What Are The Best Materials for Basement Flooring In Toronto?

What Are The Best Materials for Basement Flooring In Toronto?

Are you upgrading a basement in the Toronto area? It’s a sound investment and a great way to add extra space to your home.

But what flooring option should you choose? It is hard to deny the love Toronto homeowners have for wood flooring – its beauty and charm are unquestionable – but is it the right choice for your basement?

Solid hardwood floors are not always the best solution for below-grade installations, such as your basement. When planning to remodel this space, it is important to select materials that can withstand any possible humidity and temperature difference. As basements tend to be cooler than your other floors.

So, let’s have a look at some suitable basement flooring options.

Top Basement Flooring for Your Toronto Home

Expanding your basement into a liveable space is a great way to make the most of your home. Indeed, basements can serve as an extra guest room or even a spare bedroom or home office. If your dream basement includes wood flooring in Toronto, here are some great alternatives.

Vinyl Flooring

The best part about vinyl flooring is that it is completely waterproof. Keep in mind that the walls and floors of your basement may experience water and high humidity from water heaters or furnaces.

Since basement flooring needs to be durable against prolonged moisture exposure, vinyl floors make sense. Additionally, vinyl flooring is very durable and affordable.

Vinyl imitates wood flooring impeccably. So, if you are looking for a hardwood lookalike, choose vinyl flooring.

Engineered Hardwood Flooring

Real hardwood flooring does not work well in the high humidity that basements can experience. But engineered hardwood is a different story. Designed to last, engineered wood flooring is quite stable and holds up well when exposed to moisture.

In addition to offering the feel of real hardwood, this flooring option offers excellent sound absorption and is temperature resistant.

For below-grade installations, it is best to get them done professionally for the best results. Choose engineered hardwood for your basement flooring if you really want wood flooring without breaking the bank.

Cork Flooring

If you are looking to make your basement into a liveable space, consider cork flooring. This natural organic product is soft underfoot and provides good insulation – qualities which are perfect for cold Canadian winters.

While cork flooring is a good option for your basement, it requires a complete subfloor before it is installed. That is why it is recommended that you hire a professional installer to lay down cork flooring.

Laminate Flooring

Thanks to improved image layer graphics and a thicker surface for deeper embossing, laminate flooring is better than ever. Even though it does not have a real wood veneer like engineered hardwood, it does offer the same look and feel.

If your basement has a raised subfloor and moisture is not a problem, then laminate flooring can be installed directly on the concrete slab with a layer of foam underlayment. Laminate flooring also offers good insulation and fair sound absorption.

 

Pro Tip: Installing a subfloor layer will help prevent moisture leakage and improve your basement’s insulation.

 

Upgrading your basement is a great way to expand the liveable space within your home and improve its functionality. To that end, picking the right basement flooring requires some thought, especially when you have so many options. It is best to consult a flooring expert with experience in the field who can help you choose the best material. Before picking any basement flooring, always consider your needs and budget, and make sure you understand the flooring you plan to install.