Basement Flooring Solutions for a Dirt Floor

Basement flooring is an important, functional aspect of your home. When considering alternatives to dirt flooring, the solution that will work best will be based on the space you are working with, its design, and its purpose. A sloped, level, crawl-space, or a space that you wish to finish will all have different requirements.

Flooring Can Provide a Vapor Barrier

A vapor barrier can resolve moisture issues without the cost and hassle of a complete renovation. Moisture can deteriorate the foundation of your home and lead to mold, mildew, insects, and other hazards that affect the health of not only the building, but also your family. When you realize you have a moisture problem and you can’t do a full renovation, the first thing you should do is install basement flooring that will serve to provide a vapor barrier, or sufficient drainage to prevent the buildup of moisture, in order to resolve this dangerous problem.

Add Drainage to Prevent Water Buildup

Drainage is the first step to preventing buildup of moisture in your basement. Have a drain installed to run water outside of your home and away from your foundation. This can also help prevent or mitigate basement flooding.

Consider Concrete

Concrete flooring is the best option to create usable space for finishing the basement. Because foundations shift over time, it's necessary to put down several inches of sand beneath the floor to prevent cracking which can destroy the flooring you've worked so hard to create. Make sure that all of the plumbing and drain lines are created prior to pouring the concrete. Once the floor is completed, it will provide an effective flooring solution with adequate drainage to prevent the buildup of moisture, and withstand the test of time.

Rammed Earth Flooring

This flooring consists of several different materials mixed together and compacted to create a usable surface. Rammed earth flooring's main ingredient is as the name suggests: dirt. This dirt is mixed with lime, sand, bamboo, straw, clay, or any other number of natural materials. The combination is designed to work, when paired with stabilizers and oxidizers, to keep the floor in good shape for many years to come. Rammed earth floors are moisture and insect resistant, easy to clean, and have excellent thermal properties, insulating against external temperature changes to provide a temperate indoor base for your home. These floors are a great option for the sustainable building or DIY-er.

Keep It to Code

Please be sure that, whichever option you choose, it is installed in a way that complies with your local building codes. Building codes vary by locality, and it can be costly to modify or remove flooring that violates the codes of your jurisdiction.