Basement flooring is always known to be having different rules from the normal ones during flooring. For dry weather, there might be residual moisture from basement flooring in vapor form because of the proximity it has to the ground. There are several ways through which your basement can get water, and they include heavy rains, here there might be flooding up to your basement; hence it is good to be covered with the insurance company. You must be concerned with ways of avoiding moisture in your basement and ways of avoiding wet floors. Wondering where to get the basement shower flooring ideas, then here are the best ones for you.
Below-Grade Flooring Basics
The statement here is not about sub-standard, cheap flooring. Below-grade only means for the ground level, and the term is used by builders and contractors often. Above-grade level means everything that cannot be affected with water vapor migration and they are normally not affected by the flooding instances. On the other hand, the below or at grade objects have a high probability of getting affected with mild flooding and water vapor damage.
Some hard materials may outperform soft materials.
Concretes are hard and inorganic materials while carpets are soft and organic materials; hence the inorganic materials have a high tendency of working better in basements compared to organic materials. Inorganic materials can never deteriorate even if they grow mold while organic ones may start rotting after growing mold when water affects it. Concrete is the best inorganic material to use since despite it not deteriorating; it still cannot trap water since it has a single layer. When installing below-grade, you need a subfloor that is raised which may be built from two-by-fours or plywood. Also you can call Vaughan plumber and fix all leaks in your basement.
1. The Concrete Flooring
Many homeowners tend to accept concrete in their basement due to its changing utilitarian surfaces attitudes. When using concrete in your basement floor, you cannot necessarily leave it in its sate. However, you may color it different to the preferred color you want. In this case, if you need to do extensive patches in the concrete, then you need to paint it to fix all the patches. Also it`s looks and works great with basement window security grilles & walkout security gates.
Pros
- There is no need for a sub-floor.
- The materials needed for installing is very minimum.
- The concrete option is the moisture-hardy basement trusted by many for flooring option.
Cons
- It can’t heat from below since it is the coldest flooring option
- It doesn’t have good sound quality in case you want your basement installed with a home cinema.
- The labor for installing concrete is very high since they must be cleaned and scoured intensively before it is painted.
2. Plank Flooring Tile
The Plank Flooring tile is moisture impervious and, it is like the real hardwood flooring due to the sharply rendered graphics it has. The tile is famous and also a more durable surface. The Tile is more durable that it is installed even in commercial spaces.
Pros
- It is a waterproof tile
- Its aesthetics is attractive
- Has smaller grout lines due to rectified edges
- Gains a high re-selling value hence regarded as a status item.
Cons
- The tile is extremely expensive than others.
- It is cold underfoot due to its ceramic tiles.
3. The Wall-to-Wall Carpeting
When flooding is avoided, wall-to-wall carpeting may be the best one to use in your basements since the basements by then will be having very less moisture compared to the average bathroom with custom shower doors. You can do the wall-to-wall carpeting work when you install the sub-floor solid system. The basement carpeting must be installed using a base manner. For the fully dried basements, the carpeting can offer very reliable services to you even for a decade. However, in case there is any water catastrophe which includes any broken pipe, exterior flooding, or even from a water heater that is malfunctioned, you must be ready to have the carpet replaced immediately.
The best alternative that is so innovative when using wall-to-wall carpeting is the decision of installing a carpet square. The reason behind this is that the current square carpets happen to be more attractive and thicker apart from the indoor-outdoor super low-pile squares which were considered the best over the years. But in case there may be an emergency of flooding, be assured that just like the wall-to-wall carpeting, square carpets will also be ruined and soaked in water the same way. The good thing about carpet squares is that they are easily pulled out and replaced other than the long procedure used when wall-to-wall carpeting needs to be replaced.
Pros
- Have great sound qualities if you have home theaters.
- It is the best option especially for the children that are at the age of playing on the floor.
- The flooring option is the warmest when put in the basement; it even doesn’t need any radiant heating installation.
Cons
- They are somehow expensive more so the thicker padding and piles.
- They need quality-drying equipment from the industries to make the carpet dry or else the mold may develop before it is even dried up.
4. The Rubber Flooring
Rubber flooring can also be used for your basements. However, they are for the basements that are intended for being play spaces, and not the formal living spaces. If your basement is not for play space, then avoid using the rubber flooring. The roll rubber flooring is the ones that are mostly found in commercial gyms, and they offer a few seams number. Homeowners may find it easy to install the interlocking rubber tiles because they are like puzzles that fit together and they also cost almost the same price.
Pros
- The surface is soft if you want to walk on.
- It fully prevents moisture in the basement.
- It offers great insulation from the basement sub-floor temperatures.
Cons
- Space is great only for storage and exercising but not for living spaces.
- It has seams that may allow water to leak with those interlocking tiles; hence it is not a complete waterproof.
5. The Cork Flooring
Cork flooring materials when installed are warm, comfortable when walking on, and the underfoot feels it soft. The features hence make the cork flooring the best fit for all basement areas only that the product is 100% organic hence can’t be a good waterproof. When you make up your mind of installing the cork flooring, you must remember to install the subfloor system too in that basement.
Pros
- They are comfortable and soft when walking on
- They are good at absorbing sound
- They give the best insulation from cold basement floors.
Cons
- They may deteriorate any time since they are organic.
- They require experts for installation since homeowners may find it hard installing by themselves.
Conclusion
These are the best basement flooring options you can always opt. Don’t get tired by looking for the basement shower flooring ideas since here are the best ones that will serve your basement for a good period.
