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Best Type of Basement Flooring

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TheFrugalEngineer:
I’m in the midst of a basement renovation and I’ve just started ripping up the old carpet, so now I’m thinking more about what type of flooring I’ll be replacing it with. Underneath is concrete, which appears it had been redone in someway before the carpet went down. It’s in good shape, but quite uneven — the low point is 2” to 3” lower than the highest point.

I had been planning to do a laminate wood floor, but I am somewhat concerned about moisture issues in a basement. I assume I’d probably need to pour some self-leveling concrete and put down a vapor barrier/underlayment. I’m also considering one of the high-end vinyl faux-wood products, as well as possibly tile. I’m looking for easy and inexpensive, but obviously want something that will look good and last.

What are your folks’ experiences with these products and with basement flooring?
Let me know!

FiftyIsTheNewTwenty:
As much as I love wood and have purist tendencies, after checking out all the faux-woods I wouldn't use anything else.  Either vinyl plank or porcelain tile would be great.  With real wood or wood-product laminate there's always the risk of moisture damage. 

Various concrete finishes can be great too.

CowboyAndIndian:
My choice of floor for the basements in order of preference is

* Vinyl Plank: Waterproof. Easy to replace any damaged tiles. Looks quite good. Easy DIY
* Cork: Is soft and warm on the feet, not impacted by damp.  Looks quite good. Easy to replace. Easy DIY.
* Porcelain Tile: Cold on the feet. Not easy to fix broken/damaged tile. No problems with damp. Moderate DIY[\li]
I have laminates in my basement. There were no Vinyl plank then and cork was a very new product. Thank god, my basement has not flooded. Laminates (like Pergo) are warm on the feet, look good. They have problems if they get wet. They are not easy to fix if you have any damage. It is also easy to DIY.

Never ever use carpet in the basement. It is a mold-generating device and you and your family will have allergies all year around!

You are most likely not allowed to use a wood floor since it is below grade. Those are the rules here in NJ, but could be different  where you live. Check with code-enforcement.

If I had to do it all over again, I would do the self levelling compound to fix the low spots. Put in radon mitigation if needed (very easy to do now). Put in sump pumps etc. Then do a vinyl plank floor, keeping a box in reserve for future fixes.

Jon Bon:
LVT is pretty great.

Its pretty much invincible to everything. Cheap, easy to install no mess. I have not tried it over uneven floors. I feel like it has slightly more give then laminate, and it probably would not 'click' as badly over uneven floors like laminate does.

Laminate on the other hand is just really hard cardboard.... so if you get that wet/damp it is not going to hold up.  Ive never seen laminate that I like, or have even tolerated. Part of it is its usually DIY installed and done poorly.

Undercut your damn doors people!

tralfamadorian:
+1 for cork.

I have it in a basement and it looks great, was inexpensive and easy to DIY.

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