Paint or put vinyl tile on basement floor?

[skyking]

my neighbor used that floating stuff in long planks, looked like wood. It was easy to use according to him.

 

[z1ggy]

my neighbor used that floating stuff in long planks, looked like wood. It was easy to use according to him.

Right. It is easy to install.

This is my logic though behind perhaps holding off on any flooring, other than the Kilz + paint combo.

Firstly, the cheapest route is carpet. For my basement, I have been quoted at roughly $1500. Pergo, if I install myself would could roughly $2000 in materials and maybe take me 4-6hrs to install.

The main issue I have here is two fold.
1)I'm assuming Buyers want a floor down there. Yes, pergo or carpet looks nicer, but I can't assume they want anything. Somebody may want to use that space differently than I did or intended to. Heck, part of the basement I was actually going to place a 2nd bathroom in. It is the perfect location, right near all the plumbing, in a sectioned off part away from everything else.

2) Durability. This is a walk out basement. Carpet + walking in and out constantly covered in dirt/snow = wear. Carpet may actually be a turn off to somebody, even if I had a 5x5 space of non carpet for people to knock their shoes off. Also, as above stated, any water that gets down in the basement, or even just moisture, will be held in the fibers. Also, carpet is also harder to clean all around.

I'd rather do the minimal work and minimal expenses, and have Buyers tell me they want $$ off the price because a lack of flooring. There could be some indirect value though in showing the place, if it looks nicer down there. That's the only real thing that's motivating me to even have flooring in the first place.

 

[skyking]

anything short of a complete renovation will not get any money back, so that logic is good if you are selling that soon.

 

[z1ggy]

anything short of a complete renovation will not get any money back, so that logic is good if you are selling that soon.

I am. It's going on the market probably within the next 2-3 weeks.

It's already pretty much totally finished though. Drop ceiling, cabinetry, closet space, wood panel walls, and drywall ceiling and walls in another room.

The only issue is the floor. Yucky looking/smelly concrete. So far, I've washed the whole floor with a hydrogen peroxide mix, and then a TSP/ hot water mix. Stains still there though, so I'm going to TSP wash it again, and then probably dump a pet urine specific solution on it, cut with some water and let that soak in. Then, seal with Kilz.

 

[tsiunltdus]

I think by not putting carpet is a good choice. I'm just not sure how durable the paint will be but still a wise choice.

 

[tracerbullet]

I painted the floor of my last house, an unfinished basement in MN. Lasted pretty nicely for about the 10 years I lived there. It was paint that said it was for concrete (per the can). I just poured it out of the can a little at a time and had a roller on a broom handle. Then didn't walk on it for a couple days. It showed almost no wear even at the bottom of the stairs, which I went down pretty much daily.

Sounds though like carpet would be a good choice, aesthetics go a long ways, and just let them deal with cleaning it in any areas prone to getting dirty. Unless it's easy enough to throw down a real small amount of tile or linoleum in an area you are certain will be trashed?

 

[Scarpozzi]

Look for any mold or traces of moisture on the walls or floor.
Know that painting epoxy paints will not solve moisture problems.
Moisture that seeps into the ground next to the exterior walls of your home creates what's called hydrostatic pressure...it will wick through the walls if present...no matter what you do, unless you give it a path of least resistance before or after it reaches those walls.... (IE, French drain outside or French drain inside to a sump)

Just be aware of that if your house is not the highest point of surrounding land with slopes on all 4 sides and a good overhang on your roof.

 

[z1ggy]

I think I've decided I'm going to seal and paint.

While carpet does look nicer, it's totally subjective. I would hope not having carpet down there wouldn't break a deal. I keep forgetting to post pictures.. Ugh. But I will set a reminder to take some of how it sits now, and then I'll get the area sealed and painted this week and post more pictures.

 

[z1ggy]

Pcitures as promised. I just painted the room that has the grey-ish floor with the Kilz. Will be doing coat #2 tomorrow.

What do you think? Carpet or do a nice job sealing and painting?

 

[NoCreativity]

Unless you are seeing comps that show carpeted basements are selling for >= your asking + carpet cost just seal and paint. Pick a color that goes well with your cabinets/the wood in the basement and call it a day.

 

[z1ggy]

Unless you are seeing comps that show carpeted basements are selling for >= your asking + carpet cost just seal and paint. Pick a color that goes well with your cabinets/the wood in the basement and call it a day.

I agree.

Not sure what color would go best. There's a nice acrylic paint meant for garage and basement floors called "Sure Step" that comes in either a Sandal Wood, or a light Grey color. I feel like the brown color would make the basement too dark and... Well brown. The grey might not look awesome, but it gives a little contrast at least.

I'll post a picture later today after coat #2 of the Kilz goes on the side room floor. So far I think it looks pretty good, it went on rather easy. Did not come off my hands easy though... -__- took a bunch of scrubs with Goo Off.

 

[z1ggy]

Okay sooooo I ended up just finally listing my house for sale. Cleaned the crap out of the floor, put down 2 coats of Kilz, and then 2 coats of Behr Basement & Garage 1 part Epoxy paint. Turned out really nice.

If any of you live in the South East CT area and are interested in buying my home, or have friends/family who could be, PM me. As a reminder, it's a 2 bed 1 bath, listed at about 1600sqft. Sitting on about 1/3 acre in a quite neighborhood. Asking $169,500.

 

[TheSlamma]

neither, stain it. anyone looking to do this in the future my friend and I did something like this in his (instead of browns my buddy's is more of a black since it's a theater space) but it looks awesome, it's easy for him to clean and it's not going to peel like paint will eventually.