For decades, basements were considered to be little more than storage rooms, largely unfinished concrete floors and walls, areas where old clothes, toys, tools, boxes of stuff and anything else that was not immediately wanted could be stored. Basement flooring was never even thought about, since no one ever spent much time there. So most basement flooring consisted of the original concrete slab and nothing else.

A few years ago people began to realize that they had a useful additional space that, with the application of some gyprock to the walls and ceiling, some paint and some form of basement flooring, could be transformed into an additional living room or rooms. The addition of furniture, perhaps a bar and/or a media center and you have a wonderful entertainment area. A self contained suite or additional family bedrooms are also options that come to mind.

There is an old saying: Clothes maketh the man. In the same vein,

décor maketh the house. And since there are, sometimes, no

windows in a basement for drapes and fashionable blinds, the flooring in the basement will be the basis upon which the whole area will be judged for its looks. You do not have to sacrifice style when choosing the floors for your basement because there is such a wide choice of floorings, materials, paints and prices available.

Types Of Basement Flooring

The basement can be remodeled like any other part of your home. It can be made to suit your style. You do not have to stick with any particular type of flooring for your basement; you have a number of choices.

1) Laminate flooring is most likely the choice that first comes

to mind for the basement. It is budget friendly and easy to install, even by a handyman. It is an easy care product, and aside from the general sweeping and mopping there is not much else to do. This may also offer some solace during get togethers or parties. The inevitable spills of cake or wine are simply wiped up without the hassles that a carpeted floor would cause.

2) Carpeting is another popular choice for your basement

flooring. It is possible to find low prices at many flooring

warehouses. There is, of course, more cleaning and maintenance

involved, but it adds a warmer, more friendly touch to the room. During colder months, you will not have to use so much heat to keep the room cozy and comfortable. Carpeting can be treated to resist dirt and stains but it is not foolproof.

3) Hardwood floors in a basement is not so far-fetched as one

may think and certainly not impossible. There are some concerns, of course, due to the moisture that comes up from concrete or the

possibility of flooding in some areas. If you choose to go for hardwood basement flooring, be sure that the flooring is properly installed over damp proofing and ask about what to do if the floor is damaged by flooding.

4) Concrete flooring can also be made into an attractive looking  alternative. Firstly, in most homes, it is there already so there is no initial outlay. It can be painted with special paints, it can be dyed with dyes that are made for the job and with professional help it can be made to look like marble or tiles for instance. When using concrete in this way it is a

good idea to use scatter rugs to help the area to stay warm.