I'm planning to finish my basement. My house is only 4 years old, the
basement is concrete walls & floor slabs. The previous owner framed &
insulated most of the walls, two walls remain un-framed.

The basement has one main room, with a bathroom and utility room
(furnace & wash/dryer). The bathroom door is in line with the slider
to outside. My floor plan was to have large tile floor in the
bathroom, but use the same tile in the main room for the portion that
connects the slider door and bath room door. The rest (85%) of the
main room would be carpet. The utility room also would be tile.

Not sure how well this will show up in google groups, the dots are
tile, equalsigns are carpet:

----------
outsidewall-----------------------------------------------------------
|..........................
(bar).......|......................|....................|
\slider................................
\bathroom........|.....utility........|
|........................................|......................|....................|
|====================|......................|...................|
|====================|----------------------....................|
|=======main==========|..........................................|
|======room===========|__________________| |____/
|=========================================|
|=========================================|


Not to scale of course but my point is that the main room will have
two different floor types (carpet & tile). Whats the best approach to
finish the floors?

Also, do I finish framing the walls first, or do the floors before the
walls? Or do I drywall the walls / ceilings THEN do the floors? Thanks.

Not to kill your project but are you absolutely sure the basement is dry 
with an external drainage system that works.  Also, attach some clear 
plastic to the concrete floor with duct tape, about a foot square, and check 
overnight for moisture under plastic.


"Kbalz" <K...@gmail.com> wrote in message 
news:a...@g1g2000yqh.googlegroups.com...
> I'm planning to finish my basement. My house is only 4 years old, the
> basement is concrete walls & floor slabs. The previous owner framed &
> insulated most of the walls, two walls remain un-framed.
>
> The basement has one main room, with a bathroom and utility room
> (furnace & wash/dryer). The bathroom door is in line with the slider
> to outside. My floor plan was to have large tile floor in the
> bathroom, but use the same tile in the main room for the portion that
> connects the slider door and bath room door. The rest (85%) of the
> main room would be carpet. The utility room also would be tile.
>
> Not sure how well this will show up in google groups, the dots are
> tile, equalsigns are carpet:
>
> ----------
> outsidewall-----------------------------------------------------------
> |..........................
> (bar).......|......................|....................|
> \slider................................
> \bathroom........|.....utility........|
> |........................................|......................|....................|
> |====================|......................|...................|
> |====================|----------------------....................|
> |=======main==========|..........................................|
> |======room===========|__________________| |____/
> |=========================================|
> |=========================================|
>
>
> Not to scale of course but my point is that the main room will have
> two different floor types (carpet & tile). Whats the best approach to
> finish the floors?
>
> Also, do I finish framing the walls first, or do the floors before the
> walls? Or do I drywall the walls / ceilings THEN do the floors? Thanks. 

On Apr 21, 1:53=A0pm, "Art"  wrote:
> Not to kill your project but are you absolutely sure the basement is dry
> with an external drainage system that works. =A0Also, attach some clear
> plastic to the concrete floor with duct tape, about a foot square, and ch=
eck
> overnight for moisture under plastic.
>
> "Kbalz"  wrote in message
>
> news:a...@g1g2000yqh.googlegroups.com...
>
>
>
> > I'm planning to finish my basement. My house is only 4 years old, the
> > basement is concrete walls & floor slabs. The previous owner framed &
> > insulated most of the walls, two walls remain un-framed.
>
> > The basement has one main room, with a bathroom and utility room
> > (furnace & wash/dryer). The bathroom door is in line with the slider
> > to outside. My floor plan was to have large tile floor in the
> > bathroom, but use the same tile in the main room for the portion that
> > connects the slider door and bath room door. The rest (85%) of the
> > main room would be carpet. The utility room also would be tile.
>
> > Not sure how well this will show up in google groups, the dots are
> > tile, equalsigns are carpet:
>
> > ----------
> > outsidewall-----------------------------------------------------------
> > |..........................
> > (bar).......|......................|....................|
> > \slider................................
> > \bathroom........|.....utility........|
> > |........................................|......................|......=
....=AD..........|
> > |=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D|.........=
.............|...................|
> > |=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D|---------=
-------------....................|
> > |=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3Dmain=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D|..............=
............................|
> > |=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3Droom=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D|______________=
____| |____/
> > |=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D|
> > |=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D|
>
> > Not to scale of course but my point is that the main room will have
> > two different floor types (carpet & tile). Whats the best approach to
> > finish the floors?
>
> > Also, do I finish framing the walls first, or do the floors before the
> > walls? Or do I drywall the walls / ceilings THEN do the floors? Thanks.=
- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Right but even if its dry basements can get wet from pipes etc
breaking, area rugs are often best.

On Apr 21, 2:53=A0pm, "Art"  wrote:
> Not to kill your project but are you absolutely sure the basement is dry
> with an external drainage system that works. =A0Also, attach some clear
> plastic to the concrete floor with duct tape, about a foot square, and ch=
eck
> overnight for moisture under plastic.
>
> "Kbalz"  wrote in message
>
> news:a...@g1g2000yqh.googlegroups.com...
>
>
>
> > I'm planning to finish my basement. My house is only 4 years old, the
> > basement is concrete walls & floor slabs. The previous owner framed &
> > insulated most of the walls, two walls remain un-framed.
>
> > The basement has one main room, with a bathroom and utility room
> > (furnace & wash/dryer). The bathroom door is in line with the slider
> > to outside. My floor plan was to have large tile floor in the
> > bathroom, but use the same tile in the main room for the portion that
> > connects the slider door and bath room door. The rest (85%) of the
> > main room would be carpet. The utility room also would be tile.
>
> > Not sure how well this will show up in google groups, the dots are
> > tile, equalsigns are carpet:
>
> > ----------
> > outsidewall-----------------------------------------------------------
> > |..........................
> > (bar).......|......................|....................|
> > \slider................................
> > \bathroom........|.....utility........|
> > |........................................|......................|......=
....=AD..........|
> > |=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D|.........=
.............|...................|
> > |=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D|---------=
-------------....................|
> > |=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3Dmain=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D|..............=
............................|
> > |=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3Droom=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D|______________=
____| |____/
> > |=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D|
> > |=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D|
>
> > Not to scale of course but my point is that the main room will have
> > two different floor types (carpet & tile). Whats the best approach to
> > finish the floors?
>
> > Also, do I finish framing the walls first, or do the floors before the
> > walls? Or do I drywall the walls / ceilings THEN do the floors? Thanks.=
- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Art - we noticed some small moister in a spot where the wall meets the
floor last week. All of our outsides roofs channel rain down to one
area of grass on the mentioned side of the house.. this area of grass
is behind and above an outside retaining wall, which lines up with the
'wet wall'.. Basically a lot of water can get put into a small area..
So I do need to figure that out before I do anything for sure. This
wet wall is also one of the walls the previous owner did not finish. I
can see they put some sort of filler in the wall from inside the
house, but that has failed.

My plan this summer to to install some outdoor gutters, channeling the
water away from the house using underground conduit (like 20 feet away
from the house), next spring I'll see how much that helps.

ANYWAYS ignoring that - I was just really curious on the floor, so I
can start building an appropriat budget for next year assuming gutters
fix my wall.

On Apr 21, 4:02=A0pm, ransley  wrote:
> On Apr 21, 1:53=A0pm, "Art"  wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > Not to kill your project but are you absolutely sure the basement is dr=
y
> > with an external drainage system that works. =A0Also, attach some clear
> > plastic to the concrete floor with duct tape, about a foot square, and =
check
> > overnight for moisture under plastic.
>
> > "Kbalz"  wrote in message
>
> >news:a...@g1g2000yqh.googlegroups.com...
>
> > > I'm planning to finish my basement. My house is only 4 years old, the
> > > basement is concrete walls & floor slabs. The previous owner framed &
> > > insulated most of the walls, two walls remain un-framed.
>
> > > The basement has one main room, with a bathroom and utility room
> > > (furnace & wash/dryer). The bathroom door is in line with the slider
> > > to outside. My floor plan was to have large tile floor in the
> > > bathroom, but use the same tile in the main room for the portion that
> > > connects the slider door and bath room door. The rest (85%) of the
> > > main room would be carpet. The utility room also would be tile.
>
> > > Not sure how well this will show up in google groups, the dots are
> > > tile, equalsigns are carpet:
>
> > > ----------
> > > outsidewall----------------------------------------------------------=
-
> > > |..........................
> > > (bar).......|......................|....................|
> > > \slider................................
> > > \bathroom........|.....utility........|
> > > |........................................|......................|....=
......=AD=AD..........|
> > > |=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D|.......=
...............|...................|
> > > |=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D|-------=
---------------....................|
> > > |=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3Dmain=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D|............=
..............................|
> > > |=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3Droom=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D|____________=
______| |____/
> > > |=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D|
> > > |=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D|
>
> > > Not to scale of course but my point is that the main room will have
> > > two different floor types (carpet & tile). Whats the best approach to
> > > finish the floors?
>
> > > Also, do I finish framing the walls first, or do the floors before th=
e
> > > walls? Or do I drywall the walls / ceilings THEN do the floors? Thank=
s.- Hide quoted text -
>
> > - Show quoted text -
>
> Right but even if its dry basements can get wet from pipes etc
> breaking, area rugs are often best.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

ransley - I'll run that idea by the wife, area rugs on the concrete..
not.

ransley <M...@Yahoo.com> wrote:
> On Apr 21, 1:53 pm, "Art"  wrote:
> > Not to kill your project but are you absolutely sure the basement
> > is dry with an external drainage system that works. Also, attach
> > some clear plastic to the concrete floor with duct tape, about a
> > foot square, and check overnight for moisture under plastic.
> >
> > "Kbalz"  wrote in message
> >
> > news:a...@g1g2000yqh.googlegroups.com...
> >
> >
> >
> > > I'm planning to finish my basement. My house is only 4 years old,
> > > the
> > > basement is concrete walls & floor slabs. The previous owner
> > > framed &
> > > insulated most of the walls, two walls remain un-framed.
> >
> > > The basement has one main room, with a bathroom and utility room
> > > (furnace & wash/dryer). The bathroom door is in line with the
> > > slider
> > > to outside. My floor plan was to have large tile floor in the
> > > bathroom, but use the same tile in the main room for the portion
> > > that
> > > connects the slider door and bath room door. The rest (85%) of the
> > > main room would be carpet. The utility room also would be tile.
> >
> > > Not sure how well this will show up in google groups, the dots are
> > > tile, equalsigns are carpet:
> >
> > > ----------
> > > outsidewall-----------------------------------------------------------
> > > > ..........................
> > > (bar).......|......................|....................|
> > > \slider................................
> > > \bathroom........|.....utility........|
> > > > ........................................|......................|..........­..........|
> > > > ====================|......................|...................|
> > > > ====================|----------------------....................|
> > > > =======main==========|..........................................|
> > > > ======room===========|__________________| |____/
> > > > =========================================|
> > > > =========================================|
> >
> > > Not to scale of course but my point is that the main room will
> > > have
> > > two different floor types (carpet & tile). Whats the best
> > > approach to
> > > finish the floors?
> >
> > > Also, do I finish framing the walls first, or do the floors
> > > before the
> > > walls? Or do I drywall the walls / ceilings THEN do the floors?
> > > Thanks.- Hide quoted text -
> >
> > - Show quoted text -
>
> Right but even if its dry basements can get wet from pipes etc
> breaking, area rugs are often best.

We have used commercial grade carpet tiles in basements. If they get wet for 
any reason, it is simple to pull them up and dry them off then re-install. 
When finished you cannot tell anything ever happened. 

Kbalz wrote:
> I'm planning to finish my basement. My house is only 4 years old, the
> basement is concrete walls & floor slabs. The previous owner framed &
> insulated most of the walls, two walls remain un-framed.
> 
> The basement has one main room, with a bathroom and utility room
> (furnace & wash/dryer). The bathroom door is in line with the slider
> to outside. My floor plan was to have large tile floor in the
> bathroom, but use the same tile in the main room for the portion that
> connects the slider door and bath room door. The rest (85%) of the
> main room would be carpet. The utility room also would be tile.
> 
> Not sure how well this will show up in google groups, the dots are
> tile, equalsigns are carpet:
> 
> ----------
> outsidewall-----------------------------------------------------------
> |..........................
> (bar).......|......................|....................|
> \slider................................
> \bathroom........|.....utility........|
> |........................................|......................|....................|
> |====================|......................|...................|
> |====================|----------------------....................|
> |=======main==========|..........................................|
> |======room===========|__________________| |____/
> |=========================================|
> |=========================================|
> 
> 
> Not to scale of course but my point is that the main room will have
> two different floor types (carpet & tile). Whats the best approach to
> finish the floors?
> 
> Also, do I finish framing the walls first, or do the floors before the
> walls? Or do I drywall the walls / ceilings THEN do the floors? Thanks.

1. You are not posting to Google Groups, you are posting to Usenet via 
the Google Groups portal. Your message is going all over the world, far 
beyond Google.

2. But to answer your questions- if basement is dry and warm, tile can 
go right on the slab, and slab-rated padded carpet can also. Transition 
strips will handle any problems with different heights. Do NOT glue the 
carpet down, whatever you do. When basement floods, and most do 
eventually, it will be hell to get up and dry out. Many people recommend 
the tacky-bottom carpet squares that you can peel right up and take out 
in the yard to dry, and even wash at the car wash if needed. Installed 
carefully, they don't look too bad. Do walls and paint first. I'd 
install a curb around the water heater, and put the washer in a catch 
pan, to keep minor leaks contained. If you decide to go with a subfloor 
for a warmer feel, get the squares with bumps on the back that allow 
water to run underneath, and put moisture sensors down there, or have 
some provision to easily peek underneath, like a lift-up panel in key 
spots. Figure out the slope of your floor, and do not block the path of 
water to any drains or sump pits. Look closely at your sliding door- did 
they raise the sill above slab level, expecting a floor to be installed? 
If not, that will be the hardest part to deal with. A thick floor will 
also make the bottom step on the stairs feel wrong.

3. Personally, I prefer an all-concrete basement, but that is just me. 
Easier to clean, for the type of stuff I like to do down there.

--
aem sends...

Our basement was finished by the builder when the house was being built. 
All walls studded out first.  Floors last.  Just use a threshhoold between 
carpet and tile.   Also concrete cracks and may crack tile with it.


"Kbalz" <K...@gmail.com> wrote in message 
news:e...@f19g2000yqh.googlegroups.com...
On Apr 21, 2:53 pm, "Art"  wrote:
> Not to kill your project but are you absolutely sure the basement is dry
> with an external drainage system that works. Also, attach some clear
> plastic to the concrete floor with duct tape, about a foot square, and 
> check
> overnight for moisture under plastic.
>
> "Kbalz"  wrote in message
>
> news:a...@g1g2000yqh.googlegroups.com...
>
>
>
> > I'm planning to finish my basement. My house is only 4 years old, the
> > basement is concrete walls & floor slabs. The previous owner framed &
> > insulated most of the walls, two walls remain un-framed.
>
> > The basement has one main room, with a bathroom and utility room
> > (furnace & wash/dryer). The bathroom door is in line with the slider
> > to outside. My floor plan was to have large tile floor in the
> > bathroom, but use the same tile in the main room for the portion that
> > connects the slider door and bath room door. The rest (85%) of the
> > main room would be carpet. The utility room also would be tile.
>
> > Not sure how well this will show up in google groups, the dots are
> > tile, equalsigns are carpet:
>
> > ----------
> > outsidewall-----------------------------------------------------------
> > |..........................
> > (bar).......|......................|....................|
> > \slider................................
> > \bathroom........|.....utility........|
> > |........................................|......................|..........­..........|
> > |====================|......................|...................|
> > |====================|----------------------....................|
> > |=======main==========|..........................................|
> > |======room===========|__________________| |____/
> > |=========================================|
> > |=========================================|
>
> > Not to scale of course but my point is that the main room will have
> > two different floor types (carpet & tile). Whats the best approach to
> > finish the floors?
>
> > Also, do I finish framing the walls first, or do the floors before the
> > walls? Or do I drywall the walls / ceilings THEN do the floors? Thanks.- 
> > Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Art - we noticed some small moister in a spot where the wall meets the
floor last week. All of our outsides roofs channel rain down to one
area of grass on the mentioned side of the house.. this area of grass
is behind and above an outside retaining wall, which lines up with the
'wet wall'.. Basically a lot of water can get put into a small area..
So I do need to figure that out before I do anything for sure. This
wet wall is also one of the walls the previous owner did not finish. I
can see they put some sort of filler in the wall from inside the
house, but that has failed.

My plan this summer to to install some outdoor gutters, channeling the
water away from the house using underground conduit (like 20 feet away
from the house), next spring I'll see how much that helps.

ANYWAYS ignoring that - I was just really curious on the floor, so I
can start building an appropriat budget for next year assuming gutters
fix my wall. 

On Apr 21, 7:14=A0pm, aemeijers  wrote:

> 1. You are not posting to Google Groups, you are posting to Usenet via
> the Google Groups portal. Your message is going all over the world, far
> beyond Google.
>

>
> - Show quoted text -

'Far beyond Google' - not possible, Google reaches very far! But
really I didn't know about the usenet, pretty cool thanks.

Final question - I'm finishing walls with drywall, do I leave a gap
(half inch) from the bottom of the drywall to the concrete if I do a
subfloor or not, or both?

It would be typical to block drywall off the floor, but the reason 
is to be able to plumb the sheets and/or get a snug fit to the 
ceiling rock.  Baseboard will cover whatever happens at the bottom 
within reason.

-- 
______________________________
Keep the whole world singing . . . .
DanG  (remove the sevens)
d...@7cox.net



"Kbalz" <K...@gmail.com> wrote in message 
news:1...@c18g2000prh.googlegroups.com...
On Apr 21, 7:14 pm, aemeijers  wrote:

> 1. You are not posting to Google Groups, you are posting to 
> Usenet via
> the Google Groups portal. Your message is going all over the 
> world, far
> beyond Google.
>

>
> - Show quoted text -

'Far beyond Google' - not possible, Google reaches very far! But
really I didn't know about the usenet, pretty cool thanks.

Final question - I'm finishing walls with drywall, do I leave a 
gap
(half inch) from the bottom of the drywall to the concrete if I do 
a
subfloor or not, or both?