Commercial carpet for a basement rec room?

7 years ago

We need to cover the old vinyl tiles in our nice dry basement rec room and considered the new "click" vinyl planks, but at about 900 square feet, the price was totally budget busting, so we've been looking at carpet options. Someone suggested the so-called commercial carpet, which seems to be pretty economical and supposedly cleans well. We don't need a plush carpet for this space and the vacuum cleaner wheel tracks in pile carpets always bugged me anyway.

But the commercial carpet samples don't feel very soft to the touch. We will have any carpet installed with a good 8 pound pad and we're not likely to be laying face down on the rec room carpet, but I wonder if the rougher/tougher surface texture might have some disadvantages. We don't use the rec room that often now -- no kids at home anymore so we'll probably sell the house in the next 2-5 years, but I want to make a good choice.

I'd like to hear from others who have used commercial carpeting in their home.

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Comments (4)

F L
7 years ago
I did that in my basement playroom over a very uneven vinyl tile. we have it glued doen without a pad because of flooding concerns. it's been great. kids like it, you can put a softer rug on top if you want, and when it gets wet it dries fast with a fan. it's comfortable to step on, not cold. it also looks nice. I'm happy we did it and when it got ruined in construction, (They flooded it in the summer and let it sit for 2 months) we did it again.
Karenmo thanked F L
Joe T.
7 years ago
I put in surplus commercial carpet tile in the basement two houses ago. Not plush, but looked great and was indestructible. With platon underlayment, it was comfortable enough to walk on with bare feet in the middle of a Chicago winter. I'd put it in again.
Karenmo thanked Joe T.
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midcenturymodernlove
7 years ago
I considered it, and did use commercial carpet on the stairs (hard to install, my guy said, but he did a fantastic job and it will wear forever).

I decided to go with a clearance vinyl click-together plank in a pale grey linen pattern color. It was going over dark brown VCT, so it really lightened up the place. Could not beat the price and at least if the basement gets wet, I don't have to worry about it.
Karenmo
Original Author
7 years ago
How lucky that you found that pale grey linen pattern! So many of the click plank floors patterns are imitation wood, and I have wondered why there isn't more variety in these products like there has been with other vinyl flooring for so long. I think I am going to try to find the lightest grey I can in commercial carpeting.