When it comes to replacing floors, Paul Ryan, host of DIY Network’s Kitchen Renovations, has simple advice. “Think it through,” he says. Ripping up and replacing a floor can unleash a slew of unforeseen headaches. Removing a tile floor may force you to add inches to your subfloor. “It’s amazing how thick it all can be,” Ryan says. “In one house we had to build up over 4 inches to get the new floor even with the other rooms.”

The Easy Fix: Paint It
For a country look, paint is a worthwhile option for wood, and a temporary fix for vinyl (even with proper prep, a painted vinyl floor is likely to be scratched). Experts don’t recommend painting laminate or tile floors. As always with painting projects, proper cleaning and priming will give you the best results.

Take It Up a Notch: Install New Flooring Over Old
Slap a new floor over an existing one, but don’t box yourself in. “I see kitchens all the time where people have sealed their dishwasher in,” Ryan says. Removing the appliance often means pulling up part of the floor or taking off the countertop. Ryan suggests putting in wood. Installing it yourself isn’t particularly difficult; finishing it isn’t either and it will save you some cash. Or consider snap-together planks, which come in laminate, cork, even linoleum, and offer nearly instant gratification.