Help! Need help deciding basement floor ASAP

9 years ago

Good Evening!

We have to decide on our floors for our basement as our contractor is about to install them - we are torn between LVP and engineered hardwood (floating). A bedroom/walk in closet, bathroom (almost like a master bedroom), living space, laundry room will be down there. We have red oak hardwoods throughout the upstairs. This basement will be a true living space - not a rec room/storage area. There is also a stairway, which it's tough to find LVP stair nosing. We are in Seattle, WA and have been renovating our 1950's home since a year ago when we bought it. It's not our forever home, but we do want to enjoy it. Going for a contemporary / clean look without breaking the bank. Any advice please?? Thank you! :)

Featured Answer

Beth H. :

9 years ago

You can do the same wood on the stairs as you have above and then transition to your other flooring. Are the styles and colors going to be way off?

Does your contractor say it's ok for hardwood down in the basement?? Normally they advise against it because of moisture.

If you do the LVP on the floor, can you do it on the stairs but then find wood nosing that matches your oak upstairs?

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Comments (7)

Andi Rodriquez
Original Author
9 years ago
Hi Beth,

Yes - we can "sort of "match the stairs with the hardwood in the kitchen via engineered hardwood, so it won't be exact, but close. The stairs are wood at the top then change to concrete - (the stairs use to be outdoors years ago before an addition was added) - so it makes it tricky. The contractor said either one will work - he said it shouldn't be an issue since they do a barrier/etc. for the hardwood.

Would it be weird to from hardwood, to engineered floor stairs, to LVP? This decisions are not easy! :) And of course it's about double the price to do the engineered hardwood. :)
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Beth H. :
9 years ago
if you do the same hardwood on the stairs that is upstairs, it would be fine. If you are going to have 3 different floorings, then I'd say no. There has to be something they can use on the nose of the stairs when using LVP. Have you looked at other brands? Can you use the wood for the nose and the LVP for the tread? would you be able to match those?

Here is all LVP

and this is LVP w/metal edging
Andi Rodriquez
Original Author
9 years ago
So far we haven't found brands that make the nosing in LVP, but we will keep looking. At this point we are so close into process and the contractors's timeline that I am not sure we will have time. Would it be okay to the engineered hardwood which is close the original hardwoods down the stairs, and throughout the space?

Another person also suggested carpeting the stairs, but I think we want to stay away from that. No carpet anywhere else in the house, and for cleaning purposes, I am not a huge fan.
Megan
9 years ago
I know that mannington makes stair nosing for lvt. We just had 1000 sq ft of Armstrong lvt installed and the sales guy sold us mannington lvt stair noses and transitions. They looked good on their own, but didn't end up matching our Armstrong floor well, so the installers actually sent me out to lumber liquidators to buy generic lvt stair noses. They match our flooring really well and look great. That might be an option for you.

We didn't use lvt on our stair case though, we just used the stair noses at the top of the stairs and on two long stairs that step down to lower floors (great room/entry to kitchen, kitchen to sunroom)
Andi Rodriquez thanked Megan
PRO
Koeber's Interiors: Flooring, Furniture, Windows
9 years ago
There are several luxury vinyl brands that have coordinating stair nosing. The styles I can recommend are below:

Metroflor Genosis:

http://www.metroflorusa.com/

Coretec by US Floors:

http://www.usfloorsllc.com/product-category/coretec-plus/5-plank/

http://www.usfloorsllc.com/display-category/coretec-plus/

All floating, interlocking floors. We work with these brands daily and they are made excellent, great value, wear well, 100% waterproof, easy to install, the benefits go on and on.

Good luck!
kendralh
9 years ago
I am also in the Seattle area, and I put an engineered hardwood (floating, click-install) in my basement-- two years and still zero moisture problems, even when one of the seals on a window broke and there was a small puddle on it for God knows how long :)

One of my coworkers has some really neat stained concrete throughout the lower level of their house. I personally HATE carpet, and theirs looks really modern and clean!

Whatever you chose, I'm sure it will be great.