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Outdoor kitchens get wet and are sometimes next to pools. To avoid accidents, go with a non-slip material like concrete, brick, or rubber. Avoid materials like ceramic and porcelain, as they are known to be quite slippery. Wood and composite flooring can be slippery if untreated, so make sure to stain or finish these materials.

Dry rot or severe water damage may warrant a replacement, but you don’t always need to replace damaged subflooring. If your subfloor has warped because it was installed incorrectly, you can sometimes shim the panels (in other words, add a thin, wedge-shaped piece of wood to level the surface). If your subfloor bows upward, you may be able to sand it down at the joist so it’s level, depending on the extent of the damage.

Installing carpet padding is mostly a matter of measuring the room and cutting the carpet pad to size with a utility knife. You can save some money on carpet installation costs by doing it yourself. Before installing the carpet padding, you should install the tack strips around the room’s perimeter and prepare the subfloor by cleaning and making any necessary repairs. Then, unroll the carpet pad and cut sections as needed. Staple the carpet pad to the subfloor along the edges, leaving the tack strips exposed.

In addition to local hardware stores, many big-box chains and national equipment rental companies carry floor sanders for rent. Additionally, U-Sand, manufacturers of a random orbital floor sander, operate a rental program in partnership with a number of different regional chains and local outlets. Make sure to thoroughly compare the prices at all the stores nearest you—while the costs average out to a similar range across dealerships, some of them offer significantly better rates for long-term rentals than others.