Which Flooring Works Best in Flooded Basements?

By Victor Pachade – Choosing appropriate flooring is difficult enough without the problems that come with finding floors for a basement complicating things even further. The biggest issue in almost any basement is, of course, unwanted moisture. Problem with traditional flooring options.

a. Tiles – Moisture seeps in from below through the concrete and has the power to weaken the bond of the adhesive used for tiles
b. Hardwood or Laminate – warp and buckle due to moisture. Possibility of damaging in case the basement gets flooded
c. Carpet – Acquire that elusive smell caused by mold growing below the soft veneer
d. Painting – May delaminate or come off due to the presence of moisture The easiest alternative to more traditional flooring options is stained concrete flooring.

 
You have a lot of flexibility with color schemes and designs. Benefits of Concrete floors in basements –
a. Unlimited color and design options: Stained concrete flooring has a unique beauty that’s bought to life by different finishing and coloring techniques. There is no predetermined color palette to limit designs.
b. Longevity – Few floor covering products have the longevity of concrete. Carpet, tile and wood floors eventually need replacement, which uses up resources and creates disposal problems.
c. Stained concrete flooring is a great alternative to carpeting for people who are allergic to animal dander and dust mites.

Concrete does not support the growth of toxic mold. Stained concrete flooring consists of application of a reactive stain (acid stain) over the existing concrete surface. The stain reacts with the lime in the concrete thereby developing a natural, organic and variegated earth tone colors. If the existing substrate is covered with glue, paint or cure & seal, a thin layer of concrete called ‘micro-topping’ is applied and subsequently it is stained. After the staining process is completed, the floor is sealed with an epoxy and polyurethane sealer.