Home Improvement

Before embarking on a basement finishing project, always remember that the basement is different from the other rooms in the house, in that it doesn’t get as much sunlight and is prone to higher levels of humidity. It is therefore important to keep these factors in mind when choosing materials for basement finishing. Wall-to-wall carpeting, for instance, may look comfortable and inviting but can be quite a problem when there is water seepage. A basement also doesn’t have to look boring and dark, as it usually does. Enliven this area with bright colors and don’t forget to plan the heating and cooling systems well.
The Basement Finishing Essentials

A finished basement is a dry, clean, well-ventilated and comfortable place to in which to live or at least work.

The first condition for basement finishing—and ultimately building a dry, clean basement—is to prevent moisture seepage into the house. To prevent moisture seepage, the walls of a basement must be designed to dry towards the interior of the house. This means that vapor barriers must not be installed on the interior of the interior insulation. That is why it is important to waterproof the walls on the outside when the house is being built.

Once the moisture problems have been settled, it is time to look at the next step of basement finishing: the plumbing. If you are planning to put in a bathroom or a sink in the basement, the pipes to drain water have to be put in place. For this, you may have to drill the walls and the flooring. Once the plumbing is in place, you can patch the floor and the walls. Make sure the patch is smooth and in the same plane as existing floor.

After plumbing is out of the way, the walls need to be put in place for basement finishing. You can put wood slabs on the masonry wall to give you a smooth finish. The heating and cooling systems must be installed after this. You will need to figure out if the existing heating and cooling systems will be adequate for the basement as well or do additional furnaces need to be put in. Covering of electrical wiring will also need to be worked on. Telephone outlets will need to be installed as well.

Your floor covering choice is critical to the basement finishing. Think long and hard about wall to wall carpeting since the basement is subject to moisture. Area carpets in sync with your color scheme can be used instead of wall to wall carpeting. Vinyl tiles may be an option too for your basement finishing project.