Installing Floors In Basements

Prevent damp basement floors from ruining carpet and other finished flooring.

Installing floors in basements. Basement floors are notorious for becoming damp. Engineered hardwood flooring is design in perpendicular layers so that there is less expansion and contraction. Since basements floors are below ground and usually rest atop a concrete slab moisture is a primary concern. With all of that in mind inexpensive flooring choices will have to be those materials that can be installed right on a concrete slab or the concrete itself might be the flooring.

Tile is available in many different sizes and styles and the price range is equally broad. Concrete is the safest basement flooring. Even in the event of something as catastrophic as a water heater flooding the entire basement these floors would dry out to their original condition. This basic tutorial will help you evaluate your basement s challenges and weigh each material s pros and.

If you do take those precautions you may end up installing multiple flooring options and spending thousands of dollars. Basement flooring 101 a surprising number of materials are suitable for basement flooring. Sadly moisture will ruin a floor unless necessary precautions are taken. Most properly installed types of flooring can stand up to damp conditions and high humidity.

Exceptions are solid hardwood flooring and laminate flooring made. Use option a to keep your floor dry if you have damp floors. Second to that would be ceramic or porcelain tile sheet vinyl flooring or plank luxury vinyl tile. When it comes to choosing basement flooring there s good news.

Installing a tile floor in all or part of your basement lets you have some fun with design while still quickly covering up existing concrete floors. Install dimpled polyethylene to create an air space between the concrete and the finished floor sealing off dampness and giving moisture a chance to dissipate. Installing solid hardwood flooring in a basement that is below grade generally voids the warranty so if you really want the look of hardwood there choose engineered over solid planks.