Basement Finishing Guidance

[jwallwork]

My wife has informed me that we will need to finish the basement due to an upcoming expansion of the family. To that end, I need some advice on some issues.

Question 1: Finishing the floor: Should I do build a sub-floor complete with vapor barrier or is there a better way? The current floor is concrete.

Question 2: Should I Waterseal the concrete ciderblocks? We currently don't have any water infusion, but you never know?

Question 3: The rough in for a Bath/Shower drain is currently located so that there would be 1" gab between the cinderblock wall and a bathtub insert. Should I use ferring strips (pressure treated) between the wall and tub?

Thanks,

John Wallwork

p.s. Is anyone a licensed electrician or plumber looking for some work? Is so let me know. The refinishing will need electrical, plumbing and hvac work.

[Ray Martin]

John,

Is the current floor smooth, level, and dry? If so, you can put a floating floor directly on it... vapor barrier then the wood. If you want to put vinyl goods (tile or sheet), you might put a substrate down over a vapor barrier to keep the irregularities of the concrete from telegraphing through the vinyl. Carpet (roll or tile) can be installed over a pad on the concrete too. I'd use a vapor barrier under just about any floor product. Wherever you buy your flooring material, there should be someone available to help you understand what to do to prep the concrete floor.

Sealing the cinder blocks is probably a good idea. The best way to keep water out is to keep it away from the exterior of the wall. A french drain does a terrific job of moving water away from foundations.

For the tub or shower surround, I'd use a vapor barrier on the wall, then pressure treated ferring. I'd also put some insulation between the barrier and the surround.

You've probably already guessed that any wood that will be in contact with concrete has to be pressure treated. Fasteners used for pressure treated wood have to be hot dip galvanized.

Ray

[Tarhead]

I may have caught the hiding gloat. Congratulations on the family expansion! Of course it could be your Mother in Law is moving in. In that case you may not want to make the new space too comfortable.

Highly recommend installing a dehumidifier and drain coupled with a good vapor barrier on the floor and walls. It will get musty very quickly in our wet Piedmont clay. Just like rust, humidity never sleeps.

Mark

[junquecol]

If an area of the basement is to be used as a bedroom, make sure you have proper egress windows- it's the law. Also congrats.

[Ray Martin]

Originally Posted by junquecol

If an area of the basement is to be used as a bedroom, make sure you have proper egress windows- it's the law. Also congrats.

I think that's a couple of square feet to that window / emergency exit. It's in the building code.

Ray

[junquecol]

Originally Posted by Ray Martin

I think that's a couple of square feet to that window / emergency exit. It's in the building code.

Ray

Not just square footage, but height above floor and size of well around window on outside. A little more complicated these days than it used to be.

[jwallwork]

Yes, it is a hidden gloat, our first. Ultrasound is indicating twins. Poof instant family. Thanks for noticing.

The floor currently is quite flat, dry and level. I haven't seen any cracks or water. For the bathroom, I'm planning to lay tile. I have decided about the living areas yet. A big part of me wants to steer clear of carpet ( in case of water), so maybe a floating laminate floor.

As for the egress issue, have that all taken care of. The area that would serve as a spare bedroom has two full size windows that are on ground level. Also there would be two other exits available.

Readers Digest had a page that covered insulating and framing a basement. Glue 3/4" extruded Insulation and then frame up the walls.
As to the dehumidifer, I had been thinking about it. The basement is pretty dry, haven't had any rusting issues with my tools, but in the summer there is a distinct humid feel down there.

I'll be contacting the inspections people and pull a permit. I'll be questioning them on the best way to proceed. I met one of the inspectors and he indicated that they are pretty helpful with this stuff.

Thanks for everyones comments.

John

[junquecol]

If you take on water, your floating laminate floor will indeed be "floating" I guess this means your basement shop will also have to be replaced?

[newtonc]

Since moving to NC,I have been looking into finishing off our basement as well.I'll call it a "daylight basement" because it is only underground in the front and about 1/4 on each sides.The rest is ground level with windows and a door.
Sounds like that is what you have as well.
I have my shop in the basement,and had to get a dehumidifier ASAP....because I did have surface rust right away.Either our movers had a leaky truck or it's the basement...either way,I'm pulling a lot of water out of the air.You should see how the grass grows where I have it drained.
Any way,some neighbors in our complex have finished off the basement.And all have a dehumidifier in place,and all agree,once the walls were dry walled up and finished,the humidity was gone.And so was the need to run AC in the basement in the summer.
So I'm sure it is different from site to site...but that is what I'm learning where I am.I have been questioning everyone who has finished off.I plan to add a game room,storage area,utility room,full bathroom,and still have my shop in the rest(climate controlled and finished off as well...of course).But it will take a couple years till I get there.

[newtonc]

One added note,
I don't have block foundation,it's all poured.But seal it up!! I already had a seam crack and leak in our poured foundation.
New construction was my wife's idea.I always liked the old houses we purchased.I don't trust new construction,and from what I've witnessed from going in the houses being built...you can't change my mind.My wife got tired of me ripping out the kitchen and bath,she wanted new this time.And I let her win this time and purchased new.A mistake I won't make again.
Our foundation was repaired and I am comfortable with the repair.But it has made me wary of covering up the cement part.If I finished off when I had planned,I wouldn't have seen that leak,it would have seeped for years before it would have shown itself through a finished wall.By then,it would have been a mold nightmare.
Now my story is only one.They all don't leak.
But I won't be comfortable finishing off cement or block or otherwise.Did Saint Lawrence build your home?I would have more to say about it if they did.They are incompitant on EVERY level of ability.
But hey..that's just my experience.But that's all it takes.

[Travis]

I am in the middle of finshing my basement as well. I had a previous house with moisture seeping through the cinder block walls. I applied a product called "Dry Lock" (SP?) and it sealed it completely. I am using it this go around as insuance although I have a dry basement. Take a look at my album for how it looks on the walls after application.

My basement is not damp so I plan to put down 6 mil plastic and lay a "click type") wood laminate floor. (Has anyone had any basement experience with this???)

Always use treated wood agaist masonary.

[sediener]

I layed a pergo-type floating floor on a slab in our last house and, while the concrete looked pretty level, after laying the floor there were a number of creaks. I wish I had put down some type of self leveling concrete or epoxy before the floating floor.

- Steve