June 4, 2026
DIY flooring vs professional installation comes down to three things: the type of floor, the condition of your subfloor and how confident you are with tools. Click-lock hybrid and laminate floors can suit a capable DIYer. Glue-down vinyl, solid timber, carpet, stairs and floor sanding are usually best left to professionals.
| Floor type | DIY or professional? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Click-lock hybrid | Suits a capable DIYer | Boards click together and float over the subfloor |
| Laminate | Suits a capable DIYer | A floating floor over underlay, with expansion gaps at the edges |
| Click-lock engineered timber | Experienced DIYers only | A real timber surface is less forgiving of mistakes |
| Glue-down vinyl | Professional | Needs adhesive and a very smooth subfloor |
| Solid timber | Professional | Fixed to the subfloor, then sanded and finished on site |
| Carpet | Professional | Needs stretching onto gripper strips and careful seams |
| Stairs (any floor) | Professional | Every tread is cut and fitted one at a time |
| Sanding and polishing | Professional | Heavy sanders can gouge boards in untrained hands |
Click-lock floors are the easiest to lay yourself. The boards join edge to edge and the whole floor floats over an underlay or attached backing, so there is no glue and no nailing.
Not sure whether hybrid or laminate suits your rooms? Read our hybrid vs laminate flooring guide.
Glue-down planks such as Royal 3mm Vinyl Plank are thin, so every bump in the subfloor can show through. The subfloor must be smoothed, the adhesive spread correctly and the planks laid before it sets. Explore our vinyl flooring ranges.
Our Traditional Solid Flooring is supplied raw for sanding and finishing on site. That means fixing boards to the subfloor, then sanding and coating them, which takes trade tools and experience.
Carpet is laid over underlay and stretched onto gripper strips so it sits tight and flat. Seams are placed to suit the room and the light. Without a power stretcher and practice, carpet can ripple and seams can open. Our carpet installation and repair team handles this, including re-stretching. Browse our carpet ranges.
Stairs need each tread and riser measured, cut and fitted on its own, with nosings that are secure underfoot. It is slow, precise work and safety matters.
Drum sanders are heavy and can gouge a floor in seconds, and the finish coats need even application. Our floor sanding and polishing service takes care of it.
The skills matter as much as the tools. You will need to plan the layout so the last row is not a thin sliver, stagger the joints, cut accurately and read the installation guide from start to finish before you begin.
Most floor problems start underneath. Before laying anything, check the subfloor is:
If your home was built or renovated before 1990, old vinyl, lino, tiles or their adhesive may contain asbestos. Do not sand, scrape or lift them until they have been tested.
If you find a problem you are not sure how to fix, stop and get advice. Book a free measure and quote and we can check your subfloor and quote for professional installation, so you can compare it with doing it yourself.
Product warranties come from the manufacturer, and they can depend on correct installation. Each range has its own installation guidelines covering acclimatisation, subfloor flatness and moisture, underlay and expansion gaps. Follow them closely and keep your receipts and the guide. Some manufacturers require professional installation for the product warranty to apply, so check before you start.
When our installation team lays your floor, Royal Floors also gives a 2 year installation warranty. You can read how product and installation warranties work on our warranty page.
If you do hire someone, our guide on what to look for in a flooring installer lists the questions to ask.
Doing it yourself? Our DIY flooring range covers click-lock hybrid, laminate and engineered timber flooring. Our team can give you expert advice, installation guides and product recommendations. Prefer to hand it over? We offer professional installation, and every job starts with a free measure and quote. With over 20 years of experience, we can help you decide which way to go.
Yes, if you are handy and patient. Click-lock hybrid floors such as Korlok float over the subfloor without glue. Follow the manufacturer’s installation guide closely, especially for subfloor flatness and expansion gaps.
Glue-down vinyl, solid timber, carpet, stairs and floor sanding are best left to professionals. They need specialist tools, adhesives or stretching, and mistakes are hard to undo.
It can. Product warranties come from the manufacturer and can depend on correct installation, so read the installation guide for your range before you start and follow it step by step.
A professional brings the right tools and experience, spots subfloor problems early, handles tricky finishes such as stairs and doorways, and can often repair a damaged floor instead of replacing it. Royal Floors installations also come with a 2 year installation warranty.
Yes. Our DIY flooring range covers click-lock hybrid, laminate and engineered timber flooring, and our team can give you expert advice, installation guides and product recommendations.
Talk it through in person at Royal Floors in Penrith, Campbelltown, Hornsby or Logan, book your free measure and quote or call 1300 980 501.
Four showrooms across Sydney & Brisbane
