Basement floor covering

[matt151617]

I'm looking to cover the horrific gold-flake floors in my basement. They are 50% asbestos, so covering them/not removing them is definitely the best option. The basement is pretty dry but does get a tiny bit of water in one spot after heavy rains, and there is a sump pump that goes off occasionally, so there is a little moisture coming in.

I considered epoxy, which the previous owners had put in my last house in the basement. It looked great for 6 months, and then started peeling and looked awful. The floor is also slightly uneven; work has been done in various spots, so there's different types of tile and just bare concrete in some spots. Something that would show small defects/creases or can't handle uneven spots (like tile) wouldn't be best.

What's a good and cheap option here? I'm looking mainly for aesthetics, as we really don't spend any time in the basement.

 

[kngelv]

Luxury Vinyl Plank directly over the existing tile. Maybe some cheap peel and stick on the bare concrete to level the floor with the other tile before covering with the LVP.

James

 

[matt151617]

I don't think I will ever get the floor perfectly level and that is what worries me about vinyl. My understanding is the planks will disconnect and pop up if they're not perfectly flat.

 

[Matti]

I used Armstrong? peel and stick tiles. They flex and adhered well to old tiles and painted floor. Whatever you stick the them to has to be reasonably flat and stable though.

 

[clamhammer]

LVP is the way to go in that situation. Small waves in the floor wont be a huge deal. I have a pretty big wave in my bar room that i was worried about but its been fine. You can also use roofing felt to add thickness, thats what our guys use. Be sure to leave a 1/8 to a 1/4 inch gap around perimeter to allow for expansion also be sure to leave your quarter round a hair off the surface so it can move freely. Absolute cake to install.