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​TIP STORE: HOUSEHOLD: Floor Coverings

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​Save on Floor Sanding

Approximate $ Savings: $130 plus

​ When we removed the awful carpet from the study we were left with floorboards in good condition, but they had been just roughly sanded when the house was built years ago so they had to be properly sanded and finished. To hire a floor sander for just one day was over $130 plus papers - too much for just one room. I bought a packet of sandpaper sheets for our orbital sander and set to work. I used a rubber mat to kneel on and simply sanded the floor on my hands and knees. It took less than an hour all up, and wasn't difficult to do. I wore a mask and safety glasses (just a few dollars) whilst sanding. The floor was then washed and sealed and looks wonderful. I wouldn't suggest it for a whole house, but for a single room it's quite do-able. You can buy an orbital sander at Bunnings for about $35 but most people can get their hands on one without having to purchase it. I saved about $130 on just one room.
Contributed by Georgia Richard, 10th October 2013
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​Pavers Keep Floor Dry

To create a waterproof floor under your home, purchase some second hand ceramic floor tiles or paving tiles to lay on the dirt floor. Ensure your ground is level, lay and compact some paving sand, lay the tiles and finally sweep some sand into all the spaces.
​Contributed by Joanne Garvin, 27th February 2012
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​A Smart Way to Lay Lino and Save Money and Time

Approximate $ Savings: $200+

Laying your own lino is easy! When you take up the old stuff be careful and try and keep it in one piece. Lay the new stuff out in the sun for an hour or two until its a bit soft then lay the old lino over the top and you have a perfect pattern of your room. Just trace, cut and lay. Saved us $200 and the two week wait for the carpet layers!
​Contributed by Lisa, Kurri, 31st August 2009
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​Carpet Pull-up Becomes New Carpet in This House

Approximate $ Savings: $1000

​ After dog training the other day, I spotted a heap of carpet and underlay near the dumpster of a local carpet store. I approached the store and asked if I could take it, and they were only to0 glad to let me have it. Now, all I have to do is lay it myself. Out of it we have enough to carpet a two bedroom house, two caravans (18ft and 30ft) as well as our vehicles - cost: $0! Not bad for asking a question. Contributed by Naomi, Yelta, 19th October 2009
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​Baby Fresh Carpets

Instead of buying expensive carpet deodorisers, I sprinkle the talc of the rugs and carpets before I vacuum. This freshens the carpets and leaves the house smelling fresh.
​Contributed by Robyn, Woongarrah, 31st March 2009
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​Pull a New Floor Rug From the Linen Cupboard

Approximate $ Savings: $150+

Our house has polished timber floorboards and we used to have 2 large rugs in our lounge room. We have 2 small boys (one is nearly 3 years old and the other is 18 months old) and were sick of constantly cleaning our rugs when the boys made a mess of them, through sickness or otherwise. After a fortnight of gastro and tummy bugs, our rugs were too bad to keep cleaning and we threw them out. We thought about buying new rugs, but instead we decided to use an old queen size doona and cover on the floor. It has been great, as every time the boys make a mess on it, all we do is throw it in the washing machine. Queen size quilts can be found for around $20 - $30 and covers are around the same price. For about $60 we have a washable floor rug that is softer than the carpet rugs you can buy and about $150+ cheaper. it cost us even less because we used items we had in our linen cupboard!
​Contributed by Eliza, East Ipswich, 30th September 2008
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​Offcuts Make Great Floor Rugs

Approximate $ Savings: $200 plus

With winter on the way everyone is thinking of ways to warm up their home. Instead of spending hundreds of dollars on a new rug for your living room, do what I did. Go to a carpet offcuts supplier. They cut your rug to the exact size and hem the edges. I got a beautiful 4mX5m pure wool carpet rug for my lounge room and they made the leftover piece into three small mats to use in other rooms for no extra. I paid $300 for a rug that would cost a minimum of $600 in even the biggest RUGs RUGs RUGS clearance! Check them out online at carpetdirect.net.au
​Contributed by Nicole, Bardon, 14th March 2008
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​Cheap Second-hand Carpet Outlet

I bought my carpet at a place opposite Trinity Lutheran College on Ashmore Rd Molindina. They had factory second carpet but also they get carpet where people have changed their mind about their colour scheme. They laid my carpet on really good underlay that put a lovely spongy feeling underfoot. Take your room size with you and they will give you a quote on the spot for the carpet underlay and installation. They have an ad in the Sun local paper.
​Contributed by Marilyn, Robina, 25th April 2008
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​Carpet Pull-ups Often Go Cheap

When we were going to carpet our tiled rumpus room, we got quotes for over $800 to carpet it, which is way over our budget! So, my partner went to a carpet store and asked if they had any 'offcuts'. The salesman said that they had just re-carpeted an office building, and had the old carpet out the back. It is heavy duty office carpet, which is great for the purpose we needed - with three kids and a messy rumpus room! He sold my partner enough to cover all our rumpus room, my brothers rumpus room, and another roll that we sold at a garage sale - all up it cost only $85. The carpet looks brand new and holds up well to the three kids and the mess they make, and it is stain resistant too. To buy this type of carpet new it would have cost over $90 a metre. And the roll we put in the garage sale we sold for $60!
​Contributed by M-A, Townsville, 25th April 2008
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​Remnants Make Good Floorcoverings

Most carpet places sell new remnants cheaply and quite often even lay it for free. We were amazed at this, cheap carpet and laid for free. Quite often the remnants are large enough to carpet a whole room. You might find that by the time you buy 2nd hand carpet and clean it you've spent the same or more.
​Contributed by Rachael, Rivervale, 24th April 2008
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​Freecycle Carpet

If you were living down here I would say that you could have some of our carpet as it is going to be replaced but why not join 'freecycle' and ask for some carpet.
​ Contributed by Lynette, Albion, 24th April 2008
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​There is a Cheaper Alternative

Approximate $ Savings: $90

​ We just purchased a new wooden dining table, but didn't want it to scratch our wooded floor. At Bunnings we could buy pre cut felt to stick onto the base of the chairs at a cost of $10 per chair. However the store also sold the felt in sheets, 1 sheet cost $10 and we were able to cut out enough squares for the base of our 10 chairs, saving us $90.
Contributed by Amber, Albury, 28th February 2008
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​Velcro in Place

​Mats on carpet stay in place best when Velcro is used. Simply attach the hook part of the Velcro to the mat, and this will attach to the carpet and stop it form moving. Reasonable pieces often will stop the movement and cause no damage to your carpet. This works to hold car mats in place as well. Contributed by Kerryn, Edgeworth, 20th December 2007
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​Non-stick Matting from $2 Shop Saves Rugs

For about $2 a roll, you can buy the non-slip/gripper matting. It is great for keeping the dash mat on the dashboard too. Depending on the size of the rug, you may need a few rolls. Alternatively, if you can get your hands on a few small pieces of the carpet on your floor and tack or glue these to the underside of the rug, it should help.
​Contributed by Leanne, Cranbourne West, 8th December 2007
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​Simple Tiling Solution

​If you want to rip up that ugly 70's lino and tile your floor but you can't afford to restump your house, there is a simple solution. Use extra adhesive under the tiles so that you can make the tiles as even as can. The real tip is to use silicon instead of tile grout!! Silicon comes in many colours and it is flexible after it dries, so no cracked broken grout and no cracked tiles!! It looks great and is durable. Contributed by Kylie, Breakwater, 1st October 2007
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​Carpet Seconds

Western Distributors in North Sunshine on McIntyre Road sell carpet seconds, which have imperfect spots but if you measure a room right you may be able to hide the imperfections. They also lay the carpet at reasonable prices.
​Contributed by Marie, Tarneit, 23 February, 2005
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​Auctions for Cheap Carpet

Quality new carpet is always on offer for a very good affordable price at Fowle's auction rooms, Port Melbourne and they have layers available. Second hand can be a disaster. I did just that a few years ago and ended up with two rooms with a long narrow strip and a fill in piece 50cms x 50cms, which looked terrible. The layer was sent by the carpet seller and was less than professional. For furniture try the Trading Post, garage sales and larger op shops. A lot of people update regularly and sell lovely furniture for a song.
​Contributed by Ann, Croydon, 25 February, 2005
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  • Home
  • Join the Club!
    • Twenty Reasons to Join the Cheapskates Club
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