Inexpensive flooring

I've got 600 sq ft of flooring to do in my basement. The flooring will go over the dricore panels. The basement is dry.

I'll likely be moving in 5 years or so. I was thinking of using the $1.00/sq ft click-lock stuff from HD. Anybody have any experience using it, cutting it, putting it down, etc ? I know it's cheap, but it just might be what I need to get this project done and last for 5 years or so.

Thanks for your opinions.

Reply to
Jack
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I would make sure that the walls and floor are painted with a good vapor barrier paint, like a good 2 part epoxy on the floor and a foundation waterproofing on the walls, before putting anything down. While you may indeed have a "dry" basement, I doubt that it is not damp. These cheap floors will likely absorb much moisture and be ruined in 5 years. Personally, I would use inexpensive indoor-outdoor carpeting.

Reply to
Michael Dobony

Put a proper vapor barrier down or do not waste your time

Reply to
Jim

A much better bargain is the laminate from Lumber Liquidators (as low as

67¢/sq ft). With the money you save, buy a cheap (~$99) table saw. It will come in very handy for ripping the last row, as well as cutting one plank on each row to fit. Heck, even this $40 table saw should work:
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In this case, cheap does not equate to lack of durability. Modern laminate flooring is MUCH more durable than the most expensive carpet. I'm serious. They could make bullet-proof vests out of that stuff.

In addition to the table saw mentioned above, you'll need:

  • A rubber mallet
  • A regular hammer
  • Knee pads
  • A whacko-mobile, Z-shaped piece of steel
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    you have any door jambs to undercut, you can't go wrong with the Multifunction tool
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    If you have baseboards, remove them. This is a good excuse to sand them down, fill in the nicks, and re-paint them. Hint: Don't remove the existing nails - cut them off instead.

Putting down laminate flooring is (relatively) cheap, easy, and even some degree of fun. You and your son can easily do the 600' in a week-end.

Reply to
HeyBub

I guess, if you can stand the way it looks. Personally, I'd prefer bare concrete to plastic fake woodgrain. Or do they now make wood-top laminate rated for below-grade? Maybe I've only seen the cheap stuff, but I've never seen an installed laminate floor where low-angle light didn't make all the seams jump out and say hello. YMMV, of course.

-- aem sends...

Reply to
aemeijers

I've seen really cheap large ceramic tiles at Home Depot and Lowes (by large I mean 18" x 18". Less than $1/square foot for the tiles, then you'll need the cement and grout.

But Dricore says that it's ideal for carpet and laminate, so maybe you should stick with laminate. You can get laminate really cheap from Lumber Liquidators or Costco.

Reply to
SMS

You make a good point. My suggestion was an alternative to the OP's proposal to use HD-supplied laminate, not alternatives to laminate altogether. Still, though, cheap laminate looks better - and wears better - than stick-on tiles, indoor-outdoor carpeting, straw, or any of many other economical floor coverings.

You observation of pattern recognition in laminate floors can be overcome with judicious use of (rubber-backed) throw rugs.

Reply to
HeyBub

I would use indoor/outdoor carpet, as well. Nothing like it in terms of wear, fairly good appearance and low price. We have only about 8x10' of light taupe outside our front door, mainly because the old concrete under it is badly stained. Just two of us, but no sign of wear or dirty traffic pattern. Isn't even glued down. It is outdoors, but protected in open atrium. For five years, it would work for me in a basement. No worry about damage from flooding, dampness or leaks.

Reply to
norminn

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