Carpet can be a good idea for a floor covering option for a finished basement for several reasons.
Carpet is warm, soft, and cushioned, making it ideal for covering the cold cement floor.
Here are some guidelines to help you choose the best carpet for the basement.
jim kruger/E+/Getty Images
Use Synthetic
Carpet fibers come in two categories:synthetic (man-made) fibersandnatural fibers.
Basements are naturally damp because they are underground.
Therefore, your floor covering material has to be able to withstand increased moisture levels.
Just double-check before you buy, to ensure that the backing is indeed synthetic.
Really, in a properly finished basement, it’s possible for you to install any style of carpet.
Carpet Padding
Most residential carpets are installed over padding.
On a cold, hard basement floor, a soft pad is essential for comfort and warmth.
Underpad is generally fine to use in a basement, provided it is also synthetic.
Opt for a polyurethane foam pad, and stay away from a rubber pad.
In such cases, your best bet is to leave your cement floor uncovered.
Even outdoor carpet cant survive repeated or intense flooding.
A foam padding is better to use underneath a carpet when putting on a concrete basement floor.
