How to Finish a Basement Wall
Whether you are building a new basement or remodelling your old one, there are some expert advice to help you create a warm, dry and the most inviting basement. With the latest trends in waterproofing technologies and other remodelling advances you can have a basement that is as dry and comfortable as all other rooms in your home.
You don't even have to bring in a professional before you achieve the perfect finishing for your basement walls. In this post, we will look at some great tips you can rely on to get the perfect finish for your basement.
Make Sure you Solve Every Moisture Problem First
Finishing one portion of your basement is a cost-effective way of gaining a very valuable space for a family bedroom, game room or for other uses. The major question here is how best to finish the foundation walls of your basement. Your basement walls are most likely cement concrete masonry or poured concrete. Whichever one they are, you must determine if there are any moisture problems before you go into any finishing efforts.
If you discover minor moisture problems like the foundation of your wall being damp or humid on summer days, you must need some simple repair steps like adjusting the grade to direct runoff of water away from your house or repairing downspouts and gutters. It is a good idea to consult your building contractor before you commence with any basement wall finishing ideas to ensure you are in line with basic building codes prevalent in your area.
Get The Walls Sealed Up
Choose any good waterproofing product, use a roller to apply the product you choose to the wall. Once the moisture problems have been solved, go straight to sealing the foundation walls. Start by rolling the waterproofing product on the walls to stop water from migrating through the concrete through capillary effect. Make sure the walls are not damp before applying the product. If the walls are damp as a result of condensation, use a dehumidifier to dry them out before making use of the product.
Install Blocking Between Joists
Installing blocking between the joists will help attach the top wall plates. Nail or screw via the joist on any side of your basement wall block and get the other side firmly secured on your sill plate. When the floor joists seem parallel to the walls, you need to install blocking to help you attach to get the top wall plate secured.
Get Foam Boards Installed
Apply the adhesive in a vertical direction to stop water from pooling down behind the foam insulation. Once your waterproofing is dry enough, install an extruded polystyrene foam board insulation.
Apply the adhesive in a vertical motion on the wall, run some beads of adhesive on every part of the wall and make sure you tape every part of the seam. This will stop the warm air in your room from finding its way behind the foam and condensing on your cold concrete walls.
Final tips
To get the best basement walls make sure you tip up your walls, build your walls short, get the bottom plates fastened, secure the top plate with plumbing, build-out around the windows and add drywall bakers.