basement flooring

[that-guy]

bought my house a few months ago, and was told by others in the neighborhood that in the event of a storm, because of the small drainage at the bottom of our stairs, that the basement tends to flood. well, this past storm, Sandy, we lost no power, but both sump pumps failed and left about 1" of water in my basement. my wife and i had planned on possibly finishing our basement with carpet in some areas, tile, whatever, but with this issue, it scares me to even make this attempt. we have a new backup generator, but that can't do anything for a failing system. so my question is, what would be a good floor coating to use in the basement that will not only look good, but in the small chance that my pumps fail again, not be affected by standing water?

future plan would be to stud all of the walls, currently bare concrete block with the thick pillow insulation, and hang drywall, with about a 3" vinyl base board sealed in place to prevent water from getting to the drywall

please discuss. i am open to all comments before i start spending money

 

[Boiler]

Vinyl on the walls would be good for a splash but I would think it would be very difficult to to make a basement sized sealed basin

 

[draglink]

How is the water getting in the basement? Through walls or floor?

 

[p_mori7]

ceramic tile.

 

[TRC51]

I have a similar situation.... well... not really. I have carpet in my basement, and while it has never gotten water in it, the floor does get very damp from time to time. I am not worried about water, but the dampness causes a musty smell from the carpet.

Anyway, I think I have flooring solution for you... snap carpet from racedeck. If it gets wet, it's easy enough to just take it all up and put it outside in the sun. A good cleaning with a pressure washer and some drying time in the sun and I would bet you could just put it all back down there... if you got to it fast enough after the damage. This way you could have carpet down there too.... and if you only get 1/4" of water, it would never even get into the carpet.

http://www.racedeck.com/snapcarpet-garageflooring.html

 

[that-guy]

the drain at the bottom of my stairs goin outside from my basement has a tube that t's off to my 2 sump pumps in the basement, if it backs up because the pumps aren't working, than water will rise from my sump pits, and build up at the bottom of my stairs, and start seeping through the bottom of my door. so the middle of my basement will start building water, than the water will start to come through the door, and both will work their way to other parts of the basment

to go into more detail on my thoughts, and my exact plan of attack. i would do whatever floor coating/staining/sealing/whatever is recommended, then build studded walls, having the bottom of each wall be treated and the rest untreated. fasten the tops into the floor joints, fasten the bottom through the concrete. drywall, mud, prime, paint, then install the vinyl baseboards, and eventually worry about closing up the ceiling and installing recessed lighting like the rest of the house already is

 

[dandan111]

My brother inlaw had a water problem. After the insurance and it was all over with he now has a contraption powered by what looks like a car battery I'm case the power goes out.

 

[cino]

HD has several models of battery-powered backup sump pumps, such as:

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...=battery+sump+pump&storeId=10051#.UJ0OpIaOw2U

If you are going for something nice, I'd skip the carpet and go with tile. You can toss some area rugs on the tile and roll them up if you suspect trouble.

For the stud walls, I'd consider PVC for everything below the high water mark and possibly cement board instead of sheetrock. (Alternately, you could brick to get the stud wall well above the high water mark) Above that I'd use green board at a minimum. Use "hot mud" (the stuff you have to mix) for taping; it has more moisture resistance than the pre-mixed stuff. Possibly someone here knows of a better product than that.

As an added precaution, you may want to ensure that all basement circuits are GFCI protected.

Sounds like a fun project.

 

[cino]

I suppose the bigger question is, if you did not loose power, why did both pumps fail?

 

[slickgt1]

Tile. My parents basement floods every few years. Tile the floor, then tile the wall. The wall, I suggest a waterproofing paint. They sell this stuff in Lowes, I forget the name. But it is blue, and goes on rubbery. It is meant to be tiled over. So you then run a course of tile on the wall, instead of base molding. My parents house, is the only one on the block after Sandy, that does not have sheetrock, or carpet, or any flooring, sitting on the sidewalk. Yes, it won't be super waterproof, but at least they don't have to redo the basement.

We also planned for it flooding, and quite a few systems have been put in place to prevent this. They still got about 8" of water in there. Something about little fish, and sand that was in the water not working well with the pump.

 

[RaceDeck1]

bought my house a few months ago, and was told by others in the neighborhood that in the event of a storm, because of the small drainage at the bottom of our stairs, that the basement tends to flood. well, this past storm, Sandy, we lost no power, but both sump pumps failed and left about 1" of water in my basement. my wife and i had planned on possibly finishing our basement with carpet in some areas, tile, whatever, but with this issue, it scares me to even make this attempt. we have a new backup generator, but that can't do anything for a failing system. so my question is, what would be a good floor coating to use in the basement that will not only look good, but in the small chance that my pumps fail again, not be affected by standing water?

future plan would be to stud all of the walls, currently bare concrete block with the thick pillow insulation, and hang drywall, with about a 3" vinyl base board sealed in place to prevent water from getting to the drywall

please discuss. i am open to all comments before i start spending money

Hi
We offer a full line of residential flooring for basements and around the house that are 100% water-proof check out our main parent website at
http://www.snaplock.com
happy to send you samples

 

[RaceDeck1]

Here is one picture of a basement with our flooring

 

[jerseywild]

Hi
We offer a full line of residential flooring for basements and around the house that are 100% water-proof check out our main parent website at
http://www.snaplock.com
happy to send you samples

What about mold growth under the tiles? I would think you would want to correct the water problem before finishing the basement. I know several people back East that have finished basements and they all have water in them at one point. (Hurricane no power, no battery back up sump pump)
The house I bought here in WA has a basement, no sump pump or sump pump well.

 

[thegarageguy]

....or you can opt for a waterproof decorative concrete or designer epoxy system;

This is a before and after, Semco Polish Bond 1/8 inch semi self leveling flooring system with 3x6 decorative saw cuts, grouted and sealed w/ satin polyurethane.

This was a DIY Man Caves project we where featured in. If you blinked, you missed me. I got ripped off but the floor came out very cool....and the rest of the renovation was ok too This is a complete waterproof system with a designer epoxy finish.

 

[that-guy]

as far as i can tell, the pumps failed because A) they were original to the house when it was built 6 years ago (i am told that service and/or replacement should be done every 5 years) B) the house was vacant a few years before i bought it, and after several storms over those years, with no power, the basement flooded everytime, sending all of the grime, rocks, nails, etc... into the pump pit, and when the pumps finally had a chance to run, they tried sucking up all that ****, which will end up burning out the pumps

i like the idea of doing the tile as a baseboard to work like a back-splash like in a kitchen...might look into that...

i am also curious about the tiles posted by Race Deck. what is to stop moisture and possible mold growth under the tiles? doesn't seem like a very fullproof solution when there are seems and cracks that can't possibly keep the moisture from seeping into it...same reason why i don't want to use Race Deck tiling in my garage when possible oil spills will just end up under my tiles and ruin my concrete anyways *Nothing at all agains't your company or products, just my personal opinion*

thegarageguy...your basement Man Cave looks amazing...i plan on having my basement setup with all sorts of games, lounging areas, storage, and a bar

the more and more i think about this the more excited i am getting about eventually getting this project off the ground. i'm pretty sure there is another alternate out there other than using sheetrock that is almost a plastic type of boaring that is also an accustic barrier, then you just caulk up the edges to stop moisture from getting behind it...probably really pricey, but when you only have to buy it once...

so as of now, stained concrete with semi-gloss coating, studded walls with treated base, plastic-type hung walls, either plastic-type base boards or tile...DISCUSS!!!

 

[JimVonBaden]

I would tile the floor and up the walls at least a foot. You can use concrete backer board on the walls. With the appropriate seal on it it would be impervious to water for short periods. Nothing is permanently impervious to standing water short of a bathtub.

Then use large area rugs that you can remove and dry if they get soaked.

As for the pumps, they should last a good long time if not abused with **** in them.

Jim

 

[RaceDeck1]

What about mold growth under the tiles? I would think you would want to correct the water problem before finishing the basement. I know several people back East that have finished basements and they all have water in them at one point. (Hurricane no power, no battery back up sump pump)
The house I bought here in WA has a basement, no sump pump or sump pump well.

All of our floor systems are suspended and channeled to allow air and moisture to flow freely. In addition, our products are basement flooring are made from the highest grade poly-pro which which will not promote odor causing mold and mildwe ( non-porous, No Rubber, No Vinyl ). If you have a flood, you can easily unsnap and and reinstall after a major clean up with no damage to your flooring ( this goes for all of our wood look and designer finishes as well)

 

[AmericanGarageFloor]

We sell a lot of polypropylene interlocking tile. Its great stuff. In this case, I am not sure it is the best solution. I would use a hidden lock type garage tile or a wood look in PVC

You can buy similar tiles from tuff seal and others. Its not about buying from us, I just think its a better fit for what you are doing

American Garage Floor

 

[mge_1]

ceramic tile.

Ya we went ceramic tiles... Home depot special lol. Have an extra sump pump and backup generator in the house just in case.

Before:

After:

Take care folks.

 

[slickgt1]

You want the floor to be sealed. Not to have channels underneath. Can you imagine having to pull up the entire floor to dry out under them? NO. Can you imagine how long it would take to air out the floor after a flood. Even if you have dehumidifiers running every 50sq ft, it would still take an awful long time.

Also, I have my sump pumps in a mesh garbage can. Just for the same reason, so that any rocks or whatever doesn't get into it. One of those office plastic cans, just big enough for the pump. I also plumbed most of them to shoot the water way the hell out of my properties.

 

[mge_1]

You want the floor to be sealed. Not to have channels underneath. Can you imagine having to pull up the entire floor to dry out under them? NO. Can you imagine how long it would take to air out the floor after a flood. Even if you have dehumidifiers running every 50sq ft, it would still take an awful long time.

Also, I have my sump pumps in a mesh garbage can. Just for the same reason, so that any rocks or whatever doesn't get into it. One of those office plastic cans, just big enough for the pump. I also plumbed most of them to shoot the water way the hell out of my properties.

Nice thats a good idea on the mesh garbage can. Cool.

 

[Garage Flooring]

Lots of great ideas being thrown out there. Going back to the beginning of the thread, a floor that will make it through the flood. My concern with ceramic would be what happens afterwards.

I tend to think a good PVC tile would be the best bet. I would use a tile with a hidden watertight lock or seal the PVC with a top coat.

 

[that-guy]

for better piece of mind to not have anything between the existing floor and a potential walking surface, i am going to lay down a stain/sealer with semi-gloss clear-coat. nothing can get under it, and it makes for cleanup easier than the bare concrete...

new question now, there are cracks in the concrete that were actually filled with an epoxy putty by the Radon guy when he came in to install a system to keep our gas levels down, what would i need to do with these to keep it from showing through the stain? any product to fill the cracks and grind smooth to a seemless finish? or a link to a how to on repairing cracks?

 

[Garage Flooring]

Not a bad idea. Talk to Legacy industrial he can hook you up and walk you through the crack repair.

 

[slickgt1]

Lots of great ideas being thrown out there. Going back to the beginning of the thread, a floor that will make it through the flood. My concern with ceramic would be what happens afterwards.

I tend to think a good PVC tile would be the best bet. I would use a tile with a hidden watertight lock or seal the PVC with a top coat.

I don't understand what would happen to tile afterwards. I have tile outside, gets rained on, snowed on, you name it. Nothing happens to it. Tile in my garage, melting snow, with salt, standing water till I open the main door. Nothing happens to it. My parents basement gets flooded, tiles, nothing happens to it. My parents tiles are not new either, so no one can say it didn't stand the test of time. 10 years now. Neighbors are throwing out their entire basements, and renovating. My parents threw out whatever was left on the floor after Sandy. It is almost funny to see a house with no trash out front, while the neighbors have piles upon piles of carpet, wood, sheetrock, stick on tiles, etc etc.....

That is what I love about tile. You put it down once, and you forget about it. Will look good for ever. No need to repaint, re-seal, dry it out, clean under it, just forget about it. It also raises the value of your property.

Not trying to offend anyone's product. But I know what I know. Tile has stood the test of time. It is devastating to see the amount of destruction after Sandy. Every person who asks for my advice, get the same answer, some even get a tour of my parents house.

Good luck with whatever system you go with.

 

[Garage Flooring]

I don't understand what would happen to tile afterwards. I have tile outside, gets rained on, snowed on, you name it. Nothing happens to it. Tile in my garage, melting snow, with salt, standing water till I open the main door. Nothing happens to it. My parents basement gets flooded, tiles, nothing happens to it. My parents tiles are not new either, so no one can say it didn't stand the test of time. 10 years now. Neighbors are throwing out their entire basements, and renovating. My parents threw out whatever was left on the floor after Sandy. It is almost funny to see a house with no trash out front, while the neighbors have piles upon piles of carpet, wood, sheetrock, stick on tiles, etc etc.....

That is what I love about tile. You put it down once, and you forget about it. Will look good for ever. No need to repaint, re-seal, dry it out, clean under it, just forget about it. It also raises the value of your property.

Not trying to offend anyone's product. But I know what I know. Tile has stood the test of time. It is devastating to see the amount of destruction after Sandy. Every person who asks for my advice, get the same answer, some even get a tour of my parents house.

Good luck with whatever system you go with.

I think a lot of it has to do with what it is sitting on and how its put down. I think what you have to understand is that for a guy like me and many I know tile is not a DIY option. 6 kids and a business to run...

My family is back east and went through the storms. I here some stories like yours where the stuff is indestructible and others where its not the case. A lot of cracking and even completely separating from the substrate.

BUT I like the idea of tile in a garage or the basement. Not something I sell because the shipping would kill me and honestly I could not support it like I can other products from a technical view. I just think it's not the easy, do it yourself job that products like interlocking or PVC tile is. But if you have the elbow grease and the knowledge it makes a darn nice floor.

 

[slickgt1]

I think a lot of it has to do with what it is sitting on and how its put down. I think what you have to understand is that for a guy like me and many I know tile is not a DIY option. 6 kids and a business to run...

My family is back east and went through the storms. I here some stories like yours where the stuff is indestructible and others where its not the case. A lot of cracking and even completely separating from the substrate.

BUT I like the idea of tile in a garage or the basement. Not something I sell because the shipping would kill me and honestly I could not support it like I can other products from a technical view. I just think it's not the easy, do it yourself job that products like interlocking or PVC tile is. But if you have the elbow grease and the knowledge it makes a darn nice floor.

Agreed with everything. People just need to weight their options and be willing to get dirty. I know it would be hard for you to sell. Especially around here, the competition is brutal. I have 8 tile stores in a 10 block stretch in Brooklyn. Not even mentioning HD and Lowes.

In that essence, Epoxy would be more DIY friendly, if one didn't have to grind their floor, in a closed in basement. It is all relative. You really need to get down and dirty either way you slice it, if you want it to last.

 

[yousesteers]

Why not epoxy with a speckle in it no way moisture can get between it and concrete and will not be hurt by moisture or dirt

 

[dcs Inc]

You have to consider vapor emmisions on a non breathable seamless application. Most epoxies can withstand up to 3 lbs. of pressure. Go above that and the epoxy coating will blister.

 

[p_mori7]

ceramic tile over a 4" concrete slab ain't gonna go anywhere...ever.

once the water is gone, clean with a solution of water & bleach...done.

 

[that-guy]

my biggest concern now and always will be trapped moisture. if tile is layed, no matter what material, it is IMPOSSIBLE to make it sealed so tight that absolutly no moisture can get under it, or start to seperate the bond between the contrete and the tile. this moisture can just stay under there and either stink up the place, or start to produce mold, neither of which is a viable solution in my eyes

in the spring i will be going through the process of sealing/staining my basement floor, and throw some area rugs here and there. that will be about the extent of my flooring solution

another new question now...since there was standing water, there is now a dry "film" on the surface of the concrete. what would be my best option to get this up before laying down the sealer/stain???

 

[dcs Inc]

We offer a vapor barrier epoxy primer as I'm sure other companies do also. This is a pre-treat before applying a non breathing coating. Our's hold back around 12 pounds of pressure. Good insurance... even for tile.