When moisture penetrates your waterproofing and enters your basement, it can damage organic flooring, breed mold, and cause harmful airborne contaminants. There are several options for replacing the flooring once it becomes damaged by water, these options will save you over time.

The first option for replacing a damp basement floor is inorganic carpet tiles. Since mold eats organic materials, you must choose carpet tiles that aren’t organic. Options exist that can be removed for cleaning easily and make a great vapor barrier and insulator.

The next option is to use vinyl. When choosing a type of vinyl to install, make sure that you choose one specifically designed for basement floors. Most basement floor vinyl options even make a good vapor barrier and provide insulation.

One of the best ways to prevent water damage to your flooring is to install a false floor. This sounds like a daunting task, but isn’t terribly difficult. If you have high ceilings in your basement, this is a perfect option for you. First, you lay 1 1/2″ to 2″ extruded polystyrene foam directly onto the basement floor. Polystyrene doesn’t rot and insulates your basement, as well as providing a barrier for organic materials from moisture. Next, apply 5/8″ plywood on top of the polystyrene, then screw through the plywood and polystyrene directly into the concrete using fasteners which are specifically designed for that purpose. Finally, finish the job with what floor covering you want to put down.