How to Cover Posts in a Basement

Use paint to give your basement post a finished look.

While the steel or wood posts in your basement hold the house up and support the floors above, they might interfere with the visual aesthetic of your basement. Whether you are finishing your basement or you are simply tired of seeing the steel post every time you walk down the stairs, choose a method to cover the post that suits your tastes and your needs. Paint, fabric and foam are all options when you want to change the effect of your basement post.

Things You'll Need

• Paint
• Paintbrush
• Flexible molding
• Epoxy glue
• Fabric
• Hot glue
• Decals
• 1-inch foam
• Electric carving knife
• Cable ties

Instructions

1. Paint your basement post with paint and a paintbrush. Give the post a neutral look with beige paint or go wild and give it black and orange tiger stripes. Painting the post gives it a finished look which helps it fit in with your decorating choices. You may choose to finish the look of a painted post with a flexible molding that is glued into place around the top of the pole and the base. Flexible moldings come with their own adhesive, though you can also use epoxy glue for this purpose.

2. Wrap a long strip of fabric around the post, securing it in place with periodic dots of hot glue. Fabric softens the look of the posts, and it is a good choice for finished basements where you have soft furnishings, like overstuffed couches or chairs. It also complements a basement that has soft rugs on the floor or fabric tapestries on the wall. Hem the fabric for a finished look or deliberately fray the edges to give it a shabby-chic, bohemian look.

3. Paint your basement post a neutral color, like white or beige, and cover it with vivid decals. Decals add visual interest to your posts, making it look less like a structural support and more like a deliberate design element. For example, choose decals depicting curving vines for an organic or classical look and choose decals depicting abstract, sharp shapes for a modern look. For a basement which is used as a game room or family room, pick decals that show cartoon characters.

4. Cut a length of 1-inch foam that is long and wide enough to cover the post using an electric carving knife. Wrap the foam around the post and secure it with cable ties. While this is not an elegant method of covering a basement post, it makes it safer for young children who might run into it.

References

• How to Finish a Basement: How to Frame Basement Poles