Best wood?

[Kyle Sandberg]

What is the best type of wood and looks the nicest to finish our basement with? We're gonna get started on that soon and I'd like to hear your guys' opinions. Right now we're considering knoty pine or cedar? Which will last longer and which looks best. Thanks.

[primetime49]

Cedar is better fitted for damp areas

Beware that both stay stained when they do get wet

Cedar puts out an odor that most like

There is white cedar and red cedar

If you like color choices you have three

Cedar also retards bugs with its odor

a good place to check at highly discounted price is Sewik in Jordan or Mpls

[sparcebag]

If your basement is moist I'd say cedar.But just look at both woods and decide which you like best,there both pretty nice,and easy to work with.

[LwnmwnMan2]

I have mine completely done in knotty pine now for probably 20 years. It's still like it was when new.

We ARE however on high, sandy soil, so we NEVER have water in the basement.

IMO, it comes down to budget and personal taste.

[TKO_PUNCH]

I did my basement with knotty pine a couple years ago, and I love it. I hand picked all my wood and got the ones with the most knots. This really dresses the room up nicely. I have one comment though: If you have the patience, buy the wood and let it sit in the basement for months to let the wood become custom to the environment. This will reduce the expansion and contraction once it is on the wall. Just my .02

[Kyle Sandberg]

I think our basement is pretty moist. We sit on 100% hard to shovel clay. Thanks for the tip on letting the wood sit.

When you did your basement, did you do one wall at a time or did you go one row around the room at the same time?

[TKO_PUNCH]

I finished it July of 2006. I bought all the wood in Sept of 2005. I did one wall at a time until it was finished. Here is a picture of the finished living room looks like.

[CJH]

Looks good, nice job!!

CJH

[fishermatt]

Poplar is also a nice rustic looking wood to be considered. I did my cabin with Poplar and I think it looks better than Pine.

[reelemin]

Very nice!!! did you do the stone work also? if so are synthetic or real?

[Kyle Sandberg]

That looks really nice. I like the green walls to go along with it.

Did you just sheetrock the ceiling with reccessed lighting?

Also, did you or would you recomend an in ceiling suround sound system?

When you vented the fireplace, did you do it yourself or did you have a professional come in and do it for you. Thaks again.

[TKO_PUNCH]

As for the fireplace, my cousin has his own business so he was the brains behind that. I just was just the grunt. The stome is real, that was fun putting the puzzle together. Yes, the ceiling is sheetrocked with the recessed lighting and I have wires in the ceiling for when I want surround sound. Don't have the big tv yet so I didn't know where/how it was going to be done. The walls will look real nice with that 30" walter hanging from it