what should i put on my basement floor

What should I put on my basement floor?

• Engineered Vinyl Planks or Tiles.
• Tile plank floors, ceramic or porcelain tiles.
• Rubber flooring /rubber interlocking gym tiles.
• Carpet.
• Carpet tiles.
• Stained concrete or acid etched floors.

Full Answer

What is the Best Flooring for basement floors?

What should I put on my basement floor? Engineered Vinyl Planks or Tiles. Tile plank floors, ceramic or porcelain tiles. Rubber flooring /rubber interlocking gym tiles. Carpet. Carpet tiles. Stained concrete or acid etched floors.

How do you finish a basement floor?

Jan 28, 2020 · Best Basement Flooring Options. The best floor covering for your basement is no covering at all. Polished and sealed concrete is waterproof, incredibly wear-resistant and cheap to install. But it doesn’t fit with every décor and isn’t warm to the touch. Consider a variety of other flooring materials for a refined look and feel. Consider resilient tile, bamboo or luxury vinyl plank.

What is the best tile for basement floor?

Jan 06, 2022 · Pros and Cons of Basement Flooring Materials Carpet for Your Basement. Carpet is another option for finished basements that many homeowners choose. Although it does... Hardwood & Laminate Flooring for Basements. When it comes to basement flooring and basements in general, the less wood... Ceramic ...

How do you clean a basement floor?

Feb 18, 2018 · We recommend luxury vinyl plank for most people. LVP is waterproof, durable, and relatively inexpensive. These features offer a one-size-fits-all option to lay on a concrete basement floor. Engineered hardwood flooring is another option for those who want a beautiful hardwood floor look in their basement.

What is best to put on basement floor?

The best type of flooring for basements is vinyl. Vinyl flooring can come in the form of vinyl plank and vinyl tile, giving it the ability to look nearly identical to hardwood and stone products with the added benefit of being waterproof. Vinyl flooring is made of PVC making it durable and waterproof.Jan 6, 2022

What is the cheapest way to finish a basement floor?

Cheap Basement Flooring IdeasEpoxy and Concrete Paint. Paint is generally your cheapest basement floor option. ... Concrete Stain and Sealer. Concrete stain is another inexpensive option. ... Linoleum or Vinyl. ... Ceramic Tile Flooring. ... Rubber and Foam Mats. ... Traditional Carpet Flooring. ... Laminate or Engineered Hardwood.May 23, 2019

How can I make my concrete basement floor look good?

The following are some ways you can use to make concrete floors look nicer:Acid Staining. Concrete flooring is great because it is easy to maintain. ... Resin Flooring. ... Stained and Polished Concrete Flooring. ... Dyed Concrete Flooring. ... Painted Concrete Floors.Apr 1, 2021

What's the best thing to put on concrete floors?

Best Flooring for Concrete Slab FoundationEngineered Wood. Natural hardwood flooring offers undeniable beauty and durability. ... Vinyl. As a longstanding choice for kitchens and bathrooms, vinyl has a reputation for extreme water resistance. ... Laminate. ... Carpet. ... Tile.

What do you put on unfinished basement floor?

16 Finishing Touches for Your Unfinished BasementBetter Your Basement. 1/18. ... Lay Down Foam Mats. 2/18. ... String Some Lighting. 3/18. ... Throw Down Area Rugs. 4/18. ... Install Storage. 5/18. ... Paint Your Cinder Block. 6/18. ... Hang Curtains. 7/18. ... Create an Art Studio. 8/18.More items...

How can I cover my concrete floor cheap?

Below are cheap flooring options you can use to cover or modify your concrete floor:Concrete paint.Concrete stain.Carpet or area rugs.Tiles.Linoleum.Bamboo flooring.Cork flooring.Concrete overlays.Aug 13, 2021

How do you decorate a concrete floor?

Apply a stencil design to your cement floor and paint on your desired pattern or style....Clean your cemented area to prepare it for painting.Use a broom or a vacuum to remove any dry debris.Apply an acid or commercial wash with a broom and cover the whole surface.Rinse the concrete with water and mop up excess water.

What are the 2 most common types of finish put on a concrete floor?

Types of Concrete FinishesTroweled Finish. Trowel finish is the most common and popular finish of concrete used for major types of applications. ... Broom Finish. ... Stamped Concrete Finish. ... Salt Finish. ... Exposed Aggregate Finish. ... Swirl Finish. ... Polished Finish. ... Colored Finish.More items...•Apr 15, 2020

Can I just paint my concrete floor?

You can refresh the entire space by painting your concrete floors. In combination with the right tools and techniques, today's masonry paints, designed specifically for concrete, make it easy to turn a drab concrete floor into an attractive surface that can complement a variety of spaces, both indoors and out.Feb 11, 2021

What flooring can you put directly on concrete?

For the money, The best flooring types for concrete slabs are luxury vinyl tile (LVT) or planks (LVP) and ceramic or stone tile. These products are durable and work well in any room.Dec 31, 2020

How do I make my concrete floor warmer?

A layer of dense foam padding under the laminate can help warm up the floor. In slab situations, raising the subfloor off the concrete with a layer of plywood over sleeper strips before installing the surface flooring can also make it warmer on the feet.Jan 31, 2022

Do I need a subfloor over concrete?

Do I Need a Subfloor Over a Concrete Slab? While a subfloor is not necessary to add structural strength when you'll be laying finish flooring on top of a concrete slab (as in a basement remodel), subflooring over concrete offers two other advantages: Dampness control.

What is the best floor covering for a basement?

The best floor covering for your basement is no covering at all. Polished and sealed concrete is waterproof, incredibly wear-resistant and cheap to install. But it doesn’t fit with every décor and isn’t warm to the touch. Consider a variety of other flooring materials for a refined look and feel. Consider resilient tile, bamboo or luxury vinyl plank. Understand flooring basics as part of your remodeling plan.

What is the best sealant for basement floors?

Sealed and polished concrete make unsurpassed floors for your basement. The best interior concrete sealer is a film-forming sealant, like epoxy or acrylic. Unlike exterior sealants that penetrate the concrete with UV protection while still allowing breathability, interior types create a film over the top.

What is the cheapest flooring to make?

Concrete Flooring: This should be, by far, your first option. You can stain or paint them to almost any design. In almost all circumstances, concrete floors are the cheapest choice you can make. Stone Tiling: Not every stone material is a natural choice. Use durable stones such as slate.

What is concrete stain?

Concrete Staining. For those that have a concrete subfloor in decent condition, concrete staining can create a smooth, finished floor. The process transforms your floor into something altogether different than your outdoor patio or sidewalk. You can stamp patterns which make it look like granite or marble.

What to use for cracked concrete?

For older homes with cracked or uneven concrete, you’ll need a different subfloor for different materials, most importantly: Tile: Use a self-leveler to get the concrete even.

What is the best tile for a basement?

Best Tile for Basement. Travertine, stone and porcelain tiles make the top choice for below-grade installations. They are water-resistant, easy to clean and last 50 years or more with regular maintenance. Avoid glass or peel and stick vinyl tiles. Glass breaks easily while peel and stick vinyl neither sticks well nor lasts long.

Is vinyl flooring waterproof?

All types of vinyl offer affordable alternatives with plentiful designs for multiple home designs. They’re waterproof and great for damp areas. However, they come with some distinct drawbacks. Unless you’re installing luxury vinyl plank or tile, they wear out quickly and require perfect concrete surface prep and extra glue to adhere properly to your floors.

What type of flooring is best for a basement?

The best type of flooring for basements is vinyl. Vinyl flooring can come in the form of vinyl plank and vinyl tile, giving it the ability to look nearly identical to hardwood and stone products with the added benefit of being waterproof. Vinyl flooring is made of PVC making it durable and waterproof. An additional benefit of vinyl base ment ...

Is a basement humid?

Not only is your basement very humid, it is also extremely prone to water events such as flooding and leaking. When such an event occurs, you do not want to have to throw away all of your flooring, that would be a big time and monetary expense.

Is wood flooring good for a basement?

When it comes to basement flooring and basements in general, the less wood the better. Basements are a very humid and water prone environment where wood will not hold up well. Wood based flooring when placed in a basement will begin to warp and twist. Even without flooding, your basement foundation will have moisture leaking through which will form condensation underneath the flooring causing damage to the wood. Installing and replacing hardwood flooring can also be very costly and time consuming for homeowners as well.

Is ceramic tile good for basement floors?

Ceramic Tile for Basement Floors. Ceramic tile is a viable option for basement flooring, although it has some drawbacks. When glazed, water cannot penetrate the tile making it a good choice for water resistance and stain resistance. Ceramic tile also comes in a large variety of sizes, shapes and colors to go along with any design.

Can you put vinyl planks on subfloors?

Vinyl plank can be installed directly on your sub floor making installation much quicker and easier. One of the common misconceptions of vinyl flooring is that it has a look and feel similar to linoleum. Over the past few years the design and construction of vinyl flooring has improved drastically.

Is vinyl flooring waterproof?

Vinyl flooring is made of PVC making it durable and waterproof. An additional benefit of vinyl basement flooring is the durability, since it is made of inorganic materials unlike wood, this makes it great for high traffic areas!

How thick is a carpet in a basement?

Carpet is the type of flooring than can range from 1/8 inch thick to 1-inch thick made of different materials.

What is the best floor plank?

Luxury Vinyl Plank, or LVP, is easily the best choice if your floor needs to withstand years of hard usage. The lifetime of a floor is determined by its change in appearance to most people. A high-quality luxury vinyl plank with a variegated color and a distressed or hand scraped surface is the way to go. A variegated color means it will hardly ever look unkempt, while the hand scraped surface means any damage it takes will hide among the other surface variations.

How thick is a radiant floor?

Carpet is a traditional floor that accepts the energy-efficient and cozy radiant heating solution. Most carpet has thin padding beneath it to insulate the floor. Radiant heat is one of the rare circumstances where you want less insulated floors to allow more heat to travel throughout the home. Carpet padding is often 1/4″ to 1/2″ thick. A radiant floor isn’t suited for a pad that is thicker than 3/8″. Cheap carpet padding can be made from rubber and leak out a chemically charged fluid under your carpet. Look for an underlayment that is made from synthetic fiber or a sponge rubber material.

Does ceramic tile work with radiant heat?

Ceramic tile synergizes well with radiant heating. Ceramic tile is not only a thin floor that allows heat to pass through easily, but it conducts heat. So your tile will heat up quickly and retain heat long after the system turns off. If your basement isn’t at risk from accidental damage due to low traffic.

Can you float luxury vinyl planks?

Luxury vinyl plank can be floated as well. Most installers will recommend a floating install for plank vinyl because it is such a similar process to laying hardwood. LVP won’t carry any risk of expansion. The waterproof floor feature definitely shines in a basement floor environment.

Is ceramic tile waterproof?

We see ceramic offered often as a cheap basement floor option. It’s also a waterproof flooring option, so we like the train of thought for this recommendation! You will want to consider installing a moisture barrier if you are interested in putting this down on your floor. Although the product is waterproof, if moisture gets underneath the tiles, mold can begin to grow underneath the tile. It is simple enough to remove, but ripping up a floor and laying it back down every few years isn’t my idea of a fun vacation!

Can you use carpet tiles as floating floors?

These are nice because if they attract a stain or two, you can replace the individual tiles instead of the whole floor. Carpet tiles are another do-it-yourself friendly floor option for the basement.

How does moisture enter a basement?

Particularly in older homes, moisture can also enter the basement through cracks in the foundation or at the joint between the foundation and exterior walls. The effect of water or water vapor is to raise the moisture content of flooring materials that are sensitive to humidity—hardwood and fiberboard above all.

What happens if you install flooring that is affected by water?

Here’s the bottom line: If you install any flooring that includes organic material adversely affected by water, you risk having to tear out the floor in the wake of a flood. You also risk the unseen buildup of mold beneath the flooring—a considerable risk to the air quality of your home.

Do basements flood?

Despite the best efforts of contractors everywhere, basements still flood and probably always will. If your basement has chronic flooding issues, it’s imperative that you take steps to address them. That means keeping water away from your foundation through proper site grading and installing a sound drainage system.

Can a basement ceiling have extra headroom?

Low ceiling heights. Basements rarely boast extra headroom, especially if the ceiling accommodates HVAC air ducts. Even if a floor adds just a couple of inches, this slight increase can spell the difference between meeting or falling short of the minimum ceiling height prescribed by your local building codes.

Can you put ceramic tile over concrete?

Unaffected by water or water vapor, ceramic tile may be installed directly over a concrete slab , helping to conserve precious inches in a low-ceilinged space. Another great option is glue-down vinyl tiles or planks, which emerge none the worse for wear even after repeated flooding.

Can you use self leveling cement to level a basement?

Uneven surface. If your basement is out of level, you can use a self-leveling cement to create an even subfloor. Follow the instructions closely: It is important to prepare the old concrete surface and apply a bonding agent.

Can engineered wood be submerged?

Engineered wood is yet another option, although you can expect swelling or buckling should the material be submerged. Typically, engineered wood flooring comes in tongue-and-groove planks, the top layer of which is a laminated veneer. Some are glued down, while others “float” unattached to the underlayment.

Can you clean a wall underneath?

2. Cleaning can be done underneath, but there is a little more of a process to get into the room. You would have to pull these up from the wall to the area you need to deal with, then re-install it back to the wall. It’s still much better than glue-down, especially a big sheet, but it takes more work than a Loose Lay.

Can planks survive flooding?

These planks will survive any flooding. Your flood is going to do what it’s going to do to the basement itself, and there will be some clean-up no matter what, but once you’ve taken care of the water, these very same planks can go right back down and become your floor again.

Can you glue down a floor?

With a glue-down floor, if the adhesive holds, you might get trapped moisture, and your subfloor may grow mold. If the adhesive doesn’t survive the event, then you would need more adhesive. Neither are great options. For Loose Lay, the glue is gravity.

Can you use planks instead of vinyl?

The fact that these are planks instead of sheet vinyl is beneficial too. If you have a regular wet area on your floor, a big, room-sized sheet would have to be pulled up and rolled back to the spot so you could clean under it, then re-glued. That’s a pretty big task.

Can you clean floor planks underneath?

If you have a regular puddling, or just some big spill, something less than a full flood which you need to dry out, these planks just lift right up. You can do whatever you need with the floor underneath, then dry the planks with a paper towel and put them right back down.

Is laminate flooring good for basements?

We thought that laminate with a vapour subfloor would be the best thing but after reading your info, it appears that laminate is not the best flooring for the basement. With vinyl flooring, are there any concerns with the toxins in the glue that are used to install the floor. My family..wife and two kids are alergic to certain chemicals.

What is Vinyl Plank Flooring?

These are floors that are durable, waterproof, and easy to clean. Many firms make these floors. So, expect the vinyl planks to have many styles, colors, and specs.

Benefits of Vinyl Planks for Your Concrete Basement

Vinyl planks have standard specs. The level of these features will depend on the firm that makes the vinyl floors. So, here are the things you’ll find in every vinyl plank.

Pros and Cons of Vinyl Plank Flooring on Concrete Basements

It’s good to focus on both the pros and cons of vinyl planks before buying them. It will help you know what to expect of these floors.

Conclusion

Every vinyl plank should make your sub-floor strong and beautiful. If you are looking for the best vinyl floor for your concrete floor, choose one that will be durable and stable. Many firms will give you vinyl planks that are beautiful and can last for a long time.

Keep your finished basement floor dry, even if the concrete gets wet

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

Keeping a basement floor dry

Use Option A to keep your floor dry if you have damp floors in your basement. Option B is sufficient if your floor is generally dry except for small amounts of moisture evaporating through the slab.

Required Tools for this How to Carpet a Basement Floor Project

Have the necessary tools for this DIY project lined up before you start—you’ll save time and frustration.

Required Materials for this How to Carpet a Basement Floor Project

Avoid last-minute shopping trips by having all your materials ready ahead of time. Here’s a list.