Basement drywall is a major step in finishing your own basement. So if you've made it to the drywall stage! Congrats!
Your finished basement is one phase closer to being a reality.
Your basement framing is done (at least you think your framing is done.) Your wiring is top-notch and your plumbing rough-in is rock solid. All of your inspections have passed and you find yourself giving people construction advice at cocktail parties.
When did cocktail parties go out of style by the way? Those sound like a really, really good idea and I don't think I've ever been to one.
Go ahead. Do it. You know you earned it. Pat yourself on the back. You've now accomplished something that many people in the world wouldn't even dare to think about.
Ok, now stop patting yourself and tell your back "heads up back, lots of heavy lifting to do in the days ahead"
Even if you've wisely followed my advice there's still a lot of prep work to do before your drywall crew comes swooping in.
Double Check Your Blocking and Studs
Before your basement drywall contractor candidates come out to work up an estimate make sure you've added all of the necessary blocking. When they walk around your basement part of their estimating is to determine how much framing they either have to fix or work around.
So go ahead and walk around to each corner of every wall and make sure you've got blocking installed. The blocking should be 2 x 4s at the edge of the wall for the drywall nail to grab onto. Just as guideline, I did 3 walk throughs the week prior to them arriving and I found 3 or 4 spots that needed an adjustment. I spent about an hour per walk-through.
Double check all of your walls. Are there any studs with bowing the sticks out into the room. Bowing inward toward the wall is okay. Bowing out will cause the drywall to have lumps or waves.
A great drywall contractor will fix some of these for you, because they want their finished work to look great. But an average or poor contractor will just install right over it and you'll be left with lumps.
Basement Drywall Insulation
Have you ever slept in a basement bedroom that's above a kitchen floor?
Well I have. It can be really loud. Like so loud that you march up the steps to yell at your sisters for being so loud only to find out that they are barely making any noise but yet to you, in the basement, it sounds super loud-loud.
That's why I spent some extra money and time to install insulation in all of the basement ceiling stud bays (the space between the floor joists). Plus, I insulated the walls around the HVAC room and the basement bathroom.
To me, this made a big difference. It's not theater quality or anything. I looked into staggered framing and sound dampening drywall hanging systems and even using thicker drywall. Oh yea, I was serious about the noise situation. But in the end the best value for my time and money was to install insulation.
Basement Drywall Dust - How Dusty Is It Going To Be?
Dusty. Really freakin' dusty.
Not so much while they're cutting and nailing the drywall to your basement framing but when they start to sand the drywall mud it gets insane.
I used plastic paint drop-clothes to cover up all of my stuff plus the doorway to the house and the HVAC area. I know what you're thinking - man, that is a major pain to cover it all. Let me tell you… it's worth the effort. Do it.
My friend Mark, who finished his basement before me, said that drywall dust got into his vent system and spread a fine layer of dust all over their house. Not just the basement… The whole freakin' house!
So when they come in to sand try to kill the A/C or Heat for a few hours. At least while they are sanding. Once the dust settles to the floor it's not a problem.
My drywall guys did three finishing passes with the drywall mud and each time required sanding. So expect about 3 days worth of sanding with some major dust. Be especially vigilant about wrapping electronics like tvs, computers and stereos - drywall dust will definitely destroy those.
What Should I Do with All of My Stuff in the Basement?
You need to move all of your basement stuff.... somewhere.
Sorry.
I know it sucks but pretty much everything has to go.
I crammed all of my stuff into the storage area that wasn't going to be finished. I really didn't think it would all fit, but it did. It was floor-to-ceiling.
I had to take apart the foosball table and a few other big things. It took me a full day to move everything into one corner of the basement and then cover it with big sheets of plastic. I had a lot of stuff on those big metal shelves with wheels so that helped quite a bit.
The only thing I left out was this big bulky couch. I removed the cushions then covered the whole couch with plastic and put it up against a wall. I told the basement drywall crew that this would be the only thing I couldn't move, he said they could work around it.
You're going to need room to hold all of the drywall once it's delivered. Plus, room to cut the drywall to size and maneuver pieces around your basement. So it just make the most sense to get as much as possible out-of-the-way, almost everything.
Basement Drywall Day - You Might Cry
The day that the guys came to put the drywall in I had to be at work. Jenn was home with the kids, calling me hourly about the noise and giving me updates on their progress. When I got home and went downstairs I could hardly believe what I was looking at.
A real room. A room that had walls, lights and definition. All of the learning, framing, electrical and plumbing had now all come together, culminating in this one moment. It was great. I stayed down there for about an hour just taking it all in.
Does that sound crazy to you? I'll bet if you've ever painted a room you've had that feeling when you walk in the finished room. You have a super appreciate of that room that didn't exist before.
Now imagine not just painting. Imagine designing, planning and building everything about it. That's the feeling.
Cheers - Jason
More Drywall Stuff:
- Thinking of doing it yourself? 5 Reasons Not to Install Your Own Drywall
- What Drywall Size is Right for Your Finished Basement
- Need some basement stuff? Check out the store
Hi - I just came across your site and am finding it really helpful. We are about to start our basement finishing project, but I am trying to figure out if I need to seal the floor in the storage area that's going to remain unfinished. Our house was new construction but the builder never sealed the basement floor and it is insanely dusty down there. I am trying to figure out if the unfinished area will continue to have so much dust even if we have an air flow system and dehumidifer for the finished area. In other words, should I go ahead and seal the floor in that portion of the basement? I'd appreciate any advice you can give me.
Hey Sonny - I'm in the same boat as you. I sealed my floor except for the unfinished storage area. I've noticed much less dust but there is still some since sealing the other finished flooring areas. The "some" dust is only in the unfinished area - it does not appear to be circulating over to the rest of the basement now that I have a door/walls there.
Eventually I will seal this section as well, I just haven't yet because, well... THERE'S A BUNCH OF STUFF IN THERE! So you don't "need" to. But if its clear and you have a chance to do it, I would. If it's full of stuff and would be a pain, it can wait.
Hope that helps. - Jason
Greetings,
My basement ceiling, is also my kitchen, dinning, and living room floors.. They are the 1930 wood floor types. Not the newer ones with tongue and groove or require paper. My goal is to sand them and keep as is. BUT, how do I prevent any leaking from the top floor to the basement. For the kitchen, and spilled milk from the kids (and cat) and a nice lemonade pitch that may be in the living room one summer day.
Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.
Well James, that is a first, but I'm familiar with your situation as I grew up in a home with a similar style home.
Not sure there are a lot of options that don't involve replacing your flooring. One thing you could do is not drywall your ceiling. Just leave it open and paint it, usually black or white. This is a very popular option and actually looks quite good. You can see some samples here on my Pinterest board.
Of course this doesn't "solve" your leak problem, but at least if there's a big spill you can run down to the basement and just clean it up there. You definitely wouldn't want milk sitting on your finished basement ceiling drywall. - Jason
Jason,
Thanks for all your good tips. I was wondering if you could explain the correct steps when it comes to finishing the bathroom. I am assuming that the plumber needs to install the things before the draywall gets installed. How does it work with the vanity (especially the ones without the backing. Do you get everything (plumbing) attached and then you disconnected it when the drywallers come in?
Thanks,
Jim
Hi,
I am hoping you can help me out with a problem. I drywalled, primered, and painted my basement ceiling, but for some reason I keep seeing a lot of drywall powder, even after some months have passed. My water pipes do bang at times, so I am wondering if that may be causing drywall powder to shake off onto the floor. Not sure how this is even possible given that it is painted. I am lost and any insight into possible causes and solutions would help. Thanks.
Rich - That is kinda weird. I'm guessing the water pipers are NOT the issue, it's probably vibration from people walking on the first floor. The real question is where is the dust coming from, you shouldn't have any if it's painted, none! How long ago was your drywall installed? What kind of paint did you use? Was it new paint? Is the dust evenly coated on everything or concentrated in specific area, like near a vent?
I'm sure we can solve this mystery.
Jason
Hey Jason,
It has been sometime since I last checked my post and the issue persists. To be honest, I dont even go to that part of my basement anymore. I was thinking of taking it all down to avoid any potential health issues from breathing in the dust, but a new search for answers brought me back here. I used primer to seal and then new white flat paint. I have an older home, so no vents and it is evenly coated throughout that section of the basement. I admit I used a lot of mud (first timer), so would sealing it again and repainting solve the issue? Thanks!
Rich
Hey Rich - Sorry it took me a bit to reply. I did some digging online as well but I couldn't find anything to really help answer this question.
I can't see how after priming and painting your drywall that you'd still have drywall dust. Not saying it's not possible but could it perhaps be something different? Do you have a loose dryer vent or any other source of intake to your basement where dust is getting in?
I hate to suggest re-doing the drywall but it is a health hazard to breath in too much dust over the long term. Furthermore I'm not sure redoing it would actually solve the problem. I'm assuming you did NOT have as much dust prior to the drywall being installed? If this is the case then I guess it IS the source.
Maybe talking this out out-loud has been helpful in some way. - Jason
Hi Jason,
That's alright. I went ahead and and purchased a high quality primer/paint and still got the same results. There isn't as much dust as before, but as you said, it is a health hazard, so I've decided to take it all down and leave the floor joists exposed. The issue didn't exist prior to doing the work and it is focused to that particular area of my basement, so I know its the drywall work. Oh well. I'll just cut my losses and move on. I certainly don't want to put at risk my family's health with all that dust.
Thanks for all your help, Jason. I really appreciate it.
Rich
Sorry to hear that Rich - thanks for letting us know. At the very least if someone else runs across this problem they will find your story here and perhaps save themselves some angst. Hopefully the new drywall will go up easily and solve your dust issue. You are making the right decision!
Jason
Jason,
I saw that you installed r11 insulation in your ceiling prior to drywall. I am installing ceiling insulation next weekend and am doing research on which insulation to buy. I was thinking r38 originally but was curious how well the R11 works for you. If it keeps things quiet on both levels, it would be significantly cheaper than r38. Thoughts??
Also, I had my framing/electrical inspection Friday and I really appreciate your tips on fireblocking. The inspector was impressed at the fact I did it and did it correctly.
Phillip
Hi Phillip - Well... it's tough to answer that. I think the R11 is working fine. The issue is the drywall. Before drywall my basement was a like a soundproof recording studio. I could play freakin' drums down there and barely hear a thing upstairs. Then the drywall went in an suddenly its the gosh darn cave of echoes.
I later discovered that the drywall collects the sound waves (for lack of a more technical term) and then transfers them to the ceiling joists (which the drywall is nailed into) and then up through the flooring of the first floor. The only way to avoid this is to have a drop-ceiling (which I personally despise, but some people love) or install some sound dampening channels before you drywall, which of course, jacks up the cost of your basement quite a bit.
Soooo... long way of saying... R11, R38 it doesn't matter. Go for the cheaper option. Insulation helps, I would use it again, but doesn't solve the bigger issue of drywall noise transfer. If you're going for a movie room or you actually do play drums - you might want to look into some additional measures.
Jason
oh, congrats on passing your framing inspection!
Jason! I'm about to drywall my basement ceiling and I'm sad that adding insulation won't dampen the noise from the little monsters running around upstairs. Would it help if the drywall was screwed to ceiling strapping, as opposed to directly on the joists?
I can't download the book or videos. Any suggestions?
Hey James - I sent you a private email to follow up and make sure this gets resolved. - Jason
Hi Jason. Thanks for all the great pointers. I've passed electrical and framing inspections and am ready for drywall. Any recommendations on contractors? Much appreciated!
What up Derek! Congrats man! It's a great feeling when you do work like this yourself, with your own hands and then it's validated; amazing.
If you live in the Northern Virginia area I can share my drywall contact with you (shoot me an email). If you live somewhere else I don't have a recommendation per say but I do have a great little 15 page booklet that gives some great tips on how to make sure you hire a good drywall contractor. It normally only comes with my premium basement course but if you just need that part shoot me an email and I'll send it over to you (and anyone else who's read down this far)!
Cheers - Jason (jason@ifinishedmybasement.com)
What an awesome post. SUPER helpful.
I have a question, hoping you or one of the commenters here could help me out with this....
SO. Our family room needs an overhaul. Meaning, drop tile ceilings comin down, faux (and crappy) wooden paneling comin off, commercial grade carpeting peacin out, bye bye harshing-my-mellow tube lights. And in comes Insulation! (we don't have any at all right now in the walls), drywall for walls and ceiling, recessed lighting fixtures, and new carpeting HOORAY. So the question is.... should electrical/lighting fixtures come first OR the drywall?? Because here's the thing. I have been researching and getting quotes on this project literally since last October, and at this point it seems really like the best option (economically anyways) is to have an electrician do the lighting work while the contractors take care of the drywall. SO, should electrical work be done before or after drywall? For my situation, I would LIKE for the answer to be: electrical after drywall, because that would be most convenient since the drywallers will be doing demo, drywall etc.
Another thing, is that I have been debating whether I should be the 'contractor' and delegate the various jobs to diff people. The problem with this is that it can be very challenging in terms of timeline and getting things done, and having different groups cooperating, etc. So my other question is if I should just contract out to like 4 different people for different jobs.
THANK YOU SO MUCH for your advice.
SJ - Hey bud. I feel I can say "bud" since you said "harshing-my-mellow". So here's the deal. 90% of electrical comes first. You can't install or rewire anything (easily) once the drywall is up. The only electrical that's done AFTER drywall is hooking up the light fixures, outlets, and switches - but the wiring and electrical boxes have to already be in place. You'll want to have passed your electrical inspection BEFORE you even schedule your drywall crew.
As for the General contractor role... Yes, I recommend that you act in that role. Of course it's challenging, yes you'll need to get groups to cooperate, and yeah sh*t will be generally crazy. But you know what. BFD. You can handle it. (sorry for the harsh language but I'm fired up about this). You're going to have some of those issues even if you hire someone else to be your general contractor.
So pull up your boot straps. Slap on a hard hat (hard hats not actually required). And get started on this project!
Yours - Jason
Hi Jason, great website! Thank you! My question is this.....any advice on protecting a dry walled ceiling from water piping that will be above it? Will pipe sweat potentially cause damage? Are there tray systems to route condensate? Or, insulate the piping? Thanks for your thoughts.
hey tom - Yes, sweating pipes will soak into your drywall or drop-ceiling and cause a serious problem, so the sweating issue must be addressed. There are no "tray systems" that I'm away of, someone please comment here if I'm wrong. I do believe however that there are pipe wraps you can buy that can handle a small amount of pipe sweat. Good luck! - Jason
How would you recommend insulating a below grade basement? Spray foam rim joists or batting? We're just in demo stages right now. Finally!
Hey Mindy - Batt insulation between the joists works great. In some of the more northern states guys have recommended spray - but I think batt is just fine. - Jason
I've been trying to come up with a good way to get some drywall in my basement. I didn't even think about double checking my studs! It makes sense that you would want to know that, because it would be bad if you couldn't find your studs after you put the drywall up. Thanks for sharing!
If the insulation in the (damp) basement has a vapor barrier which abutting the heated side as per regulations, then if drywall (which also has a vapor barrier?) gets installed, does that create a moisture-trapping situation between the upstairs floor and the basement drywall?
can you put nails though cement cinder block wall in the basement with the furring stripping direcly against the the cement wall so the nail will go though the stripping and right into the wall
Hi Daniel - Yes, yes you can. The type of nails and how you apply them are something to consider. Depending on the type of wall - you may be able to use a strong nail gun or you might need to use a powder actuated gun. - Jason
My husband and I are working to finish our basement and putting in the drywall is the next step. Right now we are working to make sure we have all of the necessary blocking for when the contractor comes. We are so excited to finally get it finished so that our children will have somewhere to take their friends when they come over!
Jason,
I am going to replace the T bar type ceiling by drywall in the basement. I learned that per code no any juctionbox is allowed to put above the drywall ceiling. I was told rewiring is required. Can you give me some guidance on rewiring, how to do it so that can eliminate the junction box, where the wires are to be affixed? This is an old property over 50 years. Many thanks for any suggestions!
Jim
Hi Jim - It's true, you cannot have junction boxes behind drywall - they have to be accessible. To learn more about wiring you can purchases several books (I have recommendations here) or you can purchase my own book and videos here. Before you start anything make sure you've taken the proper safety precautions and have a permit! Good luck! - Jason
Can adding egg cartons along with insulation help with noise reduction? (Just a thought. Please don't laugh)
It seems to work well for poor music producers and down and out rappers... but it doesn't really work that well for basements. Will it work??? Yes, but not much. The best this for noise is to absorb it through furniture, rugs, stuff on the wall, carpet etc. The other option is to separate your ceiling drywall from the joists using a channel attachment system. Finally, you can opt to not install drywall on the ceiling but do in add insulation batts in between the joists, basically this acts like carpet on ceiling and is quite effective at reducing noise. - Jason
PS. Option Z - wireless headphones.
Good morning, my husband and I just bought a new construction and our basement is conditioned but unfinished. We want to do everything to make this house last so curious about sealing the floor. What does sealing the basement floor do? Does it stop moisture from seeping into it or keep it from staining? Should we steal our garage floor and sidewalks too? Thanks.
Hi Gabby - yep, sealing is a relatively cheap way to protect your concrete from staining. I've also found it cuts down on the dust in the basement. I would seal the basement and garage. It wouldn't hurt to seal all the surfaces mentioned.
-Jason
Does drywall still contain asbestos in it?
Hey Denise - From what I've read it did until the 80's, which happens to be an awesome decade.
-Jason
i bought safe and sound insulation for my basement ceiling because all of the videos recommended it and it looked so easy..HOWEVER it comes in 16 inch width and the space between 2x4s is aprox 23 inches..i still felt it would be ok because would cut the 4 ft pcs in half and stick them in sideways..its a good fit but they dont stay in securely so i am trying to figure out the best way to keep it in place..there is no facing on safe and sound so what im searching to find out and cant seem to find a website to tell me is, for noise purposes, do i want the insulation right flush against the floor/ceiling and then space between it and the drywayll..or have the insulation flush with the bottom of the 2x4s so would be flush with the drywall.
I just finished framing our basement and I realize that even though the studs are 16" on center I am off by an inch one way or the other. So an 8 foot piece of drywall will not line up. would it be a better idea to add studs where necessary or cut the drywall when I install it?
That's a good idea to insulate the ceiling before installing the drywall. I really want to finish my basement and convert it into a home theater. Insulation is definitely something I will have done before putting up the drywall and painting to minimize noise.
How much of a gap on the bottom of the drywall from the cement floor
Hey Ken - I would leave at least 1/2". Check your overall wall height to determine if you're able to get more and still have a full sheet.
Cheers, Jason
Great tip about wrapping/protecting your electronics and shutting down the HVAC. I didn't know the dust would kill the electronics and I don't want the whole house covered in dust! I'm getting ready to replace some cheap thin drywall in a trailer with better stuff. Gives me a chance to upgrade the insulation and get rid of those wall-strips.
Haha, I remember living in the basement and hearing those roller chair noises. Definitely would recommend drywall insulation if you can.