Top 5 Easiest Flooring Types to Install

Installing floors yourself can be a fun weekend project that can instantly increase the look and value of your home.

Whether you’re a seasoned DIY enthusiast or a beginner looking to tackle your first major home improvement task, choosing the right type of flooring is crucial. The good news is that many flooring options are designed to be user-friendly, requiring minimal tools and expertise.

Below we’ll show you 5 of the easiest types of flooring to install—plus some tips and tricks to make the process go as smoothly as possible. 

The Easiest Flooring to Install: Our Top 5 Picks

#1. Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT)

LVT or luxury vinyl tile (AKA vinyl plank) is a beautiful scratch-resistant flooring product that will stand the test of time.

It’s also some of the world’s easiest flooring to install. In fact, many types of vinyl flooring can be installed as a weekend DIY project! 

When it comes to the installation process, there are two types of super easy-to-install versions of this material: click-together vinyl planks and peel-and-stick vinyl tiles.

Click-together vinyl planks

These days, vinyl planks are most often installed as click-together flooring. That means they only attach to each other, and don’t need to be bonded to a subfloor via glue or nails (and if you’re wondering what subflooring is, it’s the foundation for your underlayment and flooring). 

This type of no-bond surface is called a “floating floor”—because the pressure of those click-together connections keeps your flooring in place! And it also makes vinyl plank flooring incredibly easy to install. 

Plus, click-together vinyl planks work really well in areas like the bathroom or the kitchen, because vinyl is impervious to water. Easy to install and waterproof? Sign us up! 

Peel-and-stick vinyl tiles

Peel-and-stick vinyl tiles are a fantastic solution if you’re looking for a quick, durable floor. To prepare a space for peel-and-stick vinyl tiles, make sure your subfloor is rigid, clean, and free of any cracks.

Then, just peel off the backing, position the tiles, and press down. It’s as simple as that!

#2. Laminate

Aside from being one of the easiest floors to install, laminate flooring is also extremely durable—so it’s great for high-traffic areas. If you love the look of wood but don’t love the cost of wood flooring, laminate is the right choice for you!

Because it’s a composite product, laminate also comes in click-together planks! You can, of course, get glue- or nail-down planks as well, but these are a little less common.

Just remember: some types of flooring need to acclimate before installation. Because of its wood core, laminate is one of these floors! Once you bring your laminate planks home, let them sit for about 48 hours before installing them. Don’t rush it! 

#3. Engineered Hardwood: 

If you’re looking into hardwood flooring, you probably know that engineered hardwood can save you money (especially if you’re going with a more expensive or exotic wood species) because it uses less solid wood. 

Keep in mind, though, that the cost to install engineered hardwood floors is often the same as it is for solid wood, especially if you choose to nail or glue it down. But that’s not such a big problem—and here’s why:

Engineered wood often comes in click-together setups that are just as easy to install as laminate or LVT.

#4. Carpet Tiles 

When you think of carpet squares, you might visualize the kindergarten “reading areas” of your youth. But those days are long over—welcome to the world of peel-and-stick carpet tiles!

These modular carpet squares are a genius invention, if we do say so ourselves. They come in a ton of different styles, patterns, and colors, and they’re one of the easiest flooring options to install. You can even remove and re-stick them if need be! 

How to install carpet tiles the right way

There are a few steps to take before you can actually peel and stick these floors. Prepare your floors by pulling up any existing carpeting, tile, vinyl, or laminate. If you’re lucky and your existing surface is made of click-together flooring, the process will be super quick. 

Keep in mind that you don’t always need to remove your existing surfaces. Some types of wood flooring, for example, can be kept underneath the carpet tiles. 

After you’ve prepped your floors, begin laying down your carpet tiles starting from the center of the room and working outward. 

This is the same method used for installing most types of tile, and even other types of flooring like laminate and vinyl. Starting from the center keeps any imperfections from being smack-dab in the middle of the room. 

#5. Cork Planks

Cork is a natural flooring material that comes from the bark of cork trees. Cork flooring will keep your feet warm in the winter, it’s moderately priced, and it’s sustainably made.

Some cork flooring can be installed just like a floating laminate or LVT floor. You’ll want to let your cork planks acclimate, as you would with any other natural material. This waiting can sometimes be the worst part of the job!