Before & After: A Quick Rental Floor Fix, For Under $200
Jess and Ryan moved into their apartment six years ago, drawn to the multi-floor layout that allowed them to create two defined areas: one for entertaining and lounging, the other for sleeping and working. While they were in love with the apartment itself, the floors throughout the kitchen, dining, and living rooms left a bit to be desired. The old, yellowed, scratched linoleum caused the downstairs to feel cold and uninviting. After covering it with rugs for far too long, Jess decided to tackle a dramatic home improvement project while Ryan was at work. See what she was able to accomplish in just a day’s work, for less than $200…
Jess, the owner of Houseworking, gave the existing linoleum floor a very thorough clean and then applied new self-adhesive faux-wood vinyl tile on top of it. Since the old floor tile was the same size, she was able to easily follow the lines of the preexisting tile, avoiding complicated measuring and planning. Jess tackled most of the installation in a few hours and spent the following evenings completing the detailed areas along the walls and edges, which required especially precise cuts.
Thanks to a particularly lenient landlord, Jess went the “don’t ask permission, ask for forgiveness” route, but thus far, her landlord has been easygoing and accepting of the improvements. The transformation is evident; the entire downstairs living space now feels warmer, roomier, and all the more inviting.
From Jess:
I installed the new faux-wood vinyl floor while Ryan was at work one day. Surprise! The project cost next to nothing and was such a massive improvement on the whole space. Next time I’ll invest in some knee pads, though.
Jess used this peel-and-stick flooring from Home Depot. She recommends the vinyl tile, saying, “They’re great! This is a very high-traffic area, and they’ve held up really well. For such an inexpensive product, I’m definitely impressed.”