I have an old great house with a huge basement. No wonder, that one day I considered the possibility to make a living zone there. I decided to arrange a gym in my basement. Nevertheless, you may have other ideas, on how to use the basement. You may create an extra bedroom there, a study or a room for entertainment. In any case, you may consider putting a carpet on the concrete floor of a basement.
Usually, homeowners put the carpet on the concrete basement floor. That’s because carpets and rugs create a warm homelike ambiance in the house. Besides, the carpet on the floor reduces the noise and it is nice to step barefoot on it. But it is possible only in case your basement is moisture-proof. Read further to know other pros and cons of putting the carpet in the basement.
Pros and Cons of Putting the Carpet in the Basement
The basement is one of the most utilitarian spaces in your house. I know many people, who never pay attention to their basements and simply use these areas to store old things there. To my opinion, you shouldn’t underrate your basement. It needs your care just like any other room in your house. You should think over its décor just as you do for your bedrooms, kitchens, and living rooms. Putting the carpet on the basement floor is one of the ways to decorate it.
Nevertheless, I know that some of my readers have lots of arguments against it. The main argument is the high moisture level, which often exists in the basements. It may lead to the appearance of mold and mildew on the carpet fiber. As a result, it may cause allergies and other health issues.
So, let’s consider in detail all pros and cons of having a carpeted floor in the basement.
Basement Carpet Advantages
Pro 1: The carpet in the basement adds some coziness
The basement is not the coziest place in your house. This room usually lacks light. It is quite cold. And very often it has a concrete floor. I must say such a premise isn’t warm and comfortable. That’s why it is necessary to put the warm bright carpet on the floor. It will add warmth and coziness to this space. Besides, it can serve as a touch of a bright mood.
Pro 2: The carpet in the basement reduces the noise
I don’t know, what you are going to arrange in your basement. But if it is a gym or an entertainment room, a lot of noise will be there. You may watch TV, play computer games or – who knows? – you may play musical instruments there. With the carpet on the basement floor, you can be sure, that neither your home inhabitants nor neighbors will hear you.
Pro 3: The carpet in the basement serves as the great heat isolation
Probably, you have some heating in your basement. Nevertheless, this premise is usually colder than other rooms in your house. You can save the warmth in the basement, by having put the carpet on the concrete floor. The carpet is a well-known heat-isolator. It is the best choice to make the air temperature in the room several degrees warmer.
Pro 4: The carpet on the basement floor prevents trauma
The basements usually have concrete flooring. No need to say, that it is quite dangerous to fall on such a hard and cold floor. It may cause serious trauma. That’s especially important if you arrange in your basement a gym, an entertainment room, or a play zone for your kids. In this case, I recommend you put the carpet on the basement floor. Thus, it will be softer and nobody gets any injury if he falls on a carpeted floor.
Pro 5: The carpet in the basement can serve as a great design solution, combined with the furniture
As for me, it is important to create a comfortable beautiful space in any corner of my house. Arranging the gym (or any other room) in my basement I want to make it elegant for me to stay in pleasure there. That’s why I want to add some design ideas to decorating this space. I’ve told you numerous times that carpet is that small thing, which plays a big role in home décor. The carpet keeps the whole room décor together, serving as the base. Carpets can be of different colors and structures, thus giving you the creative freedom in designing the space in your basement.
Basement Carpet Disadvantages
Nothing is perfect, even the carpet on your floor. I know that many of my readers can’t accept the idea of carpeting the floor in the basement. They have lots of arguments against it. I am ready to speak about them now.
Pro 1: The carpet in the basement will be wet all the time
Some home designers, like Julie Khuu, name the carpet flooring in utilitarian spaces (laundry rooms or basements) a common design mistake. The main argument, they give, is the high moisture level in the basement. Very often the water pipes run in the basement, which increases the moisture level in this premise. Besides, the basement is the space, which lies underground. There’s no sunlight in this room. That’s why a cool wet atmosphere prevails here most time of the year.
Pro 2: In case of a leak you’ll need to replace the carpet in the basement
It is an important disadvantage of the carpet floor in the basement. As I’ve mentioned above, the water or heating pipes often run in the basements. Sometimes they start leaking. This can make your carpet wet extremely fast. As a result, mold and mildew will appear immediately. So, in case of leaking you have to clean and dry out the carpet properly. That means you should take it out of the basement and wash it somewhere else.
Pro 3: The carpet in the basement should be replaced more often than in the other rooms
Even if you maintain the carpet extremely carefully, the cold and wet atmosphere in the basement ruins it fast. You should be ready to replace the carpet there every 4-6 years. In comparison with other premises, the period of its surface is 2-3 times shorter.
As you can see, there are more pros to putting the carpet on the basement floor than cons. If you are prone to lay the carpet on the concrete floor in that utilization room, I advise you to read further. Thus you’ll know what type of carpet to choose for the basement floor.
What Type of Carpet Is the Best for Basements?
After I decided to put the carpet on the concrete floor in my basement, I met another problem. I didn’t know what qualities the best carpet for the basement should have. After that, I studied lots of posts and articles, and now I want to share with you, what I’ve discovered.
The best carpet for basements should be:
Low-piled
I know that plush high piled carpets may look extremely beautiful, but never put them on the basement floor. The high-piled fluffy carpets are hard to clean. Besides, they absorb moisture faster but get dry slower. I recommend getting a low-pile carpet into the basement.
Made of artificial material
I like wool and cotton carpets, but they are not suitable for the basement floor. The carpets, made of natural materials, are less resistant to moisture than the ones, made of polyester, olefin, or nylon.
With rubber padding
If you are looking for a carpet in the basement, then choose among the items with rubber padding. First of all, the carpet for the basement always should have thick padding. Thus it won’t slide on the concrete floor and will make the traffic area softer. Then, the padding should be made of rubber, or at least contain some percentage of rubber. In this case, it will be more moisture resistant.
Not expensive
I’ve already told you, that the carpet in the basement will never serve you for ages. Even if you get the best steam cleaning machine, carpet powder, and carpet rake to maintain it, it will lose its perfect look quite fast. Be ready to replace the carpet every 4-6 years. So, get not expensive one to replace it with a light heart.
Easy to take out of the basement
I used to tell that sometimes in the basement a leak can happen. In this case, you should get your carpet completely dry to avoid mold. If you install your carpet too firmly, using glue or tacks, it will be really hard to get the carpet out of the basement and dry it away in a sunny place. That’s why I advise you to put a carpet, which you can easy to take out of the basement in case it gets wet.
Conclusion
There are lots of pros and cons of putting the carpet on the basement floor. I’ve provided you with all of them. But the only person, who can make the final decision, is you.
As for me, I like soft carpets under my feet, so I put one of them in the basement, too. You may follow my example and do the same. Or you may refuse and choose another type of flooring for your basement. But in any case, give your basement that portion of attention it deserves and create a cozy place in that area too. As your home is the best place in the world!