Best Flooring Ideas For Your Basement
The basement isn't the most used, or the most important room in your home. That said it still needs consideration as it suffers from moisture, and damp smells due to being underground. Also depending on it's use it can vary greatly on the flooring you will use, and what you will spend on it. It may just be for storage, or you may have gone the full hog and transformed it into a complete functional room, for example a games room.
The whole room including the walls and floor should be fully sealed, and a sub floor should be installed before anything else is carried out. Ceramic tiling is the best option for basements. There is a large choice out there to compliment any design you wish to create. Tiles will not get damp, and are resistant to moisture, hence why they are used for all wet areas such as bathrooms. They can be cold on the feet over the winter months, so you may want to lay down a large rug. Underfloor heating is an option but expensive. This could be something to consider if it will be a fully functional reception room. Hardwood floors do look stunning, but the problem is they will get ruined if moisture sets in, unless you use hardwood flooring that has been engineered especially for basements. The other option would be to use vinyl flooring. This is water resistant, and cheaper than hardwood. It is easy to install and cut with a Stanley knife. Ideal if the room is not too important, having said there are now some good designs out there, and the flooring will last for years.
Carpets are generally not a good option due to the chance of moisture. If your basement is just for storage purposes, you could just throw down some cheap carpet tiles, or a rug, but don't expect these to stay in the best condition. If you do want to lay carpeting, then it's so essential there is no moisture at all, and the room is properly ventilated. Also check that your basement is not prone to flooding due to your location. It generally not just the basement itself you will be flooring, but also the steps that lead you down there. These will ideally be covered in the same flooring application, so take that into consideration, as flooring the steps it much trickier. The simplest way to cover the steps is vinyl flooring, as it's easy to cut, and also very flexible.
The whole room including the walls and floor should be fully sealed, and a sub floor should be installed before anything else is carried out. Ceramic tiling is the best option for basements. There is a large choice out there to compliment any design you wish to create. Tiles will not get damp, and are resistant to moisture, hence why they are used for all wet areas such as bathrooms. They can be cold on the feet over the winter months, so you may want to lay down a large rug. Underfloor heating is an option but expensive. This could be something to consider if it will be a fully functional reception room. Hardwood floors do look stunning, but the problem is they will get ruined if moisture sets in, unless you use hardwood flooring that has been engineered especially for basements. The other option would be to use vinyl flooring. This is water resistant, and cheaper than hardwood. It is easy to install and cut with a Stanley knife. Ideal if the room is not too important, having said there are now some good designs out there, and the flooring will last for years.
Carpets are generally not a good option due to the chance of moisture. If your basement is just for storage purposes, you could just throw down some cheap carpet tiles, or a rug, but don't expect these to stay in the best condition. If you do want to lay carpeting, then it's so essential there is no moisture at all, and the room is properly ventilated. Also check that your basement is not prone to flooding due to your location. It generally not just the basement itself you will be flooring, but also the steps that lead you down there. These will ideally be covered in the same flooring application, so take that into consideration, as flooring the steps it much trickier. The simplest way to cover the steps is vinyl flooring, as it's easy to cut, and also very flexible.
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