when remodeling a basement, would you use carpet or hardwood?

Because basements can sometimes get damp, i don't know if carpet is a good idea. But also for the same reason, would the wood shift if it became damp? What do you think works best both for practicality and also for future re-sale?

Public Comments

1. Your best bet is to use cork placement mats. It is more durable and less costly.
2. Look into having the concrete slab etched with a pattern, colored and sealed.
3. Hard wood would be pretty cold. there is that artificial wood that interlocks. it pretty easy to install yourself. Carpet would be nice if you don't have a problem with too much moisture. you could try that cork flooring it's beginning to be more popular.
4. When you say basement, I'm assuming concrete floor. So, with that in mind, you'd have to have an engineered (floating) hardwood. Those come with moisture barrier sheets that are laid under the planks when you install the floor. I'd never remodel with carpet no matter where the location, because I hate carpet. Hard surface is easier to keep clean and doesn't harbor allergens.
5. Neither. If there's a chance your basement will still be damp, stain the concrete whatever color you would like and get removable rugs for it...then if it gets damp, you can pick up the rugs and everything will be OK.
6. I wouldn't put carpet in as carpet will hold in moisture, which will cause mold and higher humidity. We redid our basement with laminate flooring. You put down vapor barrier, the underlayment(foam) then snap the floors together. You leave approx 1/4" gap all around the walls which will allow for expansion, your baseboards hides this little gap. If your basement is really damp, dry a dehumidifier as well, they work great. Hope this helps.
7. The best thing to do is to first check to see if you have an moisture in the basement. An easy way to do this is to get a 2'x2' piece of plastic and duct tape the edges on to the concrete floor. Leave it for 72 hours if you have no visible signs of moisture you can install almost any type of flooring. If you have moisture then I would either recommend sealing the basement or go with a vinyl tile that would look like wood. (they have some that look very real today). So that would be the safest choice. If you have no moisture problem you can install carpeting. I would recommend that it be made of synthetic product like nylon, polyester or olefin. Carpet is warmer & many people like that, however, it is not a feature item for resale, unless you install a branded product like CornCarpet or StainMaster recently. If you go with wood, I would recommend an engineered wood floor (like UA / Mirage) This can be installed by glued down or floating methods on concrete. These woods have a plywood construction of 5 to 7 layers. Small amounts of moisture can effect any wood but if you leave the expansion space and have no major flood your wood floor will last a long time. Also wood is always better for resale.