I have a client who want to finish their basement but wants to retain easy under-floor access. I told them I would try to dig up a decent looking product for them.
Anyone have any experience with this type of thing? Any advice on what to potential problems to look for?
Jon Blakemore
Replies
Why do they require access under the floor?
just curious
They think the slab cracking might get worse so it needs to be accessible.I'm thinking I'll tell them to go with carpet and pull it up if needed.
Jon Blakemore
as soon as you said slab cracking, carpet came to mind, nothing else is going to roll out of the way so easily.
and if they're fixing cc they're going to want to remove all of it anyway, not just a little section at a time like one of the raised floor systems would allow.
Well there are the systems used for computer room floors.
Kind of expensive, but I you might be able to find used ones cheap.
But then you need to build support frames. And you will lose a lot of head room. Might also cause problems with stairs.
But why kind of finished floor are they looking at.
And how "easy" to need access?
Is that quick that he need to be able to hid their stash when the police knock on the door?
Does it need to be big enough for a body to fit through?
A carpet can be taken up and put back down with out a ton of work.
Jon, a couple of people have asked me about floating, laminate or vinyl flooring materials. I've never installed any yet but there are several that 'click' together with no glue and no nail-down needed. The only thing holding them down is gravity and maybe the baseboard. I would look into these and see if they 'unclick' if you want to remove them. Carpet is also a very easy way to do it.
Jeff Buck posted some photos of a floor he installed, possibly laminate, I can't recall.
I have an Alloc laminate floor in my basement - it's snap-together with an aluminum locking flange, and they claim that you can take it up and put it down as many time as you want. Based on the design, I'd guess you could get at least 10 times before the panels got gummed up.
To do so, however, you're going to have to pull off the base trim to get at the panels, and then pull each panel out. It's possible, but it would be a fair amount of work to do so.
Commercial carpet squares. They have a rubber back so are more suited for use against concrete.
Another vote for modular carpet tiles. They are usually stuck down with a low-tack adhesive, and can be easily removed. Check with a large carpet supplier ... sometimes thay have used tiles. I have a friend who got a large quantity when the local airport redid one of the terminal buildings. He was able to pick through and keep the best ones, and they look good in his shop.
I'm sorry, I thought you wanted it done the right way.