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The dilemma with basement flooring

By
Home Builder with The Flooring Girl

I have to say that the trickiest room of the house to find flooring for is the basement.  Why?  Because there are so many competing priorities.

 

I finally had a chance to write an article about the best types of flooring for basements.  Believe it or not, it's 4,100 words, and I wrote it all in one day.  I know this category so it flowed quite easily.

 

It's a complete guide.  I share the top 10 options.  And, I also share 4 types of flooring that you absolutely need to avoid.  (and yes, some of these are included in other people's articles, and it is clear that a freelance writer, and not a flooring expert wrote those articles. 

 

I'm hoping at some point that my article will rise in the ranks so that customers get the best possible info out there.  Of course I have some stiff competition.

 

In retrospect, I wish that I had written this article 4 or 5 years ago.  But, I just didn't feel like it.  I was afraid that I might rank for it...and then I would get phone calls for more basement estimates.  And, I really don't like doing these, because there's often no simple answer.

 

Most people want to spend less money on the basement flooring (for obvious reasons), but to get a good quality floor (not super high quality...but good) often costs more.  So this is conflict #1.

 

Second, people usually want something that is waterproof...and this generally means a hard surface, so it cost more, especially when there's a concrete subfloor (and this is usually the case).

 

Third, most basement floors are uneven.  They are neither level nor flat.  So this makes it more complicated as you might want to level out and smoooth the floor, but this costs more money.  Or, you have to put up with the floor bouncing...or finding a more flexible floor that you can glue down.

 

And, then, of course you have the whole question about warmth...because basements tend to be colder (as they are underground, on concrete and don't always have the best heating systems).

 

Can you see why I don't love doing these estimates.

 

Anyway, check out my full guide on basement flooring options.  You will see that the answer depends on which factors are most important to you and your particular home.  The answer may vary based on the construction and your budget.

 

Oh, also make sure you have a good home owner's insurance policy.

Comments(8)

Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

That is an exceptional article Debbie.  When I did my basement, the billiard/TV room and bedroom are carpet, but the family room vinyl which looks like wood floor.  I think they worked well.

And Pythagoras didn't have to show up to show me how to square stuff ... (like he did for my living/dining rooms).

Oct 26, 2018 03:59 AM
Kat Palmiotti
eXp Commercial, Referral Divison - Kalispell, MT
Helping your Montana dreams take root

There is a lot of good information in your article! My husband and I installed LVP in one of our bathrooms recently. It's definitely do-able to self-install but I'd rather not do that again!

Oct 26, 2018 04:16 AM
Debbie Gartner
The Flooring Girl - White Plains, NY
The Flooring Girl & Blog Stylist -Dynamo Marketers

Jay Markanich Thx so much.  I really appreciate it.  So glad things worked out well in your basement.  Smart idea to do different sections for the different needs.

 

Kat - LVP can be great.  But, I definitely do not recommend the EVP version for regular bathrooms.  It's find for powder rooms, but because it's floating, and you need transitions at tubs, showers, it looks sloppy and water can get underneath and cause mold.

Oct 26, 2018 04:22 AM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

Hi Debbie- the only basement I've ever owned was the one we had in Northern VA. It was a walk out with hardwood and carpeting. 

Oct 26, 2018 11:39 AM
Debbie Gartner
The Flooring Girl - White Plains, NY
The Flooring Girl & Blog Stylist -Dynamo Marketers

Kathy Streib Yes, home structure varies by region.  You typically don't find basements in warmer climates where homes are usually built on slabs.

Oct 26, 2018 03:04 PM
Elizabeth Weintraub Sacramento Broker
Elizabeth Anne Weintraub, Broker - Sacramento, CA
Put 40 years of experience to work for you

I don't like basements. They give me nightmares and are spooky places. Even though I grew up with them in Minnesota. It's being underground that I don't like. Our basement had vinyl tiles for all the reasons you mentioned.

Oct 26, 2018 04:32 PM
Debbie Gartner
The Flooring Girl - White Plains, NY
The Flooring Girl & Blog Stylist -Dynamo Marketers

Elizabeth - You're not alone.  I don't love them either.  We mainly used for storage and we had the cat food down there, so the dog wouldn't eat it.  Oh and laundry.

Oct 30, 2018 04:21 AM
Anita Clark
Coldwell Banker Access Realty ~ 478.960.8055 - Warner Robins, GA
Realtor - Homes for Sale in Warner Robins GA

Debbie: Basement flooring is not something I deal with too much in my area. We do not have many basements here.

Oct 30, 2018 04:41 AM