Basement Floors
Basement Floor Coatings
A finished floor without carpet, laminate, or anything that’s ruined the first time water gets in.
Why people coat a basement instead of finishing it
Because water is a question of when, not if, and everything else you could put down there is a loss when it happens.
A coated concrete floor doesn’t absorb. A sump failure, a water heater letting go, a bad storm — you’re squeegeeing and drying, not tearing out and replacing.
It also handles the things basements actually get used for: gym equipment, a workbench, storage shelving, kids, dogs.
Up front
The moisture conversation
A basement floor sits directly on soil. Water vapor moves up through concrete constantly — it’s normal, and most of the time it’s not a problem.
But if the rate is high enough, it will push a coating off the floor. Not immediately. Usually a year or two in, in patches, and by then whoever installed it is hard to reach.
So we test to ASTM F2170 and F1869 before we quote a system. If your floor is moving significant vapor, that doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t have a coated floor — it means you need a system built for it, and you should know that before you pay for one that isn’t.
If someone quotes your basement without testing it, that’s the thing to ask about.
Wondering whether yours is dry enough?
We measure the moisture before we quote, not after. If the numbers say the floor isn’t ready, we’ll say so rather than sell you a floor that will fail.
Request a free estimate or call 515-842-8402
Finish options
Same systems as a garage — full flake, partial flake, solid color, metallic — with two differences worth knowing:
- No sun to worry about. Basements don’t get direct light, which opens up options that would yellow upstairs.
- Lighter colors do more work down here. Basements are dim. A light floor makes a bigger difference than it does in a garage.
This is a winter job
Basements are heated and interior, so the temperature limits that shut down unheated garage work from November through March don’t apply.
If you’re thinking about a basement floor, winter is genuinely a good time to do it — and it’s when scheduling is easiest.
Questions
Do I need to move everything out?
Yes, the area being coated has to be completely clear. We’ll walk through what that means for your space.
What about the smell?
There’s odor during install. Modern systems are far better than what epoxy used to be, and we ventilate. We’ll tell you what to expect and for how long — including whether you’ll want to be out of the house for a stretch.
Will it be cold to walk on?
It’s concrete — it’ll feel like concrete. A coating doesn’t change that. If warmth underfoot matters, that’s a different conversation about what goes on top.
My basement has a floor drain and some cracks. Problem?
No. Drains get detailed around. Cracks get repaired. Both are normal.