The basement is often the most overlooked area of the home. But with some fresh new ideas, a little ingenuity and a weekend, you can turn a dark unused room into a contemporary, comfortable den or a family room. You need to be concerned about not only the cold basements floor but also about the moisture. Initially even if the bare floor may seem to be dry if proper care is not taken to look for the cracks and moisture content the flooring could trap vapor emissions. What type of system is used and how large is the budget is upto the house owner.

Engineered Hard Wood Floors

Engineered hardwood flooring is made of three to five layers of different hardwoods. Each layer is oriented 900 to the surrounding layers. This prevents expansion, contraction, wrapping and cupping from moisture. The layers of wood are glued together and laminated under high heat and pressure to bond them together. Hardwood floors brighten and beautify the living space of the dark basement. Hard wood floors are easy to maintain.

Ceramic tile and slates

Ceramic floor tiles and slates though make the room a bit cold; this can be remedied by placing few warm rugs over it. Ceramic tiles are a robust and durable sub floor that can be easily fitted over the concrete floor. The ceramic tiles are like concrete and can be easily affected by the underlying tensions. To prevent the cracks from affecting the tiles certain preventive measures need to be taken. Ensure steel rods run through the concrete sub-floor, as these will hold the tiles together and reduce the chances of thicker and more apparent fractures and cracks from popping up. By laying down crack-isolation membrane under the ceramic tiles will allow the tile and the concrete sub-floor of the basement to move independently of each other. Another option is painting the concrete sub-floor or possibly even staining it.

Carpeting the basement - Is it a good idea?

Carpeting can add warmth, softness and a bright look and also a finished appearance to a concrete basement floor. Carpets require regular cleaning to maintain the resistance to microbes. Carpeting the basement can cause asthma and allergic reactions. Dehumidifying the basement will help reducing the condensation from occurring on the basement floor. However they may not eliminate it. The safest way to avoid allergens, dust mites and other biological allergens is by using area rugs instead of carpets. Since the rugs can be removed frequently for dusting and cleaning.

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