Hardwood floors are beautiful and can give any space a refined appearance, which is why it’s such a popular choice with homeowners everywhere. With that said, is hardwood flooring a good idea in a basement?
You can install hardwood floors on your basement floor, as long as you install a moisture barrier. Then you have three methods to choose from three methods of keeping the new floors in place—clips, glue, and nails or screws.
You can choose any of these three methods. It all comes down to how much work you’re willing to do and which idea sounds best to you. Keep in mind that most basements are quite prone to water damage, so you cannot neglect the installation of a moisture barrier.
With that said, if you want your basement to look amazing rather than like a creepy or spooky place, nothing is stopping you from installing beautiful hardwood flooring.
Should You Put Hardwood on Basement Floor?
Hardwood floors are an undeniably nice-looking choice, especially if you’re looking to upgrade your basement. But just because it looks awesome doesn’t mean it’s necessarily a good idea, right?
There are no worrisome reasons why you shouldn’t put hardwood on your basement floor. You’ll need to place a moisture barrier and ensure that your basement is protected against water damage, but other than that, there’s really no reason why your basement shouldn’t look nice with hardwood floors.
Of course, you need to ensure that the current flooring is level to avoid future problems with your new hardwood floor.
What Tools Do You Need to Put Hardwood on Basement Floor?
The tools you’ll need to install your hardwood floor will depend on the method of installation. If you’re going to glue the flooring in place, you’ll need glue, and if you go with nails or screws instead, you’ll need nails or screws.
There are a few basic tools that you will need to put hardwood flooring on your basement floor, such as a level, a tape measure, and good cleaning supplies.
What Preparations Do You Need to Put Hardwood on Basement Floor?
As is the case with most projects, you’ll need to take a few precautions that will ensure that your new floors look as good as possible and there won’t be issues further down the line.
You will have to inspect your current basement flooring, which is likely cement, to make sure it’s in a good condition. Also, you must have a moisture barrier since concrete is very porous.
If you have a concrete basement floor and you don’t have a moisture barrier, you risk getting moisture problems. You don’t need a very fancy barrier; you can simply lay sheets of plastic on the cement and tape the seams with waterproof tape.
Keep in mind that the sheets should extend up the wall about two or three inches so you create a bowl so the wood stays dry and protected. If you want to add sound reduction to the room, consider adding an underlayment on top of your moisture barrier.
Copyright article owner is ReadyToDiy.com for this article. This post was first published on December 27, 2022.
Before placing the sheets, make sure the floor is clean and there is no debris. It’s also a good idea to let the hardwood flooring acclimate to the room where it will be installed. Leave the flooring in the room for at least 24 hours to adjust to the humidity and temperatures to avoid warping after installation.
How to Put Hardwood on Basement Floor
Once you’ve completed the necessary preparations, cleaned the cement floor, and prepared the new flooring you want to install, it’s time to start with the actual installation.
There are three methods of installation you can choose from when it comes to putting hardwood on basement flooring. You can use nails or screws, glue, or clips. Each method has its own appeal and it depends on your preference for which one you choose.
Here’s a look at how each method of installation will go:
Nails or Screws
This is not really a recommended method because you will have to drill holes into your wood flooring as well as the cement. You will have to use a heavy hammer drill and a bit in the size of the screws or nails you’ll use.
Glue
Using glue is going to be rather messy, but it’s a bit better than the nails or screws method because you won’t be damaging the wood or the cement as badly. You’ll simply have to apply the glue to the cement and place the new flooring quickly before the glue sets.
You will have to leave the flooring and glue to set for at least a day before using the room.
Note that you need to apply a layer of moisture barrier in the form of enamel paint, since you won’t be using plastic sheets for protection against moisture.
Clips
This is considered the easiest way to install hardwood flooring in the basement. You’ll need to have flooring that clips together, such as click-together hardwood flooring. These planks look just like normal hardwood floors but are easier to install.
Basically, you will simply install the flooring according to the manufacturer’s instructions, which will be pretty simple. There will be no need to drill holes or apply glue and work fast.
These three methods are the most common ways that you can install hardwood flooring in your basement. Although using click-together flooring is the best and easiest idea, you can opt to use glue or nails/screws if that’s what you want.
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ReadyToDIY is the owner of this article. This post was published on December 27, 2022.