Home Improvement with Floors and Concrete

If you’re looking to improve the value of your home, consider upgrading your basement floor. Most homes are built on a concrete slab, and the basement tends to be an unfinished storage area; Concrete construction is economical, durable and effective. Unfortunately, it is also gray and ugly in its standard state.

First, consider laying down tile or linoleum. Carpet is not recommended for a basement refinishing job, as basements tend to collect water due to inadequate drainage and soil visibility around the home. This can ruin a rug or rug pad quickly and provide a home for mold colonies, triggering allergies and toxic gas emissions. Throwing rugs on the floor can be a good option, but decorate the floor with something that won’t suffer when moisture enters.

Good tiling patterns can be used to create the optical illusion of more space, by using geometric patterns that run diagonally across the room. The eye follows the diagonal lines and the room appears larger; Similarly, light-colored walls can make your basement finish look more airy and open, even if you don’t have a lot of windows or natural light, and will certainly enhance the appearance of cinder block walls.

A more interesting floor option is acid treatment or acid staining. Using a dilute mixture of acid, water, metal salts, and other materials, you can apply a wash; the acid serves as an emulsifier to put the metal salts in solution with hydrated lime; this results in a permanent, insoluble stain on the concrete that seeps into the pores of the concrete surface. These chemical stains come in three basic color groups: black, brown, and blue-green, usually with a rich earthy undertone. They are applied with a mop, like a floor polish. By varying the application, you can create swirling patterns, like swirls of cream in coffee.

You can also make regular lines on your floor by laying down masking tape of different widths before applying the stain. Lift them up when the stain dries and you will have lines of the original color of the concrete cutting through the colored surface. Because you’re placing this directly, you can adjust the geometry in ways you couldn’t when tiling. After laying down the stain, you can also use stampers or rotating brushes to lay out paint patterns on the floor; you’re going to put two coats of sealer over everything, so the paint is protected in the process. With the right materials, you can get “blonde” accents across a deep earth-toned floor, or design a pattern like dark green forest leaves on a black and brown background, and much more.

Both flooring options will allow you to easily improve the value of your home and make it more attractive.