Tag Archives: Basement

Top Do It Yourself Basement Tips

Are looking for do it yourself basement tips? Then you have come to your one-stop source. Finishing your basement can create a beautiful addition to your home and is a great investment. A finished basement can be a new living space such as a game room, media room, bar and even bathrooms and guestrooms.

When working on your do it yourself basement remodeling project, one important tip is to plan. You cant just start working on your basement without drawing it all out on paper first and expect the end result to be something you truly wanted.

What is main purpose of the room? This is what you want to do first – to figure out what main purpose you want your finished basement to have. For instance, what type of space do you have always waned in your home but never got the chance because your existing basement is unusable? Did you always want to do some woodworking or crafting but did not have the space available? In this case you could have a hobby room right in your basement.

Keep in mind not to over-specialize your space though. Take this advice especially if you are planning to sell your home in the next several years. Not all potential buyers will be into a hobby room. So make sure your finished basement can be easily transformed for other purposes.

Lighting is another aspect you may want to consider seriously. Yes, you could always install lighting fixtures but why not save on energy bills and utilize natural light? Aside from ceiling height, inadequate lighting is one of the major reasons why basements feel typically claustrophobic, cold and uninviting. In this case, search for any way to incorporate a connection to the outdoors. If your home provides walk-out opportunities, you could perhaps install new sliders or French doors to enhance natural lighting. You could also add more mirrors to reflect natural light.

Think of a theme or color palette if you do not know where to start with the paints and colors. Maintain finish continuity. Try to match the hardware of furnishings, lighting fixtures, etc. Do you want a sense of calm and serenity in your living space? Would you like your basement to appear larger than it really is? In these cases you may want to use cooler colors such as greens and blues. If you want something more lively, you can use warmer colors such as reds and yellows.

Before you start with your decorating ideas, it is important to solve existing basement problems first. This involves waterproofing and repairing all cracks, holes, chips and other types of damage that is usually found in a basement. Overlooking this step could mean damage to your finished basement within just a short period of time.

So you can get started on your do it yourself basement remodeling project, here is a basic project sequence: first clear out your basement, do some waterproofing, incorporate a subfloor, lay out your walls, frame walls and ceiling, install electrical appliances and plumbing, schedule electrical and plumbing inspections, install insulation and drywall, install flooring, install lighting fixtures and finally paint your walls.

Basement remodeling need not be costly. Follow a do it yourself basement remodeling project. Discover some of the most easy-to-follow diy basement remodeling plans online.

DIY Basement Shelter Plans

As I promised in a previous article, I worked out some rough plans for a basement shelter that I want to share with you. If time and resources permit, I may begin work on building this late this Summer, but next year is probably more realistic. Along with being able to afford the project, another concern I have is whether or not I have sufficient space in my basement. If not, I may have to rent a Bobcat or something to excavate a hole to build the thing in my yard.

Before we begin, keep in mind that protection from radiation is achieved through mass. The numbers I have always gone by to achieve protection from 99% of radiation are as follows: Steel – 5″; Concrete – 16″; Earth – 24″ packed or 36″ loose; and, water – 36″.

Being that we are building this shelter in a basement, it is already blessed by having the earth around it and your house above. This effect is multiplied if your house is more than one story; the voids from each floor to each ceiling won’t help you, but the combined mass of the wood and building materials will.

You’ll need:

Bricks
A saw
Plywood
Electric drill
Concrete/cinder blocks
Mortar and a trowel
Bagged quikrete, sand and gravel
Wheelbarrow
Steel or heavy wooden beams
Steel rebar (optional, yet highly recommended for increased strength)

Steps:

Choose a suitable place for your shelter. I suggest you utilize a corner space as it will give your structure added strength. I also suggest you choose a space with no windows.
Whether or not you imagine you’ll ever find yourself in danger from nuclear radiation, I’m including this next step as a means of added protection against that possibility. That being said, you can skip it if you prefer. Using the drill, screw sections of plywood to the ceiling joists to create something like a shelf in the void between each beam. I suggest screws as they will provide a stronger bond for the construction, but a hammer and nails would suffice. Also, you’ll do it in sections (you’ll need to pre-saw the 8×4 plywood sheets into smaller, more manageable pieces prior to beginning). Once your first row of “shelves” are ready, fill the void as tightly as possible with bricks. If you’ve done it in small sections and used screws on both sides, it will hold the weight. Be sure to fill the void as tightly as possible, always remembering that mass is what stops radiation. Repeat until the ceiling over the entire area you’ll be building your shelter is covered.
This next step is another that you might be able to get away with skipping if you so choose. I consider it wise as a hedge against any possibility of flooding as I plan to store emergency preparedness supplies in my locked shelter year-round. Using whatever means you find most expedient, build a form into which you will pour a concrete foundation that raises the floor of your shelter several inches above the floor of your existing basement. Now is a perfect time to position steel rebar in the wet concrete. The rebar is another part of this you can probably skip, but using it will increase the strength of the finished structure.
Build the walls to your shelter using the concrete blocks, remembering to leave space to install a door as well as a filtered air intake later (you may also want to run electrical or telephone wiring or pipe in water – I’ll leave that to you). If you’ve used the cinder blocks with the voids in them, I advise you to mix up another batch of concrete mix and pour it in the empty spaces so your walls are solid. This will help to increase the protection factor from blast forces, heat, ballistics, et cetera. The height of the walls is up to you, but FYI a wall built 10 blocks high would afford an internal shelter height of 6’8″ and there aren’t many of us who couldn’t make do with that.
The roof of the shelter should be constructed by laying steel or sturdy wooden beams completely across the top of your shelter and packed tightly together. You could conceivably spread them out more and use them as supports for a ceiling of plywood or metal sheeting, but packing them closer reduces void space and thus provides more protection from radiation. You will need to buy or cut these to the correct size. They should be long enough to lie across your structure, resting upon the tops of the walls but not hanging over if it can be helped. Use vertical beams or build block columns at equal intervals within your shelter to provide added support.
At this point, your basic structure is complete. I would advise covering the roof with plastic sheeting to provide a moisture barrier and adding another layer of tightly-packed bricks (no mortar). Beyond that, the more overall mass you can cram into whatever empty space exists between the roof of your shelter and the roof of your basement (which we stuffed with bricks earlier) the more protection you will have from radiation. Continue to add as much as possible, but always be mindful of the weight on your ceiling and its stability.
Paint the whole thing, inside and out and floor to ceiling, with moisture-resistant paint.

I’ve left it up to you to decide certain things on your own, such as ventilation and what kind of door to use and how to construct it. I would strongly suggest a metal door though. And, since you’ve gone this far already, take the tiny extra step to make sure your ventilation system has filters that are rated for NBC protection.

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Do it Yourself Basement Finishing System

A basement finishing system can be very costly and impractical especially now that the economy is not doing well. Hiring a contractor can cause $ 20 to $ 25 per square foot. People are lucky to be employed these days and as responsible individuals, we want to hold on to our savings as much as we can. If you want to finish your basement but you’re afraid that you can’t afford to hire a professional to do it for you, then you’re better off doing a DIY project. The basement can provide you with all kinds of extra living space that is definitely valuable. Compared to building a small house, a basement is pretty much less expensive because it already has walls, floor and a ceiling. If you work on this project on your own, you will save a lot of money.

If you don’t have enough experience, it won’t hurt if you will make a research online about basement finishing systems. There’s too much information out there and what’s critical is filtering what’s helpful or not. The first step in finishing a basement is planning. You have to decide what you will use your basement for, whether it will be a theatre room, guest room, bar or a kitchen, make sure it will suit your family’s needs and activities. Different functions have great impact on the design and the materials to be used so you better be careful in planning. Being fickle minded is not an option when it comes to your basement finishing system. Measure your basement and the height of your ceilings. This will have to include the distance from the floor to the bottom of the floor joists and the floor to bottom of any ductwork as well.

Determine which parts of the basement finishing you can do and which ones should be dealt by a professional. For a DIY basement project, you’re probably looking at 6 months of completion and you may have to sacrifice weekends. Your written plan should include existing doors, windows and the obstructions like plumbing, stacks and ductwork. Make a count of the electrical outlets, switches, light fixtures and other plumbing materials you will need. Lastly, you have to know whether your area would require you for a building permit. Make sure you follow the guidelines set by your local municipality, this is for your safety anyway.

You can get exciting basement ideas here or you can go to http://www.basement-bar-ideas.com/ for more information.