an idea, but the only price that matters is that big fat number at the bottom. How many dollars will it cost me to buy this product? That is the number that matters.
Also, labor costs for sheet vinyl can easily exceed the cost of the flooring itself. And sheet vinyl is not a good diy project as it can be torn during an install. Then you either have to accept a damaged floor or buy a new sheet of flooring.
Plank Vinyl
Plank vinyl is another excellent option for people who like the convenience of vinyl but don’t want the hassle of sheet vinyl. Like sheet vinyl, plank vinyl is waterproof, easy to maintain, and incredibly durable. But this flooring comes in planks the size of standard hardwood floorboards, making it numero uno of the easiest flooring options to install, whether your subfloor is concrete or plywood.
Advancements in vinyl manufacturing have made plastic, fake-looking vinyl a thing of the past. Instead, luxury vinyl planks are beautiful substitutes for hardwood that are much more durable and affordable. If you’re handy, you can install these planks yourself, putting your total per-square-foot cost less than $2 per square foot. That makes rigid vinyl plank flooring some really affordable flooring!
Vinyl Tiles Are Really Cheap Flooring
In addition to plank and sheet vinyl, you can also find vinyl in peel-and-stick tile options. This flooring can give some of the color and character that you get from porcelain or ceramic tile (more on those later). But it can also be a more affordable option for people who don’t want to pay installation costs. Vinyl tiles are the most inexpensive flooring types for diy flooring.
When you’re installing tile vinyl, be sure to avoid high-moisture areas, as this flooring can start to peel up at the corners. Depending on the quality of the tiles that you pick, you can expect to pay between $1 and $5 per square foot. But the peel and stick installation will save you a ton compared to traditional tiling costs. Being able to do the installation yourself will save you some serious bucks. Also, self stick tile flooring has very little waste so you will save there as well.
As of today we are stocking a beautiful peel and stick tile floor for 39 cents sq ft! Deals like this pass through our inventory occasionally but may not be posted on our website for whatever reason. That is one reason you should call and talk to one of our great salespeople about any possible specials.
Laminate Looks Good In A Room
Laminate flooring is very similar to vinyl flooring and makes a much more affordable alternative to wood and stone flooring. It’s made of composite material and printed with an image of the flooring it’s mimicking. However, it is essential to note that laminate flooring isn’t as durable as vinyl and shouldn’t be exposed to heat or water.
Like vinyl planks, laminate flooring is easy to install on your own, even if you don’t have much experience. Most of these floors are floating floors, meaning they don’t have to be glued or nailed down–just click and lock the flooring together. Most laminate floors cost around than $3 a square foot, making laminate prices a bit more expensive than our budget here today.
Cork Ain't Cheap
You might be surprised to learn that cork can actually be an excellent material to install as new flooring. These boards are made from the cork oak tree and are, in fact, the same material as the stopper you pull out of your wine bottle. And although these floors use genuine wood, they’re more eco-friendly than some of the synthetic alternatives we’ve discussed.
Cork is somewhat softer vinyl, laminate, or tile, which can be great for those living with chronic pain. However, they should not be installed in high-moisture areas, such as kitchens and bathrooms. Cork costs less than $3 per square foot, although that price can vary depending on how thick the material is and what sort of finish it has. Plus the special glue is pricey so we cannot recommend cork as a cheap way to do a floor.
Carpet Can Be A Great Budget Option
Of course, carpet is one of the most popular and affordable floor renovation options for your home. And like vinyl flooring, carpet has changed a lot since the awful shag stuff of the seventies. You can now get carpets in a variety of colors, lengths, and installation options to make a room instantly cozier.
If you’re covering a whole room, wall-to-wall carpet, which attaches to tack strips and slides under baseboards, can be a great, long-lasting option. You can also get peel-and-stick carpeting that makes it simple to carpet just one area of a room. Carpeting can cost less than $2 per square foot, depending on the type you choose, making it incredibly affordable. Using roll goods in carpet will most likely require the addition of padding, adding another 50 cents per sq ft. When you add in the professional labor, carpet is just not what we would call a cheap floor.
However, carpet tiles are a great budget floor if you prefer a soft surface to the hard flooring options that are far more common. Companies like Shaw Industries and Mohawk Flooring offer great diy products for around that $2 sq ft target. Shop for small lots at stocking dealers to save more money.
Ceramic Tile
If you need durable, moisture-resistant flooring for kitchens and bathrooms, it’s hard to go wrong with tile. Tile floors come in various materials, colors, sizes, shapes, and patterns to fit your décor needs. Ceramic and porcelain tile are two of the least expensive and most versatile options on the market.
Ceramic tile can cost less than $1 a square foot, and it’s a good idea to look for tiles that rate at least a 3 on the Porcelain Enamel Institute Scale. Porcelain tile is a little more expensive per square foot but is more water-resistant than ceramic. Both can be somewhat tricky to install, so if you’ve never laid tile before, consider having a professional help you with the installation. Also, the materials to do your install like backing boards (needed for installs over a plywood or OSB subfloor), grout, and mastics can get pricey quick. Even if you are capable of doing the install yourself, hitting our $2 budget will take some work. Definitely a flooring cost that keeps it from making the "cheaper floor" list.
Cabin Grade Hardwood Flooring Will Look Good
You might be surprised to see hardwood floors on this list, given that hardwood is traditionally some of the most expensive flooring materials you can pick. And it is true that finished hardwood floors can cost between $6 and $12 per square foot, including installation. But buying Cabin grade hardwood can help you get the floors of your dreams without breaking the bank.
At ReallyCheapFloors.com we always have prefinished solid hardwood available for under $2 per square foot. Available in Red or White Oak, in colors like Gunstock, Butterscotch, Saddle or Natural, solid wood floors make your home worth more than the other options. They are also easy to install, and have very litttle extra cost for waste or accessories, making hardwood one of the best options for a cheap floor. Solid hardwood flooring is only recommended over plywood or OSB subfloors.
To get the price down further consider using an engineered hardwood floor. We frequently offer engineered hardwood flooring for under $1 per sq ft. If you call us during one of our monthly Warehouse Sales it is not uncommon for us to offer small closeout lots for around 50 cents sq ft. Now we are talking about saving some dough!
Concrete Flooring
If you like a modern, industrial look, concrete might be a great way to get unique, durable floors for cheap. Concrete can last for decades when it’s properly sealed, and it can stand up to just about anything. In addition, you can stain or paint your concrete in various colors and patterns, depending on the look you like for your home.
You will need to get concrete floors professionally installed to get the smooth, even finish you’ll need. For a plain, solid-color floor, you can expect to pay between $2 and $6; if you want more elaborate designs, you’ll have to pay more. But this cost should include polishing and staining them for the gorgeous, modern look you’re going for.
Refinishing Your Existing Flooring
And, of course, one of the cheapest options for updated flooring is to keep the floors you have. In particular, wood, concrete, and tile can look completely different with a little bit of TLC.
If you have hardwood floors, you can sand them down and stain them a different color before refinishing them. You can also opt to paint them with a solid color, stripes, or even stenciled patterns for a fun pop of color.
If you have bare concrete floors, pressure washing them can make them look like the day they were poured. You can also paint your floors or stain them in different ways to give you a fantastic floor for a steal.
While you may not be able to refinish tile, grout can start to look grimy and dirty. Using a grout cleaning tool or bleaching your grout can make your tile look brand-new and your space can feel lighter and brighter.
Discover the Cheapest Way to Get New Floors
If your flooring looks shabby, you don’t have to break the bank by replacing it. You can get a flooring upgrade for less than $1 a square foot. And you can even get the look of hardwood with flooring that fits both your design daydreams and your budget.
If you’d like to discover the cheapest way to get new floors, check out the rest of our site at Really Cheap Floors. We have everything from engineered hardwood to luxury vinyl plank Shop our warehouse sales today and save even more money on your next home renovation project.
