Basement remodel help/suggestions

[papabear]

Hope you fine folks can help me with some suggestions on how to finish off my basement on a very limited budget.

Let me set the scene.The basement is constructed of block 10 rows high,and is a 1950s ranch style home.The basement is very high and dry with no signs of leakage or dampness in the past.Overall dimensions are 24x30.(I know,very small house.That is why we are finishing the basement.Cheaper to do this than build up)All of the mechanicals are to the back of the basement leaving the entire front open for finishing off.Just in the last two weeks we have had a stud wall built down the middle to divide the basement in half leaving a 12x30 room.The wall was drywalled but no finishing was done.Four overhead heat runs were added for heat with a return air cut into the new stud wall.Two porceline fixtures hang down the center of yhe room that have been there from day one.The floor is smooth concrete and in excellent condition with no dips or severe cracking.

Here is the question and dilema.After having these few things done funds are getting low.(Okay,they wernt high to start with).Does anyone have a few ideas on how to finish off the ceiling and walls for very little money?For now I will probably paint the block walls to make them look nice but I want to do somthing with the ceiling to hide the floor joists and heat runs etc.Also.I have considerd adhereing 4x8 sheets of the styrafoam panels on the walls for now than when money becomes available stud over the styrafoam and insulate,drywall,etc.Would construction adheasive hold them in place or should i come up with somthing else?Any ideas or has anybody done somthing like this on a very low budget?Thank you for everyones help and HAPPY HOLLIDAYS to all!!! John

 

[beenthere]

One way to do the walls, is to lay 2x4's flat against the wall, and lay 1½" (combine 1' and ½" sheets) of foam in between them. Shoot the studs against the wall with the power nailer or shooting nailer after putting on adhesive. Cut the styrofoam insulation in strips and glue that on as you go down the wall. This will leave you with something to screw drywall to, (add the poly under the drywall) and you will only use up 2" of room space. You can space the flat studs at 16" or at 24" (I would do 24).

I would lay in a drop ceiling, but with only 80" of head room, that may be too low.
A good cheap ceiling treatment is to paint the joists and floor sheathing and everything up there black, and then add a few white tile here and there to give it a 'cloud' effect. I've seen it done quite effectively in a low ceiling rec room. The black hides most of the 'wood' overhead.

 

[jpr62902]

When I finished my basement, I did full 2x4 framing for running electric through the walls. If you lay the 2x4 on its side, it's much harder to run electric.

Also, I was a little surprised to find out that drop ceilings are more expensive than drywall (and that's after paying a pro to finish it, too). Sure, the access is nice to have, but if all your mechanicals are in one area, you can do a single strip drop ceiling for access needs. Here's a link to my basement remodelling thread: basement thread

 

[bczoom]

Jim - very nice looking basement!!

John,

For the ceiling, have you looked at paneling? Mrs. Zoom has been asking me to finish a ceiling in one of our basement rooms and saw some paneling she said looked good (although I haven't seen it yet). Weighing a lot less than drywall would make it easier to hang and if you used small screws (or even the nails), it'll be a lot easier to take down to get behind it if/when need for access to ele. or plumbing.

For the walls
I need more of a foundation expert to answer this but do you know if the exterior of the block has been sealed? Reason I ask is what kind of paint to use. DryLok or something would be good but I've been told it's not good to seal both sides of block because any moisture would then have no place to go.

If you're just going to use a polyisocynurate foam board for now, a couple thoughts. The R value increases if there is an air gap. I would try to leave an air gap between the wall and the insulation (and also between panels if you're going a couple layers deep like beenthere is suggesting).

If you're going to stud the walls, I've found that both laying them flat as well as full framing work. It does depend on whether you need to run electric or otherwise in the walls.

Now, you want a real cheap way to finish your basement???
I'm very far from being a tapestry expert but I've seen people use cloth or sheets to cover walls as well as the ceiling. Just use thumb-tacks to attach to the floor joists when doing the ceiling, the sill plate for doing the walls. You could either pull tight or have some "fluffing" or whatever it's called (I hope you have a wife, GF or mom to figure this stuff out...)

Brian

 

[ByronBob]

I have another question? Do you need R value on the block as to use the room year round? The block wall is it under the ground or is it open to the weather outside. In other words do you go out to daylight outside? Drywalling 1 wall and not the others might not look as good as you'd like. My recommendation is to stud the block and foam and drywall.(As mentioned already) If funds are not there don't bother with the ceiling now until funds become available.
Remember doing it right is better than getting it all done wrong. Start with the walls and go from there.
What about electric? Is that done also?

 

[GoodGuy]

JPR....
What about the floor, what did you do there ?? I didn't see anything about how you insulated or ???

 

[jpr62902]

Goodguy,

The flooring is just carpet over 1/2" pad -- no insulation. The tack strips are nailed right into the concrete. In the bar and bathroom, I just tiled right over the concrete floor after using copious amounts of floor leveller. Everything's holding up great, so far.