In the past, many homes were built with unfinished basements and
the homeowner used those dark, bare, usually damp spaces for
storage, laundry, or large collections of spider webs and dust
bunnies. You may have bought one yourself and now, with the high
price of new housing, you are looking to expand your current
house to meet your family's needs (do your covenants really
allow 10-story ranch houses?). That unused basement just may be
the answer!
Want to do it yourself? I suggest you begin by evicting the dust
bunnies! Next, we need to finish the basement walls. Easy,
right? Just slap up some drywall and tape! Wrong. Here's how to
do it correctly:
1. Look at the amount of moisture in your basement. Are the
walls moist? Are there mushrooms growing in the corner? Is there
standing water in any part of the area? (If you make the kids
wear lifejackets when they go downstairs, you may have a water
problem). You should call a professional for ideas on how to get
rid of water seepage. It will be money well spent and will
prevent many problems later.
2. Estimate the amount of drywall and furring strips (long, thin
wood strips which enable you to attach the drywall to the
concrete face) you will need. For every 4 feet of wall, you
will need one sheet of drywall (we are assuming that your
ceiling is less than 8 feet!) and 4 furring strips.
3. Screw the furring strips to the wall leaving a space of
approximately ½ inch from the bottom of the strip to the floor
in case water seeps in. Make sure the strips are plumb (use your
handy-dandy level) and drill holes about 16 inches apart into
the wall (use a masonry bit). Drive in hardened concrete screws
with your even-handier-dandy drill.
4. Shim the furring strips to create a flat plane for the dry
wall. (Is this the point where the author makes a bad pun about
doing the shimmy?) Start with the strip nearest the corner and
use a long level to see if it's plumb. Use a shim, if needed, to
bring it level. Repeat the process to make certain all the
strips are plumb with the first.
5. Add insulation and a vapor barrier. Both are available at
your local home improvement store. Placing insulation panels
between the strips increases the R-value of the basement. The
R-value measures the basement's resistance to heat loss. All you
have to do is cut the insulation panel to size and press it
between the strips. The plastic vapor barrier will help minimize
moisture penetration. Staple the barrier to the strips, but try
not to get overly enthusiastic with the stapler and break the
surface of the barrier. The more holes there are in the barrier,
the more moisture will penetrate.
6. Cut the drywall. Drywall should also be placed ½ in off the
floor in case the floor gets wet. Use a straightedge or a
T-square to mark the cut line on the drywall face. If you don't
have a straightedge or a T-square, use the edge of a furring
strip. Drywall is easy to cut using a utility knife. Just cut
through the paper facing. The piece to be cut off is then
snapped toward the back of the panel. You can then cut through
the paper backing with the utility knife. Easy, huh?
7. Screw the drywall to the furring strips. The best way to
measure where you need to screw is to snap a chalk line along
the drywall at each furring strip (do you remember how far apart
you placed them?) Use 1 ¼ inch drywall screws and be careful not
to screw so deep that you break the surface of the face paper.
8. Finishing the wall. Ok, now for a bit of artistry! You can
make the wall look really good - or really, really bad! Apply a
layer of drywall compound in the cracks between the dry wall
sheets. The layer should be about 3 inches wide, more or less.
Then apply a strip of drywall tape and apply another thin layer
of compound over the tape. Then fill in all the screw holes with
compound. Try to make the surface and smooth as possible (easier
said than done!). After the first layer dries (usually 24-36
hours,) scrape off any uneven ridges or lumps and apply a thin
layer of compound with a wide putty knife. Sand smooth and you
are ready paint!
You now have a blank palette ready for a wide range of
decorating options: bedroom, play room, den, family room, game
room, bonus room, office, gym, workshop or bowling alley. The
choice is yours! The style is yours! Have fun!
About the Author:
Pamela Cole Harris is an editor and writer with 35
years experience. Her interest in do-it-yourself
projects dates from the time she helped her
father, who was a builder, work on new homes after
school. Visit her website HomeandGardenMakeover.com,
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with remodeling, home improvement and decorating ideas for the
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