Question: How To Finish Concrete Basement Floor?

What is the cheapest way to finish a basement floor?

Cheap Basement Flooring Ideas

1. Epoxy and Concrete Paint. Paint is generally your cheapest basement floor option.
2. Concrete Stain and Sealer. Concrete stain is another inexpensive option.
3. Linoleum or Vinyl.
4. Ceramic Tile Flooring.
5. Rubber and Foam Mats.
6. Traditional Carpet Flooring.
7. Laminate or Engineered Hardwood.

What is the best way to cover a concrete basement floor?

Ceramic tile is the designer’s choice, with tons of colors and styles. It’s unaffected by moisture and goes directly onto concrete that’s smooth and free of cracks. Vinyl tile and sheet flooring also goes directly over prepared concrete and will withstand even minor flooding with no ill effect.

Should concrete basement floor be sealed?

Seal your concrete before painting it or installing flooring to avoid trapping moisture. Make sure to seal the basement walls and floor before finishing the basement to avoid water damage. RadonSeal prevents efflorescence and reduces concrete dusting, spalling and cracking. It cannot peel, fade or wear off.

What is the best finish for concrete floors?

Top Concrete Finishing Options

• Acid Stain. An acid stain for concrete floor has a very bold look, recognizable by its mottled appearance and highly variegated finish.
• Water-Based Stain.
• Fast Stain.
• Acrylic Sealer.
• Standard Epoxy.
• Metallic Epoxy.
• Terrazzo or Granite Epoxy.
• Quartz Sand Epoxy.

Should I paint or stain concrete basement floor?

Concrete stain embeds the surface to color it translucently, while opaque concrete paint covers the top of the concrete but is subject to chipping and peeling when improperly applied. Concrete stains go on quicker, dry faster and take less work than concrete paint, but they offer no significant protection.

What kind of flooring can you put over concrete?

The best options for flooring over a concrete slab foundation are wood/laminate, carpet, or tile for your whole house. Many concrete floors have a tendency to get damp, so when you are installing wood floors over a concrete slab foundation there are some important things that you need to do.

Should I Epoxy my basement floor?

Protect Your Floor From Moisture



Epoxy is virtually waterproof, which means it can protect the floor beneath it from moisture. If your basement is damp, it can be very important to protect each part of the structure from moisture, as mold and mildew can begin to thrive in this kind of environment.

Do I need a subfloor over concrete?

While a subfloor is not necessary to add structural strength when you’ll be laying finish flooring on top of a concrete slab (as in a basement remodel), subflooring over concrete offers two other advantages: A subfloor will help insulate against a concrete floor that becomes overly cold in winter.

Can you tile directly on concrete basement floor?

A: It’s perfectly acceptable to put tile directly on concrete — with a couple of caveats. First, it is important to determine if there is moisture coming up from the slab. You can test for moisture by taping all four sides of 18-by-18-inch polyurethane plastic on the slab.

What is the best sealant for basement floors?

For preventatively sealing basement floors and foundation walls the best sealer to use is the Lithi-Tek 9500. The 9500 product is a hybrid densifying, impregnating sealer used to densify, harden and prevent water from penetrating the concrete.

How do you seal a basement concrete floor?

DO apply a masonry waterproofing product to bare interior basement walls. If your foil test showed that water is soaking through your basement walls and leaving them wet, seal the interior of the walls with a high-quality waterproof paint, such as DRYLOK White Extreme Waterproofer (available from Home Depot).

How can I make my concrete floor glossy?

There are a number of ways to do this, but using a glossy sealer can give your floor an attractive, polished appearance.

1. Clean the floor.
2. Select a sealer.
3. Mix the sealer thoroughly; an electric paint mixer is the best strategy, but you can mix by hand, as well.
4. Pour some sealer into a paint tray.

How do you finish an existing concrete floor?

How to refinish concrete floors

1. Prepare & Repair. Etch, grind, or shot blast the concrete surface to make it porous.
2. Clean & Prime. Mop and let the concrete slab thoroughly dry.
3. Mix Product.
4. Apply Overlay.
5. Add Patterns & Texture.
6. Cure & Seal.

How long will epoxy floor coating last?

Typically, epoxy flooring lasts 2 to 3 years in heavy traffic. Commercial properties—like garages, restaurants, or factory spaces—with lots of daily foot traffic can expect this experience.