When it comes to choosing basement flooring there s good news.
Plywood flooring in basement.
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Almost any kind of flooring is okay to install in a below grade basement.
If flooding in your basement is a concern vinyl is the material.
Most properly installed types of flooring can stand up to damp conditions and high humidity.
We will also review other flooring options as well such as osb subfloor and tongue and groove subfloor for your basement.
However because wood is a naturally porous substance that will absorb moisture when used as a basement subfloor these materials are often installed on mini joists known as sleepers which allow it to sit above a concrete pad.
It can literally be exposed to wet conditions for days and obtain absolutely no damage.
This makes it a great choice for areas where there might be a tendency for dampness to form like in basements.
Vinyl flooring is made to be waterproof not just water resistant.
When it comes to the basement subfloor you have a variety of options to choose from.
Manufactured in planks with interlocking edges basement suitable engineered wood flooring comes with a durable factory applied finish.
The subfloor consists of sheet materials that are nailed or screwed to the joists to.
Wood panels such as plywood or oriented strand board are common subfloor choices.
Similar to plywood in its composition this type of flooring has a thin layer of genuine wood many different species are available bonded to other wood plies or composite board.
This is a fancy durable moisture proof and informal floor that makes good sense for basements especially.
A typical wood framed residential flooring system is more complicated than you think.
In this article we will review the benefits of dricore subfloor versus plywood subfloor.
Even if you do not expect catastrophic events such as flooring moisture can and probably will invade your basement since basements are nothing more than holes in the ground lined with concrete and moisture is pervasive in the ground water vapor will gradually work its way upward through concrete basement flooring and will condense.
Exceptions are solid hardwood flooring and laminate flooring made.
In addition to the visible surface flooring material the carpet tile or hardwood there is usually an underlayment and beneath that is a subfloor that serves as the foundation and structural reinforcement for the floor.
Always install basement carpet on top of a vapor impervious subfloor this will raise the temperature of the floor in winter make your carpet more pleasant to walk on and most importantly prevent humid air from cozying up to the concrete and triggering mold growth.
Moisture and height enemies of basement subfloors.