Section#6: Tools & Techniques for Basement Finishing

Updated on August 27th, 2019

By: Steve Maxwell

“Quality means doing it right when no one is looking.”

~ Henry Ford, American industrialist

Eventually, finishing a basement comes down to tools, materials & techniques. Tools like this small, 12 volt impact driver is a handy combination of power and compact size. Tools like these are more affordable than ever.

As I mentioned at the beginning of this course, you can finish your basement entirely yourself following. What you’re learning here will also let you hire a contractor intelligently to do the whole job for you. You can also do some of both, doing some work yourself and hire specialized trades to do the things you can’t handle.

Before you decide on the mix of work that makes sense for you, take in the lessons coming up in this section. They touch on the basic tools and techniques required for DIY basement work, plus you’ll get insights about when you might need help rather than working solo. Finishing a basement isn’t technically complicated nor are the tools needed particularly expensive compared with hiring skilled labor. Each lesson this week covers the steps involved in various basement finishing jobs, the tools you’ll need to make good things happen, plus tips and tricks for success. You decide which jobs you can handle, time-wise and skill-wise.

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