Ideas for finishing basement floor? (laminate, hardwood floor, ceiling, tile)

[albus87]

We are in the process of purchasing a house with a walkout basement. We'd like to finish the basement within the next year or so. I'd like input on the best type of flooring material for when we finish the basement. At first, the basement will be used for a kids play area but as the kids grow older, I can see us using it for a family/rec room.

We really don't care for carpet anywhere in the house, so that is out (though I'm OK with area rugs). I wouldn't want to put wall-to-wall carpet in a basement anyway. Even though our basement has shown no sign of water, you never know if there will be water or dampness in the future.

I've heard that tile is a good choice for a basement but I'm concerned about how cold it will feel in the winter. If we do that, I'd like to put some sort radiant heat under the tile. Does anyone have any experience with this? Does it really mitigate the cold feeling? How expensive is it to install and to run? If we do some sort of radiant heat, it would have to be a retrofit over the existing poured concrete.

Other options include marmoleum, cork, or laminate. Does anyone have any experience with these options in a basement?

[Pitt Chick]

Ours is tile, with area rugs for warmth.

[K'ledgeBldr]

Carpet is the least expensive- even if you had flooding.
Flooring will come down to your personal preference. Radiant flooring is not just for "the floor", it a way to heat the whole space. The two most common forms are electric and hydronic. The size of the space will determine which way is the more economical. Under a thousand sq/ft- electric; over, go hydronic. Figure 5-7 dollars a sq/ft for the system.
And depending on headroom and/or other criteria you could consider a sleeper floor system and installing hardwood flooring.

[Kandy]

My brother just had his basement done with polished concrete and it's so beautiful. They are very shiny and make the space more modern looking. You can also use area rugs to "warm" it up. Here is a link I found to show you some polished concrete options. Polished Concrete Floor Contractor: MN Concrete Polishing
I also wanted to add that he had a lot irregularity in the concrete and this just added to the finished look once they were polished and sealed.

[albus87]

So, he literally just polished the existing concrete floor? How much does that run?

[althomson304]

its better if you use decorative concrete for this

[SuperSparkle928]

Here's what I did: (though it took a lot of work on my part).

It depends on how high the ceiling is, in your basement, so you will still meet code).

First, heavy plastic sheeting, overlaid and sealed. Stops moisture infiltration. PT 2x4's, laid flat, and attached with 22 or 38 Ramset (that saves a lot of time over tapcons)... Foam board insulation between the 2x4's, then covered by standard 3/4" T&G plywood. Almost just like building a regular floor. Then, whatever flooring material you want. The walls are done in the traditional manner, with PT 2x4's, again with the plastic sheeting on the walls, insulated, and whatever wall covering you want. JMHO.

[StilltheSame]

I would do laminate with radiant heating if I could afford it - of course area rugs.

[fallingwater]

Ours is carpeted. The basement was finished before we moved in some time ago and the carpet has held up fine. It adds warmth and I don't mind it myself although having a more durable floor would be good for kids and pets.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by albus87

So, he literally just polished the existing concrete floor? How much does that run?

The concrete is often stained and/or patterned prior to polishing. It's truly the most durable solution that can even withstand flooding.

No clue how much it costs, but you can easily determine that via obtaining multiple quotes.