d_p_w_k

Prior owner of my home started to finish the basement. Studded out about half the space. When framing the exterior walls, the frame, in addition to being screwed to the header and the floor, was glued to the exterior wall. I want to finish the job. Obviously I cannot put vapor barrier between the wall and the insulation. May I put it between the insulation and the drywall? SHould I forego the vapor barrier all together? I would prefer to not have to try and tear out the existing framing.

It is a dry basement, but this is wisconsin, where things get chilly in the winter.

JustDisGuy

The vapour barrier goes on the inside or the warm side of the insulation. It's there to prevent condensation from saturating your insulation. Just insulate, apply vapour barrier and gyprock.

You can get housewraps and insulating blankets for the outside of your sheeting and basement walls, but applying it post-construction can get a bit pricey. I am just in the finishing throes of having done so. We stripped all the stucco and layers of siding beneath off the house, down to the sheathing and then put on 1.5" of rigid pink insulation and house wrap, then finished up with vinyl siding. I wouldn't even think of excavating to put the wrap on the basement walls, but if I had dug for some other reason I would seriously consider it while it was accessible.

Hope that helps.

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the420star

that paper on the back of insulation is a vapor barrier in most cases... you are wondering how to install a second vapor barrier i assume....?

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tropple

Hi,

Can I suggest that you check out building science? Insulation and vapor barriers on basement walls are a hotly debated topic on many DIY boards.

http://www.buildingscience.com/house...montgomery.htm

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slandsman01

This is kind of a basement problem so I thought it would fit in here. My house was built in 1985. The previous owner finished off the basement themselves. There does appear to be a vapor, but when I removed the ceiling tiles I noticed the wiring for the lights were exposed. Plus, there is no ventilation in the basement. So, air is trapped. Needless to say, the carpet has a strong mold/musty smell. So, I am going to rip out all of the carpet this winter. If the smell or problem persist I am going to start tearing down the finished part of the basement. My question is how do I deal with the electrical outlet in the wall with regard to tearing the walls down? Plus, I will take any advice you have with regard to this little project.

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JustDisGuy

Well, I guess first I'm curious about what you mean by "the wiring is exposed"? There is no code requirement for conduit in a suspended ceiling, to the best of my knowledge. There certainly isn't in a 'regular' ceiling - you just need to have it stapled every so often to keep the wire where it belongs.

If you have mold, you probably have a problem with water infiltration. Ripping up your carpet is a good place to start looking for the telltale signs. You should be prepared to discover nasty problems with cracked foundations and stuff like that. I've never opened a wall that I didn't find something that cost me more money than I had planned for.

Last, if you don't know how to handle the electrical outlet, you should consider hiring an electrician. If you are comfortable doing it yourself however, you can do any of several different things. One option, if the box is on the end of a circuit, is to just trace the wire back to the last junction and disconnect and remove it. If it isn't at the end, you might consider (especially with a suspended ceiling) putting a junction box in above the ceiling and removing the outlet from the circuit. Finally, if you're going to be short of outlets, you might want to put in that junction box and drop a new line to a new outlet box in a different location.

Hopefully that's helpful. You should be aware that I am not in any way, shape or form a "professional". I've been ripping my own house apart and reasonably successfully re-configuring and re-building parts of it for the last four years, so I've learned a bit and I've got lots more to learn too.

Good luck!

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rfra3645

vapor barier.. the paper on the insulation is a vapro barrier.

the basement it self is also a vapor barrier. so you alreayd have 2. i would not think you would need another. in regards to normal insualtion deepending on what kind of framing you have is it a normal 2x4 wall is there a space between the framming and the concrete or block wall? you may wish to use styrofoam. its what use in comercial applications. its not very warm but its hard to warm a basment thats in the ground and always 56 degrees. the outside wall itself protects you from elements and locks in all things that should be and locks out all that ought not be there. most people dont insulate there basements outside of the basement walls themselves because being in the ground is already insualtion will be a constant 56 degrees. even if you added inusaltion it still be 56 degrees unless you added in your own heating and cooling. after you sheetrock your walls its the same deal. the acutal basment walls will be the barrier its hard to loose or gain anything thru 8- 12 inches oc conreete or block. the place that needs insulated is the "band" the strip between flloors that is really the only place you loose or gian because it is above ground and its only wood. i usually use r 19 insulation cut to fit. obviously the better job you installing it the better it will work. you said that the framing was glued and screwed to the top and bottom does that mean there is a real wall built or are the studs glued to the wall. either way is aceptable. but i would rather a real wall. reasons you should hold it away from the oustside wall at least a 1/2 inch so your not absorbing natural condensation from the wall. ( like a toitlet tank) plus you can keep it nice and striaght as its almost impossible to get a truley straight wall the concreete usaually dips inand out at the seems. the best way to do this is hold a string at both corners the same distance from each other and move till not touching anywhere. then add your 1/2 and snap a line. plumb straight off that and if the outside wall is plumb you will have the same reveal at the top. it could touch at the top forcing you to move your bottom line acordingly. ( allot of basements are this way) anyway then you build your wall and repeat at each corner. i also prefer the real wall so you can get your "subs" stuff ie/ electric water maybe you would like to have vents closer to the floor rather than out of the ceiling. behind or in the framing.


ok i guess i wrote a book here.. hope it helps if you need or want more opinoated advice just ask.

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if you cant read my post i dont want to hear about it move on. thanks