Inexpensive sub-floor?

I have a concrete slab flooring. In one room, i plan on doing carpet (home theater) and the others, i was thinking of some manufactured wood floor or something.

Is there an inexpensive subfloor that qualifies for basements? Seems like most places charge 31.00 or so for a 4x8 treated wood flooring.

Are those "DriCore" 2x2 squares worth the 4-5.00 a piece for putting carpet on? how long do they last? it seems with the plastic stuff on the bottom that eventually you could have an akward floating floor.

Don't have a water problem or anything like that, just looking for something that can feel warmer in the room and put carpet on as well as other floorings.

Thanks!

 

Byron,

If the basement is dry, a good pad and carpeting is ideal. No need for anything else unless you want to spend the bucks!

Good Luck!

 

I have the DriCore its great !!! it works to 1.25 sq ft I did about 700 sq. Basement floors are always cold and damp. Even with the best pad, it will in time get damp as well and trap smell and give you that "basement smell" and playing on carpeted concrete is still a hard surface. The DriCore gives you an additional R5 insulation factor before pad and capet and creates a air space and a vapor barrier to eliminate transference to the carpet. Think about your walls you set them an inch off the wall or so to give you an air space for the purpose of mosture as air can hold more than insulation and if you ever have a small flood your carpet won't be toast, just drill a few 2' holes and stick in your shop vac.

The floor floats but it is not wobbley as its tounge and grove and becomes one floor, I was fortunate to have a very level floor also when you lay your pad and carpet on top, this will silence any little movement. They also sell levling kits if your floor is bad.

My biggest reccomendation is get information from these forums and the manufactures. The manufactures while they do want to sell thier product do give good information. I was on the line with the DriCore folks fo 1/2 hour +


Good Luck

 

ERIKGENE,

Good info!

However, if the basement humidity level is kept constant, and if the basement is dry - walls and floor, your statement of

"Even with the best pad, it will in time get damp as well and trap smell and give you that "basement smell" and playing on carpeted concrete is still a hard surface."

would be an overstatement.

I will agree that if there are any problems, the statement given would be true. I have seen carpet in basements that are 10 - 25 years old, like my folks and no smell, no problem and it is warm to walk on. With the pad I suggested, it has maintained its comfortable feel when in stocking feet. True, I am not saying fall down and see what happens but it has worked extremely well.

Dricore was designed for those with "minor" moisture problems as this is why it is such a good product in those cases. The need for a dehumidifier is still required to keep the humidity level down as even with Dricore, you will get problems if there are no means to provide proper humidity levels.

Thanks for the feedback!

 

Thanks for the info! I have no basement smell other then cats running down there and leaving me some treats every now and then

Only one room in the basement will have carpet and it will be extremely low-pile somewhat office grade carpet (high traffic carpet that you see in movie theaters hehe), the others i will most likely tile. I want the basement to be usefull as extra rooms in the house, but still have utility purpose so i can go down there and work on my mountain bikes, do some arts/crafts and let the kids have fun without fear of expensive damages!

I'm on a really nice slab, that is fairly level (other than the slope towards the sump system) so i don't need a sub-floor to protect me from un-usable flooring. Just looking for something to make it feel warmer. I'm pretty sure though once the rooms are insulated and i have the heat/ac system working downstairs it will feel more comfortable.