Are you thinking of finishing your unfinished basement to use the cellar as an extension of useable living space? Well, it is not just you; these days more and more people are opting to renovate an existing basement or finish an unfinished one.
Actually, finishing or revamping a basement offers you a great opportunity of making some addition to valuable live in area, yet it does not require you to make huge investments.
Knowledge of the many aspects of finishing a basement and tips for remodeling, essential repair works, waterproofing of the basement and lighting will further curtail your expenses as you will have no needs left to seek professional help.
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While finishing a basement, tips such as the following is surely going to help you:
Building Codes And Basements
You need to start from here. There are many building codes/restrictions on basements (which vary from state to state) based on ceiling height, waterproofing, etc. Your building must fit into certain criteria in order to secure the building permit. So, before you go ahead with planning, gather all information from the building department.
Planning
Once fully equipped with related information, you can commence with planning your basement-finishing project. This involves deciding on the use you will put the space to as also drawing up the basic layout.
If you are thinking of renovating an already existing basement, you will be required to plan all repair and remodeling works at this phase. Go ahead with construction and restoration only when the building department OKS your plan.
Basics Of Refinishing
The earth naturally insulates basements and so they are cool in summer and warm in winter. Basements, however, have a weak point being an underground room, its often damp making the area humid, fetid and prone to mildew formation. Installation of an effective waterproofing system, which ably combats problems like flooding, water seepage and other such problems common to underground rooms, is thus elementary to a basement-refinishing project.
If it happens to be a remodeling project, you will need to relocate many things starting from air ducts to plumbing systems and pillars and walls, windows, and so on and so forth. In fact, you will have to change the total layout of the basement. This will turn the room into the kind of place you are planning to create and save you a lot of trouble in the future.
Flooring
Water-resistant floor coverings like rubber and vinyl matting and tiles help keep the basement floor clean and dry, eliminating even the last traces of foul smell.
Walling
Apart from damp proofing, basement walls need to be coated with effective sealants.
Ceiling
Dropped ceilings are certainly not meant for basements since they lower ceiling height. Instead, go for drywall soffit or trayed ceilings.
Lighting
Lighting is indeed a great concern in basements. Unlike above-the-ground rooms, basements hardly have any windows (inclusion of windows increases the chances of inundation); rather opt on having a large French door at the entrance.
As for artificial lighting, you will need to use a combination of direct and indirect lighting for effective illumination of basements. Use fluorescent lighting and light bulbs that produce light near to natural skin tones. Using mirrors on the walls and ceiling will also exploit the lighting most.
Arrange special lighting for selective areas like the aquarium, billiard board or reading table.
Winding up the whole story, we will like to add that you can create an aesthetically appealing and fully functional underground world of your own if you stick to these tips for finishing a basement. Tips like the installation of heating system and introducing other amenities of life will only add to the luxuries of life and enhance the utility of the basement.
by Manuel Kupka
