Framingbasementwallscanbeatrickyendeavor.Thereareanumberof
differentsituationsandobstaclesthatcomplicatetheframing.Asaresult,
stickbuildingandimprovisationarethekeyphraseswhenundertakingbasement
wallframing.
PerimeterWallFraming
First,ifyouareplanningtohaveawarmandcomfortablebasement,perimeter
basementwallsshouldbeframedusing2"x4"construction,justliketheinterior
walls.Byusing2"x4"studsontheperimeterbasementwallsinsulationcanbe
installedtoensureawarmerroom.Ifwarmthisnotapriority,andthe
installationofdrywallisstillrequiredontheperimeterbasementwalls,then
furringstripscanbeattachedtotheperimeterwallsinstead.Furringstrips
usuallyconsistof2"x2"sthataregluedandnailedtotheconcretebasement
walls.
InternalWallFraming
Theinternalwallscanbebuiltonthegroundandthensimplyraisedinplace,
howeverduetoinevitablevariationsinbasementfloorheightsthewallsshould
bebuiltslightlyshorterandthenshimmedintoplace.Ifthisisnotdone,you
mayhavesomedifficultyraisingthewallasitmaygetwedgedbetweenthefloor
ofthebasementandtheceiling/floorjoists.Also,ifthehomeisbuiltonclay
soilthebasementfloormaymoveslightlyupanddownbasedonthewatercontent
intheground.Ifthehomeisbuiltonclaysoil,thenyoushoulduseL-Shaped
steelframingclipstoattachtothewallsandthefirst-floorfloorjoists.
Theseclipswillenablethewallstobreath(moveupanddown),butgivethe
supportnecessarytoensurethewallremainsvertical.
Whenbuildingbasementwallstherearetypicallymanyobstructions(pipes,duct
work)thatyouneedtobuildaround.Thus,itissometimeseasiertostickbuild
wallsaroundthesetypesofobstructions.
StickBuildFraming
Tostickbuildwalls,firstnailatopplateperpendiculartothefloorjoists.
Next,secureabottomplatetotheconcretefloorusingconcretenailsandan
adhesivesuchasLiquidNails.Makesureyouusepressuretreatedlumberonthe
bottomplateasitisincontactwiththeconcreteandwillwickmoistureover
time.Thetopandbottomplatesshouldbeparalleltoeachother.Useaplumb
linetoensuretheyareparallel.Finallyinstall2’x4"studsevery16"along
theplates.Makesureyoumeasureforeachstudpriortocutting,asthefloor
toceilingdistanceswillvary.
BoxinginDuctwork
Soffitsmayneedtobebuiltifductworkneedstobeboxedinorifplanningto
installinteriorlighting.Soffitsarenotstructuralandthuscanbeframed
using2"x2"s.Similartoanywallframing,usetwoparallel2"x2"platesand
connectthemusingverticalstudmembers.Securea2"x2"topplatetothefloor
joistsandthensticknailina2"x2"studonbothendsofthetopplate.Next
nailthebottomplatetothetwostudstocreatethebasicwall.Finally,
installon16"centers,2"x2"studsalongtheentirelengthoftheplates.
Pendingthesituationyoumayneedtobuildthesameframingstructureonthe
othersideoftheductwork.Onceyouhavecompletedthesecondsoffitwall
simplyinstall2"x2"crossmemberstudpieces(lookouts)betweenthetwo
soffitwallsections.Youwillwanttomakesureyouuseachalklineanda
levelduringthistasktoensurethesoffitwallsremainstraight.Again,asthe
soffitisbeingstickbuilt,measureeverystudpriortocutting.
FramingtheCeiling
Ifdrywallistobeinstalledontheceilingthenyoumayneedtoadd
effectivelyahorizontalwall.Basicallythesameprocessisdoneaswith
buildingsoffits,however2"x4"sareusedforprovidingclearanceforpipes
hangingbelowthefloorjoists.Iftherearenopipesorwiringhangingbelow
thefloorjoists,then1’x3"strappingmaybeabletobeused.Simplynailthem
perpendiculartothefloorjoistson16"centers.
Formorehelponfinishingyourbasement,seeHomeAdditionPlus.com’sBasement
RemodelingBidsheet.TheBasementRemodelingBidSheetwillhelpensurethat
yourbasementremodelingprojectgoessmoothlyandyougetthefinishedbasement
youarelookingfor.Inaddition,itwillhelptoensurethatfinishingyour
basementwillbeaccomplishedontimeandonbudget.
Pleasecontactuswithanyquestions908-750-5065TonyCharles