Choosing flooring is one of the most important choices you need to make when remodeling your basement. Beyond the traditional choices such as vinyl and wood, there are many unique flooring choices you may decide to use for part or all of your basement.
The Penny Floor
Flooring created using pennies is one of the most unique flooring choices around. Several commercial interior designers have used penny floors for restrooms. Sometimes the pennies are glued to a surface, and other times tiles are actually created with them. The best part about penny flooring is that the majority of the cost literally costs you pennies. It does take quite a few pennies, especially in a basement, but it’s a good way to ensure that it’s cash well spent.
Paper Bag Flooring
Spread paper bags on floor and seal to create a shiny surface. Every 10 square feet or so costs under $100 in supplies and is a fun do-it-yourself project you can even do with your kids! All you really need is a roll of brown paper, a bunch of glue, oil-based stains, and sealer. On a concrete floor such as in a basement, you’ll probably need a pole sander, too. While it’s a very time consuming project, the result is something unique that you and your family can be proud of and enjoy for years to come.
Bottle Cap Floor
One DIY basement flooring option is to use old bottle caps! In this case, you use the caps like mosaic tiles, allowing for a nearly infinite variety of patterns and colors limited only by the bottle caps you find. Just make sure that all of the bottle caps are the same height. You will also need to fill in the backs so that they don’t collapse. After that, you can arrange them, then grout and clear coat them like you would many other flooring options. It’s well worth the time and effort to create such a unique colorful and fun floor!
Wine Cork Floor
Cork flooring has become a popular choice for many rooms in the home. But there’s another kind of cork flooring that will cost far less. Many restaurants will actually give you their used wine corks for free, since otherwise they will just be discarded anyway. They will even collect them just for you if you ask. You can use the wine corks like mosaics much like with the bottle caps and they create tiles similar to the penny flooring mentioned earlier. Wine cork flooring is both environmentally friendly and unique. It’s especially appropriate for a basement complete with a bar! This resilient and naturally water resistant flooring will stand the test of time.
Recycled Leather Belt Flooring
One recycled flooring product that you may never have thought of is leather belts! A London company called TING creates luxury leather flooring from vintage leather belts available in tiles by the square foot! There are also larger tiles available in an 18 x 18 inch size. It can also be used on walls and tabletops. The surface is durable and glossy and is especially good for basements. It may need to be resealed on a fairly frequent basis, like with many luxury flooring materials, but the look and feel is probably well worth it.