Basement finishing is an excellent choice for many Massachusetts home owners looking to maximize usable living space but it brings with it a host of questions and challenges including what basement flooring options to choose.
In the past, many basements have been used primarily as storage areas, but with a little planning, a good design, and a qualified contractor to guide you; your basement can become a great place for entertaining or a kid’s playroom. As an expert design-build contractor Masters Touch, in Medfield, MA, will guide you every step of the way in your basement finishing project.
The first step in your basement finishing project is to determine how the room will be used and the level of finishes you would like. Once you’ve hired a contractor to design and finish your basement, it’s time to consider the flooring. The correct flooring choice is the last piece to completing your desired look. Today’s basement flooring options are as diverse, durable, and as colorful as you can imagine. So let’s look at a few of the options.
Basement Flooring Options
Carpeting
The number one basement flooring choice for most finished basements in Massachusetts is still wall-to-wall carpeting. Why is carpeting the go to basement flooring option?
- Carpet comes in and endless variety of colors, textures and patterns to aide in the design process.
- Another reason carpet is a popular choice is the insulating properties of carpet versus hard surface products. The insulation value that carpet provides will add warmth to the space and also helps to dampen noise in the room. For additional comfort and to encourage a healthy living space, a moisture proof, anti-microbial treated carpet cushion can be employed. This will also provide a thicker, softer feel over hard concrete floors.
- Lastly, carpet is probably the best flooring value when finishing your basement.
Masters Touch in Medfield, MA carries a full line of carpet from manufacturers like Masland, Fabrica and Dixie Home so be sure to visit our showroom at 5 Janes Ave in Medfield Center.
Tile
A product that has been gaining popularity as a basement flooring option is tile that looks like real hardwood.
- A vast variety of plank sizes and colors are widely available.
- Installing porcelain tile has the added benefit of reducing the problems should your basement experience moisture or even water issues.
- Once installed it becomes very difficult to damage.
- Ceramic or porcelain tile is typically more expensive than carpeting and cannot be easily replaced in the future, so make sure you select a style that you will love for many years!
- The addition of area rugs to certain parts of the basement can add texture and warmth to the space as well as provide a level of softness to the floor.
Masters Touch carries beautiful products lines from Florida Tile andInterceramic to meet your needs.
Vinyl
Another great choice in basement flooring is vinyl tiles. Vinyl can be installed in two different ways: glued down or floating. While both are good basement flooring choices, the advantage to vinyl floating tiles, which click together, is that they can be easily replaced if you get any kind of water damage to the basement or to the tiles themselves. Also, the cost of installation for the click together tiles is less than glue down application.
- If choosing this basement flooring option, make sure that your basement floor is completely smooth and free of any kind of debris because any imperfections in the sub-floor will show through the vinyl. Proper preparation of the concrete is vital to a great looking installation.
- On the cost scale, vinyl tiles usually fall somewhere between the cost of carpet and tile depending on the product selected.
Metroflor and Konecto are two of the product lines that Masters Touch features in our showroom. The Masters Touch professional interior designers will be happy to assist with your selection.
Hardwood & Engineered Wood vs Laminate Flooring
I’ll make this easy for you. NEVER install hardwood or engineered wood flooring in your basement. Period. It is just not a good basement flooring option because there are too many variables that can negatively affect your installation and the durability of the product. Moisture is the #1 enemy of hardwood flooring and I personally don’t know of any basement that is immune to it. The only type of “wood look’ products recommended for basement installation are water proof manufactured products. Engineered flooring consists of a layer of genuine wood on top of a hidden layer of plywood making it susceptible to moisture problems and not a good basement flooring option.
Laminate flooring is completely artificial featuring a picture of wood flooring underneath a plastic covering with a fiberboard base making it must less susceptible to moisture problems. Remember, though, that not all laminate floors are designed for use over a damp cement subfloor, so make sure you read all the fine print on the installation and warranty forms.
Call 508-359-5900 now click here to get started with your basement finishing design build-project, or to arrange a time to visit The Masters Touch showroom in Medfield, MA to select your basement flooring.