“Quality is never an accident. It is always the result of intelligent effort.”
~ John Ruskin, English draftsman, painter and philanthropist
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The information coming up in this section shows the main details that go into a basement finished optimally following current best practices. It’s this business of best practices that matter most when it comes to getting a great finished basement space. Best practices are really what this course is all about. Many people can finish a basement, but few understand how to do it to avoid long-term trouble. Familiarize yourself with all the recommended approaches for the key parts of your basement – walls, floors, ceilings, windows, soundproofing, waterproofing, etc. – then make decisions about which approach you’ll take for each part of your basement as you plan it.
Think of these best practice concepts as building blocks for the work. As you design your space and build it later on, choose and combine the different approaches that make the most sense for your situation and budget. As you’ll see, the thing that separates most “best practices” for basements from ordinary above-ground building choices is resistance to moisture and the ability to dry out in the event of an unforeseen leak. Learning and understanding basement best practices before you get busy is one of the most important parts of this course. This week’s material isn’t so much “how-to”as it is “what to do” and why.
Click below to hear an audio message about best practices when it comes to finishing basements.
The basement finishing best practices you’ll learn include:
- Perimeter basement wall finishing systems
- Interior partition walls
- Levelling uneven floors
- Subfloors
- Finished floors
- Ceilings
- Boxing in beams and ducts
- Windows & outside entrances
- Mechanical ventilation/heating & cooling
- Waterproofing/moisture-proofing
- Power, lighting & plumbing
- Tearing out an old basement safely and efficiently
In This Section...
Anatomy of a Basement
ANATOMY OF A BASEMENT: The main thing to understand right now is that there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to basements.
Continue ReadingBasement Ceiling Best Practices
BASEMENT CEILING BEST PRACTICES: Most homeowners don’t know about these best practices and many contractors are happy to skip over them.
Continue ReadingPerimeter Basement Wall Best Practices
PERIMETER BASEMENT WALL BEST PRACTICES: Here you’ll find a description of the five main approaches to creating finished walls around the exterior of a basement.
Continue ReadingInterior Partition Wall & Floor Levelling Best Practices
INTERIOR BASEMENT PARTITIONS & FLOOR LEVELLING BEST PRACTICES: The situation with partition walls is different than with perimeter basement walls because the threat of moisture is lower and there’s no need for thermal insulation.
Continue ReadingBasement Subfloors Best Practices
BASEMENT SUBFLOOR BEST PRACTICES: As with walls, the stakes are high as you choose a flooring approach for your finished basement.
Continue ReadingFinished Floor Best Practices
FINISHED FLOOR BEST PRACTICES: With a reliable subfloor in place, you have the option of choosing from among most finished flooring options for your basement.
Continue ReadingBoxing In Beams and Ducts Best Practices
BOXING IN DUCTS & BEAMS BEST PRACTICES: Ducts and beams need to have a frame built around them so they can be hidden when the finished ceiling goes up.
Continue ReadingBasement Windows & Outside Entrance Best Practices
BASEMENT WINDOW & OUTSIDE ENTRANCE BEST PRACTICES: Building codes usually require that finished basements offer two methods of getting out in the case of fire, flood or other disaster.
Continue ReadingMechanical Ventilation, Heating & Cooling Best Practices
HEATING, VENTILATION & COOLING BEST PRACTICES: Windows and doors alone never offer enough ventilation for the entire basement.
Continue Reading