• There are many cheap but effective ways to cover a floor.Dining Table and Hardwood Flooring image by Paul Hill from Fotolia.com
  
  If you are trying to remodel your home on a budget, then you would be looking for the DIY cheapest flooring ideas possible to save yourself money. There are several ideas you can try that are easy enough for anyone to do, which can save you money on labor, and inexpensive enough for any budget.
  
  

Area Rugs

• You can get inexpensive area rugs at your local department store or home improvement store. In some cases you may be able to buy large rug remnants inexpensively that could cover a hallway. Check local swap meets or factory seconds stores for deals on area rugs as well. Factory seconds stores sell merchandise that is slightly defective in some way at a discount over retail price. In some cases, the defect is not able to be seen by the naked eye. You can get area rugs to cover the entire floor or you can allow some of the floor underneath to show and get a decorative oval or round area rug as well. Installation is as simple as laying the rug down and then placing your furniture on it.
  
  

Paint

• Whether you are looking to add something to a concrete basement floor or a wooden floor in an upper level room, painting your floor is a cheap way of adding a new floor covering look. When you paint basement concrete floors, be sure to use paint specifically designed for that purpose. When you paint your floor, you can paint a solid color, a pattern or you can even paint an image onto your floor for a unique look.
  
  

Linoleum

• Linoleum is a low-cost flooring material that comes in two easy to install options. You can buy rolls of linoleum that you can cut to size and then glue in place, or you can buy linoleum pieces that can be put together like a puzzle in any size room. Linoleum is made to replicate more expensive looks, such as marble, tile and polished granite. You can even get linoleum that looks like hardwood flooring.
  
  

Laminate

• The cheapest way to get a hardwood floor look and feel is to use a type of flooring called laminate. It looks like hardwood flooring and comes in a variety of styles and colors, but it is made from compressed wood pieces and is significantly cheaper than real hardwood. Laminate can be installed by gluing the pieces to the floor or by following a tongue-in-groove installation method as per the manufacturer's instructions.