The Basement Bonus Room

I kept agonizing whether or not to finish one side of the basement in this house.  It had 'sort of' been finished in the past, with a suspended ceiling and a drywall partition down one side of the room (although the kids that grew up in the house in the 60's and 70's said there were no walls then.  They used to roller skate in the basement.  That's a good way to tire out a family of 6 children when the weather isn't good!). 

It also had a pellet stove, right in the middle of the room, that looked like it was rarely used (although there were holes cut in the ceiling above it, to allow heat to go upstairs).  The pellet stove really didn't make sense for a finished space, so we gave it away.

There were no water marks on the drywall to indicate a flooding problem - the only evidence of water we saw was around the windows, which had lots of dirt and leaves up against them.  That only encouraged water penetration.  So with that in mind, we decided to create some living space down there.  Because who doesn't need a bonus room?  Especially when it's a big space!

Dimple board on walls and floor, to provide airflow and drainage

In preparation, we did all the usual things.  We spray foamed the sills and walls down several feet, to provide insulation and air sealing.  We installed 'dimple board' to raise the flooring and walls off of the concrete - preventing any wicking from summertime condensation and allowing air flow.

We created a fireplace box, for an electric unit that would add heat and ambiance to the room.

Luxury Vinyl Tile is my 'go to' flooring for a basement.  It's really rugged and looks great.  

And we added a suspended ceiling, to give a finished look to the room, while providing access to any electrical or plumbing in the future.

The result?  A big, multi purpose room that the new homeowners can use for whatever they like!  

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