Insulating your basement is something that needs to be done correctly the first time and shouldn't be attempted by novices. If something goes wrong you will not only be out the money you spent but you may also encounter mold, rot, and other issues that can become dangerous. Done wrong, insulation of any kind can become one big mess!
First, to get a good idea of what you are in store for, you might first pick up a copy of Insulate and Weatherize: Expert Advice from Start to Finish (Build Like A Pro)
When it comes to hiring a contractor for insulation help, Angie's List is the place to go to get reliable help that you can trust. Angie's List now has more than 1 million members in America and those members are leaving their feedback on contractors they have used to make it easier for you to pick the right ones. Hiring a reliable insulation contractor would be the advisable route for most homeowners as doing it yourself is quite difficult. Basement insulation is not a weekend project!
Finally, if you are interested in learning more about basement insulation online, this website is a great place to go. Trying to find reliable information on insulation basement ideas online is hard as most of the websites you encounter are incomplete. That Do It Yourself website is the most complete source of insulation information I could find on the Internet.
BASEMENT INSULATION OPTIONS
BASEMENT HUMIDITY CONTROL IDEAS
Basements can be large and therefore you may need a dehumidifier that has a larger capacity. It's not how physically big the machine is that is important but how many pints of water it can take out of the air per day. The bigger your basement, the higher capacity you should get when buying a dehumidifier.
) Reading reviews of each machine that are made by people who have bought them is a good way to narrow down your choices. BASEMENT FIREPLACE IDEAS
We all know that basements are probably the coldest room in the house. They are often built in the ground which makes them cold and the insulation in basements is not always the best. Additionally, heat rises making a basement a very hard place to keep warm in the winter.
One of the basement ideas you might have for adding warmth is to install a Pic-A-Watt heater or another type of heating unit in the wall. Something with it's own thermostat would be ideal so that you can heat the basement independently of the house. Another option is to install a fireplace in your basement that can be turned on and off when needed.
Basement fireplace ideas include real fireplaces that burn wood, gas fireplaces, electric fireplaces and ventless fireplaces.
Vent free gas logs are relatively new and are now available but you need to be sure there is enough air in the room or keep a window cracked for safety. While these do generate some heat, they are mainly for looks and so probably not the best choice for any basement needing heat. You can find a selection of Vent Free Fireplaces
Both wood burning fireplaces and gas fireplaces require the proper ventilation so it is best to have a professional install them. It is never a good idea to cut corners with a fireplace and you really need to make sure it is installed properly. For maximum heat, these two choices are the way to go. If you have a gas fireplace you might think of getting one with a fan that blows the hot air out.
The last option is electric fireplaces that have come become more and more popular. While they do create less heat than gas or real log fireplaces, they don't require a vent and are much easier to install. All you need is a electricity outlet and they look almost like the real thing. If you have a small basement, an electric fireplace might be useful for adding some heat and a great look. You can find electric fireplaces
BASEMENT CEILING IDEAS AND OPTIONS
If you are finishing your basement for the first time you might be having an issue with the ceiling. To complete any room, you need a nice ceiling and your basement is no different. What you ultimately decide on will depend on how much money you have to spend towards a ceiling and what type of a look you are going for as well. Here are some basement ideas for a great ceiling that will help to make the space look livable:
3) Stretch ceilings - These are usually put in commercial shops, restaurants, showrooms, hotels, and businesses. They are expensive and usually very artsy which means very few people would spend the money to put a stretch ceiling in their basement. Usually they are made of a polyvinyl material that is stretched into panels. If you want more information on them, I suggest you Google "stretch ceilings".
BASEMENT HEATING IDEAS
Our basement is freezing most of the year and even in the summer, it feels like the air conditioning is on down there. So, my wife called someone to come out to see what they could do and find out how much it would cost.
There where two basement heating ideas we were given and the first is something called a King Pic-A-Watt heater that would be installed on the wall. You can see more information on it here and I am sure you can get something like it in your neck of the woods. We were quoted a price of $574 for a complete installation in the wall and that included running a cable from the unit into the garage all the way to the fuse box. The guy said that his company had installed hundreds of them and they were the most popular.
The second option we were told cost about $350.00 more but was cutting edge. You can read about the radiant system he said would do a great job and look better because it would be installed high on the wall and not be as conspicuous. He said it was neat because the radiant heat would shoot out and the minute it touched something it would heat it up. I'm not sure how it works exactly but it is supposed to be safe, energy efficient, and cost effective in the long run.
We wanted a heating source for basement that would work independently of the main forced air system in the house. Both of these options would come with their own thermostat that would help maintain the basement temperature at a constant level. Right now, in order to be comfortable in our basement, we have to crank up the heat in the whole house and have it boiling upstairs just so it is livable down there. There is a good 20 degree difference between our basement temperature and the 2nd floor temperature so we need another heating source badly.
These are the two basement heating ideas that our guy gave us and said most people pick between the two. If your basement is big though, you might have to get two of the Pic-A-Watt units to do the job. You might need two of the radiant heat units too. Check with your local electricity repairman for quotes in your area as that is who we got to do ours.
BASEMENT VENTILATION IDEAS
When you have an unfinished basement, it may have some air ducts that protrude out of the ceiling that come from the central heating system. These air ducts might provide you with an air supply while they may also just be for returning cold air. If you aren't going to use your basement for anything, you might not be concerned about any ventilation problems you might have. But if you are going to finish your basement, you will want to get all the air circulating properly.
If you are going to be using your basement for a theater, guest room, play room, office, or game room you will want to make sure it has proper ventilation and heating. That means any hot air should come out at the floor level or near to the floor level as it is going to rise. This is why most forced air heating in houses have the vents on the floors. Your house will probably not have any heating in the basement and if it does it might be connected through the ceiling because the basement ceiling is really the floor of the main level.
You might look into getting something known as an air exchanger that keeps the air in your house fresh by exchanging it with the outside air. Many newer homes are built with this feature included in the central heating and cooling system. Something like that can be important for basement ventilation and keeping the air moving so it doesn't become stagnant.
BASEMENT GUESTROOM / BEDROOM IDEAS
If you have a basement that has a bathroom, you might have a suitable area for an extra guestroom. Many houses may not have enough rooms upstairs for all the kids and a guest and so one of the pracical basement ideas is to turn it into a bedroom.
One of the first problems though with a turning your basement into a guestroom is to figure out the heating situation. If you are going to use it as a bedroom, you need to make sure the basement has some insulation in the walls. Additionally, even if it does, you may find it exremely hard to heat in the winter.
In the summer time, a basement bedroom or guestroom will work great because it will be hot outside but naturally cool at the bottom of the house. In the winter though, heating your basement to a degree that it is livable could be expensive. you may have to have a stand alone heater or heaters to do the job. Radiant heat downstairs might also work well but that could be too expensive for many budgets.
Another problem you might have is installing ample lighting in your new basement guestroom. Many basements are partially or totally underground and thus have very little natural lighting. This means you will probably have to have several bright lamps or ceiling lights to give your guests enough light to see.
The color you paint your basement walls can either help or hurt the lighting. If you paint the walls a dark green or black, it will make the room look that much darker. However, if you use brighter colors it may help with the poor lighting situation many basements face.
As mentioned at the outset, a basement bedroom works best if you have a bathroom on the same level. If not, it may still be doable but having a bathroom with a shower is best for anyone staying down there. The more complete a room you can make the better and the more it will help with resale value as well.
BASEMENT BATHROOM IDEAS
If you have a basement that you want to use for a specific purpose, you might want to consider adding a bathroom. Whether you want to use the space for a basement office, basement game room, basement home theater, basement gym, basement bar, or basement guest room you will find that a bathroom downstairs is very convenient.
If you choose to install a basement bathroom, it will add significant value to your home because it will suddenly make that are below your house usable for many things. The more versatile a house is, the more people will be interested in buying it.
If you are doing a basement remodel, that is the time to seriously consider adding a bathroom or redoing the old one that is there. It is much less costly if you do all the work at the same time.
Adding a bathroom to your basement is something that is beyond the skill level of most people. As it will involve tearing down or adding walls, extensive plumbing work, and electrical wiring, it is best to get a professional involved. A qualified professional will save you time and money in the long run and you can sleep at night knowing that you will be avoiding most of the problems you would encounter if you were doing it yourself.
Depending on what type of a basement you have and what you plan on using it for will determine whether the basement bathroom needs to be complete with a shower. If you are going to only use the space for entertaining or working, you don't need to invest in the added cost of installing a basement shower. Having only a sink and toilet (a powder room) will be plenty. However, if you anticipate using your new basement as a guest room or extra bedroom, having a shower downstairs will very convenient and might be worth the extra cost.
Many people are deciding to upgrade and expand portions of their homes now rather than move to bigger houses. With the terrible economy, they are deciding it is less of a risk to put more money into the house they already own rather than uproot the family and move to a bigger house. This means that more and more people are looking into finishing their basements and making them into rooms they can actually use for something.
Adding a bathroom is one of those basement ideas that makes sense on many levels when you start to figure out ways to get more out of your house. People are understandably hesitant right now to spend the extra money on a basement remodel but when the economy eventually turns around they will most likely be glad they did. A basement bathroom is something that most homeowners are glad they thought of once the hassle of installing it is over.
BUILD A SOUNDPROOF BASEMENT MUSIC ROOM
A basement music room is one the best basement ideas you can have if you are a musician. The basement is a perfect place for your band to practice or for you to be alone with your instruments and music.
If you want to do it right, you should soundproof your basement so that you won't bother other people in the house or the neighbors. Soundproofing your basement music room is something that will be hard to do yourself and you will probably need to find a professional to do it. It can also be expensive but if done right, it is worth it.
With the video game Guitar Hero being so popular, if you have a game room in your basement you might already feel like you have a basement music room. And if you don't have a basement you might wish you had one for your kids to go so they don't make so much noise.
The most popular place for a band to play is usually in the garage but a basement is the next best place. You can play your music loud and not bother too many other people. In fact, the basement is a great place for your music no matter what kind or style it is. If you just want to deck the room out with big speakers and rock out the basment is the place to do it!
BASEMENT WATERPROOFING IDEAS
If you have any musty air in your basement it might find its way up to the living areas up above. It is for this reason that you need to keep you basement dry and for that you need to pay attention to basement waterproofing. A wet basement is wasted space that you just can't use or enjoy.Did you know that basement waterproofing pays you the highest dividends out of all home improvement projects? The investment you make in having your basement waterproofed will be repaid by: increased property value, a new living space, and healthier living conditions. When you decide to sell your home, it will be to your advantage to have a dry, usable basement.
Over the years, basement waterproofing contractors and engineers have developed many different methods of keeping basements dry. One option for do it yourself basement waterproofing is to use concrete water proofer. Another very popular option is crystalline basement waterproofing and a third is PermaFlex. Methods of basement waterproofing include a liquid membrane which is applied to the interior of the space or a sheeting membrane attached to the exterior of the space.
The basement waterproofing industry is extremely competitive because the market is literally flooded with basement waterproofing products and basement waterproofing systems that DO NOT WORK. If you live in a part of the US that gets heavy sudden rains, then you will surely need someone to help you with your waterproofing needs as basement flooding cleanup can be quite costly. Quality installations and service assures the homeowner their basement waterproofing project will be done with professionalism.
You can learn what is causing your basement water problems and the the methods to repair a leaking basement by having a certified dealer give you a free wet basement inspection and estimate on the solution to your leaking cellar. It makes no sense to live in a home with an unuseable wet basement or a basement that floods once in a while. If you have been dealing with a leaky basement, no doubt you are ready to get something done about the problem and start looking for basement waterproofing professionals.
A dry basement will protect the investment you made in your home as well as enable you to use the space for storage or for a basement finishing project to gain additional living space. Sodium Bentonite clay is another common method of waterproofing a basement.
BASEMENT STORAGE IDEAS
Of all the basement ideas, using the basement for storage is probably the most popular. In most houses the basement is the last place to be finished and most people never even get that far and just use it to store things.
Items such as Christmas decorations, old toys, unused clothes, sporting equipment, and all other such items usually find their way to the basement. It is important to make sure your basement is water proof and damp proof otherwise many of those items may end up ruined.
Installing basement shelves will greatly increase the amount of storage space you can use and make it easier to get to all your items. If you pack everything in boxes and then stack the boxes, it is near impossible to remember what you have and where things are when you need them. A good system of basement shelving will solve that problem.
There are several kinds of plastic and metal pre-made shelves you can buy at places such as Home Depot. These are great to put up quickly and they will work well in any basement corner or against a basement concrete wall. They are relatively inexpensive and should last a lifetime. Something like this is the choise of most people.
If you are more adventurous and want something you can build yourself, you might build a stacked vertical shelving system. With this you will get a generous amount of horizontal space to store your things while using up very little floor space. This might be one of the best basement storage ideas if you don't have a lot of building experience but wish to do something yourself.
Basement Ideas That Work
If you own a home with a basement you have the opportunity to turn unused space into a great living space--all without adding on extra square footage to your home. In fact, finishing a basement is one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways to increase living space in a home.
This list of basement ideas books
Basement Carpet Color Ideas
The carpet in any room covers so much living space that it becomes the foundation of the room's decor. You can choose to have your basement carpet colors neutral so that it blends in with fabrics and other surfaces, or you can have it be the vibrant focal point of the room. A carpet's colour will often reflect your style. One thing to make note of is that your basement lighting may have an effect on the color of your carpets depending on whether you have bright lighting or darker lights.
Your choice of carpet color is a very personal but some colors may work better in a basement. choice. Carpet comes in almost every color, pattern, and texture you can imagine so there is no shortage of choices. You may want to use a color that creates a special atmosphere in your basement or you might want something more basic.
The popular beige /brown carpet color works to make a basement room look spacious. Colors like blue, deep greens, and quartz have become popular but they may not be right for a basement. Remember, your basement may have no natural lighting and so you must pick a color that works well with artificial light. Warm colors work well in rooms that lack light and cool greens and blues have a calming effect.
Light colors will make the basement seem larger while dark colors do the opposite and portray coziness. With today's new carpet technology, lighter color carpets are easier to clean which is a good thing as you may want to try a lighter color carpet to brighten up your normally dark basement. It also may be a good idea to try to match your basement carpet color to your draperies or furniture.
Basement Ideas - Use A 3D Interior Design Tool
The best way to plan all your great basement ideas is to use an online 3D design tool. You many have a few ideas in your head but you need a good way to plan them and see what they would actually look like.
You don't need any special training to use this online tool and with it your basement finishing ideas can come to life right before your eyes! With this tool you can drag and drop hundreds of images right on to your plan. This gives you complete control of creating the basment ideas that only you invision.
With this online 3D design tool you have the ability to design any basment ideas you desire and you can see what it will look like before you begin. This tool is a great time saver and it insures that you will not get end up with any unpleasant suprises when you are finally finished.
When you start any basement remodeling project, now you can involve the whole family. Everyone will have their own great basement ideas and now you can all see them together and choose the best plan!
10 OF THE BEST BASEMENT DESIGN IDEAS
There are so many different basement design ideas that it is hard to know where to start. Here are then, in no particular order, are a collection of some of the best basement ideas:
1) Basement Home Theater - With the proliferation of reasonably priced LCD flat screen TV's now, this basement design idea is one of the most popular. If you turn your basement into a movie/TV room you can set up great speakers and have a great movie experience whenever you want. It may even save you money on movie tickets!
2) Basement Workout Room - More and more people are buying tread mills, weight sets, and elliptical machines and what better place to put them than in the basement. Do up the room nicely and you have yourself your own private gym!
3) Basement Workshop - If you have enough lighting and door space to get things in and out, a basement workshop might be right for you. Working in your basement in the cold winter months would be a lot nicer than in that cold garage.
4) Basement Bar - If you don't have enough space to entertain upstairs, you might consider moving the party downstairs. This is a great idea for some smaller houses. If you can put in a mini kitchen in the basement and some fun furniture you are ready to party with your new basement bar!
5) Basement Office - Many people need to work at home in today's modern world and moving the office downstairs to the basement is a great idea to separate work from play. Making a basement office also frees up a bedroom or the den where the office was.
6) Basement Game Room - Put in a pool table, poker table, or a ping pong table along with a big TV and you have yourself a game room for everyone to enjoy. Adding a pinball machine will really add to the ambience of the game room!
7) Guest Bedroom - Turn your basement into the guest bedroom and free up a room upstairs for yourself. This will work best if the basement has a bathroom and a shower of course.
8) Basement Storage - If you positively can't think of anything else to do with your basment, you can always use it for storage. If you do though, make sure you are able to keep it dry. A cold, wet basement is not a good storage place as the things you store might get ruined.
9) Basement Wine Cellar - A cool basement is the perfect place to store wine. Wine is becoming very popular now that it has been acknowledged that it is healthy and so now is the perfect time to turn that unused basement into your own wine cellar.
10) Basement Sauna - A sauna needs a special place and a basement is perfect. If you like saunas you know that extreme heat can make you feel great. Putting a sauna in the basement is several steps up from just getting a hot tub!
TURN YOUR BASEMENT INTO A POKER ROOM
If you are trying to come up with some good basement ideas, how about turning your basment into a poker room? Poker is at an all time high in popularity and people all over the country are including poker as one of their recreational activities.
The basement is a perfect place to set up your poker room or cool basement game room because it is removed from the rest of the house and people can stay down there late at night and not disturb those trying to sleep. The basemtn is also a place where you can decorate it just the way you like and not worry about it clashing with the design of the rest of the house.
If you are going to play poker in your basement, you can set up the room to include a professional poker table, large flat screen TV, a bar or refrigerator for all the refreshments, and maybe even a pinball machine. Put a good pinball machine in your basement poker room to take out your aggressions on after a bad beat!
If you are going to set up a room in your house to play poker in, the basement is for sure the best place to do it in. The basement is the best place to get away and have your own personal poker part. Cool finished Basement ideas like this will make your house the fun house on the block!
Best Basement Color Ideas
Are you thinking of redesigning your basement and you need to pick out the right colors to paint the walls? Your basement is probably one of the darkest rooms in the house and picking the right colors to paint, along with basement lighting, it is very important. The color(s) you choose can determine whether your basement becomes the warm exciting room you envision or the gloomy underbelly of the house.
When you sit down to choose your basement color ideas, you may want to think about these ways we respond to different colours:
Black
Black usually stands for darkness and despair and it is often associated with death. The color black absorbs light and unless you want your basement to be a depressing place, black should be used sparingly.
White
Much the opposite of black, white reflects almost 85% of light. White tends to make rooms seem brighter and larger than rooms painted with other colors. Unfortunately, white walls are easily the most vulnerable to scraping and marking.
Red
The darker shades of red create a sense of warmth. Red also acts to stimulate and energize so it can be a very exciting and vibrant color for a basement. The brighter reds may counterbalance the neutral colors and add life and excitement to the room.
Orange
Orange has some of the same characteristics of red. The brighter the orange the more lively the room becomes while a softer orange tends to make the room more warm and welcoming.
Green
Green can work to balance red and orange. For a basement, a darker shade of green will work much the same as black. It is probably best to stay away from the darker greens and and stay with the lighter shades.
Blue
Blue is said to calm the nervous system and can soften bright rooms. Much like green, if a very dark shade of blue is used it ends up with the same effect as black. The lighter shades of blue make people feel peaceful and comforted.
Yellow
Yellow is a fantastic color that is cheery and stimulating. Lighter yellows work to make rooms feel larger but if overused, it can be too stimulating. Yellow is best used in combination with another color.
Basement Design for Do It Yourselfers
Today in 2008, basements are no longer viewed as that extra area under the house. If a basement has the right interior design, it will add extra space for you and your family to use. It will also add significant value to your home. Some creative basement design ideas will help you find the right solution for your unused space in the basement.
The most important part of remodeling your basement occurs well before you ever touch a tool. In your planning it is best to view the unfinished basement as an empty canvas and be able to freely create anything new in addition to your basic living needs.
Are you a do-it-yourselfer interested in getting help planning or designing your basement? Several designers have made a career out of basement design and it is big business today, but you may want to design the room yourself.
One of the first things you have to consider in a basmetn idea or redecoration is the lighting. Not enough overhead lighting can spell doom for the design and the room. Since basements do not normally get a lot of natural lighting, you might want to make sure your basement design has plenty of overhead lights so the basement is not so dark when you are trying to enjoy that area.
You will probably want to carpet the basement floor and the stairs that are accessed from the inside of your home. This will make the basement feel more "livable". When finishing or remodeling your basement, make sure you paint the interior surface of the basement wall with a high quality waterproof and mildew resistant basement wall paint. Basement design ideas point out the suggestion of using bright colors for the walls, furniture and accessories.
The best basement design idea will make sure that the end result is a room that does not look like a basement. Remember, that great basements improvement design can increase the value and ambiance of your home and the quality of you life.
Basement Ideas - The Basement Wine Cellar
One of the more obvious basement ideas is to turn your basement into a wine cellar. The basement is the natural and ideal place to store your wine.
Wine needs to kept in a cool dark place where the temperature doesn't fluctuate too much. This is true of the basement as it is usually the coldest and darkest part of the house and the room were the temperature changes the least throughout the year. Additionally, the basement is usually either totally or partly built into the ground so it is the room where there is the least vibration. You can also keep your wine glasses (Wine Glasse Co) down in the basement but that is not necessary.
If you live in a very hot region of the country, you might want to invest in an air conditioner for those stretches of very hot days. Ideally wine should be kept somewhere between 48 - 56 degrees Fahrenheit and during the summer even your basement temperature may go over that.
Additionally, dry climates often cause the cork in wine bottles to shrink which lets in air. This is one thing you do not want to happen and a humidifier might be a wise purchase for those that live in the dryer regions.
A basment wine cellar is the perfect basement idea for anyone who enjoys sweet wine or collecting wine. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to announce to your guests that you will be right back with their selection of Port right after you jaunt down to your basement wine cellar!
Basement Ideas - Basement Gym / Workout Room
Workout machines like treadmills, stair climbers, and elliptical machines are quite the rage right now. This is one of those basement ideas that really makes sense when you think about it.
Basements are very often the coldest room in the house and so there is no better place to put your workout equipment. Very soon after beginning your workout, you will work up a sweat and the cold room will not bother you at all .
Additionally, you can do as little or as much with your basment gym as you like to make it presentable. As this will not be a room to really "hang out" in, you don't have to put down a carpet if you don't want to. Or, if you do want to make it a great looking basement gym, you can do that too.
A basement room ideas like this one is also good for controlling the noise when you work out. As it will be away from the rest of the house, you can play your boombox as loud as you want and the noise of the machines won't be a problem either. You can put in a flat screen TV to make your basment workouts more enjoyable.
One important thing you must do, though, is to make sure your basement gym has a good ventilation system. Being down in the basement their might be no windows to open so you must find a way to keep the air fresh.
This basement ideas is a good one because it frees up another room in the house. Now you won't have to use your den or a bedroom for your workout machines. You can have a seperate place you go to do your basement workout and keep the family rooms available to do other things.
