Basement Flooring

[Captain_Morgan]

Originally Posted by RF71

What about heated tiles on the concrete floor? Anything to worry about with water and whatnot from the concrete?

A heated floor would be over kill, if you had a heated basement floor you'd find out your basement would get too hot.

What most people don't know is your basement is always the same temperature, cause the ground once you get down so far is always the same temperature.

[mtngirl]

I just met someone who does stained concrete and makes it look like anything but concrete ... I am considering this as a cheaper way to do my basement floor and then just throw down some rugs... I think the obvious problem will be that it will still be cold on the floor this way, but I guess it all depends how much the basement is used and what it is used for!

Anyone else stain the floor of their basement? I'm considering it because my budget is going into my living room this year but I want to do something to the basement.

[Orlando]

Cheap way to go would be laminate flooring. Vapor barrier ,pad then laminate
Some laminates have the pad and vapor barrier already on the back of the flooring.
I have been in the flooring trade for over 30 years and never heard of putting plastic down under carpet.
If you have that much water you have other problems that need addressed
No flooring should be put over damp concrete floors.
If basement is dry it will still have a very small amount of moisture which would dissapate through the carpet and into the room.
To be 100% sure you should do a moisture test first. There are kits available or a cheap way is cut a 12 inch piece of plastic tape it down to the concrete floor (around the edges) do this in several places in the room. Let set for severla days, pull the plastic. If there is moisture it will leave a dark spot on the concrete the size of the plastic.
If you basements occasionally floods all bets are off

[Orlando]

Heat mats under ceramic or laminates will not heat the room. All they do is warm the floor so they are warm to walk on