If you have always wanted to finish your basement to convert it into living space, you can do this very easily. Many people believe it will be too expensive or complex to complete on their own.

Depending upon the size of your basement, and what you would like to accomplish, it may only take a week or two to finish everything. At the very least, it will improve the value of your home and provide more living space. Here are a few tips on how to finish a basement, a project that you should consider doing this year.

What You Can Do With Your Basement

Most basements are designed to be a type of storage area. This is where people will store boxes of their belongings, or excess furniture that they do not want to sell. However, if the basement is large enough, it can serve as another bedroom. Others will convert this into a game room or den. It is also in a prime location for creating a home theater room. You will be able to play your movies as loud as you want. To convert your basement into any of these possibilities, it begins with framing and insulating this area.

Start With Framing And Insulating Your Basement

To transform your basement into a room, you must begin by framing the basement. You may have to have plans drawn up and submitted to your local building department. Your plans will include the walls, doorways, and special features such as adding a fireplace. You also need to check for mold and leaks that may be occurring. Once these problems are resolved, you can then begin to frame the basement area. The installation should be extruded foam insulation. This will be glued to the foundation walls and rim joists. Also use high R-value insulation, and avoid expanded foam insulation which is not as durable. Once done, you will caulk any seams or gaps, followed by sheet rock on the interior of the framing. This should only be done once you have added all of the electrical wiring and sockets.

How To Finish A Basement Remodeling Project

To complete the job, you can spackled the outside of the drywall, and then subsequently paint everything. It is recommended that you use some type of semi gloss, similar to what you would use in the kitchen or bathroom area. This will make it easier to clean, and will also help promote the distribution of light when using brighter colors. The entire project will be complete once you have added tiles or carpet to the floor. You will also need to bring all of the furniture that you want into this newly improved basement area. This process may take several days to complete, but it will be well worth the effort.

This project is one that many people think about doing, but often do not because they believe it to be too difficult. It will only require a minimal amount of materials, and a few weeks of your time, to create the plans and complete the project. Instead of just using your basement as a storage facility, it can be so much more. Now that you know how to finish a basement, you should start thinking about all of the different ways that you could use this area of your home.