I live in Michigan, where humidity is fairly high. I have a 70 pint dehumidifier that works great. I also have a sump pump and water powered backup sump pump. I am looking to floor my basement because I am planning on using it has a home theater. I have done a lot of googling on this topic and have found a lot of varying opinions. I don't want to add a subfloor because I don't have much headspace to play with. Currently it has a drop ceiling and I am 6'4". I am only a couple inches from the ceiling standing on the unfinished floor. I have been looking at different carpeting and vinyl options. I am trying to finish around 600 sq ft so price is a concern here. I would like to stay under $1000 and can do installation myself if needed. I am concerned about moisture not being able to dissipate into the air and instead getting trapped under whatever flooring I put down. Is it okay to use a padding with carpet? Do they make special padding that allows for air to transfer through it?

Is vinyl going to trap moisture underneath and cause mold?Bad Pool Cleaner Blue Screen I don't really like the look of painted/stained concrete so I want to avoid that option.Ac Coil Cleaning Products flooring basement carpet vinyl-flooringPuma Sports Shoes In Indian Price I lived in a house that had standing water once or twice a year. It had a pad with berber(?) carpet on top. It dried easy with a space heater and fan within a day of these wet periods. Usually a 5x10 foot area got wet. When I went to pull up the carpet both the carpet and pad were in perfect condition. I asked a friend who had done installations for years and he said that I had an open-celled padding with no moisture barrier and if they are dried out thoroughly within a reasonable time he has never seen mold.

So new house I am in is basically about the same as yours. I am putting down carpet in part of the basement with pad. Almost all pads are open-celled and you would have to ask for one with a moisture barrier - so if you go to a carpet store and pick out their normal padding that is the right thing. Also I am using Trafficmaster Allure Ultra on part of the basement which I have used on jobs. I am not a HD homer - but I have used this stuff and it is awesome. It is pure rubber and even if you got mold (you shouldn't) it would just clean right off. As for your $1000 budget. You are going to have to get some very low grade carpet to meet that. Do not get non-floating vinyl. If you have to install the vinyl to the floor and you do have moisture problems you are in for a big mess. The recommendation I have above is $1800. has other all rubber options but they may make you have a minimum order. When I lived in MN I had the same issue. I opted to stain the concrete floor. I liked the looked, it was affordable, and as long as I ran a dehumidifier (a requirement in most any mid-western basement anyways) there was no water worries at all.

I'd never put carpet in a basement. Been in too many carpeted basements with a definite mildew smell to scare me away from it. You can simply lay carpet right on the concrete without a pad. It obviously won't be as soft as it would with padding, but it's easy, cheap, and air should flow through it better. Don't need to glue it down, it will stay put on the concrete once you have some things on it. Personally I would do the vinyl plank but not the allure. I would rather use Moduleo but it won't be budget friendly. If you are running the dehumidifier that will take care of any moisture issues. Carpet is certainly the warmest and most economical. I would definitely use a pad (chip foam is best below grade). If you don't install the carpet over pad or glue it down it will always buckle. I would recommend getting it installed.Browse other questions tagged flooring basement carpet vinyl-flooring or ask your own question.Designing your basement can be a fun and exciting chance to try out different flooring ideas.

There are many floor options available and once you figure out what you will be using the basement for, you can begin to look at the different styles. Carpet can create a more finished look in your basement if that is something you are looking for. It can also provide a little bit of insulation which might be important since basements tend to be colder. Carpeting can work great for basements that are being used for bedrooms or entertainment rooms. Some of the downfalls of using carpet is that it can hold a lot of allergens, and if there is any moisture it will absorb it like a sponge. Ceramic tiles can come in many different colors and a variety of styles. They can create a more refined look for a basement. Their surface makes cleaning up spills and dust very easy, so they don’t require much maintenance. Tile flooring would be great for basements being used as entertainment rooms or kitchens. The one negative about ceramic tiles is that they can keep the basement quite cold.

So, if you are considering this flooring option, it may be necessary to also think about ways to keep the basement heated. Laminate flooring can give your basement a very beautiful look. This type of flooring is also very easy to keep clean and will make the basement less cold than tile. Laminate flooring would look great if the rest of the house already has wood planks, or it can make for a great basement kitchen or office. If the wood floors are being installed over concrete, it will not be necessary to choose flooring that has be glued down, due to the fact that it is a click system also known as a floating floor. The only negative of using laminate flooring is that if any water in contact with the floor it could bubble and lift. Epoxy coating can be a great option for basements that are going to mostly be used for storage, but it can also look good in entertainment rooms as well, or even as a workout room. It comes in at a low cost so it is budget friendly, and there are many designs and colors that are available.

Epoxy is resistant to messes and spills which is why it makes the perfect flooring for storage. Ultimately the best solution for Basement floors. You may ask why Vinyl flooring is the best solution for basement flooring. It has great benefits like being 100% waterproof. This floor will not absorb any water, therefor it does not bubble or lift if it gets wet. If you are thinking of making your basement a second suit this floor is what you need, Vinyl plank flooring is virtually worry free flooring not only because it is water resistant, it also is extremely scratch resistant. You may think that Vinyl floor is that ugly stick on floor, but that is the old Vinyl the new Vinyl flooring looks and feels like wood. This new flooring uses a click system so it does not have to be glued or nailed to the floor. At Harmony Basements Vinyl flooring is highly recommended. All these types of flooring can work well for any type of space you want your basement to be. Be sure to do some research and take a look at the different materials to help you decide how to create the perfect basement for your home.