Proposed floor in damp basement

I have a damp basement and I would like to do some sort of raised floor on top of the existing (damp) concrete. My initial thought was to do PVC risers (are they called sleepers?) on top of the concrete, then place a wide plank wood floor on top (for a vintage, farmhouse look). I would paint the wood with the most moisture resistant paint possible (any suggestions?), but I really want to look of old distressed wide plank floors. I am getting a lot of pushback from my non-DIY friends, but I thought there must be some way to do this if houses have been built with wooden front porches exposed to the elements for hundreds of years. Any thoughts?