Types of Studs for Basement Wall Finishing

Wood

• Wood is an all-around good stud choice for basements. It’s flexible and easy to work with and versatile. In fact, if your basement project goes beyond walls, you’re will want to use wood for things like doors, cabinets and shelving and plumbing fixtures because it’s more adaptable than steel. However, one thing to watch out for if you go with wood is moisture. Wood retains moisture and may ultimately rot or mold if you live in a humid climate. You should only use pressure treated wood in warm and humid environments. Standard 2-by-3 and 2-by-4 studs are good sizes for basement finishing projects. Leave a ½-inch gap from the floor to prevent the stud from absorbing any moisture.

Steel

• Some people get a little intimidated by the idea of working with steel studs, when they really need not. The types of steel studs manufactured for do-it-yourself projects aren’t nearly as strong as commercial-grade steel studs and don’t require special equipment for cutting. You can residential-grade steel studs with a common metal saw blade and snips. They are categorized as “non-weight bearing,” meaning they are not made to support an above-head floor. Steel studs are a good choice if you’re primarily focusing on creating a wall surface around the perimeter of the basement for hanging drywall. The studs incorporate openings that will come in handy when it comes time for nailing the drywall to the studs. Like wood, steel studs come in standard 2-by-3 and 2-by-4 sizes.

Furring Strips

• Furring strips are an option to full-size wood studs. Furring strips are a bit thinner and come in 2-by-2 and 2-by-3 sizes. Even though they’re thin, they work well for studs against an existing concrete wall. You can put them up easily with liquid nail glue and fluted concrete nails. Since they’re 1 or 2 inches narrower than conventional wood or steel studs, you might want to space them closer together. Instead of using a 24-inch spacing, use a 16-inch spacing so you won’t have problem later on with things like hanging pictures or shelves. Another idea is to top conventional wood studs with furring strips for extra reinforcement.

Considerations

• Before you make your final choice, take a good look around your basement. Use a level to confirm that the concrete walls are relatively level. The straighter and more level the concrete walls, the easier it will be to install steel studs. Wood, on the other hand, is more forgiving and can be manipulated to make up for unlevel areas. Another consideration is that if you install steel studs you will also have to install tracks on the floor and the ceiling. However, you don't have to add tracks with wood. The final consideration is cost. Costs for wood studs run about 20 to 30 percent more than steel studs, at publication.