Waterproof Basement Flooring

When it comes to waterproof flooring, two thoughts come to mind.

1. Will it become damaged if it gets wet?
2. Will it prevent water from seeping through, protecting my subfloor

Both of these questions are valid, and all of the products shown here can answer ''Yes!'' to question No. 1. Some can do the same for the second question.

Greatmats offers waterproof basement flooring made of several different non absorbent material, including:

1. Closed Cell Foam
2. Polypropylene Plastic
3. PVC Plastic
4. Rubber/Foam Blends
5. Vulcanized Rubber
6. and Vinyl

Waterproof basement tiles

With most of these options coming tile or plank form, its important to understand how each deals with water both above and below the flooring system.

Snap Together Tiles

Most modular click- or snap-together flooring will not become damaged by water or moisture, but cannot entirely prevent water from seeping through the flooring at its seems as the tiles are simply butted together and essentially clamped at the seams. For that reason, many of these tiles featured some form of raised base to prevent water from becoming trapped underneath the flooring. Some do this through the form of supportive pegs on the underside of the flooring while others have a specially engineered support system that allows for air flow and/or drainage.

A great example of this is the Max Tile Raised Floor tile. It is made of non-absorbent vinyl on top of a waterproof polypropylene raised base. The tiles are connected together using a hook and loop attachment the overlaps only very small portions of the tile edges. This makes for a simple, secure and tight connection, but if significant spilled or dumped over the seams, water will still be able to work its way between the tiles.

Fortunately, the raised base design allows plenty of room for airflow beneath the tile, allowing for the water to flow to floor drains when available or simple air dry. If there is too much water for air drying, the tiles are also designed for repeat installations without damage, so you can disassemble all or portions of your floor to allow more air flow and manually dry the floor yourself. This is especially helpful in times of basement flooding. Once the floor is dry, simply snap the tiles back into place.

Puzzle Tiles

Some basement floor tiles connect using puzzle style edges. While the interlocks are tight fitting, they still leave the possibility for water seepage to make it through at the seams. Most puzzle style tiles are either very low profile or padded with a closed cell EVA foam. In either case, they will not allow nearly as much, if any air flow, or drainage. However, they are even simpler to remove - even just a single tile in the middle of the floor - as nothing hooks together beneath the floor. These are great for basement floors with a couple of small moisture problem areas - maybe in a leaky corner of the room or next to a furnace, water heater or washing machine.

Overlapping Tiles

To prevent water from making it through the flooring to the subfloor, it is important that there is some sort of overlapping taking place when the tiles connect. There also should be no perforations in the surface of the tile to keep that watertight seal.

A perfect example of an waterproof basement tile with an overlapping connection system is the HiddenLock Slate floor tile. These PVC tiles maintain their squared edge look and prevent water from seeping through by creating a groove around the surface edges on which adjacent tiles can sit. Outside of that groove in a thinner ''flap'' with puzzle style tabs.

On the underside of the tiles, are lips to go into the grooves and molded cavities to match the puzzle edges for a perfect fit. This utilized two different styles of connectors to maximize its connection without the use of adhesives or locking tabs.

While very low profile, this tile is still slightly raised, using a waffle style support system.

Glue Down Tiles

Sometimes the best way to create a water tight floor is gluing down non-absorbent flooring with a waterproof adhesive that will keep a strong seal.

If you're looking for a permanent flooring solution with superior slip resistance and cushion for your basement, you'll definitely want to look into Life Floor foam/rubber blended tiles. These tiles maintain their water-tight installation through a special adhesive glue down method.

The thicker variety of these tiles offer ASTM fall height ratings for protection against series head injuries. Their incredible safety features have made them a popular solution for wet areas, including waterparks, splash pads and pool areas.

Not only do they add cushion for comfort over a hard basement floor, but they are also temperature stable, meaning you won't feel the cold associated with concrete if you stand on this flooring bare footed.

How thick is waterproof basement flooring?

Depending on what style of tile you choose, you will find you may have to pay attention to the thickness of the flooring to accommodate doors, cabinets, etc. Obviously raised flooring would be the most likely culprit for such a concern.

The thinnest waterproof basement flooring options available at Greatmats are 4.5 mm thick (around 3/16 inch). These fall into the PVC puzzle tile variety.

The thickest option is 20 mm thick (25/32 inch). This, too, is a puzzle style tile only it is made of a highly cushioned closed cell EVA foam. Greatmats does also offer thicker nonabsorbent EVA foam flooring for athletic use and play areas.

Can I install basement waterproof flooring myself

Yes. The vast majority of our basement flooring options are designed for DIY installation. The one exception may be our glue down tiles. While it is possible do to it yourself, many customer choose to have them professionally installed.