Basement Wall Treatments

Painting

• By far the simplest and cheapest solution would be to paint the concrete walls of your basement. If you're on a budget and don't intend to use the basement very often, this would be your best option. A basic color applied evenly can still open up a space and make the walls look newer. For quicker drying, you'll want to paint the walls during the warmer portion of the year. Concrete basement walls can easily be treated without the help of a professional providing you use an appropriate concrete primer.

Drywall

• This is more of a mid range option since the cost and work will be more extensive than just painting. You'll want to install some sort of a wood base to attach the drywall to unless you'd rather just keep it simple and spread a small layer of drywall over the cement. The former option would allow for the adding of insulation, which would be ideal if you intend to spend a regular amount of time in the basement during the winter.

Paneling

• Wood or PVC paneling is a fairly cheap option that only requires slightly more work than painting and can easily be accomplished by most homeowners. A third option is insulated foam paneling, which allows for increased protection from the cold during winter months. Any form of paneling goes up in large pre-fabricated pieces and essentially hides the cement layer of the wall from view. This is an affordable solution for families looking to put their basement to use as a finished room.

Stone and Tile Wall Finishing

• If you use the basement as a workspace but would still like to clean up the appearance a bit, you might opt for a basic tile covering or a decorative stone finish. Tile covering adds a protective easy-to-clean layer that can cover part or all of the cement wall. A thin layer of decorative stone would be applied in a similar manner, requiring about the same amount of installation time. Stone may be ideal for more of an outdoorsy or rugged appearance to the basement.