Improving the look and feel of your basement can be time consuming. If part of this gentrification process involves putting down a carpet consider the following information wisely so as to avoid delaying your dream.
Ensure you have a waterproof basement, even the slightest quantities of water moisture are able to move through solid basement concrete. Dehumidifiers and ceiling fans are also able to reduce moisture through constant air movement. If you can, purchase a carpet with an antimicrobial padding built in to help keep it cleaner for longer. If you can, consult your local trusted builder to take a look at the foundations of your house. Ideally you would be able to get in contact with someone who was involved with the actual construction of your house. They can perform tests that indicate acceptable levels of moisture. Dampness can be tested in a number of ways involving sealing flat impregnable material to the basement floor for a short period of time – accumulation of water being the indicator of moderate or severe moisture. One simple example involves placing at least 1 m by 1 m of rubber matting or polyethylene sheeting on the ground, sealed with masking tape and left for at least 24 hours. Several spread out floor locations should be tested. The existence of moisture under the material after such a short time is an indicator of flooring installation being a bad idea due to too much moisture
When you are able to keep the damp and mould levels suitably low a great way to further reduce moisture is by installing dimpled polyethylene as a base layer. This acts to keep an air space between the concrete and finished floor, dampness being sealed off, with moisture able to dissipate. If you are confident your moisture levels are constantly very low, you can use a 6 mil layer of plastic instead of the dimpled polyethylene. On top of either of these vapour barrier layers, you can then lay down half an inch of plywood, carpet pad and then carpet. Talk to a building inspector to know the best building codes for your basement project. Remember to factor in the floor raise!
Carpet cleaning with the correct carpet cleaner will be required. You can employ professionals for a thorough job, or do it yourself with a carpet cleaning machine, or by creating a solutions to then remove stains/ clean the carpet. One such DIY option includes vinegar mixed with water being sprayed through an atomiser bottle, followed by towel scrubbing, around 10 minutes later.
Remember basements almost always involve some sort of renovation in the long-run, they are generally not ideal situations for carpets to be laid.
Tagged with: basement carpets • carpet cleaning
Filed under: Basement Remodleing
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