i need some ideas on what to do with my basement floor . ie carpet tile or just simply paint it?

Question

does anybody know about any specifics on paints , tiles or carpet when installed in the basement . basically in a nutshell which one is the most durable?

Answer 1

I think the flooring that you select is going to be dependent upon, what you plan on using the basement for, and how well the foundation of the home is.

Moisture is only a problem when something is wrong with the structure itself or the insulation is not done correctly. I knew a person who had to have her entire front lawn dug up and all of the sheet rock and carpet taken out of her entire basement. In her case, it was her home builders fault.

So, I think for practicallity purposes, I dont think you should rule out carpet. A good quality berber carpet is going to be so durable and it wouldnt set you back a whole lot. I think the next option could be a good wood laminate flooring (like pergo). Again, as long as your home is well insulated, you can pick the flooring that best suits your needs.

I wouldnt recommend tile because I think it would be too costly and not as practical and if the basement is being finished for use, painting would not be condusive to everyday living conditions. I think carpeting or laminate is the way to go.

Answer 2

Carpet in a basement is just asking for trouble. At some point in time most basements will have some sort of water problem weather it is from a pipe or ground water.

Tile is a good option but it is not real cheap. If the slab is in good shape you can stain it and then apply and sealer. Take a look around Google for some pictures of stained concrete.

If you want to get fancy you can do a concrete overlay that is stamped to look like stone, brick or even tile.

I would advise against painting the floor because if in the future you want to apply tile or an overlay you will have to remove the paint and that is not fun. Also if you have lots of moisture coming up from the ground the paint will fail.

Answer 3

I don't have any answers for you specifically, but I can throw in a few considerations to help with your decision.

It depends on what you are currently dealing with and the amount of "finish" in your basement. I am assuming that you have a concrete floor, typical in basements that are usable but not totally finished like the rest of the house.

You want to consider that if there is the slightest moisture in the basement, it would need to be dealt with before any longterm flooring went in.

Also, maybe this is just my hangup but basement floors tend to be somewhat dirty, like you could sweep a hard surface forever and not be done. So I guess that would impact any paint job, or any adhesive.

My advice would be to get it as clean as possible, then put down some area rugs that are indoor outdoor ish...bamboo is hot right now, or you could go with sisal or some other woody fabric. They will give you something underfoot, and visually they can mark off different living areas.

Another option, good for kids if this is a play space, would be the rubbery 3x3 foot mats that go together like jigsaw puzzle pieces. These are going to be in more romper roomy colors, primary, at least this is all I ever saw.

Either way, it isn't a huge investment and you have something durable that will be portable if any typical basement problems present themselves.

Answer 4

I am currently sitting in my basement, and have some kind of 50 year old tiles (but they may be asbestos), Indoor/outdoor carpeting, and unfinished concrete floors in the three areas. In NJ.

Floors are holding up well. The carpet is the newest... there is a stairwell and heavy summer rains didn't leak into basement, but old carpet was always water stained. ... Thinking about this, I figured it was the snows melting that let water leak into the basement. Caulked, replaced carpet, and I lay sandbags along the door for the winter (only use house in summer)

Can you give us the intended use of the basement floor that you want to finsh?

Answer 5

I agree with Mike B. If you do paint it, get it stenciled to look like pavers/tiles with a texturized paint. They do this alot for driveways. Please don't just paint it. Plain painted concrete looks really bad. You could also tile, or get those laminate floating floorboards (they look good and feel warmer and softer than tiles. I definitely wouldn't do carpet as basements can be quite damp, but there is no reason why you couldn't put a rug down which you can role up or take outside to air.

Answer 6

I agree with Smiley........Just paint it. In fact you can draw on a piece of paper a pattern. Whether it be checkerboard,
stripes. or who knows. As far as a carpet, I think once you have it nicely painted, you can always get a big oval area rug, or a big rectangle one for the center of the room, or off in the
corner to make a sitting area....The ideas are endless...And like Smiley said, you can ask the people at the paint stores the best kind of paint.......Good luck!..

Answer 7

depends on u'r basement. Do u get a lot of moisture? Then carpet will get damp & may smell mildewed. My folks painted theirs & lays a pc. of big carpet so it wouldn't b so cold for guests ( guest rm downstairs) or to stand or sit on.

they make concrete paint & stain. Home Depot & I believe Lowes carry it. U may even try Ace Hardware. Or any paint store.

Answer 8

You know it really depends on what you want to spend.If you want to completely finish your basement and you have water proofed it...i would go with carpet.However,Pergo floors,or"floating "floors are very durable and easy to maintain.They have the appearance of a hardwood floor but are a laminate.

Answer 9

you must check if your floor will wick water. tape a 12 x 12 inch piece of plastic on the floor to see if it gets wet on the inside. there is special paint for cement. carpet with a good pad works. there is a underfloor you can use also,www.dricore.com. or you can do it yourself cheaper by buying rolls of the dimple plastic and chipped wood plywood for the top.

Answer 10

just simply paint your floor, as for what kind of paint just ask at the paint store what paint you need for your basement floor.