Basement Flooring Options?

[anaxagoras]

My 1000 sqft basement is 1/2 workshop, 1/4 home gym, 1/4 storage and mechanicals. House was built in the 1900s, basement is fairly dry, except after heavy rain it gets damp and a couple spots get very little water infiltration, not even standing puddles, but you can see at one of the edges the concrete gets darker like it's wet. Definitely has a musty smell and a few spots I think have mold. It's unfinished concrete and very dusty. I'm done with it and need to do something. Esp due to using the area as a gym.

What are some of my best options to take cover/coat the floor? Due to the dampness, I'm thinking I need some kind of moisture barrier? I'm hesitant to put anything down that mold can grow under, such as a film or vinyl tiles, so i'm leaning towards coatings. Would an epoxy moisture barrier work and then allow me to use an epoxy product on top of it? Or would I have problems because of the moisture? Other/better options i'm not considering?


I'm thinking about renting a storage pod to move everything out. Washing everything down with bleach. Then renting a concrete grinder. There's also a dirt hole in my basement from where I think the chimney used to be, I'll have to somehow patch that. I'm thinking about digging it out about 4-6 inches, drilling some holes into the side of the existing slab and epoxying in some rebar and patching it with concrete. There's also a buried copper oil line from when i removed the Previous Owner's oil tank (they converted to gas at some point). small flexible copper line that goes from the where the oil tank was to where the dirt hole is. debating trying to dig it up or leave it be since it's cut flush with the surface now. Concern is that there's still oil in it, and it causing issues with a coating now or in the future.

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

First... handle the moisture head on. Check downspouts, grade, etc... try to solve the issue from the outside. Then, if you have mitigated all you can but still have moisture, look at a sump-pump, maybe 2 if the slab is really big.

MVB coatings are great but they are not fool-proof. Water pressure is the greatest force on earth.

Good luck.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Almost any basement with a concrete floor that was poured WITHOUT a vapor barrier or has any cracks will ALWAYS have a moisture problem !

The best solution is a plastic laminate subfloor similar to DRIcore. Not cheap and it the basement is not level, it can be a pain to install (requires shimming).

The benefit are your finished floor will be warmer and drier. Any small amount of moisture underneath the subfloor can easily move to a drain.

 

[anaxagoras]

Any small amount of moisture underneath the subfloor can easily move to a drain.

I'd have to have a drain in my floor for that to work?

 

[Garage Flooring]

Have a look at drylock products and check with them. As suggested follow that up with DriCore or maybe an open tile such as a ribbed flow through tile

 

[smitty9999]

I painted my floor with a mould resistant paint, which is also supposed to hold back water pressure. It's made by Rustoleum. https://www.rustoleum.com/product-c...ite-mold-and-mildew-proof-waterproofing-paint

I then used a dimple membrane, DMX, as a moisture barrier and built a floor over top of that.

 

[kamlung]

look at a sump-pump, maybe 2 if the slab is really big.

this right here is key... a sump pump can help with any water below the slab due to rising water tables and hydro static pressure that might push through cracks... if you cut a drain into the floor and run it to the sump pit, it can help mitigate any issues if you were to ever have a catastrophe like a burst pipe, failed washing machine or hot water heater... i also always run a dehumidifier in the basement during the summer to keep the slab dry... especially if you live in higher humidity locations.

as cold as it is in the basement, i still like ceramic tiles... it cleans up easy in a mess and is rock hard when you go over the slab... you can always put down rubber pads in the gym or a rug in the finished area... the other option is vinyl plank flooring... it can float on top of the slab but if you get water under it with no where to go it might just sit and go stale... this is where a dehumidifier would help and a dricore subfloor underneath... but that's mucho bucks...

 

[anaxagoras]

A sump pump sounds like overkill? I've never once had standing water, even after serious rains that caused other houses in the area to flood, just dampness. I do understand it as insurance against a broken pipe. But does it really sound necessary? If it is i'll look into it, but now i'm pretty sure i'm getting into big bucks that might not be worth spending on this house.

I have to repair a few gutters, so I'll address those and check out the downspouts.

 

[mobiledynamics]

The 2nd post already covered IMO what I was about to type. Address the moisture issue 1st. If that's not addressed, that no point trying to cover-mask it. If it's smell musty.....then you know....

Where are the downspouts on the house going to.
If you have external drainage, like for the concrete, is that flowing to a dry well, etc. Address the root cause of the water issues 1st

My cousin made his basement the kids *playpen*. He put carpet down on top.
I can smell that strong musty smell the minute I start walking down the steps.
And I say to myself......u got your kids playing and resting in this moldy area.

 

[lilredex]

We used "wood look" tiles when we renewed our floor in 2013. Best solution for us.

 

[jkuro]

Cut basement floor around the perimeter. Install 4" PVC drain tile. Install 4" fresh air intake on one end of basement. Install 4" PVC exhaust pipe with Radon mitigation fan on opposite end of basement. This will dry out the slab. Then apply ThermalDry® Insulated Floor Decking or similar.

If you encounter water when placing your drain tile you will need find the problem. Check for faulty footer drain.

See attached crude sketch