Floors

Floor repairs you can do yourself

Floors take more wear than anything else in the house. Most floor problems, from a squeak to a gap between planks, come down to wood moving with the seasons, a floor that can't move freely, or grit and furniture doing slow damage.

• 23 fixes
• Step-by-step pictures
• When to call a pro

Where to start: A squeaky floor is usually the subfloor rubbing against a joist. Laminate and vinyl plank floors float, so they need room to move: gaps between planks and a floor that peaks or buckles often trace back to how the edges were finished, which is why quarter round gets nailed to the baseboard, not the floor. For hardwood, scratches and gaps between boards each have their own fix. At doorways, a loose transition strip usually just needs reseating, and carpet that's lifting can be hooked back onto its tack strip.

Squeaky floors, squeaky stairs and carpet coming up at the edge are hammer jobs, so they live in Carpentry.

What are you dealing with?

Floor squeaksGap between baseboard and floorCarpet coming up at the edgeScratches in a hardwood floorGaps between laminate or vinyl planksLaminate floor is lifting or bucklingFloor transition strip is looseGaps between hardwood boardsHardwood board is loose or raisedCarpet has ripples or wrinklesHardwood floor boards are cuppingVinyl floor tile is peeling upBurn or hole in the carpetDamaged vinyl plank in the floor

Floors

Remove pet urine smell from carpet

 Easy30 min plus drying$0–30

Floors

Fix loose or baggy carpet on indoor stairs

 Moderate30–60 min per stair$15–40 for tack strip, staples and a stair tool

Floors

Install nail-on furniture glides on chair and table legs

 Easy15–30 min for 4 chairs$5–20

Floors

Remove sticky tape or sticker residue from a floor

 Easy15 min–1 hr$0–$15

Floors

Remove candle wax from carpet

 Easy20–60 min$0–15

Floors

Remove salt stains from floors and carpet

 Easy15–45 min$0–15

Floors

Remove furniture dents from carpet

 Easy15 min, plus overnight$0–10

Floors

Restore dull hardwood floors

 Easy1–3 hours per room, plus drying$15–60

Floors

Fix scratches in a laminate floor

 Easy20–60 min$10–30

Floors

Fix a squeaky floor

 Moderate30–60 min$10–30

Floors

Install quarter round or shoe molding

 Moderate1–3 hrs per room$20–60

Floors

Fix carpet coming up at the edge

 Moderate30–60 min$5–25

Floors

Fix scratches in a hardwood floor

 Easy15–60 min$5–30

Floors

Close gaps in a laminate or vinyl plank floor

 Easy20–40 min$0–25

Floors

Fix a laminate floor that's peaking or buckling

 Moderate1–3 hrs$0–40

Floors

Fix a loose floor transition strip

 Easy20–40 min$0–40

Floors

Fill gaps between hardwood floorboards

 Moderate1–2 hrs$15–40

Floors

Fix a loose or raised hardwood floorboard

 Moderate30–60 min$10–20

Floors

Carpet ripples and wrinkles

 Hard2–4 hours$40–100

Floors

Hardwood floor cupping

 Moderate1–2 hours to check, then weeks to dry$30–300

Floors

Fix a peeling vinyl floor tile

 Easy30–60 min, plus cure time$10–40

Floors

Patch a hole or burn in carpet

 Moderate30–60 min$10–40

Floors

Replace a damaged vinyl plank

 Moderate1–3 hours$0–60

Common questions

Why do floors squeak?

Usually the subfloor has come loose from a joist, or boards are rubbing against nails or each other. Pulling them tight quiets it.

Why does my laminate floor have gaps or bumps?

Floating floors need room to move. Gaps come from shrinkage and traffic; ridges usually mean the floor is pinned or has run out of expansion room.