What To Buy From From Home Depot If You Need To Level A Floor
If you're looking for a way to freshen up living spaces or bring an entirely new look to your home, it may be time to invest in some new flooring. Forbes claims that installing new flooring inside your home can be a major investment, usually costing an average of $6 to $10 per square foot. Up front, this may not seem like a lot, but considering that an average room consists of nearly 319 square feet of floor space, according to EasyMove, installing new flooring inside a single room will cost at least $1,914. If you choose to invest a bit of time and energy, however, the installation process can also be completed as a do-it-yourself project at a much cheaper price since you won't be paying for someone else to do the labor.
Although installing flooring is not the most difficult do-it-yourself project to take on, Today advises not to take the project lightly. Ensure you are completely informed about the specific flooring you wish to install and knowledgeable about the process of installing it before getting started. For example, the first and most important part of a floor installation project is preparing and leveling the area. The Home Depot gives a variety of tips regarding this step and even recommends some tools that will come in handy throughout the process. If you think you're ready to take this task on, here's a look at some of the products The Home Depot recommends when preparing your home for new flooring.
Tools for wood sub-flooring
According to The Balance Small Business, wood sub-flooring is a traditional base that is found within most houses, which is usually made from plywood or wood planks. To level and prepare your wood sub-flooring for a new surface flooring, you must first ensure all loose or uneven pieces are screwed tightly into their position with wood screws. Wood screws are not expensive and can be purchased at The Home Depot in packs of one hundred for less than $15.
If the surface of your wood sub-flooring is not level, you will also need to use a sander to even out the surface. At The Home Depot, a sander is a rather expensive tool that costs around $150. Luckily, they also offer a variety of rental tools if you find the sander not worth the investment. When using a sander, however, it is also highly recommended to purchase a dust mask, painter tape, plastic sheeting, and a wet/dry vacuum or broom to both prevent sawdust from entering unwanted areas and clearing the construction area of sawdust when you are finished with the sander. Even if you are confident that your floor is level, before installing the surface flooring, you should still check with a leveling tool for the best flooring results. The store states that you can check the level of your flooring with either a straight pipe or a professional level tool, which can be purchased for a variety of prices ranging from $18 to $150.
Tools for concrete sub-flooring
According to The Balance Small Business, concrete sub-flooring is another popular type of sub-flooring found inside homes. Because concrete is naturally applied in a very even and smooth manner, very few preparations need to be done before adding the surface flooring on top of it. Sometimes, however, small adjustments may still need to be made. To determine if you need to make adjustments to your concrete sub-flooring, you will need to check the level of your flooring, which can either be done with a straight pipe or a level tool. You can purchase one at The Home Depot – prices depending on the size you need. For an advanced 48-inch level, you should expect to pay around $150.
If your concrete floor needs even the slightest level adjustment, you will need to use a concrete grinder to even out the surface. The Home Depot shows that the tool itself costs around $425, with an extra $50 for the specific attachment needed for concrete. The store also advertises that they have a variety of concrete grinders ready to rent for those not prepared for this major extra investment. Along with the concrete grinder, it is highly recommended to purchase a mask or respirator to protect yourself from the large amounts of dust that result from leveling your concrete surface.