Cork Flooring in Basements

Q. What flooring works best for basements?

A. Selecting the flooring that works best for basements can be quite overwhelming. It is important to determine how strong your flooring can stand against traffic and moisture. The choice of your material will decide the look, feel and warmth of your basement area. Here are few popular flooring choices for the basements:

●      Carpet: While carpet is popularly known to keep your home’s basement warm, it is not an ideal choice for moisture prevention. These days, homeowners are laying carpet squares over concrete to prevent water issues. Carpet squares can be removed and the floor can be wiped off before mold can set in.

●      Tiles: There is no hard and fast rule that the entire floor must be covered with one material. Mix and match has been a trend in flooring for its usage and functions. For basements, you can use porcelain tiles that mimic natural stone, concrete and wood planks.

●      Cork: Being extremely soft, cork provides more comfort as compared to a concrete floor. Moreover, cork does not rot, so the moisture can only sponge it up. Cork has always been considered an ideal choice for bars and sub-level kitchens. Talk to your product manufacturer before considering cork for your basement.

Decide the purpose of the basement in your home. While choosing a flooring style for your basement, a little compromise won’t hurt. Research all the options and look for the one which is most durable and comfortable as well as fits your budget.