Back after many years away from Breaktime and hoping to find an answer to a basement remodeling question. Here goes:
Remodeling a (daylight) basement and trying to think things through, womb to tomb, so to speak. After too many hours looking at the juncture of the walls to the foundation and the difference between the two (the foundation is proud of the walls anywhere from nothing to 3/4″)I’m stumped about attaching the baseboard. The foundation is 3-4″ above the slab and unless I want to use super-tall baseboard, I’ll be damned if I can figure out how to attach it.
Gluing is an option but not my preferred choice. To complicate matters, the ‘rock is going to be an issue, too, unless I fur every stud proud of the foundation. Gotta’ believe there’s someone who’s dealt with this and can provide a little direction- this is driving me crazy. Crazy legs, where are you? I know you have the answer Jim.
TIA, Sam
Replies
My method for base is a little time consuming but always works.
I roto hammer 3/8" holes into the crete, drive a 3/8"s hardwood or treated dowel into the hole, make a mark on the wall or the floor next to the hole and then when I set the base I just use an air nailer to drive a nail into the dowel. Use glue along with a few nails and the base stays put.
Edited 4/29/2009 11:47 pm by dovetail97128
What's your climate? Do you maybe want to insulate the walls anyways (even in warm places it could help with condensation).
As for baseboard...I redid my basement and used the foam trim + baseboard. It was a) really light and easy to haul into basement and b) not wood, so figured even better for a basement setting.
The bonus was that because I had used steel studs, I had no easy way to attach it. Turns out (thanks to advice in here) that the foam trim goes on easily with a brad nailer...just shoot every other nail at an opposite angle and it pins it to the rock perfectly.
How do you get the electrical ran around the basement without at least furring walls. Once furred or better you have easy nailing.
I've either ran full stud walls up along the stem walls or studded out lower height walls to the top of the stem wall if it's short enough and then made a shelf to bridge the gap between the stud wall on top fo the stem wall and then new lower wall.
Most of the basement has full height exterior stud walls- hence the daylight aspect. The remainder will be stud framed slab to ceiling and the whole issue disappears.
It's the stud walls and the foundation they're sitting on that's the problem. Drilling and plugging the foundation with wood seems viable but I've got a lot of wall/foundation to deal with and that may prove to be pretty time consuming.
Maybe furring and cutting rebates in the furring to accomodate the foundation is the answer; not a very elegant solution but I'm running out of ideas.
how tall are the foundation walls (stem walls)?
if they're tall enough I do like the attached figure. But I've not seen stem walls so short that I couldn't build out a shelf like this.
Or am I missing it completely?
By the term "foundation" being above the floor are you referring to a spread footer projecting into the basement? Pics? Tyr
Sorry Guys, not doing a good job of describing this- my fault. Yes, I suppose you would say it's the footing with perhaps 8" of "foundation"- as I call it- clear of grade with the exterior stud walls sitting on this. Essentially, what you'd see in a house with a slab (or in your run of the mill garage) rather than perimeter foundation and framed floor (joist) system. There are also bearing walls inside with the same situation so I've got a lot of acreage to deal with. Wife took off this morning with the camera so I'm out of luck on pics for a couple of days. House is built into a sloped lot so only the back wall (against the hill) and a stem wall on one side lend themselves to the attachment provided (great attachment!). The remainder is the daylight portion of the basement with the situation described above. Any clearer or am I just muddying the waters? Thanks for your patience.
Edited 5/1/2009 4:03 am ET by Samd12563
sounds like curbs. Haven't had to deal with them so it's time to get creative...
I understand what you are describing. Inverted "T" footing/foundation with a slab poured inside it. (Perhaps outside as well)
Foundation wall is probably 6" or 8" with either a 2x4 or a 2x6 wall above the foundation.
Foundation stands proud of the plane of the wall by the difference in thickness of the two dissimilar materials. You would be surprised how few dowels you need as long as you use glue, and also surprised how fast a Bosch bulldog will drill those holes for you.
You only need to drill about 2" into the crete, drive the dowel in and cut it off flush with a chisel. They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
Edited 4/30/2009 8:54 pm by dovetail97128
Exactly- that's the issue I'm dealing with. I've got the rotohammer so maybe that's the way to go. Any suggestion on spacing both linealy and up-down? I'm used to being able nail things off as needed but, obviously, this will be governed by the dowel placement (of course baseboard style will play into this- thick, thin, short, tall, etc). 16" OC or? Thanks, Sam
Edited 5/1/2009 4:05 am ET by Samd12563
When I had to do an entire school dormitory (30 rooms) what I did was lay out my base, pushed it against the wall so as to use it as a straight edge, found where the dowels needed to be by looking for space behind the base.
Doesn't take more than 1 nail every 4' or so on the runs usually. Keep one near the end of each run so that you have the ends secured well and can pin nail and glue the returns or miters .
Edited 4/30/2009 10:06 pm by dovetail97128