Archives: Basements

DIY Basement Insulation Video

By Todd Fratzel on Basements, Insulation

Insulating Basement Walls with XPS Foam Board Insulation I’ve written quite a few articles about basement insulation and showing folks how to use foam board products instead of fiberglass. I recently made a quick video highlighting the approach on using XPS Foam Board Insulation to insulate basement walls. The video talks about insulating the rim…

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Recessed Vs Surface Mounted – Basement Lighting

By Todd Fratzel on Basements, Electrical

Last week one of my readers asked a question: Which is better? Recessed lights or surface mount ceiling lights for basement lighting? Basement Lighting Options For starters basements typically have a lower ceiling height than the main floors. Most modern construction today results in the ceiling joists (1st floor joists) being 7′-6″ above the concrete…

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Armstrong Introduces Custom Creations™

By Todd Fratzel on Basements, Interior Decorating

StyleStix Moldings Suspended Ceilings Just Took A Leap Forward Over the last couple of years we’ve written quite a few articles on finishing basements to increase the livable space in your home. The articles have ranged on every topic from basement insulation to basement ceilings. So when I recently learned of a new line of…

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Basement Versatility

By Todd Fratzel on Basements

Superior Walls NEW HOLLAND, PA. –  What would you do with an extra floor of living space in your home? Go ahead and dream a little. How would you use “found space” in your next home by having a basement made from pre-cast insulated foundation systems? Warm and dry, Xi™ wall panels from Superior Walls®…

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Basement Ceilings

By Todd Fratzel on Basements

Recommended Basement Ceiling Types Basement remodeling / finishing seems to be one of the hottest DIY projects right now. We get tons of emails about how to insulate  basement walls, how to insulate basement floors and what type of basement ceilings are best. Finishing or remodeling a basement requires lots of planning. The basement ceiling…

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How To Build Basement Storage Shelves

By Todd Fratzel on Basements, Closets & Storage

How To Build Storage Shelves Basements are a great place to create storage rooms. We have a great storage room in our basement that has large basement storage shelves and a large bookcase. Building basement storage shelves is an easy DIY project that requires very few tools and it’s cheaper and more flexible than store…

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Prevent Mold Growth Under Fiberglass Insulation

By Todd Fratzel on Basements, Insulation

Missing Vapor Barrier Leads To Mold Growth Quite often we get emails from folks asking why their walk-out basement walls have mold growing on the inside of the exterior wall sheathing. Some folks even find frost under the fiberglass insulation on extremely cold days. The following is such an example and why this has happened.…

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Basement Flooring Options | Finished Basements

By Todd Fratzel on Basements, Flooring

Finished Basement Flooring Finished basements are very popular today for a good reason. Properly finished basements can significantly increase the amount of living space in your home without the need for an addition. The key is the proper selection of techniques and materials to ensure a mold free, dry, healthy space for you and your…

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