Best flooring option for basement (2014, home, asbestos)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
engineered hardwood vs. laminate vs other options.
I have a commercial grade carpet, no mat, and I am happy. If I wanted to spend more, I'd do vinyl. Laminate doesn't do well with moisture and neither does hardwood of any type.
I used commercial tile like you find in grocery or home improvement store floors. Put on a thick coat of wax and it looked really nice. These kind of floors stand up to a lot of abuse and come in a hundred colors and patterns.
Our sump pump quit once and the floor was under a 1/4" of water before I found it. Once it was dried up you would never know it was wet.
Another option would be to coat it with the stuff they use on garage floors.
Will it be a finished basement with entertainment options? If not, then tile is fine, especially for the potential wet aspect. That's the reason we didn't do carpet or wood. Although we finished the basement, it is hardly inviting with the cold hard floors. Oh and spider crickets also say hi.
Your subfloor is a big issue. I wanted to go with vinyl wood look. I have asbestos tile and the floor is not level enogh to float the vinyl. I did indoor outdoor carpet. I am happy the floor is warm and soft. I had automatic water shutoff valve installed to prevent a flood.
Epoxy coating and throw down some nice area rugs.
The coatings are very nice and durable now.
You are no longer limited to battleship gray enamel anymore.
Type of flooring really depends on your final use and personal preference.
Whichever material you decide, I would recommend a subfloor. I finished my basement a few years back. I don't like the "feel" of flooring over a concrete foundation (even a carpet with a think pad). I found something called "Tyroc." It is interlocking panels that go directly on the floor.
Tyroc has a grooved bottom to allow airflow. It is topped by a material that looks like sheetrock. Will not grow mold or bacteria. Similar to dricore, but no wood that can retain water. As they say about basements - it is no a matter of "if" you will have a water issue, it is simply a matter of "when."
The subfloor has enough "give" to feel like a real floor. You can install carpet, tile, wood or just about anything over it.
If you currently have water/moisture problems, completely solve those issues first before any flooring install.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
