Pre-Finished and Wall-Finished Basement Advice

Moisture

• Basements have a high vulnerability to moisture damage and you need to check your unfinished basement thoroughly for signs of leaking such as damp walls or floors. You can prevent many moisture problems by ensuring that your gutters remain in good repair and that the soil around the foundation is graded to carry water away from the home. For more serious problems, you may need to install an underground drain that carries water to a sump or well away from the home.

Concrete

• The concrete walls and floors of unfinished basements need regular inspections to ensure that no major defects occur. The walls may develop small cracks from minor settling. Hairline cracks generally do not indicate a cause for concern, but larger cracks, particularly horizontal or staircase cracks, may indicate structural damage and require attention from a professional. Check floors to ensure that they are not rising or sinking due to excessive soil movement.

Lighting

• Once you've finished your basement walls, you can start thinking about how you want to light the space. To avoid the stereotypical dark, gloomy basement, you can use bright fluorescent lights to create a vivid and luminous living space. Another interesting lighting idea is to use occupancy sensors, which detect the presence of individuals entering the basements. For instance, if you're carrying something down to the basement and enter the area with your hands full, the sensors turn on the lights automatically.

Flooring

• After framing and finishing the walls you may want to add a finishing material to the concrete floor as well. You can lay carpet directly over a concrete slab provided the slab is in good condition. Installing carpet has some difficult aspects so you may want to leave it to a professional. Another good option is to use a plastic laminate that imitates the look of hardwood flooring. It typically installs over a foam or fiberboard underlayment.