When trying to find the right flooring basement floors can be like a mine field. Because of moisture concerns many people just give up and leave it bare or put tile right over the concrete surface. And this doesn't solve the flooring issue because the floor is still moist.
In almost any house the basement is actually a bonus space. Even if the drainage is not that good outside there are still options for finishing the area and putting in a floor.
The first is framing the floor with pressure-treated studs. Because you are putting a floor on the studs the off-gassing will not be a problem and the studs won't rot. Now you can put plywood or oriented strand board on the frame.
The next and most exciting idea is a 2' x 2' square of oriented strand board with a waffled plastic bottom glued onto it. The plastic surface goes right on the concrete and the wood composite top is ready to put anything from carpet to hardwood. Yes, I said hardwood because the moisture problem is gone.
The squares have tongue-and-groove edges which are glued together for a tight fit. The surface is as smooth as a single sheet of plywood while the channeled bottom allows air through to evaporate moisture and prevent its build-up.
These squares are about $7 each which amounts to less than $2 a square foot. That's not bad for that kind of protection.
Now you can finish off you basement.
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