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It’s possible to reuse household materials to cover floors, but they won’t provide the same level of protection as dedicated materials. They’re also more difficult to tape down and more prone to slipping and bunching up—and any dirt or debris on them could scratch or stain your floors. That being said, extra materials like these can be useful for protecting the sides of furniture and placing in areas that could use added protection.

Start by removing any debris, nails, or staples left behind from the old carpet. Next, thoroughly vacuum the subfloor to eliminate dust, dirt, and loose particles. If adhesive residue remains, consider using an adhesive remover or scraper to lift it off gently. You can also use a sander. Finally, wipe down the subfloor using a damp rag to ensure all remaining dirt and residue is gone.

The type of flooring you plan to install will determine if it goes in before or after the cabinets. It's okay to swap the order in many cases. However, hardwood floors, sheet materials, and tile often go down before the cabinets go in. Floating floors like laminate or luxury vinyl planking should go down after the cabinets are in place.

Laminate flooring takes about 24 to 48  hours to settle. Before this, planks are not completely acclimated to your home, and walking on them could cause shifting and permanent damage to the flooring. You should allow floorboards to acclimate for 48 to 72 hours before installing so that they can adjust to your home’s humidity and temperature levels, but they will continue to acclimate and settle after installation. For this reason, avoid placing any furniture in the room for 72 hours after installation.

Your floors will continue to settle for a few months after installation, becoming less bouncy as they rest.