Basement Flooring Options

-What options should be considered for basement flooring? First, one needs to take a few things into consideration: level of humidity, whether cold floors are a concern, moisture seeping through floor, material in existing basement floor.

Mold and mildew are notorious problems to consider when assessing basement flooring options for remodeling basements. Be certain that you won't be sealing any moisture in when you put your new flooring down, or you could wind up with a mold or mildew problem under your floor or elsewhere (if the moisture finds another place to go, i.e. walls).

There is a product on the market, that I have admittedly never seen used. However, I wish I had during my last basement renovation because I could have used it! It is called Delta-FL, and it is a plastic subfloor system for concrete and slab on grade floors. Do a web search for "Delta-FL" to find this product. It looks like a promising way to properly deal with water vapor seeping through the concrete basement floor.

Another possibility I have heard of is "Dri-Core", which come in tongue and groove panels. I think Dri-Core works in a similar manner to the Delta-FL to control basement floor moisture (a "moisture barrier").

-Favorite options and choices for basement flooring include vinyl tile, ceramic tile, vinyl flooring, or laminate. Often, homeowners will put area rugs over these applications when living in chilly areas.

-I have heard of carpet tiles, and they sound like a good idea to me. Carpet tiles would allow one to peel up the tiles one at a time if they were to get damaged. Obviously, be sure you're comfortable with the aesthetics of this choice before making the investment.

Former builder and instructor of "Save Time and Money in Home Remodeling" cont. ed. course at Emory University