Okay, so I’ve been wanting to redo the flooring in my living room for, like, forever. Seriously, the old carpet was gross. I finally decided to go with this “rubber dancing oak” wooden flooring I saw. It sounded kinda weird, but I liked the look of it in the pictures, and it seemed like it would be durable. I am not a professional, that is for sure, but I thought I’d give it a shot. I’m all about that DIY life…sometimes.

First things first, I ripped out that nasty old carpet. That was a workout, let me tell you. And dusty! I wore a mask, because, ew, dust bunnies galore! Underneath was just the plain old concrete subfloor. I had to clean it up. I went to buy all the tools to make things much easier.

After cleaning up, I swept it, vacuumed it, and even mopped it a couple of times to make sure it was super clean. Any little bits of debris can mess up the flooring, and I was not about to let that happen.

Prepping is Key

• Checked for levelness: The concrete wasn’t perfectly level, which is apparently a big no-no. So, I got some self-leveling compound and poured it on the low spots. Watching it spread out was kinda mesmerizing, not gonna lie.
• Waited for it to dry: This took, like, a whole day. Patience is not my strong suit, but I managed.
• Gathered my tools: I have all my stuff – the flooring planks, a tapping block, a pull bar, spacers, a saw (a jigsaw, because I’m not fancy), a hammer, a measuring tape, and a pencil. It is a must.

Laying the Floor

I started in one corner, putting down the first plank. The “rubber dancing” part means it’s got this, like, slightly flexible backing, so it’s supposed to be easier to install and more comfortable to walk on. It also clicks together, which is supposed to make installation much easier.

I used the spacers along the walls to leave a little gap for expansion. That’s important, apparently, because wood can expand and contract with changes in temperature and humidity. So you just click the next plank. Then I tapped it with the tapping block to make sure it was snug. It sounds like I was building a giant puzzle, very loudly.

The edges were tricky. I had to cut some planks to fit, which was where the jigsaw came in. I am not great with power tools, so there were a few…mishaps. Let’s just say I’m glad I bought extra planks.

I used the pull bar to get the last row of planks to fit tight against the wall. That thing was a lifesaver! I’d hammer gently to make sure the planks were tight enough with each other.

Finishing Up

Once all the planks were down, I removed the spacers and installed the baseboards. And… boom! New floor! It took me a couple of weekends, and there were definitely moments where I questioned my life choices, but it’s done. And it actually looks pretty good! I’m pretty proud of myself, even if it’s not perfect. At least, now I got my very own rubber dancing oak wooden floor in my living room!