Renovating or rebuilding a basement is a dream project for many people who want to add extra space to their home, add value, or enjoy a cozy place for people to gather. Well, you could easily contract this project out to someone and have them do it for you, but for those up to the task, you would want to do it yourself.
But before you start tearing down beams and walls or messing with anything below, you should have a few things in mind. Acme Tools wants you to Do Your Best Work, and with builds like this, you want to do it right once, so you don’t have to do it again. We have listed the tools you’ll need to build your dream basement.
Barrier
You would only want this in the upper Midwest, where the weather can dip below zero during winters, and even then, it is unnecessary. For most homes, this isn’t required, and if you find a home that has one, it was usually installed for codes or recommended by some older builders. Newer insulation, which we will discuss later, handles many of the issues the moisture barriers solved.
Long story short- you can skip this part.
Framing
If your basement doesn’t have a frame, you’ll need to build one first. Having a frame allows you to add insulation to your walls and have something to secure your drywall. To create a frame, you’re going to need the following tools.
Concrete Drill Bits:
Specialty bits are needed to penetrate the concrete floor to secure the frame.
Hammer Drill & Regular Drill:
To use the concrete drill bits and to fasten screws into the concrete. Some of these drills come as two-in-ones, saving you space when storing multiple tools.
Used to build your frame. In this particular case, you would need a frame nailer. You can get this corded or cordless, designed and built to handle this job.
Use this tool to make sure that your frames are straight and accurate. If left unchecked, your frame could fall or leave you with crooked walls.
Before your frame fits, it gets snagged on the ceiling on the floor. You will need one of these tools to tap it into place so that it is level with the floor and ceiling.
This will save you time when you plan on adding new walls that did not exist in your space before.
Used to cut the lumber into the sizes you need.
Installing Insulation
After building the frames, it’s time to install the insulation. Most insulation is compression fitting and will easily hold itself into any opening it is placed on. But if it is unable to secure itself, you will need the following tool.
In the case of non-compression fitting insulation, you will need this to secure it to the beam.
Adding your Drywall
After installing the insulation is completed, you can move on to adding on your drywall. To do this, you will need the following tools.
Drill: This is to secure any screws you need to fasten your drywall into the studs.
This is another option for those who need a faster installation.
Used for cutting out any excess for doorways.
This is for you to cut out any holes for outlets, windows, or anything else in the way.
Finishing the Wall
Before you start letting people come down to check out your handy work, you need to plug the holes in your wall. To do this, you’ll need the following tools.
Use this to hold the mud you’ll need to cover the holes.
Use this to effectively spread the mud around without having excess all over your new wall.
Time to Paint
This next step is where you can add your personal touch to your basement and make everything come together. For this part, you will need the following tools.
For an even coat with fewer bubbles, this is the best option.
An option if you don’t want to buy a sprayer or prefer doing things by hand.
Carpet or Floor Installation
Finally, the flooring to your newly developed basement. If you don’t want to stick with the concrete floor and want to add something on top, the tools you’ll need will differ.
For carpet, you’ll need the following tools.
This is to cut the carpet to fit into spaces and corners.
Carpet Stretcher:
This tool tucks the carpet into any corner or crevice.
Only the Beginning
With all that set, you have the start of making your dream basement.
From here, you can find a multitude of directions. Build the ultimate man cave, an extra rec room for the kids to play in, a gym for all your workout needs, or a music room to play to your heart’s content.
Though each project will require different items, at least while working down there, you can keep the temperature the same throughout the house.
