Do It Yourself: Best Flooring Options for Below-Grade Spaces

Flooring can add to the function of your finished basement, or it can take it away. Installing the wrong type of flooring material in a below-grade space could leave you open to costly water damage or even the growth of mold and bacteria. Even the best-built basements are sometimes prone to invasion by moisture seeping through concrete walls or up through subfloor materials. Therefore, it’s vital to choose flooring that’s designed for below-grade use.

Epoxy

Epoxy flooring is a mixture of resin with hardeners added. If you’ve ever shopped at the local food warehouse or super home store, you’ve likely seen epoxy flooring. Sleek and glossy, epoxy is applied with rollers over the course of a single weekend, giving you an attractive basement floor that’s impervious to damage. It’s available in a full range of colors, as well. 

Stamped, Stained or Painted Concrete

Another easy flooring option for your new basement involves concrete that’s been poured and smoothed with a rake and a squeegee. Afterward, the concrete can be stained or painted any color you desire. It can even be stamped to resemble other materials such as natural stone, brick or tile.

Laminate

Laminate is a type of flooring that’s installed as planks or tiles. It’s a manufactured type of flooring that’s durable and can mimic the look and feel of hardwood at a fraction of the cost and without the worry of warping should it get wet. laminate is installed in pieces, so it’s easy to repair or replace if it becomes damaged. This may mean removing part of the floor to get to the piece that’s damaged, but there’s no adhesive involved with laminate, so putting everything back is an easy fix. 

Rubber

Rubber flooring comes in multiple variations, including tiles and rolls. Either is good for basement flooring, but tiles are easy to replace should the need arise. Rubber is super easy to install, and it adds soft comfort to your below-grade space. It’s also a great insulator. This translates into a lower utility bill each month. Residential-grade rubber flooring may be comparable in price, however, to other high-end flooring options such as natural stone.  

These flooring options are all easy to install yourself, but if you doubt your DIY skills, your local contractor will be happy to help. Your finished basement can be a reality this year if you make savvy choices from the floor up.