Flooring
 

I struggled for a year regarding flooring in my sewing room. I had a concrete floor also and decided on carpet tiles and I love them. I installed them myself with a total cost of just over $500. I didn't want padding and this works great for me, not using a chair mat at the sewing area and my chair moves fine but doesn't roll when I'm sewing. Doesn't leave marks on floor when I pull out the Horn sewing table and I also like that. Good luck with your decision and hope what you choose works well for you.

We installed the Home Depot version (Allure) of this product in our dining room. I love it. Don't know about the Lowe's brand, but the Allure brand has 2 grades. The higher grade/price option - which still isn't that bad - is 100% waterproof and has a lifetime warranty. Goes together just as QuiltingVagabond's did. I, too, love this flooring and will have to check out the Lowe's version as we're looking to install in the bedroom as well.

In my sewing room I have real hardwood flooring (that part of house is 200+ ys) but I also have an area rug under my cutting table for both comfort and noise reduction.

Will be doing the area rug in the DR if I can ever find one I like that I'm willing to spend the $$ for and also for bedroom when we do that room. We'll probably eventually do the LR with this vinyl plank flooring as well. Highly recommend it.

I agree with keeping the cement floor. My basement is huge, 10 foot ceilings and very dry. It is unfinished, heated and my spot to sew and exercise. Would love to have it finished. I would have the floors stained to a beautiful marble look. My H is not to fond of home improvement. He sorta thinks that you do things 1 time and that should be that!

Since I use a spare bedroom as my sewing room, it was carpeted. A couple years ago, it was time to be replaced. I went to the shop and I told the owner what room it was for and what my concerns were - dropping scissors,iron, etc, for dents primarily. He recommended a vinyl plank that looks like wood. We did the prep work, and he installed it - took half a day! Every piece of furniture that went back in the room, has felt pads on its feet. Under the sewing table, I bought a large office desk floor protector from Staples. I did have an area rug that I put under the bed, and the ironing board sits on it, in case I do something stupid like knock down a hot iron. I love the floor, it's easy to maintain - dust mop or vacuum. I look at it and wonder what other room it can go in!

DH recently remodeled our unfinished basement and I got a finished quilt room. We live in Michigan so have similar conditions. Moisture is the first issue to deal with. Not a real issue in our sandy location. A vapor lock subfloor and vinyl planking and that equals a happy quilter! I love being in my quilt room.

I have carpet in my sewing room - and I am constantly thinking about replacing it with laminate flooring. I am not in a basement. Even though the carpet is a pale color, I still cannot see dropped pins on it! And cleaning up threads is a nightmare! Until I can decide to actually do it (I hate the thought of moving all that STUFF), DH suggested and we bought one of those laminate office chair floor protectors from the well known office supply place so my chair at least rolls well. Bottom line, I would go with laminate floors unless you have a moisture issue.

I also would go with the vinyl - plank or not. These products have improved so much over the past decade or so - if you haven't looked at them might want to shop a bit. Quieter and softer than laminate. I've been in the apartment business for years, and we have gone with this type of product with great success.

I have carpet in my sewing room and don't care for it. Living in Kansas I sewed in the basement without doing anything at all to the cement floor. It worked there, but maybe not in your cooler climate. I would try an area rug before installing carpet.

I like solid surface floors better in general because I'm allergic to dust, but I've worked on both without problems. For the carpeting, I just took an old broom handle & duck taped one of those magnetic pin cushions to it & used it as my pin/needle collector.

If you do go with solid surface floors, the one thing I haven't seen anyone mention yet is an Anti-fatigue mat for your cutting/ironing station(s). So worth the money & these days you can even get them in colors.

Cement is COLD! I live in Canada - I insulated my basement floor With DRIcore, then put laminate down. I love it. I don't like carpet in sewing rooms - hard to clean (threads stick to it), and pins land point up where you can step on them. Pins on laminate lie flat, so even if you miss picking it up, it doesn't imbed itself in your foot when you step on it.