The remodeling of existing homes is becoming increasingly more popular across the United States. Due to the decline in the economy fewer people can afford to upgrade their home so they are being forced into renovating their existing one. One of the most common rooms to be redesigned is the basement.
If you are looking at a new basement design you will need to check what construction needs done. This will mean either reading up on the subject or enlisting the help of a professional. If you have little or no building experience the latter is highly advisable. Many basements will just have 4 basic concrete walls, this means you will need to construct the room from scratch. The best way is to work with the existing walls as it will limit the amount of work that you have to do.
Frame out your walls using 2×4 pieces of wood. Be sure to make the walls a little bit smaller than the concrete ones as the wood will expand and shrink due to temperature change. If the walls are made the same size as the concrete then this can cause huge problems further down the line.
Once you have completed the framework of your walls you will then need to insulate and waterproof them. This is particularly important and the room is obviously below ground. Be sure to use a good quality insulator and cover with a vapor barrier for the waterproofing. Once this is complete cover the whole wall with either a drywall or some other material, whatever suits your basement design the best.
The skilled part is next, the plastering and sanding of the walls. If you are not practiced in the art of plastering then you can either do a 2-3 day course and learn or if you do not have the time to do so then hire a professional for this part. If done incorrectly it can ruin the whole basement construction. Finally will come the painting of the walls, it is imperative to use a high quality primer, this will seal the wall for you and assist with the painting process.
When the walls are in place you can decide on your flooring choice, most will opt for a light colored laminate or wood flooring as it creates a light airy feel. This will complete your basement design.
Tags: basement design, basement redesign, concrete walls, framework, remodeling