Painting - Painting basement floor. Prep work involves adding too much extra water

My sump pump malfunctioned causing the basement to flood. Emergency crews removed all the carpet and pad and treated the floor and baseboards with a bleach solution. They ran dehumidifiers and fans for 7 days. We continued to run our own equipment for another month. It has been 6 months and there is still ”dampness” to the concrete floor. I know that there is a plastic vapor barrier beneath the floor. I’d like to stain or paint the floor rather than re-carpet. The information on prepping the floor described on your site says to scrub the floor… flush with water… flush again… I just can’t imagine putting any more moisture down there and having to wait another 6 months or more for it to dry to begin painting! The floor will need to be prepped all over again by then. What would happen if I skipped the prep?

Welcome to the forums
It is neccessary for paint/stain to have a clean surface to adhere to. The reason for rinsing well is to make sure any cleaner or other contamints are removed. IF the floor is clean you can skip this step. If the floor still has a high moisture content use latex. Oil base dries harder and wears longer but if it traps in moisture it is likely to peel.

Make sure all carpet adhesive is removed. Then do flush with water. You don't want any bleach residue left. Flushing with water is not the same as leaving several inches sit for a day. Yes, you will need to let it dry, but it won't take 6 months.

Try the moisture test. Get a 3x3 foot peice of plastic. Tape it down to the floor - tape all edges. Leave it for a few days. If water appears between the plastic and floor, you still have too much moisture.

Don't even think about painting. That will be a maintenance nightmare. The paint will chip and peel in just a few short years. Stain is much better. In fact, you can be creative and create designs using different color stains.

A better alternative is to have a pro put down a concrete overlay. The cost is comparable (or even less) to good carpet.

Thanks, this is good info. It was nice of you to take the time to read and answer.
Patsycar

Try the moisture test. Get a 3x3 foot peice of plastic. Tape it down to the floor - tape all edges. Leave it for a few days. If water appears between the plastic and floor, you still have too much moisture.

Don't even think about painting. That will be a maintenance nightmare. The paint will chip and peel in just a few short years. Stain is much better. In fact, you can be creative and create designs using different color stains.
Yes, yes, yes. I agree 100%. :thumbup: