Finishing a Basement

[amateurfishing]

starting to put plans together to finish a basement, any tips or recommendations would be appreciated.

obviously a poured concrete floor now, do i frame walls first or need to figure out what we are doing for a sub floor and is a subfloor even necessary b4 carpeting/pad/hardwood/ or whatever?

[waligators]

Frame your walls first. Makes it easier for the carpet/flooring guys to be able to do a good job. If you lay carpet, i would trim everything out after it has been installed, that way it can be "butted" up to your walls nicely. Laminate flooring leave 3/16 of an inch or so away from you walls because it does shift and expand, this way it will have a little "play"

[Walleye Guy]

Generally the carpeting gets tucked under the base trim and is not butted up to it. Put the base trim on before any carpet is put down.

[hartner62]

100% base first then carpet.

[amateurfishing]

for a carpet secenario, would it be poured concrete foundation, carpet pad, then carpet or should there be something inbetween concrete and floor underlayment for insulation/moisure?

[CAMAN]

Generally the carpeting gets tucked under the base trim and is not butted up to it. Put the base trim on before any carpet is put down.

+1 If the carpeting is installed before the trim there is a potential for the tack strips being installed too close to the wall. And when the trim is then installed above that, it pretty much locks the carpet in place. Good for most times, but if you try and replace the carpet, need to pull up a corner, or whatever, you would then need to pull the trim to remove it.

Also if your basement has moisture issues, or the possibility, install DryCore or something similar beneath the carpet/pad to lessen the possibility of ruining your carpet and pad.

[soldoncass]

Generally speaking frame walls first. We don't know what you have for foundation insulation....foil-faced foam board is best for insulating foundations, seal joints with foil tape....if your foundation doesn't already have that, do that before you frame walls.

After framing, get plumbing and electrical and heating roughed in.

Get the wall coverings all done, and mess of that all cleaned up, painting next...and cleaned up.

Now you are ready for the flooring: If you are putting carpet with pad down, put door frames and baseboard up 3/8 inch, before carpet.If you are using pergo type wood, vinyl, or ceramic down ,install those first, then baseboard and doorframes on top of those.

This is a simplified order, but a professional one.....things CAN BE done any order, but they always take more time, and you end up working on top of finished floors etc, or running back and forth to a saw(much longer process).

Good luck.

[amateurfishing]

here are 2 pics...top shows foil backed insulation (i think)on outside by floor joists with fiberglass insulation behind vapor barrier underneath it. 2nd photo show fiberglass insulation behind vapor barrier with dark specs/dots...how do i find out if this may be mold or just dirt? have quite a bit of it on 2 walls, would hate to think we have moisture probles already on 6 year old home (bought brand new)on east facing side when most moisture comes from west. thx everyone

[amateurfishing]

this is second pic of dark spots behind vapor barrier, how do i find out if it is mold or just some dirt that was on vapor barrier when they put it up?

[amateurfishing]

Generally speaking frame walls first. We don't know what you have for foundation insulation....foil-faced foam board is best for insulating foundations, seal joints with foil tape....if your foundation doesn't already have that, do that before you frame walls.

After framing, get plumbing and electrical and heating roughed in.

Get the wall coverings all done, and mess of that all cleaned up, painting next...and cleaned up.

Now you are ready for the flooring: If you are putting carpet with pad down, put door frames and baseboard up 3/8 inch, before carpet.If you are using pergo type wood, vinyl, or ceramic down ,install those first, then baseboard and doorframes on top of those.

This is a simplified order, but a professional one.....things CAN BE done any order, but they always take more time, and you end up working on top of finished floors etc, or running back and forth to a saw(much longer process).

Good luck.

when u say "foundation insulation", are u referring to the area inside the home where cinder block is laid & wall be put up against it? if so, i was thinking bout denim insulation there.

[amateurfishing]

also, this is a split level home so the back wall is technically all insulated & vapor barriered already while the 2 side walls need to be finished insulating wise where the cider block is still visible under the outside walls.

[K_Josh87]

slice the poly, fold it back and look at it, if not sure, spray some bleach water on it, if it "dies" and disappears, good chance its mold... if its dirt, fold poly back up, and use housewrap tape, or even a chunk of bowing tape will work to seal it back up. ( I wouldn't buy a 15 dollar roll of tape to tape a few inches)

Insulate/seal, frame, rough in electrical/plumbing, hang rock, tape, paint, clean up well... trim out windows,and install cabinetry, If its getting hard flooring (laminate, etc.) wait on base and setting doors to insure proper fit, and ease of flooring install. If it is to get carpet, hang doors, trim doors, and install base trim. Carpet should be the absolute last thing done...everything can be done beforehand, and no sense in tracking over brand new carpet to install trim or what have ya. Use a scrap piece of base trim as a spacer block, (approx 3/8") for holding up doors and base trim where ever there will be carpet, this gives a nice space to allow the carpet to be tucked in nicely below the trim. If your carpet guy wants to install prior to trim, i would find a different carpet guy.

Install carpet; vacuum, and enjoy!

Laminate flooring works well, there is a certain pad needed that seals at the seams... which prevents moisture issues.

Other options work as well, but I am a carpenter, not a flooring installer, so it would be best to check with them, and tell them what you want, and they will advise you from there...

Best of luck, PM with questions...

As always, if hiring, always hire insured and licensed contractors!

[K_Josh87]

do you mean a "step" in the wall where the block meets the wood frameing? Typically against the block is 1" foil foam, nailed to the treated top plate, and sealed (caulked behind) at the bottom with a PL200 type product. Seams must be taped.

2x4 framed wall on the outside of the foam is next... typically we Frame wall to correct height (to match top of treated plate), then tip wall up and use tin shingles to span and nail from treated plate to top of new walls plate, and plumb it up, and ancore the bottom with tapcons or remset nails...

[soldoncass]

Is this a walk-out level? Is the wall with insulation and poly, a framed wall with door, windows and outside siding? I'm a little confused about that and the exposed cinder block you mentioned.

More pictures would help. Maybe a pic of each wall inside would help us get a better idea of what you are looking at.

Several guys have given you good advice about order, but I would definitely figure out the insulation deal, before doing ANY framing.

[chasineyes]

Don't forget about running electrical lines and cable/phone and maybe gas and water to the GARAGE before you close up the ceiling...

[amateurfishing]

Don't forget about running electrical lines and cable/phone and maybe gas and water to the GARAGE before you close up the ceiling...

garage has electrical/cable, did that immediately after move in

curiouos, why gas or water?

[amateurfishing]

this is the back outside/walkout wall, already sided, insulated,& poly

[amateurfishing]

this is 1 of the 2 "side" walls...framed,insulated,& poly above the blocks. i still need to insulate "inside" new framing, right? if so, what to use? thinking bout recyled denim for energy efficiency & noise if ok.

[amateurfishing]

slice the poly, fold it back and look at it, if not sure, spray some bleach water on it, if it "dies" and disappears, good chance its mold... if its dirt, fold poly back up, and use housewrap tape, or even a chunk of bowing tape will work to seal it back up. ( I wouldn't buy a 15 dollar roll of tape to tape a few inches)

Insulate/seal, frame, rough in electrical/plumbing, hang rock, tape, paint, clean up well... trim out windows,and install cabinetry, If its getting hard flooring (laminate, etc.) wait on base and setting doors to insure proper fit, and ease of flooring install. If it is to get carpet, hang doors, trim doors, and install base trim. Carpet should be the absolute last thing done...everything can be done beforehand, and no sense in tracking over brand new carpet to install trim or what have ya. Use a scrap piece of base trim as a spacer block, (approx 3/8") for holding up doors and base trim where ever there will be carpet, this gives a nice space to allow the carpet to be tucked in nicely below the trim. If your carpet guy wants to install prior to trim, i would find a different carpet guy.

Install carpet; vacuum, and enjoy!

Laminate flooring works well, there is a certain pad needed that seals at the seams... which prevents moisture issues.

Other options work as well, but I am a carpenter, not a flooring installer, so it would be best to check with them, and tell them what you want, and they will advise you from there...

Best of luck, PM with questions...

As always, if hiring, always hire insured and licensed contractors!

wont dirt turn white/disappear with bleach? sorry little confused on determining test results, my concern is dont remember seeing any (or at least most) of this when moved in,....and if it is mold then major issues right?....cause have this stuff all over on 2 walls.

[chasineyes]

Gas for future furnace/heater!!! Gas doesn't need to be on but laying in the line before rocking and covering up is nice.

HOT water for washing cars.

[amateurfishing]

Gas for future furnace/heater!!! Gas doesn't need to be on but laying in the line before rocking and covering up is nice.

HOT water for washing cars.

OOOOOO....great ideas....mmmmmm.....only thing is garage not insulated, so kinda a waste right now, need to think bout that though...thx

[Pinusbanksiana]

That looks like mold or mildew to me. I would be tearing that vapor barrier down and looking.

[soldoncass]

O.K. thanks for the pics. You are looking at a walk-out level ,with "stepped down foundation" on the side walls. There needs to be foil-faced foam on the block walls , behind the framed half-walls(3/4-1 inch thick).When that is foil taped it is it's own vapor barrier, so you don't need (or want) additional insulation in the framed wall. It looks like there is poly ON the blocks also....I would cut that off, and glue the foil board on the blocks. Code used to require poly on the blocks, then fiberglass in the framing, then poly again on the inside.........it caused problems with moisture getting trapped between two vapor barriers, and MOLD etc. Last I heard the recommended/ code was glueing foil-board (at least R-5)on the blocks and taping the joints. I've been out of the trade for 3 years, so it is possible they have changed things up again, so maybe someone can chime in with current regs.

[soldoncass]

+1 I would also check that out. If there is moisture in the insulation it will be at the bottom, by the plate.....when a new house is built, the wood has about 19% moisture in it, after a time that drys out..but it has to have a place to go. If it is all sealed up, it can't get out.....that is when mold/mildew can form, it has to have moisture to grow. Don't panic yet, if there is no moisture in the insulation, you can just replace the poly and be good to go.

[soldoncass]

Just make sure you have everything roughed into the garage, or other parts of the house, before you cover up ceiling access. If you don't have a floor drain in the garage, I wouldn't think about water out there.