Finishing Basement Floors

Basement Subfloors – All you need to know

Posted by cynthia on Jun 7, 2011 in Basement Carpet, Basement Design, Basement Finishing, Basement Subfloor, Finishing Basement Floors, Green Basement Finishing, Waterproof Basement Flooring |

Basement Subfloor

When choosing flooring options for basement rooms, carpet surfaces as one of the most popular choices, especially for basement family rooms, home theaters and guest rooms. Carpet adds comfort and warmth to basement rooms, can be easily installed and, if compared with some other popular flooring choices, it can be less expensive as well.

However, unlike any other area in the house, basement floors are prone to moisture. The slab, which is made of porous concrete, sits straight on top of dirt. Wet dirt.
Some of the ground moisture will always be infiltrating the slab, and during the rainy season the problem can get much worse.

That makes it very unsafe to place padding and carpet straight against the slab, because they will be soaking all that moisture and there is a huge potential for mold growth.
This is the reason why so many carpeted basements smell musty after a while, even though there are no visible leaks.

Contractors typically deal with it in a number of ways. Some are temporary solutions that work for a limited period of time; some are just plain disastrous choices from the start.

Top Six Mistakes People Make in Basement Remodeling Projects

Posted by cynthia on Jun 23, 2010 in Basement Carpet, Basement Finishing, Basement Framing and Insulation, Basement Insulation, Basement Lighting, Basement Subfloor, Finishing Basement Floors, Finishing Basement Walls, Waterproof Basement Flooring, Waterproof Basement Wall Panels |

The wrong finishing choice can have disastrous consequences.

Almost everyone who owns a house with an unfinished basement, dreams of having it finished. How can you not think of it? After all, an unfinished basement is a whole floor’s worth of space that can be easily turned into any type of room your family needs.

However, basement finishing projects are hardly inexpensive and, because basements are like no other room in the house, there are special challenges when it comes to choosing the best finishes and configuration. Basements usually house utilities, plumbing, wiring. They are also quite prone to moisture and water accidents. All of which must be taken into consideration before you tackle your project. Making the wrong choices, can literally spell disaster.

Making Space for a Finished Basement

Posted by jacques on Apr 13, 2010 in Basement Finishing, Finished Basement Ideas, Finishing Basement Floors, Finishing Basement Walls, Green Basement Finishing, Home Improvement |

Image Credit: Kim Scaborough

How to Make Room for More Room in Your Home

I did a little spring cleaning over the weekend.  Among other things, I brought four 60-gallon Rubbermaid containers into the basement.  Four. More. Giant. Containers.

In all, I have three dozen of these storage units now– all filled to the brim with things I’m not likely to touch (or think about) again for the next five years.  As I stacked the containers, I thought of the most common reason homeowners never finish their basement:

“I’d never be able to finish my basement with all that stuff in there!”

Pishposh. Remodeling a crowded basement IS possible.  Here’s what you should do:

Don’t Plan to Finish the Entire Basement

Most basement remodelers do not recommend finishing every inch of your basement.  While an entire floor of your home is overkill, SOME storage space is a good thing.  Allocate one-half to one-fourth of your basement as a dedicated area for storage, utilities, and laundry.

Finished Basement Flooring:  Then and Now

Posted by cynthia on Dec 22, 2009 in Basement Carpet, Basement Finishing, Basement Floor Tiles, Basement Subfloor, Finished Basement Ideas, Finishing Basement Floors, Uncategorized, Waterproof Basement Flooring |

Like all things these days, basement flooring has made some huge advancements from the past. What is being understood more and more often today, especially by basement waterproofers, is that these floorings simply do not work. Consider these points:

1. Concrete is porous and absorbs moisture. Because of this, water vapor and a mineral powder called efflorescence continuously passes upwards through the floor and into the basement.
2. Concrete is cold– made so by the earth around it.
3. Most basements will eventually flood from the plumbing, basement windows, water heater, washing machines, or through the foundation.

If you have a basement finishing project in mind and want to install these products, think again. Basements remodeled with traditional materials, such as carpeting, linoleum, tile, and wood, are being ruined and ripped out every day. And this is a big investment– you’re not going to want to pay to do this again.

Designing Your Basement Home Gym: Step by Step Guide

Posted by cynthia on Dec 18, 2009 in Basement Carpet, Basement Finishing, Basement Floor Tiles, Basement Lighting, Energy Efficient Basements, Finished Basement Ideas, Finishing Basement Floors, Finishing Basement Walls, Green Basement Finishing, Home Gym, Home Improvement, Waterproof Basement Flooring, Waterproof Basement Wall Panels |

Have you been skipping your daily exercise routines for lack of time or motivation to go to the gym? Are you tired of paying membership fees only to find out that you have to wait in line for a chance to use your favorite workout equipment?

Maybe you are just someone who would love to get serious about your health but doesn’t feel comfortable in a gym environment.

Did you ever think of building your own personal gym ?

If you have an unfinished basement, you can turn it into your dream home gym in a matter of days and, depending on your choices of equipment, quite affordably too.