The Best Basement Remodel Flooring Options
One of the most popular home remodeling projects undertaken by homeowners these days is remodeling the basement. Every year thousands of homeowners turn that dark, dank underground space into anything from an extra bedroom to a multipurpose entertainment suite.
Since there are so many different flooring options available choosing the best one for your needs anywhere in the house can be quite a challenge. Picking out the flooring for a basement remodel can present an even bigger dilemma since a basement’s tendency to be rather damp can mean that certain flooring materials simply cannot be used.
A major part of any successful basement remodel is ensuring that the space is dry as it possibly can be.One of the simplest ways to determine how moist your current basement flooring is to take a simple black trash bag and seal pieces of it to various areas of the floor. Leave it for about 24 hours and then check underneath. If there is any condensation build up then you almost certainly have a moisture issue that should be addressed before any new flooring is laid.
Once you have determined that your basement is relatively dry you can begin looking at the different types of flooring that work well in a basement. Here is the lowdown on the most popular:
Engineered Hardwood – Engineered hardwood is actually specifically designed to withstand a lot more moisture than traditional solid hardwood so it would seem to be perfectly suited to basement use. Another advantage is that is usually quite a bit thinner than solid hardwood which means that there is room for an extra layer of insulation, something that is beneficial in most basements.
Laminate Floors – In a basement that is dry (or mainly dry) laminate flooring can be an easy way to get the sumptuous look of hardwood for far less. You do need to make sure that you consult with a professional flooring expert about the best laminate flooring for your unique space as some laminates do very badly in situations where there is even a small amount of moisture in the area.
Ceramic Tiling – Ceramic tiling works very well in the basement as long as the subfloor to which it is to be attached is dry enough to permanently hold the flooring adhesive. For this reason it is very important that the person installing the tile has made all the right subfloor preparations before the tile is laid.
Flooring Options you May Want To Avoid – Installing solid hardwood in a below grade installation is a risky prospect a lot of the time and may not be worth the rather considerable expense. If you want hardwood in your basement engineered really is the way to go. It looks great and is far more likely to wear well.
Basement carpeting can be quite an expensive risk as well. Even the driest basement usually has a higher humidity level than the rest of the house and that means mold and mildew is more likely to start showing up to ruin your new carpeting. If you want the warmth of carpet to be a feature of your basement remodel then why not add a few well placed area rugs into your decor scheme instead?
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