Finishing a basement adds living space to your home. In this video, Steve Maxwell runs through some of the best basement remodeling tips to help you create the space you want.
Traditional basement construction with stud frame walls, styrofoam insulation, and vapor barriers is not the ideal method of finishing a basement.
In humid spaces, water vapor can cause mold and mildew in insulation. Condensation can collect beneath carpets that are placed on concrete floors.
Instead of using traditional methods, it is now possible to use engineered solutions that resolve the major issues with basement moisture.
Engineered subfloor systems use interlocking 2×2 plywood tiles on top of the plastic that is elevated above the floor to create a warm space full of air, avoiding unnecessary condensation.
Foam wall systems consist of expanded polystyrene foam behind a layer of drywall. When the foam wall panels are added on top of the engineered subfloor, they include an open space behind the panels and in front of the existing wall so that air can pass through, preventing water vapor from collecting there.
Foam walls and engineered subfloor systems are an improvement on traditional methods of finishing a basement.
