Basement Flooring Options

10 years ago

last modified: 10 years ago

We recently finished our Basement but have yet to get flooring installed. On the day we were scheduled to have Wall to Wall Carpet installed our basement was flooded by a broken pipe. Now we are having second thoughts about what to do. Any suggestions would be helpful. I see a ton of basement photos with Tile and rugs. Just not sure if that's the way to go. It will mostly be used for a place for the kids to hang out.

Featured Answer

Ramona

10 years ago

@cancork, I would not recommend just concrete. I recommend concrete with large wool area rugs, including rug pads. Unless the flood is full of stinky stuff, wool rugs can be removed to a cleaning facility, hung from tall ceilings and hosed off/washed and allowed to air dry. The rug pads would not be cleanable, but the rugs themselves should be fine. My mother took our wool living room rug outside and washed and hosed it off when I was a child. She was dirt phobic and very satisfied with the results. Concrete is hard on legs and backs, but young legs and backs can take it.

Wool is a lot more durable than people think. Beautiful and reasonably priced wool rugs are available online and often go on sale.

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Comments (10)

smit2380
10 years ago
I am partial to luxury vinyl flanks or tiles. It feels less cold than tile.
Ramona
10 years ago
stain the concrete and use wool area rugs
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jhmarie
10 years ago
I am currently tiling my basement due to water issues. Once every 5 to 7 years we get seepage from flash flooding after heavy spring rains. LVP planks are an option but they can come up in water. They are not damaged and can be reinstalled. However, I wanted something I could just shop-vac up and be done with it. The tile is cold on the toes:( We will have throw rugs that can be taken up if the spring rains start worrying me. If you have DIY skills, tiling over concrete is not too hard if you have a level, sound floor.

I considered the concrete stain, but heard mixed reviews. Do some homework before going that route. I was really set on tiling the basement so did not look into very well.
Heather Macdonald
10 years ago
We were told , after getting rid of mould in the basement , to use tile or laminate wood over a special underlay that resists mould, never to use carpet or vinyl or linoleum , because of the backing.
Elle
10 years ago
I would do stained concrete and area rugs for any sitting areas. There is a range of color options and effects (marbling, etc.)

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Ramona
10 years ago
stained concrete is a very high end finish my friend did in her single story custom home. the range of colors is wonderful. no wall to wall. it isn't healthy even if upstairs. Stained concrete will never need replacement. At worst, if someone took an axe to it, it would have to be refilled and stained to match. any product you put on top will have a limited life span.
Elle
10 years ago
You can check out the green concrete products noted as non-toxic and zero VOC.
Ramona
10 years ago
[https://www.houzz.com/magazine/5-benefits-to-concrete-floors-for-everyday-living-stsetivw-vs~7977902[(https://www.houzz.com/magazine/5-benefits-to-concrete-floors-for-everyday-living-stsetivw-vs~7977902)
PRO
Cancork Floor Inc.
10 years ago
As beautiful as stained concrete can be (it is magnificent in the pricier finishes) it can be hard to live with. If this is a hang out for younger people, the question becomes what will they be doing and how will they be doing it?

A TV/video games room = sitting/lounging. Concrete is not much fun to sit or lounge on. A bar/after hours "club" where people go at 3am means that most people will be standing or sitting on furniture. Concrete will do very well for this age group.

Porcelain tile has the same issues as finished concrete so I put it in the same category. If you want something other than "hard and cold as stone" then you will need to work with a floor covering of some sort.

Vinyl planks (NO under pad) is slightly easier on the body and may survive a plumbing event. Laminate flooring (with under pad) will be even easier on the body but will NOT survive a plumbing event. Cork floating floor is an "carpet replacement" which works well in basements and may or may not survive a plumbing event.

Sheet vinyl/lino are both decent options that will not survive a plumbing event. Engineered hardwood (floating with underlay) will not survive. Carpet will not survive.

This means you need to organize your concerns. The things that will survive a flood/plumbing event are hard, cold, LOUD (the echos will be amazing...you should be able to hear everything from the 3rd floor) and generally uncomfortable. But they will "survive". Vinyl plank is the only other option that will PROBABLY survive...but there are still concerns about how to get it to survive.

Everything else will not survive a flood...but everything else will be INFINITELY more comfortable and "user friendly". In other words, the space that you create will be a JOY to use. Concrete/tile are not very enjoyable and have been covered up within 7 years (that's the average amount of time people keep their concrete floors....then they put something else over top because it is hard to live with).

Put your priorities on paper. And remember: most plumbing events are covered by insurance.