# DIY Flooring Mistakes To Avoid

- **Published:** 18 March 2023
- **Type:** Blog
- **Tags:** Flooring & Tiling

There are many potential ways to slip up when installing new flooring. Take it from us; we’ve heard it all. But don’t let that put you off getting stuck in with DIY flooring. With the right equipment and know-how, you can easily lay flooring on your own. Or, you should be able to at least do a lot of the prep work before getting a contractor in to save some money.

Top-notch flooring can make or break how a room looks and feels. Whether you’re looking to do DIY vinyl flooring, DIY laminate flooring, or you’re wanting to have a go at laying carpet, tiles, or even hardwood, it's essential to do it right. In this guide, we’ll go over some of the most common DIY flooring mistakes to avoid. We’ll also cover tips to lay flooring correctly, and equipment hire to consider.

Let’s get stuck in!

## Common mistakes when laying tile flooring

[Source](https://www.thespruce.com/thmb/viEpPw8W1xb58hAibasaJ94W8GQ=/3000x2000/filters:no_upscale%28%29:max_bytes%28150000%29:strip_icc%28%29/easy-install-plank-vinyl-flooring-1822808-06-3bb4422ca1bd49b080bfa73bce749acc.jpg)

Sure, we all know someone who has a tiled splashback, but tile is also a great option for DIY flooring. Tile flooring shines in rooms with a lot of moisture or high humidity as tiles don’t soak up moisture in the air. Although some people prefer to get a pro in for tiling, you can do it yourself with a bit of research and solid prep work. If you are going to have a go on your own, avoid the common mistakes.

### Cracking your tiles

Tiles aren’t cheap, so you want to avoid breaking them. When cutting tiles, here are tips to prevent cracking:

- Use a tile scriber from Hirepool

![How to Choose a Manual Tile Cutter – Welcome to the RUBI Tools Blog! Tips &  Tricks](https://www.rubi.com/en/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/HONDO_STUDIO_RUBI_BRAND_2020_14.jpg?width=1592&height=1059&mode=max)[Source](https://www.rubi.com/en/blog/manual-tile-cutter/)

A [tile scriber](https://www.hirepool.co.nz/products/equipment/concrete-masonry/accessories-attachments/237a-concrete-tile-scribe-cutters.md) is purpose-built to apply snapping pressure to cut your tile in a straight line

- Mark the tile with a pencil before you start

  Just like if you were to saw timber, a penciled line gives you direction when cutting

* Take your time

  It’s not a race. People tend to make more errors when they rush

Following these tips will not only help you to avoid cracking your tiles, but you’ll also [stay safe during your DIY work](https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/parenting/mums-life/home/7067259/Stay-safe-with-DIY).

### Choosing the incorrect grout

When it comes to tiling, it’s not one grout fits all. Generally, one of the best types of grout to use for flooring is sanded grout. As the name suggests, sanded grout has rough sand throughout. This makes for stronger joints in your tiling, but it does mean that the grout will need to be sealed.

Top tip: Be sure to mix your grout properly. It should be similar to the consistency of Nutella or smooth peanut butter.

### Using the wrong trowel

Picking the wrong size and type of trowel can make your job a lot longer than it needs to be. It may seem like a no brainer, but the size of your trowel should be roughly the same size as the tiles you’re working with. Regarding the type of trowel, for flooring, you’d generally use a square notch, whereas a v-notch is more commonly used for mosaic tiling.

[Source](https://www.thespruce.com/thmb/n2uYrtmbJcg2srfP1baSfxtIAvc=/1500x881/filters:no_upscale%28%29:max_bytes%28150000%29:strip_icc%28%29/71NSZNpvxPL._AC_SL1500_-649103c6d5a14eaf86165d2050468e6e.jpg)

We’ve touched on mistakes to avoid when tiling, but read our helpful guide if you ever need to [remove floor tiles](https://www.hirepool.co.nz/guides/diy/removing-floor-tiles.md).

## Common mistakes when working with hardwood flooring

Not many flooring options beat that classic hardwood look. There are many benefits to hardwood flooring beyond its appearance, including:

- It’s low maintenance
- Durable (great for kids and pets)
- If done correctly, the colour won’t fade

Using the right [gear from Hirepool](https://www.hirepool.co.nz/products.md) and avoiding common mistakes will ensure your experience working with hardwood flooring is smooth sailing.

### Not keeping track of moisture levels

When working with hardwood flooring, you must be sitting in the sweet spot when it comes to the level of moisture in the air. If there’s too much moisture in the air, wood planks tend to expand. If there’s not enough moisture in the air, wood planks will contract. If you’re too far on either side of the spectrum, it can cause issues like cracking and unwanted gaps in your floor. To ensure you have the correct moisture level when working with hardwood flooring, hire a [moisture meter](https://www.hirepool.co.nz/products/equipment/tools-equipment/measuring-survey/432b-moisture-meter.md) and [dehumidifier](https://www.hirepool.co.nz/products/equipment/cooling-heating-ventilation/dehumidifiers/459c-dehumidifier-medium.md) from Hirepool.

![bathroom-dehumidifier - Compact Appliance](https://learn.compactappliance.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/bathroom-dehumidifier.jpg?width=1700&height=850&mode=max)[Source](https://learn.compactappliance.com/benefits-of-dehumidifiers/bathroom-dehumidifier/)

### Picking incorrect wood

Choosing the wrong wood for your new hardwood flooring could lead to costly repairs in the future. Think about your lifestyle and how durable you need it to be. Do you have pets? Do you plan to have young children soon? There are two main types of hardwood flooring to choose from:

- Solid hardwood

  Often made from just one piece of wood, solid hardwood is usually more durable. Because it’s solid wood, you can also refinish it in the future if you ever want to. To do this, you’d need to consider a [floor sander hire](https://www.hirepool.co.nz/products/equipment/floors-cleaning/floor-sanders.md) to [sand back the wood](https://www.hirepool.co.nz/guides/diy/sanding-a-wooden-floor.md). Then, you’d most likely [polish the floor](https://www.hirepool.co.nz/guides/diy/how-to-polish-a-wooden-floor.md)

* Engineered hardwood

  Engineered hardwood is often layered from both plywood and solid wood. Because of this, engineered hardwood is usually a bit better in rooms where it’s humid, but it’s not as durable

No matter which type you choose, it’s also important to understand [what you can and can’t do with hardwood flooring in wet areas](https://www.building.govt.nz/building-code-compliance/b-stability/b2-durability/timber-and-timber-based-flooring-in-wet-areas/).

### Not prepping your subfloor sufficiently

If your subfloor isn’t prepared adequately before you begin working with hardwood flooring, it can cause loud creaking over time. You must take the time to survey your subfloor for any bumps or irregularities before installing the wood. To even things out on your concrete subfloor, hire a [concrete grinder](https://www.hirepool.co.nz/products/equipment/concrete-masonry/concrete-grinders.md) from Hirepool.

## Common mistakes when laying laminate or lino flooring

The beauty of laminate or lino flooring is that they’re kinder on the wallet. DIY laminate flooring and DIY lino flooring are often relatively easy, so long as you avoid common mistakes.

### Forgetting to let your laminate acclimate

If you don’t take the time to acclimatise your laminate before laying it, you may encounter warping and buckling. No one wants that! Generally, you need to let your laminate acclimate to the humidity in the room you’re about to lay it in for 3 or 4 days.

### Not leaving room around the edges

If you don’t leave enough room near the walls around the edges of your laminate flooring, it may lead to buckling in the future. Generally, you want to leave at least a 10 to 12 millimeter gap.

[Source](https://www.thespruce.com/thmb/yVabNRF93drHt8nXjjpLY0GJmy4=/2667x2000/smart/filters:no_upscale%28%29/how-to-lay-laminate-flooring-1822250-hero-e5982b82c7a34c0fb7fc777099f2a1cd.jpg)

### Putting laminate and lino in the wrong rooms

Since laminate is commonly seen as a cheaper option for flooring, it may seem tempting to lay it in as many rooms as possible. However, this isn’t a great idea as laminate is usually not great with moisture. It may be good to choose another flooring option for your bathroom or laundry.

Top tip: You can still use laminate for flooring in a bathroom, but you’ll need to be extra careful using a [moisture meter](https://www.hirepool.co.nz/products/equipment/tools-equipment/measuring-survey/432b-moisture-meter.md) and a good sealant.

For more advice on laying laminate and lino, read our handy [how to guide](https://www.hirepool.co.nz/guides/diy/how-to-lay-vinyl-and-lino.md).

## Common mistakes when installing vinyl plank flooring

DIY vinyl flooring is a great option for many rooms around the home, given its versatility. Other benefits to vinyl plank flooring include:

- It’s easy to clean and maintain
- It’s very durable
- It comes in a range of different patterns and designs to fit your decor
- It’s water-resistant

With all these benefits, you may think, what could go wrong? Well, here are mistakes to avoid.

### Mismatching patterns

One of the great things about vinyl plank flooring is its appearance. In particular, how it mimics beautiful patterns like the grain of wood. However, it can look ugly and unnatural if you mismatch these patterns when laying your vinyl planks. It’s important to make sure similar patterns are at least one board apart.

### Using too much glue

Although not all vinyl plank flooring requires glue, some do. There's a fine line regarding the amount of glue to use for laying vinyl plank flooring. Too much can seep through the cracks between the planks, whereas too little can lead to uneven rides in your flooring. Read our blog that weighs up the pros and cons of laminate vs vinyl flooring for more advice on working with vinyl.

## Common mistakes when laying carpet tiles

[Source](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/oUDqawe5d00/maxresdefault.jpg)

There’s nothing like that cosy feeling of a good quality carpet underneath your bare feet. As much as we love the homely feeling that comes with carpet, it comes with practical benefits as well, including:

- It’s relatively easy to do
- It’s cost-effective
- In the future, carpet tiles can often be reused for spaces like your garage

In saying that, laying carpet can become stressful and expensive if you make common mistakes.

### Not acclimatising your carpet

Like DIY laminate flooring, it’s important to let your carpet tiles acclimatise. If you don’t allow the time for your carpet to acclimatise, it may be stiff to work with when installing. Just like laminate, you want to leave your carpet tiles to acclimatise in the room it’s going in for 3 or 4 days.

Top tip: Although it’s not often needed as much for carpet tiles, a [carpet stretcher](https://www.hirepool.co.nz/products/equipment/floors-cleaning/carpet-stretchers/353b-carpet-stretcher-telescopic.md) can be a helpful tool for laying regular carpet. This will prevent it from looking loose over time.

## Frequently asked questions

Here are commonly asked questions when it comes to DIY flooring.

- What flooring is easiest to install?

  Although this will depend on your DIY experience level, laying carpet tiles is often seen as easy to install. This could be because carpet tiles are lightweight and easy to cut

* What flooring can I do myself?

  You could do all of the options we’ve covered in this blog yourself. If you’re not confident or inexperienced, you can usually at least do most of the prep work before getting a contractor in

+ What type of flooring is easiest to maintain?

  It’s often said that vinyl flooring is easy to maintain. This could be because it’s water-resistant, making it easy to clean

- How to polish floors?

This will depend on the type of flooring you’re working with. We’ve got handy guides to read over if you’re [polishing a concrete floor](https://www.hirepool.co.nz/guides/diy/how-to-polish-concrete-floors.md) or [polishing a wooden floor](https://www.hirepool.co.nz/guides/diy/how-to-polish-a-wooden-floor.md)

For more advice about installing and maintaining flooring, check out our [flooring and tiling hub](https://www.hirepool.co.nz/jobs/flooring-tiling.md).

[Source](https://www.thespruce.com/thmb/MtzLv7TeZCMm_I_Q97jcZ8fDfjM=/1777x1333/smart/filters:no_upscale%28%29/best-subfloors-to-use-for-laying-tile-1822586-hero-efcfac9422ab457da5d2cbc7f7361df7.jpg)

## Ready to lay flooring the right way?

By avoiding DIY flooring mistakes, you can make the flooring installation process stress-free and within budget. DIY flooring is not a job you’d be carrying out often, so hiring the gear you need from Hirepool to save money makes sense. [Book the equipment you need online,](https://www.hirepool.co.nz/index.md?gclid=CjwKCAjwu_mSBhAYEiwA5BBmf9VSkPyWQHUN1IZMD7zqBsI3kLa_WIq9vDfxLQ84Ba1v3OrzLzO0GBoCKd8QAvD_BwE) or talk to the helpful team at [your nearest Hirepool branch](https://www.hirepool.co.nz/branches.md) for direction on what gear you need.

## Equipment mentioned

- [Concrete Tile Scribe/Cutters](https://www.hirepool.co.nz/products/equipment/concrete-masonry/accessories-attachments/237a-concrete-tile-scribe-cutters.md)
- [Moisture Meter](https://www.hirepool.co.nz/products/equipment/tools-equipment/measuring-survey/432b-moisture-meter.md)
- [Dehumidifiers Small](https://www.hirepool.co.nz/products/equipment/cooling-heating-ventilation/dehumidifiers/459a-dehumidifiers-small.md)

Source: https://www.hirepool.co.nz/articles/blog/diy-flooring-mistakes-to-avoid