Adding additional living space by adding an additional room in the basement is a common DIY project by homeowners. Many homeowners find that adding a room in the basement is an inexpensive way to increase the homes living space. The additional room may be an extra bedroom for overnight guests, an office or a recreational room for children. Whatever the use, basement remodeling projects can be a daunting as well as a rewarding task.

Building basement walls is always a challenge as basement floors are rarely ever level. Consequently the wall framing can’t be performed on the floor and stood in place as it is normally done. The walls have to be piece-meal constructed, one piece of lumber at a time.

Once you have decided where you want the partition wall the first step is to fasten the base plate to the concrete floor. The base plate sets directly on the concrete floor and as a result it is subject to the moisture that comes through the floor from the earth below.

It is imperative that the base plate be moisture resistant pressure treated wood. Pressure treated wood is resistant to absorbing moisture and will not rot overtime. Before there was pressure treated wood, basement base plates were constructed using standard lumber which absorbed moisture. After a few years the non-treated lumber began to decay from the moisture and then attracted insects. The resulting musty odor was there to stay in addition to the little critters that were attracted to the decaying base plate.

Installing a pressure treated base plate is quite easy. Once the location is determined, mark the floor by tracing the sides of the base plate on the floor with a marker. Remove the base plate and apply a coat of liquid nail (structural glue) to the floor. Set the base plate on top of the liquid nail and attach the base plate using concrete nails or a Hilti nail gun. The Hilti nail gun is the best as it really drives the nail deep into the concrete.

Once the liquid nail sets up, approximately an hour, you can begin the wall stud installation. Each stud must be cut to it exact length because the basement floor is most likely not level.

Always use pressure treated lumber for basement partition base plates on concrete floors. The pressure treated lumber will last for decades without deterioration.

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Building Basement Walls

Foundation Repairs

Framing a Finished Basement

How to Insulate a Basement