Using wall-to-wall carpeting is a common choice that people make during basement finishing projects. Unfortunately, when a flood or leak occurs, even after water has been removed and the area has been professionally cleaned, there is a slightly elevated threat of mold growth.
This one of the reasons some people consider installing ceramic tile flooring during basement remodeling projects in areas where flooding or leaks may be a problem. "The great thing about tile is that it’s very effective on top of a concrete basement floor," said Marc Holt, a representative of Galaxie Floor Store. "It’s a hard subsurface that is quite durable and is better at dealing with water compared to carpeting."
However, there are some ceramic tile flooring cons to consider as well.
Tile cracking can occur as the basement concrete underneath shrinks slowly and creates tension. You can think about it as something similar to what happens to the earth during earthquakes. The tension that is building eventually effects the tile, causing cracks to occur on the surface. If you've recently had fresh concrete poured, you may witness cracks within the first 30 days.
Similar to concrete, tile is dense and is quite strong when compressed. However, when there is enough tension, it will break (tile has 1/10 the strength of concrete).
Since tile is glued to the concrete using adhesive, the two become one, which makes the tile crack when the concrete cracks.
But there is some good news -- you can prevent your tiles from cracking. This can be done by first adding steel and fibers to the slab of concrete. This won't stop cracks in the concrete, but it can diminish the process.
According to Collins Tile and Stone, experts in kitchen remodeling and tiling, "it’s best to save some extra tiles during installation so that when cracks do form you can hire a tile repair company to quickly use leftovers to perfectly match with the rest of the floor."
Custom Integrated Designs, Ltd can help you make the right choice with the flooring in your remodeled basement. Contact us today to speak to an expert on basement finishing in Parker and throughout the Denver Metro area.