Bringing extra light into a basement is a tricky but worthwhile project. If you’re planning a basement renovation, consider the many ways to enhance your lighting options.
The first place to look is the windows. Many basements have small windows that limit the natural light flowing through. When finishing a basement, look for ways to add good-sized vinyl replacement windows and enlarge the ones you have. Even a few extra feet of window space helps.
While some homeowners can add drywall or install flooring in a basement on their own, it’s often best to leave window installation to a professional. This is particularly true if the project involves expanding window openings and heavy carpentry work.
If you’re lucky enough to have a walk-out basement, where part of the space is raised above ground level, you have plenty of options. Otherwise, look for places where an extra window would brighten the space.
Basement Renovation: Check the Outside
The outside of your foundation is another place that can limit light flowing into the basement. If you have thick bushes right against the basement wall, plan to cut them back during your basement renovation.
When you’ve exhausted natural light options, turn to artificial lighting. A basement renovation often includes upgrades to the electrical system, so this is the time to do it. Maximizing the livable space should also include making it more comfortable and visually appealing.
Focus When Finishing the Basement
Many people like the focused light from canned lighting, while others prefer track lights. In both cases, the lights can be directed to shine on specific areas, such as a pool table. Talk with an electrical contractor about getting the right amount of light. You can always add dimmer switches and turn them down if needed.
After the windows and lighting are in place, you can use decorative options to further brighten your basement renovation. Light colored paint, carpeting, or vinyl flooring can be a perfect complement to the other changes you’ve planned. Glass blocks often give the impression of extra light coming into a basement, too.
When finishing a basement, think about all the things you don’t like about the current space. Chances are you could benefit from added light. By taking a few steps to bring in light, you can transform the basement into a bright, open setting as appealing as your first-floor space.
Basement Renovations – Ensuring Completion and Staying on Budget
September 22nd, 2009 by adminOne of the most daunting home renovation tasks, basement renovations are hard and complex but can vastly increase the selling power, aesthetic and living space of your home.
Basement Renovations
The basement renovations plan might be as simple as drywall finishing the wall framing, a few extra light fixtures and shelving to increase basement storage potential. Or it can be as involved as transforming the area using a family room design or basement game room that includes finished walls, ceiling, carpeting, and the addition of bathroom plumbing.
Your only restraints are available floor space, basement renovation cost, and other practical considerations. Such as whether the project will be a DIY, if you require the services of a reliable renovation contractor, and what you hope to accomplish by the renovation.
Basement Storage Idea
One basement renovation Toronto style idea is to make use of wasted space under the lower end of the stairway leading into the basement. Consider custom made roll-out bins for this project.
Simple-style bins made from ¾” plywood and mounted on casters can be designed. Reinforce the inside corners of the bins using ¾” square molding. Create a template for the front, back, and filler pieces of each bin by tracing the slope of the stairs on cardboard.
Remember to allow for the casters when determining bin height; the back and front of the bins should clear the stairs by at least ¼”. Attach cupboard handles to the front of the bins for ease of access. This makes great basement storage space for sports equipment, boots and winter wear, seasonal decorations, or even cleaning supplies.
Basement Floor Idea
If part of your basement renovation plan is to incorporate a family room design or basement game room idea into the mix, you’ll want to finish off the floor. If the floor of your basement is concrete, the following is a great way to make it chill-free. Of course, concrete floor should be level.
1. Clean off the surface of the basement concrete floor.
2. Apply thinned asphalt mastic (used for roof waterproofing).
3. Lay high-density polyethylene sheeting; 6-mil is good. Press flat using a weighted floor roller.
4. Using 2 X 4 pressure-treated sleepers, embed them from one end of the floor to the other in rows of mastic.
5. Nail ¾” sheets of B-grade exterior plywood to the sleepers.
6. Install carpet pad.
7. Install carpet.
Hide Ugly Concrete-Filled Steel Posts
A great way to hide eye-sore steel support posts in the basement is to box them in. Shimming bottom edges off the floor use 1” X 6” and 1” X 4” lumber. Join the pieces in a box around the post, using same-size lumber on opposite sides.
Drill 1/8” holes through the box into the post. Attach using concrete screws; countersink the heads so they are flush with the wood. Trim the top and bottom of the wood box using quarter round.
Bathroom Renovations Idea
If part of your home basement renovations design includes a bathroom, time and costs can be cut if bathroom fixtures are located near existing plumbing. This means designing the bathroom floor plan close to the main waste-vent stack and house drain. Fixture drain lines should maintain a downward slope of at least ¼” per foot.
Plumbing rough-ins are a common addition during the construction of many newer homes. If your house is older and has no drain rough-ins, you will most probably have to cut into the slab floor to make drain connections.
And remember, when deciding on small bathroom design it is easier and less complicated to arrange the bathroom fixtures along a line on one wall. Be sure to check local codes for plumbing and electrical aspects of your project.
Hanging Drywall on Concrete Basement Walls
Another aspect of basement renovation might be hanging drywall. If your basement walls consist of concrete instead of basement framing, here’s a handy drywall tip. Use masonry nails to install furring strips on concrete basement walls. Of course, you’ll want to pre-drill holes first to make the job easier.
Start holes through the furring strips for each masonry nail so that they just begin poking through the back of the strip. Hold the strip firmly in place against the wall; tap the nails to mark their locations on the walls.
Remove the strip and drill holes in the concrete using a 1/8” masonry bit. Replace the strip and nail them in place. Pre-drilling the holes first prevents the concrete from chipping and helps insure that the masonry nails will go in straight and hold tight.
Now you are ready to hang drywall. Be sure and tape each drywall corner and seam. When you are finished with drywall taping, cover nail heads with drywall compound; sand smooth when dry. Complete the project by painting drywall, using drywall texturing, or some other drywall finish technique.
Handy Safety Tip
One important safety basement renovations idea; if you plan on the addition of a space heater for basement use, select a model with safety features such as automatic shut off in case the unit gets tipped over. If basement flooring is flammable, make a brick platform to set the heater on.
Make sure the platform is large enough so that if the heater does get tipped over it won’t fall on the floor.