Thursday, November 19, 2009

Advanced Basement Remodeling Ideas

By Casey Torren

Some homeowners have started on basement remodeling project but have put it off for some reason or another. It could be because they have not started out with a complete plan from start to finish and are now running out of ideas for basement finishing. The good news is, you do not have to be stuck with that type of basement. Continue your project with some of these advanced tips.

Big home improvement projects, such as the one you are undertaking now, require special planning. Carefully considering the many factors involving your basement remodeling project will end up with a fresh new space, which will be fun, comfortable and livable for many years to come.

The challenges that come with basement remodeling are several, and these include inadequate or zero natural light, musky smell, exposed ductwork, low ceilings and concrete structural beams. Regardless of these challenges, think of the more positive side. Imagine, a basement offers lots of raw space to work with. For instance, ductword can be concealed with hollow beams or drywall, generating an interesting soffited or coffered ceiling. A little bit of creativity will go a long way and make your basement remodeling tasks a bit simpler.

Of course, you need to select the purpose of your basement wisely. This will give you a good head start on your remodeling project. What activities would you like to cater to? While you are thinking about this, also consider the available features your basement already has. Use these features to your advantage instead of working against them. For instance, basements are naturally cold and dark, so you may want to transform the space into a movie room, entertainment space or home gym.

Form and Function

If you are planning to incorporate a bathroom or wet bar, you need to focus on plumbing since pipes need to be placed underneath the cement floor. Once all plumbing has been incorporated, ascertain to fill in all cracks in the walls and flooring. If your basement does not already come with glass block windows, do employ them.

Glass block windows offer a variety of purposes: decorative appeal, light transmission and security. Next, make sure to employ an adequate number of electrical outlets and telephone lines to cater to thinks like lamps, computer modems, TVs and cable lines. To conceal cement walls, use drywall. Use acoustical tiles for your ceilings, as they are both appealing as well as offer easy access to utilities. Finally, employ a subfloor between the concrete and floor surface so that your basement will be dryer and warmer.

Basement Remodeling Secrets

Then there is the basement drywall. Before installing the drywall, you can highlight essential areas by stretching a tape measure across your studs and snapping a digital photo. The picture can later be enlarged to establish precise measurements. If your home is quite new, and you have detachable basement windows, ascertain your framing is employed so the window is still detachable when the basement remodeling project is done.

One good tip is to always hold your exterior wall frames approximately an inch off the walls. After you are done sanding your freshly drywalled walls, ready a container of water and a sponge. Dampen the sponge and clean the walls. This will eliminate dust as well as trace the outline of the mud compound on the wallboard to feather the materials well.

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