In my basement, I went with a pergo laminate that had a built in padding attached to the back. The floor looks great, but it does have some things to consider, such as:
- Do you want a rug under the table? I put a rug under the table and it looks great, but if cost is an issue, you might just want to go with carpeting.
- Do you have dogs that like to go in the basement? If so, my dogs tend to slide around a bit on the laminate.
- The laminate I went with can be a little slick, so if you like to play without shoes carpeting would be the way to go.
- If you are installing trim pieces, either around doors or the last stair, the system and trim I used needed to have the track nailed down to the cement. Installing over a wood subfloor is easier than over cement.
- As mentioned in previous posts, definately install the moisture barrier.
- If the basement is a little musty or if you have allergies, carpeting may not be a good choice.
For what it's worth, I live in Chicago and have not experienced any problems with having the table (8 footer) on the laminate. If anyone is interested, I'll post pics later...
Good luck! Would love to see pics when its done!