Fine, I'll do it myself

[mousme]

Having been told that it would cost me a minimum of $700 to replace the little section of floor in my dining room (that the cats ruined: thank you, Feline Forces of Entropy), I am seriously considering doing it myself, given that the cost of materials would be about 1/3 that price.

Has anyone on my flist replaced hardwood flooring before? It's the stuff made out of little squares... *rummages online to find a picture*

Okay, this:




I figure it can't possibly be that hard to do, given time, application, and the right tools. So I appeal to you, dear flist: what the hell kind of tools would I need for this? I'd need to pull up the existing floor, and then put down the new one. I know I need the wood itself (it comes in convenient packages) as well as the glue-stuff to stick it in place, but what else? Is there a specific tool to pull up the floor, or can I use the back end of a hammer?

Eventually I will know how to do all this myself, but right now I'm still at the bottom of the learning curve.

Comments

[curtana.livejournal.com]

That's called parquet flooring, if you're Googling for info. I don't know anyone who's replaced their own parquet (though a quick look on the internet reveals various instructions, but I do know a few people who've installed their own laminate flooring, and it's apparently pretty idiot-proof to do it yourself. Laminate looks quite nice and is pretty durable if your space isn't damp, and is much less expensive than wood. Frankly, in a place where I was renting, I wouldn't want to pour a lot of time and money into renovations, but maybe that's just me.

[mousme.livejournal.com]

If I wasn't good friends with the people who own the building, I probably would look into the cheaper version. As it is, though, I'm trying to leave this place the way it was when I first got here. After all, my cats are the ones responsible for the damage.