How To Prep Your Basement Floor for Remodeling Purposes

More often than not, your basement floors are just cement. Sometimes builders or previous owners painted or stained the floors and this might need to be removed. There is no guarantee of what state your floors are in, but there are some tips to get you started with prepping it for basement remodeling.

Chemicals

The chemicals used to remove paint from the floors create dangerous fumes. These chemicals also have the potential to damage your skin, so think twice about doing this job yourself. It’s a much better idea to hire professionals, especially if the place is not well-ventilated.

Floor Sander

Sanding the paint off the floor is a time-consuming job. It also generates a lot of dust, which is dangerous to inhale. If you decide to venture into the basement while contractors are working, be sure to cover your nose and mouth. Also, wear safety goggles and earplugs. This part of the basement remodeling process is loud and will sound even louder because cement and concrete magnify sounds.

Rubberized Concrete

Once you get the floors cleaned up, you may begin to notice imperfections you thought were just in the paint job. The most common are cracks in the cement. You can use rubberized concrete to fix these gaps. Failure to do so could cause water to seep in whenever the earth gets saturated with water after heavy rainfall.

Tests

Before you decide on the floor treatment you want, it’s a good idea to run a few tests. Try a few different stains, wood types or carpets on the floor. Also, consider the final effect you want to create. Basements tend to echo noises overhead, so consider carpets and rugs over tile and hardwood floors to help deaden the sounds.

Basement remodeling requires some elbow grease and good knowledge about how to renovate without damaging the foundation of your home. This is why working with experienced professionals is important. Always ensure that they are bonded, licensed and insured.