Complete Basement Floor Remodel Using Concrete Overlay System

What if you could transform your basement into something that felt like a whole new space?

This article will show how one homeowner did just this by adding Leggari’s hardwood-look concrete overlay system. The transformation is incredible and gives this home’s downstairs a whole new, updated look!

Step 1: Prepping your floor

The homeowner sanded down the entire floor to ensure that the whole floor was equally leveled throughout the entire downstairs. — After removing the carpet, the entire floor is sanded to ensure any residual residue and glue from the carpet is removed.

The first step of this project is to sand down the entire floor so that it’s equally level. This will ensure there are no raised areas where the carpet was previously installed and that there is no adhesive from the carpet still attached to the concrete.

Keep in mind that when working on projects, there are certain safety precautions to take. For example, if you’re doing this project indoors without any airflow, then wear a mask so as not to breathe all the dust created in this step!

Step 2: Mixing and Applying Texture Coat

After taping the edges, we begin by putting our first coat of concrete overlay down on the floor using a squeegee. — After taping the edges, we begin by putting down the first coat of the concrete overlay system on the floor using a Leggari squeegee.

Before starting this next step, make sure to tape all of your edges. You don’t want to have any product on your walls, or other surfaces splashed on.

Anything that you wouldn’t want to stain, either move out of the way or wrap it with plastic to protect it.

After mixing your texture coat, you are ready to begin pouring the product, spreading an even layer on the whole floor.

Getting the edges can be tricky, so if you need to, grab a smaller squeegee and gently spread throughout all of the edges. We used this larger squeegee as shown in the image because we were working with an open floor.

Step 3: Sanding the Floor

After our texture coat of concrete overlay is dry, we begin sanding the entire floor. In this photo we are using a large commercial sander. — After the texture coat of the concrete overlay system is dry, we begin sanding the entire floor. In this photo we are using a large commercial sander.

After our texture coat of concrete overlay is dry, we begin sanding the entire floor. In this photo we are using a small palm sander. — In this photo, we are using a small palm sander to get in the corners and close to the walls.

After this Texture Coat is all dried off, you are now ready to begin sanding down the floor.

We started with a giant sanding machine to cover most of the floor. We were getting the larger areas sanded. The entire floor must be completely sanded down; because the giant machine cannot cover the edges fully, we also used a much smaller sanding machine to ensure every inch of the floor is ready for the next step!

Step 4: Applying Scratch Coat

We apply the scratch coat by simply pouring it onto the floor, and once again, use a large squeegee to spread it throughout the floor. — We apply the scratch coat just as we did the texture coat earlier. Pour it onto the floor, and once again, use a large squeegee to spread it throughout the floor.

Applying a scratch coat is simply pouring it onto the floor, and once again, use a large squeegee to spread it throughout the floor.

You want to repeat the same technique you already did in step 2. It will be applied the same way that we applied our Texture Coat. The entire floor must be coated with this scratch coat.

Step 5: Grout Lines & Hydrating

We use filament tape to create the grout lines between our "planks." — We use filament tape to create the grout lines between our “planks.”

Here we used a fine mist sprayer to hydrate our floor with water.

It is now time to grab all of the help you can get! Creating the grout lines is an essential part of this project. You want to make sure that you are creating equally symmetrical lines across your entire floor with your tape.

Although we used filament tape, we have found that it is the best tape for this kind of project; you are welcome to use any type of tape.

After doing this, the next step is to hydrate the floor. As you can see, we used a mister to hydrate our floor with water. Something to note is that immediately after hydrating your floor, the next step must begin; it is something to keep in mind before starting to hydrate.

We had everything ready for our next step before starting the hydrating process. This ensured that we could start the following action right away.

Step 6: Applying Texture Coat

The first person pours the texture coat out of a bucket. — The first person pours the texture coat out of bucket and onto our prepared floor.

While one person is using a squeegee, the second person is using a pool trowel to get the wood grain texture in our concrete overlay. — While one person is using a squeegee, the second person is using a pool trowel to create the wood grain texture that makes the Leggari hardwood concrete overlay system unique.

Applying the next Texture coat requires at least two people! While one of us is smoothing out the product with a squeegee, the next person immediately follows what we used to create the texture.

We took a pool trowel on a swivel attachment and connected it to a pole. This gives us the length we need to keep up with the person using the squeegee.

As you can see in the second image One of us is smoothing out the Texture Coat and the next is creating the actual texture.

Step 7: Applying Stain

Once our texture coat is dry, we evenly spray out the stain across the entire floor.

After completing the previous step, the next is to apply the stain. We used a mister in order to do this more efficiently. Evenly spray out the stain across the entire floor.

As you can see above we did use plastic wrap to completely seal more of the parts along the walls and different pieces of furniture.

This mister sprays out the stain and can definitely get on its surroundings so make sure to protect your unwanted stained areas!

Step 8: Sanding the floor & Pulling Tape

After the stain has been applied, we begin sanding the entire floor.

Next, we began pulling the tape that we had laid down to create the grout lines.

After applying the stain onto the entire floor, we were ready to begin the final sanding of the floor. So, again, we took our giant sanding machine and continued to do this until we were finished.

We also had to use our smaller sanding machine to ensure every inch of the floor was properly sanded down.

Next, we began pulling the tape that we had laid down to create the grout lines.

Step 9: Adding Urethane Coat

We apply the urethane gloss coat with a paint roller to completely seal the floor.

After properly mixing the urethane gloss coat. We took a paint roller and began to apply it.

We added an even layer across the floor. This completely seals the floor making them durable and having a beautiful finish!

You will repeat this process adding a second layer of Urethane gloss once again, ensuring that all of your hard work is being completely sealed.

The Leggari Hardwood Concrete Overlay System

The final look is just what the homeowners envisioned!

At Leggari, we have simplified the processes in order to get these results. Anyone with little to no experience is able to tackle these projects and get amazing results just like this one!