Even when the weather is dry, basement flooring does not follow standard rules.
Due to its proximity to the ground, it might leach residual moisture in vapor.
Some basements can also experience up-to-your-ankles flooding during heavy rains.
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5 Qualities of Good Basement Floors
All basements are below grade.
Below-grade flooring does not refer to cheap, substandard flooring.
Commonly used by contractors and builders, the wordgradeis another term for ground level.
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Flooring above grade is safer from water vapor migration.
Above-grade flooring is safe, too, from most normal instances of flooding.
Everything at or below grade is at risk of water vapor damage, groundwater intrusion, and flooding.
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It comes in sheet, tile, or plank form, and there is a subtle difference.
Tile vinyl flooring has multiple seams that may invite moisture infiltration if water is left standing long enough.
Tip
Vinyl baseboards help protect walls against minor flooring damage from water heaters or furnaces.
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Installation and Cost
Resilient flooring is a cost-effective option.
It handles wear and tear well and rarely needs repair.
Installing sheet vinyl is difficult, as the sheets are large and awkward.
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Special techniques are required to join the seams.
It is best to get an expert to install it.
It qualifies as a finished surface, meaning that it is not a raw surface like concrete.
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Yet this finished surface is attractive on its own; it needs no additional treatment, as concrete does.
Ceramic or porcelain tilecan be installeddirectly on your concrete slab.
The membrane lets the concrete slab move and crack independently of the upper tile floor.
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It won’t buffer the tile from all cracks, though.
A crack that’s sizable enough will pass through the membrane and will affect the tile.
Porcelain tiles are more expensive than ceramic tiles.
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Porcelain is made of very fine clay, reducing its porosity or water permeability.
Porcelain and claytiles are installedusing a mortar-based thin-set adhesive.
Once set, the mortar-based grout fills the joints between the tiles.
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A wet tile saw is required tocut porcelain tilesto fit.
Thus, solid hardwood is one of theworst basement flooring options.
Butengineered wood flooringis a different story.
Some engineered wood flooring is installed using the same nail-down methods as solid hardwood.
However, click-lock engineered wood floors are also installed asfloating floors.
Engineered wood flooring can also be glued down against a concrete subfloor.
When professionally installed, labor costs range from $3 to $8 per square foot.
Wood-look luxury vinyl comes in planks around 6 inches by 48 inches.
Stone-look luxury vinyl comes in 16-inch by 16-inch or smaller square shapes.
Prices for vinyl planks usually range from $2.50 to $5 per square foot.
Vinyl tiles average $1.50 to $3 per square foot.
Peel-and-stick vinyl tiles are the easiest for DIYers to installcutting out the professional installation costs.
While interlocking planks are easy for DIYers, vinyl peel-and-stick flooring is perhaps the easiest.
Concrete Flooring
With changing attitudes toward utilitarian surfaces,concrete has come into wider acceptanceby homeowners.
Concrete does not have to remain in its raw state.
It can be painted or stained to give it a different appearance.
If extensive patching is needed, painting is the only way to cover the patches.
If you choose concrete flooring for your basement, apply a waterproofing sealant to keep moisture at bay.
A primary treatment is pouring concrete into a slab and then polishing and staining it.
The price increases for elaborate color treatments, stamping, texturizing, or creating patterns.
Large concrete slabs are difficult for do-it-yourselfers to pour.
When the concrete slab exceeds 25 square feet, it’s probably time to call a concrete professional.
Polishing concrete floors requires special tools, like a concrete grinder and a chemical densifying treatment.
It is popular and well-regarded as a highly durable surface.
The chief difference between plank tile and conventional tile is that plank’s edges are rectified.
These 90-degree edges mean tiles are fitted edge-to-edge, with no mortared grout lines.
Professional installation can cost between $5 and $17 per square foot.
While ceramic tile installation is labor-intensive, plenty of DIYers tackle this work successfully.
Tiles are cut using a tool that scores and snaps the tiles or with a power-wet saw.
The joints between tiles are filled with mortar-based grout and sealed after it dries completely.
Wall-to-Wall Carpeting
Wall-to-wall carpeting is often considered apoor flooring material in bathrooms.
Carpeting dries slowly and can develop mold and mildew.
When wet, it feels mushy and uncomfortable.
But does this mean that carpet is also a badbasementflooring option?
Basements generally have less moisture than the average bathroom, except for extreme flooding.
With the installation of a solid subfloor system, wall-to-wall carpeting in basements can be installed.
One creative alternative to wall-to-wall carpeting is to install carpet squares.
In the event of flooding, carpet squares can be selectively pulled up and replaced.
Carpeting in basements should be installed on a case-by-case basis.
If your basement is completely dry throughout the year, carpeting may last up to a decade.
Installation can range from $3 to $10 per square foot to plant the carpeting.
But underneath, it is still susceptible to moisture problems.
No amount of drying will cause the laminate to return to its previous size.
In addition, the top image and wear layers will begin to peel off.
The only way to fix water-damaged laminate flooring is to replace it altogether.
Installing a proper subfloor system can make conventional laminate flooring in the basement work.
The subfloor and the laminate’s foam underlayment protect against water vapor coming up from the concrete slab.
If installing laminate flooring, it’s always best to use a raised subfloor.
It costs about $3 to $13 per square foot to have a laminate floorprofessionally installed.
The material costs, including the flooring andunderlayment, are about $1 to $5 per square foot.
Can rubber flooring work in basements, too?
Rubber flooring works great if your basementis intended to be a play space or home gym.
Where it doesn’t work is in formal living spaces for aesthetic reasons.
Roll rubber, found at commercial gyms, offers the fewest seams.
Interlockingrubber tilescost about the same and are easy for homeowners to install since they fit together like a puzzle.
Since rubber is thick and heavy, its weight holds it in place without requiring adhesive or extra padding.
Rubber flooring is best installed as interlocking, puzzle-piece-looking tiles.
Cork Flooring
Cork flooring is a natural productderived from cork trees.
Soft underfoot, comfortable to walk on, and warm, it would ordinarily fit below-grade areas.
The best basement flooring options are ceramic, porcelain, sheet vinyl, plank, or tile vinyl.
A subfloor protects the flooring from moisture and provides a level installation surface.
Applying a waterproof sealant on the concrete floor can help with moisture and dampness in the basement.
For a softer option, consider carpet tiles.
How Much Does Laminate Flooring Installation Cost?Angi.
