Advice for basement floor covering options

[Jerry Thomas]

I do remodeling jobs between my floor work. Most are finished rooms in basements. I am estimating one job now that the homeowners have had water about an inch deep because the sump pump burnt out.

Besides ceramic tile or just painting the slab is there an alternative floor covering that can withstand water if this happens again? VCT? Karndean? I don't know

It would need to be economical because a cheap ceramic tile is pushing their budget limit.

[hookknife]

sheet vinyl, that can be heat welded and coved?????
But then again the labor cost of that might put her back into the ceramic range???

[Daniel Wachtel]

Instead of looking for an alternative flooring you could be selling them a basement waterproofing system. There are some very evvective waterproofing systems out there.

[Floorguy]

Acid Staining the concrete, is what I always advise, even though that is a service I don't provide.

www.scofield.com

www.acidstain.com

[rusty baker]

There is a rechargable battery that will run a sump pump if the electric goes out.

[Jerry Thomas]

Acid Stain, thats a good idea. I will speak with them about the vinyl.

So VCT won't work. I don't know because I have never installed any. Will it stay down if it ever again got topical water?

Daniel, we have already went over all that. The sump pump is not there for water getting inside the basement. Outside the basement door is a floor drain, somehow the builder ran his drain lines where one of them dumps into this floor drain and I guess that floor drain is connected to the sump pump. I have never in my life seen anything like this on a house that is only about 10 years old, and don't know how that could pass code.

The basement itself is dry and they have never had any water problems. They are having a sump pump backup system installed now. That part I did recommend to them.

[Tandy Reeves]

You could also consider polished concrete. Makes a beautiful floor with very little up-keep. This floor is becoming more and more popular.

[hookknife]

Yea thats a goood idea lets work ourselves right out of business, NOT

[Chuck]

Daniel's response seems the most logical. It is what I thought when you posted it at the other place. If you expect a flood, floorcovering should not even be on the priority list for them.

[hookknife]

waterproof what ?????? if theres no floorcovering why water proof??????
Besides that these systems are made to be covered not as a wear surface, i would have to disagree with that one

[Jerry Thomas]

I have already went over all that with them Chuck. I don't advise finished rooms anytime you have an in-ground basement. Their mini- flood came from an outside drain source and the sump pump went out. The basement itself is as dry as any I have been in. I don't think with this new back-up system it will happen again. The people want rooms regardless of my advice.

Whats a man to do? I have advised no rooms, they want rooms. I am thinking about that epoxy paint by Rustoleum that you sprinkle those color chips onto the wet surface. I have done several garage floors and it looks really nice.

The husband wants to know about VCT. I have never fooled with it. My question is if the slab test dry will the VCT stand up to topical water or will it let go? I don't know the answer to that.

[Tandy Reeves]

If the basement floods and there is standing water for any length of time it will come apart like a $3.00 watch.

[Jerry Thomas]

I suspected that. Thank you!

Anyone fooled with that Rustoleum speckled epoxy paint? Are there different brands you might have used? Just curious.

[hookknife]

They do make a expoxy floor coating with aggregate in it, im sure it would survive, it made to be a wear surface

[Tileman]

http://www.techstone.ca/index2_e.html