Moisture and high humidity the vast majority of basements in america are constructed using concrete one of the most durable materials available to home builders.
Is a basement a floor.
Basement floor drains don t get a lot of attention until the sewer backs up or the basement smells like an outhouse.
A vapor barrier will protect flooring from the damp.
Even in dry areas cellars tend to hold more humidity have less air movement and less natural lighting.
Many basement floor drains tie directly to the home s sewer system but in some communities local building codes require floor drains to run to a sump pit where a pump lifts the water to the exterior surface of the house.
These subfloors which can be made from both synthetic and natural materials are highly resistant to moisture.
Carpet is warm soft and cushioned making it ideal for covering the cold cement floor.
Unlike laminate linoleum vinyl is waterproof vinyl flooring is made to be waterproof not just water resistant.
Keep moisture at bay.
But if you re planning a basement remodeling aka basement finishing project you ll probably want a flooring upgrade to make the new living space more comfortable more attractive and easier to keep clean.
A basement or cellar is one or more floors of a building that are completely or partly below the ground floor.
So also are amenities such as the electrical distribution system and cable television distribution point.
Unlike above grade sub flooring basement sub floor has to do all of the usual things and more.
Plank flooring however is literally a snap to install and there s nearly zero clean up so you can install it in the basement in one day.
In addition carpet is one of the most flexible floor covering materials so even if your cement floor is not perfectly level carpet can be installed right over it.
Most basements have a poured concrete floor that s solid flat and durable.
Insulating subfloors are a welcome addition to basement spaces because they typically help to improve the warmth of the flooring that will be placed over it.
Provide a flat level surface for the finish flooring.
Provide a thermal break i e insulation.
One of concrete s few weaknesses.
In cities with high property prices such as london basements are often fitted out to a high standard.
In wet areas they might even have occasional flooding.