A Classic Fix For Classic Homes
“Home that are 70 years and older have character, style, history and, sometimes, basements that are tough to use as you might in a newer home”, says Marty Szekeres of Nature Stone of Wisconsin.
“Older homes often have damp basements with occasional leaks in heavy moisture periods and need flooring that is impervious to moisture and actually breathes.”
“Products like Nature Stone® enable the homeowner to add livable space to their house without the hassle or cost of an extensive addition”, says Szekeres. “One of our customers added 700 sq ft of living space to their 1912 home, simply by adding a Nature Stone floor. Their basement concrete was uneven, pitted and wet. With Nature Stone installed, their new, clean level floor allowed them to finish walls and the ceiling, creating a living room, bedroom and bath area.”
Classic Homes – Classic Problems
“Concrete floors in basements present a challenge when choosing floor coverings”, says Szekeres. “Because concrete, by its nature is porous, it allows moisture to migrate upward from the ground, working its way to the concrete’s surface. Often, you won’t notice the dampness because it just evaporates away and your concrete appears dry. But when you cover concrete with carpet, tile, paint or coatings, you are, in effect, sealing the surface and trapping the moisture between the concrete’s surface and the floor covering.
“Then real problems start,” Szekeres adds, “As moisture pushes upward, it has nowhere to go, so it becomes trapped, building pressure, damaging your floor covering and creating a perfect breeding ground for mold and mildew.”
Classic Fix
“Instead of using traditional flooring options”, Szekeres says. “Nature Stone® combines a blend of natural stones and a specially formulated epoxy, allowing the concrete to breathe through, naturally, preventing the growth of mold and mildew. It’s a natural for basements, no matter what their age”.
Additionally, Nature Stone® includes an anti-microbial agent, allowing it to prohibit the growth of mold, safeguarding indoor air quality without requiring any chemicals or waxes for cleaning and maintenance—just plain water.
Nature Stone’s® Natural Attributes:
- Not affected by dampness, moisture or even flooding
- Resists mold and mildew because of anti-microbial agents
- Reduces or eliminates musty and moldy odors
- Can be cleaned with a broom, vacuum or damp mop
- 2–3 times the insulation rating of carpeting (R-value)
- Comfortable to walk on (even in bare feet)
- Environmentally friendly—emits zero VOCs (volatile organic compounds), FDA approved material. U.S. Green Building Council LEED certified.
A Breath Of Fresh Air
Because Nature Stone® does not trap dampness and is engineered to allow the moisture to breathe through (eliminating the conditions breeding mold and mildew), clean up is easy. In your basement, maintenance is as easy as damp mopping and vacuuming regularly and a deep cleaning once a year with a carpet cleaning machine.
“It’s a great way to expand the living space in an older home”, says Szekeres. “It looks great, is easy to maintain and is impervious to damp environments”.
Insights: Alternative Stone Flooring
Over time concrete can get dull, weathered, pitted, cracked and crumbling, and oil stained; and it can make any home look unattractive. But today there are alternatives available to enhance any and all of your concrete areas.
Alternative Stone Resin products have been developed to make all of your concrete areas more architecturally and aesthetically pleasing. Originally used for outdoor areas such as pool decks and patios, more homeowners are now using these products to enhance all areas of their homes including:
- Basement floors
- Driveways
- Entrance ways
- Utility rooms
- Garage floors
- Walkways
- Sunrooms
- Laundry rooms
- Play rooms.
These products are blends of natural stone and specially formulated resin that is hand troweled to create seamless, slip-resistant granular carpet flooring.
The flooring system is durable, long-lasting and stain resistant; covers unsightly concrete and its thickness can be adjusted to correct uneven floors. The product is also porous and allows moisture and dampness to pass through eliminating puddles and leaving the surface safe, clean and dry. Hydrostatic water pressure and even flooding will not harm the flooring making it completely suitable for areas prone to dampness or flooding.
A variety of looks can be achieved by using different types of granules, and borders and other designs can be created by using different shades of stone.
