I'm about to undertake another basement remodel. With our first, we simply stained the concrete floor. We really liked the look of it. However, it still would bring in moisture at times.
This time, I'm considering tile. Would adding tile in any way help reduce the potential of moisture migrating through the floor? Or should I just assume that grout won't be any type of blocker anyways.
What if I painted the floor with a product like Redgard first? Overkill?
I may also go with vinyl plank flooring…which I assume WOULD act as a barrier.
Best Answer
Depending on your location, basements will emit moisture in some degree or another. The concrete floor may appear dry, but moisture does pass through it and into the room. A tile floor probably wouldn't prevent moisture from reaching the room due to the grout joints. I've heard about heavy duty concrete sealers, but that would prevent bonding of the thinset when its time to tile. I've had very good success installing treated sleepers on top of plastic covered by plywood.