Show All
Show Answers
Show Open Questions
Show Most Popular
Oct 7, 2014
What is the best flooring for a cold, damp basement? There is existing carpet over a concrete slab.
Oct 9, 2014

Why is the slab damp?  Carpet, is rarely a good solution over concrete. 

There are insulated subfloor panels that can be used as well to have a finished floor installed over top. 

Agreed. Solve the moisture/humidity/condensation problem first, then afterward, choose the flooring. What are your goals? Hard surfaces that are unaffected by moisture are ideal, but possibly cold. There are floating floors that could be an option which will be slightly warmer in feeling. A good basement with proper drain tile, no moisture problems, proper dehumidification, and good HVAC can use carpet with little risk of problems.

Oct 20, 2014

I would work backwards and figure out what you can do abou the moistue.  Do downspouts dump water right on the foundation or do they do what they are suppose to do which is move water downhill and at leadt 36" away.

Look into a sump pump at 48" deep

I think it is a good idea to deal with the cause of the moisure intrusion before figure how to cover it up

Philip Anderson

Berkeley Ca

Oct 10, 2014

"Best" is a relative term.  There are certainly options that provide different levels of comfort at different price points.  Recently, we've used a product called Thermal Dry from a company called Basment Systems that installs a over the concrete. It is a snap together PVC product (unaffected by moisture) that has a matte finish(for carpet) or a faux finish (like a wood appearance).  This prevents direct transfer of moisture from concrete to carpet and provides a (minimal) insulation layer at the floor layer.

I am sure there are other simlar products on the market, but this one has served us well.

George Millard answered:

Mar 6, 2017

Basement flooring is the common issue faced by most of the house owners. Try to create bright and warm flooring for more appealing look. We planned to change our flooring with concrete floors and for more details we contacted http://www.pcwoodfloors.com/ the experts of flooring. Even the prices are reasonable and long term investment. Such floor is one of the most durable and quickly addresses water issues.

Daniel Hartness answered:

Nov 4, 2019

The moisture issue has to be solved first and independently before a flooring option is chosen. When it comes to flooring options, I'm a huge fan of LVP for a couple of reasons. The first is that is extremely cheap for high quality and looks like real hardwood. Second, LVP is inherently waterproof. This is great for a lot of basements that open up to a pool area and are going to have a lot of traffic because of that. That being said, you shouldn't leave water sitting on any flooring surface for days or weeks on end without wiping it up. Then you'll have to call your insurance adjuster. Finally, there are a large number of options containing Aluminum Oxide in their finish. This the of the hardest compounds we have and it strengthens the wear layer to point where the plank is nearly scratch impervious. These are some of my favorite reasons to pick LVP.

Here's a link to one of the most helpful blogs I've been able to find in my research if you're interested in learning more!: https://www.reallycheapfloors.com/blog/what-is-luxury-vinyl-plank-flooring/

Are you a building professional?

Why not answer these questions like a pro?

Sign up free