12 Sneaky Ways to Get New Floors for Under $50

Learn how to transform your old floors into something new and wonderful with one of these budget-friendly solutions.

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Replacing old carpeting, tile, or hardwood floors is no cheap endeavor. However, if your existing flooring is aging or doesn’t match your style, you may see this expensive undertaking as the only option. Fortunately, with the right products and a little flexible thinking, you can take what is old and make it new and beautiful again. Keep reading to discover some of the most genius products available to give your floors a much-needed refresh.

1. Wood, Laminate, and Vinyl Putty

Get New Floors for Under 50 dollars Wood, Laminate, and Vinyl Putty
Photo: homedepot.com

Every type of flooring eventually gets its fair share of nicks, gaps, and scratches. The imperfections are nearly impossible to prevent, since they often stem from everyday occurrences like dropping silverware and sliding heavy furniture. Thankfully, the Roberts Dark Brown Wood, Laminate, and Vinyl Putty can quickly reverse the damage. After cleaning the floor and kneading the tube, apply the putty to wood, laminate, or vinyl flooring. Spread the product with a putty knife and remove the excess with a cloth. The nicks, scratches, and gaps will disappear, giving you like-new flooring in no time! 

Get the Roberts Wood, Laminate, and Vinyl Putty at The Home Depot for $6.97.

2. Loose Tile Repair Adhesive

Get New Floors for Under 50 dollars Loose Tile Repair Adhesive
Photo: amazon.com

Loose tiles are a nuisance for homeowners, and the unsteady surface creates a safety hazard. To easily fix wobbliness, consider trying the Original Fix-A-Floor Loose Tile Repair Adhesive. Simply inject the elastomeric adhesive under loose tiles to once again adhere them to the base, then clean up the mess with soap and water. You can also use the adhesive to fill hollow spots on tile floors. No need for costly repairs or a floor replacement! 

Get the Original Fix-A-Floor Loose Tile Repair Adhesive at Amazon for $12.87.

3. Concrete Resurfacer

Get New Floors for Under 50 dollars Concrete Resurfacer.
Photo: istockphoto.com

Nobody enjoys the hassle and expense of breaking up, removing, or fully replacing a concrete floor. But for any spots in your home with a worn or unsightly concrete surface, it is possible to achieve a fresh look without starting from scratch. You can rely on the NewCrete Concrete Resurfacer to make your old concrete look new again. The easy-to-apply product spreads over existing concrete, creating a flawless surface layer that looks as fresh as the day the concrete was poured.

Get the NewCrete Concrete Resurfacer at The Home Depot for $26.78.

4. Hardwood Floor Reviver

Get New Floors for Under 50 dollars Hardwood Floor Reviver
Photo: istockphoto.com

Natural hardwood flooring can be refinished several times, giving it a new lease on life each time you do it. However, refinishing takes time and effort, and if you hire a pro, the work doesn’t come cheap. Minwax Hardwood Floor Reviver offers an affordable compromise. While the product doesn’t magically heal damaged flooring, many people say it does the trick for dull, lightly scratched, or worn-looking hardwoods.

Get the Minwax Hardwood Floor Reviver at Amazon for $24.98.

5. Squeek No More Kit

Get New Floors for Under 50 dollars Squeek No More Kit
Photo: amazon.com

If you’re struggling with squeaky floors, the Squeek No More Floor Repair Kit is the perfect solution. The kit includes all the tools necessary to fix noisy floorboards, including special screws, an alignment and depth control fixture, plus a customized driver bit to eliminate the squeaks between your floorboards and joists. The easy-to-use kit works for hardwood, vinyl, and carpeted floors. 

Get the Squeek No More Floor Repair Kit at Amazon for $22.36.

6. Vinyl Repair Kit

Get New Floors for Under 50 dollars Vinyl Repair Kit
Photo: amazon.com

A scratch or tear in vinyl isn’t necessarily a call for brand new floors, but you don’t have to live with the damage. A vinyl repair kit, like Cal-Flor’s VinylFix Mix2Match Repair Kit, offers a quick and easy way to make your floors look as good as new. With putty and multiple tints, you can create the perfect tone or pattern to cover the gouge or mark on your floor. The kit has instructions to mix specific formulas or you can freestyle on your own. Once the putty dries, you won’t even be able to find the mark.

Get the CalFlor VinylFix Mix2Match Repair Kit at Amazon for $24.49.

7. Carpet Dye

Get New Floors for Under 50 dollars Carpet Dye
Photo: americolordyes.com

White carpet looks wonderful when it’s first installed, but years of dirt and stains can cause it to wear regardless of how many times you clean it. Rather than rip out your pricey plush flooring and start all over, consider giving your carpet pile a DIY dye job. The expansive selection at AmeriColor Carpet Dyes and Chemicals offers more than 70 colors to choose from, all of which can be diluted to lighter or concentrated to darker shades, depending on your preferences. With a single 20-ounce bottle and guidance from the site’s how-to, you can refresh up to 1,000 square feet.

Get the Americolor Carpet Dye at Americolor for $34.95.

8. Wall and Floor Stencils

Get New Floors for Under 50 dollars Wall and Floor Stencils
Photo: amazon.com

Looking to refresh a plain old concrete patio or the boring beige tile in the kitchen? With a little paint and laser-cut Outus Wall and Floor Stencils, you can add a bit of punch and pattern to your floors, just as you would with upholstery or curtains. Eight different stencil patterns are included to help you customize the look. Choose to add designs using a semi-gloss version of the matte color beneath, or bump it up a notch with bolder contrast. Once you’ve updated one room, you’ll want to repeat throughout the house—and you can with these 12-inch by 12-inch reusable templates.

Get the Outus Wall and Floor Stencils at Amazon for $9.99.

9. Grout Pen

Get New Floors for Under 50 dollars Grout Pen
Photo: amazon.com

Nothing ages a bathroom like gray, yellow, or moldy grout. If yours is discolored from years of moisture and grime, give it a refresh with a grout pen. If you can color within the lines, you can use a grout pen. Simply run the tip of the pen along the grout to restore your bathroom or kitchen tiles to pristine condition. Your grout will also have a cleaner-looking appearance for longer thanks to the grout pen’s antibacterial formulation. 

Get the Rainbow Grout Pen at Amazon for $8.99.

10. Peel and Stick Floor Tiles

Get New Floors for Under 50 dollars Peel and Stick Floor Tiles
Photo: amazon.com

Upgrade an outdated tile or concrete floor with the FloorPops Comet Peel & Stick Floor Tiles. As the name suggests, these tiles install easily without grout. Simply ensure the existing floor is clean, smooth, and dry, then peel the backing off the tiles and press them over the surface. Each package includes 10 water-resistant and washable tiles.

Get the FloorPops Peel & Stick Floor Tiles at Amazon starting at $14.50.

11. Concrete and Garage Floor Paint

Get New Floors for Under 50 dollars Concrete and Garage Floor Paint
Photo: amazon.com

If your concrete garage (or basement) flooring is old and dingy, the Kilz Concrete & Garage Floor Paint can help you revitalize it for less. The 1-gallon can of epoxy paint covers up to 500 square feet and dries quickly (ready for a second coat in just 4 hours). This paint is water-based and provides a durable crack-, fade-, and scuff-resistant finish. You can choose from a Slate Gray or Silver Gray finish to best match your space.

Get the Kilz Concrete & Garage Floor Paint at Amazon for $43.48.

12. Fabric and Carpet Repair Kit

Get New Floors for Under 50 dollars Fabric and Carpet Repair Kit
Photo: amazon.com

If rips, burns, or holes are the reason you’re no longer in love with the carpeting in your home, try the Coconix Fabric and Carpet Repair Kit. Each kit includes nine carpet fiber colors (that you can mix and match for even more shades), fabric glue, a special mixing jar, and other tools to help you cover the imperfection. No sewing is needed, and once the fix is complete, you can vacuum or wash your carpets as usual.

Get the Coconix Fabric and Carpet Repair Kit at Amazon for $19.95.

Deirdre Mundorf Avatar

Deirdre Mundorf

Contributing Writer

Deirdre Mundorf is a former teacher and freelance writer who most enjoys working with topics pertaining to home, family, and pets. She began freelance writing in 2019, after the birth of her first child, and has been contributing to BobVila.com since 2020.

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