Basement Special Edition | Page 33

EXPERT ADVICE THE EXPERTS AT ELEGANT FLOORS SHARE TIPS FOR CHOOSING, INSTALLING AND PROTECTING YOUR BASEMENT FLOORS. Protect Your Flooring Install a quality subfloor system to reduce moisture. Choose an engineered hardwood, laminate or vinyl flooring option that can stand up to moisture and temperature changes. Use appropriate cleaning solutions as recommended by the manufacturer. Wood Flooring on Heated Floors Wood flooring can be installed on a heated floor. The best choice is engineered hardwood which is a denser product, making it a better thermal conductor than other, softer and less dense woods. Engi- neered hardwood also adapts well to changing floor temperatures and moisture content. Check with the flooring manufacturer prior to installation for information regarding maximum surface temperatures and other suitability details. Flooring Trends to Watch Your basement is an extension of your home so design trends in basements often follow the same design trends as the main floor of your home. This is great news with one of the hottest trends right now being lighter flooring in wider planks. This trendy flooring choice is perfect for the basement. Lighter colors help to brighten up the space and wide planks make a small basement feel larger! Tips and Photos provided by Elegant Building Materials. See page 13 for retailers in your area.