How to Remodel a Half Basement

Decide how you want to use your basement space after you remodel it. This will determine how you finish the basement. If you're making a recreation room, for example, you may want a bathroom and a wet bar with small appliances. This will require planning for plumbing and electricity. If you want to use the basement as a home office and nothing more, changes to the plumbing aren't really necessary. Also consider your heating and cooling needs.

Inspect the basement carefully for any moisture problems. Correct the problems, by bringing in a professional if necessary, before you undertake your project. A wet basement can ruin a freshly completed remodeling job.

Remove any belongings stored in the half basement. Leave nothing behind.

Treat the walls and the floor with concrete sealer. Apply two coats of sealer with paintbrushes or rollers. Allow the sealer to dry for 24 to 48 hours. If possible, open windows and put floor fans in the half basement to help the sealer dry.

Frame the walls with 2-by-4 pressure-treated wood. Tack insulation panels to the framing, using construction adhesive and/or nails. Hang drywall over the insulation panels. You may also want to cover the ceiling with drywall. When you do the ceiling, plan how you will deal with protruding duct work, and attach recessed-lighting canisters to the joists before you install the drywall.

Prime and paint the drywall in the color or colors of your choice. You may need more than one coat. Let the paint dry between coats and when you're finished.

Lay your flooring. Install tile or carpet, or paint the concrete. Carpeting is soft, easy to clean and sound dampening. It is not as cold as concrete, and gives a basement a homey feel.

Furnish your basement for the use you have planned. Mount a flat-screen TV if you're using the space as a rec room, and arrange furniture around it. Build shelves if you're using the space as an office or craft room. Add a desk if it's an office and a work table if it's a craft room. Make the shelves low, and add storage bins if it's a playroom.