Semi-Finishing a basement

[wkumtrider]

Ospho converted the rust on the lolly columns to a hard black substance.

I spent Sunday painting the lolly columns and metal I beam with an oil paint/primer as I want to protect the columns from rust. I'll do another coat this morning (just the lolly columns). I'll do a second coat this morning (just the lolly columns).

Also, painted the registers using a flat black spray paint can. Why does Home Depot have to ask a 64-year-old their age when I buy spray paint? When I rolled my eyes, the cashier looked at me and said "I'll put your birthdate as 1964". I'll take that, that is younger than I am :-)

I also primed the metal HVAC ductwork. Just want to make sure that there is no peeling when I paint the ceiling.

I'm excited about painting the basement ceiling assuming I pass the electrical inspection!

Time: 8 hours.

Cost:
Black spray paint can: $7
Quart black oil paint: $17
Primer: $16
Total: $40

Running Total : $632

Did you prep or clean the HVAC ductwork before priming and painting?  I think I'm leaving mine unpainted but want to try to get it back to that new shiny look.  I've searched for a product to help with this online but no luck. 

[CowboyAndIndian]

Why does Home Depot have to ask a 64-year-old their age when I buy spray paint?

I'm guessing it has to do with "huffing" or breathing propellants to get a high. I ran into that phenomenon many years ago trying to buy a can of spray whipped cream. It was locked in a cooler up by the cash registers. When I pondered the craziness, that is when they told me about huffing. Since then, I think many have switched to non-high creating propellants because the spray whipped cream is now back in the coolers again. Paints must not have made the leap.

I have heard of huffing, but I did not think of that. Wow! What a crazy world we live in.

I have bought many a can of spray paint and have never been questioned about my age. Maybe because my whiskers are turning white.

Oh, I look my 64 years! I think that my state is just too strict about it with the retailers. Cough "nanny state" cough!

[CowboyAndIndian]

I passed the electrical inspection!

To be honest, I thought I would fail because of the extra outlet and light. I even pointed it out to him, hoping he would let me put an addendum to the plan. But he just ignored it.

He did check thoroughly. Verifying the GFCI breaker with one of those outlet testers. I asked if he wanted me to open up the panel or any of the outlets/switches/junction boxes, but he did not need it.

What a relief.

Onto painting the ceiling.

[CowboyAndIndian]

Did you prep or clean the HVAC ductwork before priming and painting?  I think I'm leaving mine unpainted but want to try to get it back to that new shiny look.  I've searched for a product to help with this online but no luck.

Yes, I did clean thoroughly. Used my leaf blower (electric) to remove dust from hard-to-reach places around the ducts. Then used a cloth to remove any dust.  It looked (and felt) clean. If it had been sticky, I might have cleaned with some cleaner.

I then primed, hoping that it would help with the adhesion of the paint.

I'll report back in a few days as to how it looks. The surface of my ducts did not look like the new shiny ones which were installed 30 years ago, so paint is the way to go for me.

ETA: If you want to keep the shiny appearance of your HVAC ducts, you might want to buff it and then spray a coat of laquer of some clear finish so it does not corrode.

[CowboyAndIndian]

Did I ever mention I hate painting? I loathe spray painting!

TLDR: Had a lot of problems the first 3 days of painting the ceiling, but I have figured it out and I see the light at the end of the tunnel.

I started painting the ceiling with quite some enthusiasm. I got the walls taped off, the floors covered (just the quarter I was working on). Then the problems started. I had never painted latex paint thru my HVLP sprayer. This is the Wagner Spraytech Control Spray Max. It was useful and helped me paint the closets that I built. The mistake I made was thinking that painting with latex was the same as painting with the specialized cabinet paint (KemAqua Plus from Sherwin Williams).

The first day, I almost gave up. The nozzles got blocked every 20 minutes or so, and I had to open the sprayer and clean it. Figured out that I had not filtered the paint. Filtering helped but it was still sputtering and blew out blobs of paint. Floeterol, which many recommended did not help.

I started slowly increasing the amount of water added to the paint till I finally got the proportion right. Somewhere around the third day, I dialed in the right amount of water and voila, it was painting well.

One problem with watered-down latex paint is that it is not as strong as unwatered paint. Takes a long time to harden and is very easily removed from a surface e.g. blue painter's tape lifts it off even with a day of drying.

It is also physically hard. Wearing a mask, you cannot breathe or see well. You are standing on a step ladder and spraying with your hand above your head. Climbing up and down when you have to move the ladder. I was so tired at the end of each day.

I am quite happy with the results. The ducts, pipes, and wires are hidden.

If you look closely, you can see areas that are a little patchy, but I am following the mantra of "Perfection is the enemy of getting it done".

Hope the pictures show the sequence and how much it hides the ceiling. You also see patches on the left and a lot less on the right in the last picture showing improvement in technique.

ETA: I had hoped to be complete in 4 days, but I am only about 40% done. It is a lot harder and more time-consuming than I thought.

[Sibley]

You have convinced me not to try spray painting. But your progress looks good. It always takes longer than you plan, just keep at it.

[CowboyAndIndian]

You have convinced me not to try spray painting. But your progress looks good. It always takes longer than you plan, just keep at it.

Thank you @Sibley.

Spray painting the ceiling is fine if you use the right tools.

I believe that if I had an airless sprayer ($400-500/buy or $100/day rental) it would have been a day or two days of work at the most. I would not need a step stool since the wand would reach the 8-foot ceiling. This is what I have seen all the professionals do. I had the HVLP (High Volume Low Pressure) sprayer with me and I tried to cheap it out by not renting or buying the airless sprayer. I am getting it done, but you have to hear a lot of complaining from me ;-)

Also, the professionals used a different paint. They used a "Dry Fall" paint. When this was sprayed, it will stick to the surface but if the tiny droplets do not stick to a surface and are exposed to the air they turn to dust before they hit the ground. So, no need to cover the floor, and cleanup of the floor is just as simple as vacuuming it.

[CowboyAndIndian]

Finally finished painting the ceiling. It actually looks good. All the ducts, wires disappear.
 
About half way thru the painting, I realized that the top of the basement did not have crisp edges, but had chunks missing. Before the painting, they were not obvious, but after painting the ceilings black it became very obvious. The pictures show the difference.

I took a day off from painting the ceiling and patched the edges. Just some mortar with a concrete bonding adhesive put on with my drywall knives. I did not fix every small chips, just the ones which looked bigger. Not perfect, but a lot better than it was before.

Also patched the chips in the floor when I had the mortar out.

Time: 50 hours.

Cost:
8 Gallons flat black paint: $240
Biocide Paint additive: $6 (Prevent mildew)
Mortar bag: $8
Concrete Bonding adhesive: $10
Floetrol: $10 (Wasted, not used)
Total: $274

Running Total : $906

[CowboyAndIndian]

I spent yesterday power washing the floor before I start painting the walls today.

Unbelievable amount of dirt was removed. After washing, I squeegeed the floor using one of those large squeegees you use to seal your driveway. Amazed at how porus the concrete is and how quickly water was absorbed.

I'll let the floor dry for a couple of days as I paint the walls with drylok. I'll make sure it is dry before I coat the floors.

[Sibley]

Uh, hold on for a minute regarding the dryloc. Make sure that's a good idea. In older houses, putting dryloc on the basement walls can cause serious problems because it will lock moisture in the walls, which will cause deterioration. And you can't really remove dryloc.

[CowboyAndIndian]

Uh, hold on for a minute regarding the dryloc. Make sure that's a good idea. In older houses, putting dryloc on the basement walls can cause serious problems because it will lock moisture in the walls, which will cause deterioration. And you can't really remove dryloc.

My house is built in 1993/1994, so not really old.

I think the issues you mention if there is water pressure on the wall from the outside. I have checked the basement for the last 22 months and the walls are dry, there is no water coming thru the walls. I do not even see any signs of dampness in the walls. Also, there is a french drain around the house, so there is no possiblity of water standing against the wall. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same about water under the slab.

So, I think I should be safe? Chime in if you think I am wrong (or right).

ETA: This is a  poured concrete wall, not cinder block. From what I read, cinder blocks have more of an issue with water collecting in the cavity.

[lthenderson]

Uh, hold on for a minute regarding the dryloc. Make sure that's a good idea. In older houses, putting dryloc on the basement walls can cause serious problems because it will lock moisture in the walls, which will cause deterioration. And you can't really remove dryloc.

I think the issues you mention if there is water pressure on the wall from the outside. I have checked the basement for the last 22 months and the walls are dry, there is no water coming thru the walls. I do not even see any signs of dampness in the walls. Also, there is a french drain around the house, so there is no possiblity of water standing against the wall. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same about water under the slab.

So, I think I should be safe? Chime in if you think I am wrong (or right).

ETA: This is a  poured concrete wall, not cinder block. From what I read, cinder blocks have more of an issue with water collecting in the cavity.

No. The issue is if the outside of your foundation is already waterproofed. By putting dryloc on the insides, you are essentially turning your porous poured concrete wall into a potential giant water reservoir than can host a wonderful colony of molds. If it has been waterproofed on the outside, as most newer houses are these days, and as you say, there has never been a moisture issue, then there is no reason to dryloc the inside.

[CowboyAndIndian]

Uh, hold on for a minute regarding the dryloc. Make sure that's a good idea. In older houses, putting dryloc on the basement walls can cause serious problems because it will lock moisture in the walls, which will cause deterioration. And you can't really remove dryloc.

I think the issues you mention if there is water pressure on the wall from the outside. I have checked the basement for the last 22 months and the walls are dry, there is no water coming thru the walls. I do not even see any signs of dampness in the walls. Also, there is a french drain around the house, so there is no possiblity of water standing against the wall. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same about water under the slab.

So, I think I should be safe? Chime in if you think I am wrong (or right).

ETA: This is a  poured concrete wall, not cinder block. From what I read, cinder blocks have more of an issue with water collecting in the cavity.

No. The issue is if the outside of your foundation is already waterproofed. By putting dryloc on the insides, you are essentially turning your porous poured concrete wall into a potential giant water reservoir than can host a wonderful colony of molds. If it has been waterproofed on the outside, as most newer houses are these days, and as you say, there has never been a moisture issue, then there is no reason to dryloc the inside.

Thank you. I'll just use paint. Was planning to start today, but back to return the drylok and get regular paint.

[CowboyAndIndian]

Thank you @lthenderson and @Sibley. You guys helped me dodge a bullet.

[Sibley]

Glad it worked out. I'm not sure when dryloc is a good idea, if ever, but it really needs to come with warnings. Also, in old houses, painting masonry can be a bad idea, even with other things than dryloc, just depends on the materials and situation.

Hope the rest of the project goes well.

[zolotiyeruki]

I'm late to this thread, but having DIYed my own basement a few years ago, I might be able to pitch in a few tips.

First: I bought a used airless sprayer off Facebook Marketplace.  It was worth every single penny of the $75 I paid. When I painted the walls, it literally took me about half an hour to put a coat on 200 linear feet of wall.  Absolutely amazing efficiency.  This past summer, we took all the doors from our house, stood them up in the garage, and gave them a new coat of paint, similarly quickly.

Our local code requires AHCI/GFCI breakers for all new electrical circuits, at ten times the price of a normal breaker.  Annoying, but that's what they require.

[wkumtrider]

I plan to paint my basement walls and learned Drylock is a bad idea.  Regular paint might not be good either.  Not sure what I'm going to do now.

[blue_green_sparks]

I live in Florida where a basement is also known as a pool, but I love that "NO STEP" warning. Very Aviation-isk!

[CowboyAndIndian]

I live in Florida where a basement is also known as a pool, but I love that "NO STEP" warning. Very Aviation-isk!

Aviation is where I got the idea. DW complained that it was incorrect English ;-)

[CowboyAndIndian]

I'm late to this thread, but having DIYed my own basement a few years ago, I might be able to pitch in a few tips.

First: I bought a used airless sprayer off Facebook Marketplace.  It was worth every single penny of the $75 I paid. When I painted the walls, it literally took me about half an hour to put a coat on 200 linear feet of wall.  Absolutely amazing efficiency.  This past summer, we took all the doors from our house, stood them up in the garage, and gave them a new coat of paint, similarly quickly.

Our local code requires AHCI/GFCI breakers for all new electrical circuits, at ten times the price of a normal breaker.  Annoying, but that's what they require.

After spending 9 days on what could have taken a day, I also highly reccomend the airless sprayer ;-)
Damn, $75 is a steal.

I did add a GFCI breaker in the panel. I was quite nerve-wracking ....

[CowboyAndIndian]

I plan to paint my basement walls and learned Drylock is a bad idea.  Regular paint might not be good either.  Not sure what I'm going to do now.

There is masonry, stucco and brick paint which works for concrete also. I believe that this is an elastrometric paint.

I used the Behr one from home depot.

[CowboyAndIndian]

Finished painting the walls. Couple of coats and it looks so much better. A skim coat on the concrete before painting would have really been nice, but too much work for me.

One big mistake made. I should have caulked the cove joint before painting the wall. I also got DAP paintable concrete caulk which was colored gray, which was not self leveling. Now the caulk is not flat and when trying to flatten it out, got some on the walls. I'll touch up once the floors are done. Make sure you get a paintable, self-leveling caulk if you want to do something like this.

I've started painting the floor and have already screwed up. DW asked for a gray paint and I got a gray paint. DW thinks the gray is too dark and she is possibly right. I'll use what I got on one section and areas which will not be very visible. For the major part of the floor, I'll go with a silver gray color. There is a Behr one part epoxy paint which has a pre-mixed color available.

Time: 10 hours.

Cost:
6 Gallons flat white paint: $180

Total: $180

Running Total : $1086

[Sibley]

I plan to paint my basement walls and learned Drylock is a bad idea.  Regular paint might not be good either.  Not sure what I'm going to do now.

@wkumtrider  You research and ask questions. Whether, or how, to paint masonry (concrete, brick, cinderblock, etc) depends on many factors. That's why I threw up the warning about the dryloc and to research further, and it turned out for Cowboy that it was unnecessary so a cheaper product was fine. You might have a completely different situation.

[chemistk]

Really enjoying this thread.

I did want to pull back on the Drylok hate a bit. It's absolutely correct that one should research whether it's necessary, and the best way to do that is to talk to folks who live in your area with a similar home/foundation to get their insight.

In our area, Drylok and similar offerings from other brands are definitely recommended. Our house was built in the 60's and had an equivalent product put on the foundation walls many years ago, definitely >40 and so in a lot of areas it was finally failing. Knowing that the warranty does not apply, we acid etched half our basement and recoated the foundation with Drylok. It substantially helps with dampness which was our primary objective.

Again, in some areas it's not necessary and in others it would be counterintuitive but the product exists for a very good reason.

[CowboyAndIndian]

Paint on the floor is done.  It probably needs one more coat of paint, I can still see patches. But I'm sticking to my mantra of "Perfection is the enemy of get it done". Maybe I'll add another coat in 6 months or so. The part of the basement you do not see in this picture is the darker shade of gray.

I thought it would be nice to compare a before and after photo just to see how it turned out. I am very happy with the way it turned out. What do you think?


Time: 8 hours.

Cost:
6 Gallons 1 part epoxy paint: $240

Total: $240

Running Total : $1326

[chemistk]

From here, it looks fantastic - that's a huge difference.

You mentioned only that you were going to paint the floor - I'd recommend looking at some cheap low to medium pile carpet/rugs to lay down to add some extra warmth. While the space looks worlds better than in the picture, it's still fairly cold/inhospitable looking. Some carpet that you won't fret over losing to a small flood would be that last boost (in addition to redistributing your furnishings).

[CowboyAndIndian]

From here, it looks fantastic - that's a huge difference.

You mentioned only that you were going to paint the floor - I'd recommend looking at some cheap low to medium pile carpet/rugs to lay down to add some extra warmth. While the space looks worlds better than in the picture, it's still fairly cold/inhospitable looking. Some carpet that you won't fret over losing to a small flood would be that last boost (in addition to redistributing your furnishings).

Thank you.

Good idea about the carpet. DW suggested an indoor/outdoor carpet. Those can even get wet and dry off without any mold/mildew. Also, maybe something (art?) on the walls also would make it look less sterile.

[Sibley]

If you don't care about unfinished edges, go find the local carpet store and buy some remnant carpet. If it gets wet, it's heavy to carry out to the trash but otherwise not bad.

[CowboyAndIndian]

If you don't care about unfinished edges, go find the local carpet store and buy some remnant carpet. If it gets wet, it's heavy to carry out to the trash but otherwise not bad.

If it was up to me, I'd do that. DW has other ideas....

[lthenderson]

It probably needs one more coat of paint, I can still see patches. But I'm sticking to my mantra of "Perfection is the enemy of get it done". Maybe I'll add another coat in 6 months or so.

Although I agree with your mantra in some cases, painting is not one of them. I would get all the painting done before you start moving things down there. It is a lot harder to do when there is a lot of other things in the way that you have to shuffle around and try not to splatter paint on.

[CowboyAndIndian]

It probably needs one more coat of paint, I can still see patches. But I'm sticking to my mantra of "Perfection is the enemy of get it done". Maybe I'll add another coat in 6 months or so.

Although I agree with your mantra in some cases, painting is not one of them. I would get all the painting done before you start moving things down there. It is a lot harder to do when there is a lot of other things in the way that you have to shuffle around and try not to splatter paint on.

You are right.

I'll get to it in the early part of the new year as  we have family in the house for the holidays.

[CowboyAndIndian]

There are some areas which need to be hidden to make the basement look nice. Furnace & hot water heater, sump pump and water/sewage thru the wall, the space under the stairs. 

The final one is a trapezoidal shape in the wall which corresponds to the bay window in the first and second floors. During covid lockdowns, I used what lumber I had in my pile to build a luggage & misc storage area. Very useful as it got a lot of stuff off the floor. But it did not look very good. I knew I had to hide it, but I was coming with with very complex and expensive solutions (Barn doors). I was browsing youtube and saw this video https://youtu.be/qc6MCu-pMKw and that was the perfect solution to fix this storage area. As you can see, it looks quite nice.

If anyone wants to do the same, these are the IKEA Vidaga system. There are three tracks, the back and middle tracks have 2 panels each and the front one has one panel. The width of the openign was 108", so with 24 inch wide panels, 5 panels just cover it perfectly with a inch or so of overlap. The panel curtains (IKEA Fonsterviva) is made of polyester from recycled PET bottles, so it meets my requirements. Only issue I found is the panel curtains have slight color mismatch.

Time: 4 hours.

Cost:
Triple track Rail x3: $75
Panel curtains x5 : 75
Curtain holder x5 : 25

Total: $175

Running Total : $1501

[zolotiyeruki]

Very nice!  How much did it end up costing?

I probably would have cheaped out and just got inexpensive curtains...

[CowboyAndIndian]

Very nice!  How much did it end up costing?

I probably would have cheaped out and just got inexpensive curtains...

Thank you. $175 not including the cost of the 1x4 from my wood pile that I put under the triple channel. The rails are  ceiling mounted and need something under them since the joist run perpendicular to the rail.

Only problem was IKEA is so far away for me (Approx 50 miles).

About the cheap curtains, DW had some curtains ready to go, but I did not want those as they were flowery :-)

[CowboyAndIndian]

First of all, happy new year.

I've taken some time off from this project, first for a trip and then with my sons home. I'll restart projects after they head back.

I've got several items on my list

• Another coat of paint since I was not happy with the patchy look
• DW wanted some pictures hung in the half of the basement which is almost done
• I want a bluetooth sound system in the basement, but want it completely hidden
• Hide the furnace water heater
• Hide the studs and the cavity under the staircase
• Hide the water/sewage pipes on one wall
• Hide the sump pump

The first three are quite straight forward. The last four are not so simple. I have ideas but I will hope the collective wisdom of the group will help me from making any mistakes.

[Sibley]

#3, 7 - I know that mechanicals tend to require ventilation, airflow, and access. Also, you may well have code requirements about how much space is required around them for safety purposes. Think ahead to when you need to replace these things as well. You don't want to have to demolish part of the basement.

5 - That cavity under the staircase is good storage. Put up a wall and door, or just curtains.

6 - Pretty much every weird bump out in walls is to hide plumbing, electric, or HVAC.

[CowboyAndIndian]

The first project is to hide the furnace and water heater. As @Sibley mentioned, I need to worry about ventilation, air flow and  space required around them.

I am thinking of using PVC lattice privacy panels which are hung from the ceiling using eye hooks.

Since they have big holes in the panel, I should meet the ventilation/air flow issues. The panels will be about 12 inches from the closest chimney. Even when the furnace is running, there is not enough of heat to warm my hands about 6 inches away, so I think I'm safe. Am I wrong?

Because of the eye hook hang, it should be easy to remove in a minute or so without any damage.

Also worried about the panels penduluming and getting closer to the furnace. I'm thinking of doing 2 things. FIrst of all to add a door stop mounted to the floor around the middle of each panel. So, any swinging will not go beyond the door stop. Also, thinking of attaching cabinet door magnets at the bottom two corners of each panel so that they have some stability wrt the adjoining panels.

Do you see any issues? I've attached a picture of the place.

[GuitarStv]

From here, it looks fantastic - that's a huge difference.

You mentioned only that you were going to paint the floor - I'd recommend looking at some cheap low to medium pile carpet/rugs to lay down to add some extra warmth. While the space looks worlds better than in the picture, it's still fairly cold/inhospitable looking. Some carpet that you won't fret over losing to a small flood would be that last boost (in addition to redistributing your furnishings).

Thank you.

Good idea about the carpet. DW suggested an indoor/outdoor carpet. Those can even get wet and dry off without any mold/mildew. Also, maybe something (art?) on the walls also would make it look less sterile.

There are some flooring options that might work out better for you.  If you go to a farm supply place you can usually get 3/4 inch black rubber horse stall mats for reasonably cheap.  These are very popular for gym floors (can slam weights without damaging the floor at all) and do keep the floor warmer than bare concrete.  They are also 100% waterproof and very easy to mop/vacuum clean.  Also easy to cut to fit with an exacto knife.

Not sure if it would work for your decor, but maybe something to consider.

[Sibley]

Would you hang the panels to the floor?

I'm not sure a door stop will have the surface area desired. It's probably easier to just build a "box" of 2x4 or whatever (heck, cardboard might do fine) around the perimeter and have the lattice rest up against that. Use screws (or duct tape) to assemble so you can easily disassemble later. And maybe some discrete zip ties to hold the edges of the panels together at the bottom if they're moving more than you want.

[CowboyAndIndian]

From here, it looks fantastic - that's a huge difference.

You mentioned only that you were going to paint the floor - I'd recommend looking at some cheap low to medium pile carpet/rugs to lay down to add some extra warmth. While the space looks worlds better than in the picture, it's still fairly cold/inhospitable looking. Some carpet that you won't fret over losing to a small flood would be that last boost (in addition to redistributing your furnishings).

Thank you.

Good idea about the carpet. DW suggested an indoor/outdoor carpet. Those can even get wet and dry off without any mold/mildew. Also, maybe something (art?) on the walls also would make it look less sterile.

There are some flooring options that might work out better for you.  If you go to a farm supply place you can usually get 3/4 inch black rubber horse stall mats for reasonably cheap.  These are very popular for gym floors (can slam weights without damaging the floor at all) and do keep the floor warmer than bare concrete.  They are also 100% waterproof and very easy to mop/vacuum clean.  Also easy to cut to fit with an exacto knife.

Not sure if it would work for your decor, but maybe something to consider.

The horse mats would work perfectly for the workout area. I believe that they stink when you buy them, so keeping them in the garage or driveway for a couple of weeks till they finish outgassing.

I'm definitely going to do this.

[GuitarStv]

From here, it looks fantastic - that's a huge difference.

You mentioned only that you were going to paint the floor - I'd recommend looking at some cheap low to medium pile carpet/rugs to lay down to add some extra warmth. While the space looks worlds better than in the picture, it's still fairly cold/inhospitable looking. Some carpet that you won't fret over losing to a small flood would be that last boost (in addition to redistributing your furnishings).

Thank you.

Good idea about the carpet. DW suggested an indoor/outdoor carpet. Those can even get wet and dry off without any mold/mildew. Also, maybe something (art?) on the walls also would make it look less sterile.

There are some flooring options that might work out better for you.  If you go to a farm supply place you can usually get 3/4 inch black rubber horse stall mats for reasonably cheap.  These are very popular for gym floors (can slam weights without damaging the floor at all) and do keep the floor warmer than bare concrete.  They are also 100% waterproof and very easy to mop/vacuum clean.  Also easy to cut to fit with an exacto knife.

Not sure if it would work for your decor, but maybe something to consider.

The horse mats would work perfectly for the workout area. I believe that they stink when you buy them, so keeping them in the garage or driveway for a couple of weeks till they finish outgassing.

I'm definitely going to do this.

I used them in our basement and the ones I got smelled slightly of rubber, but not powerfully.  May very much depend on where you buy them though, and I've heard other people complaining about smell.  They're quite heavy (the ones I got were sold in 6x4' slabs that were about 80 lbs each), so you might want help to move them around if you're getting a bunch at a time.

[CowboyAndIndian]

Would you hang the panels to the floor?

I'm not sure a door stop will have the surface area desired. It's probably easier to just build a "box" of 2x4 or whatever (heck, cardboard might do fine) around the perimeter and have the lattice rest up against that. Use screws (or duct tape) to assemble so you can easily disassemble later. And maybe some discrete zip ties to hold the edges of the panels together at the bottom if they're moving more than you want.

Yes, the panels should go almost to the floor, maybe an inch or so above the the ground.

Great idea. I can probably create a 2x4 treated lumber permieter on the floor around the which prevents the lattice panels from swinging towards the furnace. Much better than my door stop idea.

Have to think about how to make the perimeter ledge removable for furnace service but also make sure the perimeter  does not move.

[CowboyAndIndian]

...
5 - That cavity under the staircase is good storage. Put up a wall and door, or just curtains.
...

The easiest is to put drywall up, but drywall may not be best if it floods. I already store wood flooring, stool etc. in that space.

Good idea about the door. As you can see from the picture, the stairs are in line with the furnace/water heater. I guess, I can cut a stud and put in a door there. Of course, I'll add jack studs and a header. A narrow,short door should be doable. A magnetic catch with push to open would not make the door obvious.

One idea I had was to use PVC tongue/groove and nail to the studs. Something like this https://www.lowes.com/pd/Unbranded-5-50-in-x-8-ft-White-PVC-Wall-Plank/5001523497. Probably will look like a shiplap wall.

Or a PVC sheet to be used as drywall. Something like this https://www.lowes.com/pd/Royal-Building-Products-1-2-in-x-4-ft-x-8-ft-PVC-Trim-Board/5001954983 .

Any flaws you see in both of the products or ideas?

[Sibley]

For the stairs, why not just use more lattice? It's water proof, you'll already have it so its visually consistent, its removeable as needed, and you don't need to fuss with structural modifications. If you want to get fancy, put a curtain behind it as accent/blocking view.

[Sibley]

Would you hang the panels to the floor?

I'm not sure a door stop will have the surface area desired. It's probably easier to just build a "box" of 2x4 or whatever (heck, cardboard might do fine) around the perimeter and have the lattice rest up against that. Use screws (or duct tape) to assemble so you can easily disassemble later. And maybe some discrete zip ties to hold the edges of the panels together at the bottom if they're moving more than you want.

Yes, the panels should go almost to the floor, maybe an inch or so above the the ground.

Great idea. I can probably create a 2x4 treated lumber permieter on the floor around the which prevents the lattice panels from swinging towards the furnace. Much better than my door stop idea.

Have to think about how to make the perimeter ledge removable for furnace service but also make sure the perimeter  does not move.

4 sides, screwed together, maybe use the angle thingies in the corners to help keep it clean. You don't need this to come apart all the time, just when you're replacing mechanicals. You also don't need it to be incredibly strong. Then when you do need access, you just start unscrewing the corners and remove the lumber. As long as the lattice goes far enough to catch the lumber, you're good.

[CowboyAndIndian]

For the stairs, why not just use more lattice? It's water proof, you'll already have it so its visually consistent, its removeable as needed, and you don't need to fuss with structural modifications. If you want to get fancy, put a curtain behind it as accent/blocking view.

I put the idea to the boss, but DW did not like it. "Too much lattice" was the verdict :-(

[lthenderson]

One idea I had was to use PVC tongue/groove and nail to the studs. Something like this https://www.lowes.com/pd/Unbranded-5-50-in-x-8-ft-White-PVC-Wall-Plank/5001523497. Probably will look like a shiplap wall.

Or a PVC sheet to be used as drywall. Something like this https://www.lowes.com/pd/Royal-Building-Products-1-2-in-x-4-ft-x-8-ft-PVC-Trim-Board/5001954983 .

Any flaws you see in both of the products or ideas?

Not really a flaw but for me, I wouldn't do it simply for the cost. PVC is extremely expensive per square foot compared to drywall. To cover that same area with drywall would be less than $100 in materials the first time and should it every flood in the future, it is extremely easy to cut the wet part off, patch in new drywall and repaint. It would take regular flooding over decades to probably recoup the cost spent covering it with PVC.

Another consideration, when finished rooms flood, it isn't so much the material damage that is the worst aspect of it. It is subsequent mold and deposited residue damage internal to the wall and the only cure for that is to remove the flooded materials, let the internal wall/insulation/etc. dry out, clean it off and then put material back on the wall. So even if you covered it in PVC, it may not prevent you from doing work in the future if it floods. In this case, you are likely to have access to the backside of the PVC to air it out and clean off any deposited residue so it might not be an issue other than the aforementioned cost.

[zolotiyeruki]

Or a PVC sheet to be used as drywall. Something like this https://www.lowes.com/pd/Royal-Building-Products-1-2-in-x-4-ft-x-8-ft-PVC-Trim-Board/5001954983 .

My local Menards has 4x8 sheets of fiberglass paneling, intended for use as a shower or tub surround.  IIRC, it's about $35-40/sheet.  You'd have to build a frame or support it some way, but it's a lot cheaper than $96.

[Just Joe]

From here, it looks fantastic - that's a huge difference.

You mentioned only that you were going to paint the floor - I'd recommend looking at some cheap low to medium pile carpet/rugs to lay down to add some extra warmth. While the space looks worlds better than in the picture, it's still fairly cold/inhospitable looking. Some carpet that you won't fret over losing to a small flood would be that last boost (in addition to redistributing your furnishings).

Your basement looks great! I can appreciate all the hard work you have put into it.

A couple of ideas in case anyone is ever seeking them: The house we purchased a while back has a ceramic tile floor over the poured concrete. We use throw rugs over that and they are washable if we ever have a flood. Not a drip of leakage since we've lived there.

Walls are painted cinder block with a drop ceiling. Considering having the ceiling spray foamed to control movie room noise in the upstairs family room.

We run a dehumidifier down there. Also recently purchased a heat pump water heater which should further assist that effort.

[CowboyAndIndian]

One idea I had was to use PVC tongue/groove and nail to the studs. Something like this https://www.lowes.com/pd/Unbranded-5-50-in-x-8-ft-White-PVC-Wall-Plank/5001523497. Probably will look like a shiplap wall.

Or a PVC sheet to be used as drywall. Something like this https://www.lowes.com/pd/Royal-Building-Products-1-2-in-x-4-ft-x-8-ft-PVC-Trim-Board/5001954983 .

Any flaws you see in both of the products or ideas?

Not really a flaw but for me, I wouldn't do it simply for the cost. PVC is extremely expensive per square foot compared to drywall. To cover that same area with drywall would be less than $100 in materials the first time and should it every flood in the future, it is extremely easy to cut the wet part off, patch in new drywall and repaint. It would take regular flooding over decades to probably recoup the cost spent covering it with PVC.

Another consideration, when finished rooms flood, it isn't so much the material damage that is the worst aspect of it. It is subsequent mold and deposited residue damage internal to the wall and the only cure for that is to remove the flooded materials, let the internal wall/insulation/etc. dry out, clean it off and then put material back on the wall. So even if you covered it in PVC, it may not prevent you from doing work in the future if it floods. In this case, you are likely to have access to the backside of the PVC to air it out and clean off any deposited residue so it might not be an issue other than the aforementioned cost.

Very good points. I am trying to also make it look good. And I'm lazy, so want to never want to repeat the work ;-)

Since My budget was limited to $3k and I have just used $1.5k here, I would not mind something a couple of hundred dollars more. This area is just an 8x8 section of wall.