If you initially did not plan to make the basement residential, this does not mean that you cannot convert it in the future.
You can equip the basement for a gym, an office, a home theater, a dressing room yourself or call Utah Basement Finishing. These specialists will do everything to the highest standard – quickly, reliably and inexpensively.
But before finishing you should follow some steps.
Step one is to ventilate and do waterproofing
There are no windows in the basement, so ventilation is responsible for the supply of fresh air. It can be natural – just a chimney – or forced using a ventilation unit. The latter is chosen if there are no conditions for natural draft in the basement. If for some reason ventilation was not installed during the construction of the house, then it will have to be installed in the finished building.
Photo by Peter Herrmann on Unsplash
Step two – waterproofing
Coating waterproofing is applied on top. You can use bitumen or polymer mastic, liquid rubber or cement waterproofing. Any of the compositions is applied to previously cleaned and dried walls, floors, and ceilings.
Step three – perform thermal insulation and lay wiring
To use the basement as a living space, it is necessary not only to protect it from moisture, but also to insulate it well. Extruded polystyrene foam or sprayed polyurethane foam are perfect for this task. If you choose the latter, you won’t even need to do waterproofing, since the polyurethane foam itself performs this function.
Photo by Héctor Arturo Martínez on Unsplash
Step four – arrange heating and finish
The most suitable heating system for a basement is a heated floor, which provides heat evenly distributed over the entire area. Below, at the very feet, the temperature is higher, and at head level it is slightly lower, which is comfortable for a person.
Having completed all these instructions, you can begin the fun part – finishing and planning.