How to Make an Unfinished Basement Beautiful and Dry for About $900 or Less
An unfinished basement usually has concrete walls and flooring. It also frequently has problems with dampness. With a budget of $900, you can install a dehumidifier to keep things dry and still have money left over for DIY beautifying projects. By finishing your basement you'll add an extra recreation room, or perhaps a guest bedroom or office to your house. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Dehumidifier
- Concrete paint
- Paint roller
- Area rug
- Furring strips
- Drywall
- Concrete screws
- Drill
- Plastic vapor barrier
- Drywall putty
- Drywall tape
- Sandpaper
- Paint and paintbrushes
- Lamps
- Second hand furniture
Instructions
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Invest in a dehumidifier and install it near a drainage point in the basement. This will pull water out of the air and keep the walls and floor from getting wet. While dehumidifying may draw in slightly more moisture from outdoors, the dehumidifier will take care of it.
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Paint the floor if it's concrete. This is an inexpensive, DIY project that beautifies an unfinished basement. If your basement has a dirt floor, you'll have to spend some of your budget laying concrete or having it laid. Cover the concrete floor with an area rug for extra warmth and protection against dampness. Carpet stores often sell remnants, and tape is available to bind the edges yourself.
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Install drywall on the basement walls. With a small budget, you'll have to do this yourself. Estimate how much drywall and how many furring strips you'll need. The furring strips are narrow, thin pieces of wood onto which the drywall will attach. If your ceiling is 8 feet tall or less, you'll need one sheet of drywall and four furring strips for each 4 square feet of wall. Screw the furring strips into the wall 16 inches apart with concrete screws and a drill. Use a level to make sure the strips are straight. Place a plastic vapor barrier between the wall and the drywall by stapling it to the furring strips.
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Finish the drywall by applying putty along the seams, followed by drywall tape, and another layer of putty. Once the putty is dry, in one to two days, sand the putty. The drywall is ready to paint.
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Use lamps and existing electrical outlets to save money. Installing overhead lighting is pricey unless you know how to do it yourself. Also, furnish your basement with second-hand furniture to give it the look you want without spending too much of your budget.
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