Basement Decorating | Insulation | Ceiling Ideas | Flooring | Basement Floor Coverings

At some point in most people’s lives there comes a time when the house they bought some years ago is no longer big enough to fulfil their needs.  The problem is that many people become attached to their homes; perhaps they really like the area or maybe they’ve spent a lot of time and money renovating it.  It can be heartbreaking to move to another house where you might really hate the décor or it’s too close too a noisy road.  But it doesn’t have to be this way.  There are a number of methods which will allow you to stay in your current home but make it larger so that you have more space.  One such way is to look for basement finishing ideas.

When finishing your basement there needs to be a lot of time a thought spent on the design of your basement and what materials you are going to need.  Some of the essential materials for finishing a basement are insulation, waterproofing and flooring, amongst many other things.  Flooring isn’t just something that looks nice; it also has to be practical which is why you take particular care in looking for basement flooring options.

One of the most popular flooring for basements is concrete.  You might be thinking “oh no, not that horrible stuff!”  OK, so concrete does have a pretty bad reputation in terms of looking horrible.  But that’s only because factories and warehouses use it and they don’t tend to put much care into laying it.  Luckily if you want concrete floors in a residential setting, there are ways you can make concrete look more attractive.  Actually, the treatments that can be carried out on concrete flooring will make your basement look a million dollars.  Some people think that it is on par with the likes of marble.

In the home, the most popular material for flooring is probably carpet.  It is one of the most affordable floor coverings you can buy plus it also creats a nice warm cosy feel.  Although it makes a wonderful floor for your bedroom, it’s not very well suited to your basement.  The problem is that many basements have to deal with excess moisture and carpeting isn’t exactly the most water-resistant material on the planet.  There are ways to make sure your basement doesn’t get damp, for instance you should always repair cracks, use insulation and waterproofing and basement dehumidifiers work very well too.  However no matter what precautions you make with your basement, there is still the risk of damp or flooding due to a leaking pipe.  Therefore buying a hard floor such as ceramic, marble, slate, rubber or engineered hardwood would be a much better choice.

Hardwood is a very popular flooring type in the home because it has a timeless elegance to it and will last for many generations to come.  However due to the moisture content of basements, hardwood is best avoided otherwise the wood will warp.  If you are a strong willed sort of person and just want to do things your way, then you can install hardwood floors but make sure that a vapour guard is installed underneath.  To do this you should lay a high density polyethylene sheet which has dimples that are 3/8″ tall.  This then creates a gap of air that traps moisture between the concrete and your sheeting preventing moisture from rising up into your wood floors.

A better alternative to real hardwood floors is to buy engineered flooring.  It is basically made up of different layers of hardwood with a high density fibreboard core.  Because it consists of layers, you find that the flooring is much more resistant to moisture.  They are also much thinner than solid hardwood floors which means you can afford to put more insulation under it.  Engineered flooring will give you the aesthetic appearance of solid wood but will give you many more practical benefits.

Ceramic tiles are a great choice for those who don’t want concrete but want a flooring material which can withstand a lot of wear and tear.  They are incredibly easy to clean with a basic broom or mop.  Some people like to have a utility room in their basement and of course with washing machines you have the risk of flooding.  Ceramic tiles will fair much better in a situation like this, but it’s always a good idea to ask the sales agent if the particular tile you are thinking of buying will be suitable for basements.  You should also ensure you seal the ceramic tiles if they are porous.

Rubber flooring is often overlooked when people are browsing different flooring options.  However they should be considered because they are low priced, highly functional and you don’t need to worry about damp and mold.  Rubber also has very good sound insulation qualities so this will help prevent noises from travelling about your home and annoying other people.  If you are using your basement as a home gym, rubber flooring is ideal as it can withstand heavy weights being dropped on it.

A lot of people want to use their basement as a living area and simply don’t like the idea of a cold hard floor to walk about on.  You might however think about compromising a bit by installing a hard floor but using rugs to create a more inviting look.

Ultimately it doesn’t matter what type of flooring you install if you haven’t dealt with the more practical issues such as repairing leaky pipes, filling in cracks and installing insulation.  By neglecting these issues you are simply asking for trouble with mold and mildew.  Mold is a very serious health hazard and you should do everything in your power to prevent and remove any traces of it.  If you allow mold to set in, you are just going to spend a lot of time and money trying to rectify it.  Remember, prevention is better than cure and this applies to basements too

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