They are 5' deep. Ended-up replacing the rusty one. We have a supplier that is reasonably local, but I was not able to find an exact match. My thumb is protected by a thimble from a set my wife has. I needed to protect me thumb while recovering from surgery. That's a story!
for anyone insulating a basement in a house older than 1995: just assume your foundation and floor slab are totally lacking moisture control. if you have concrete block foundation, do not drylock the interior side. your bricks are likely unfilled and will accumulate water inside that will give your basement a musty smell. you need to let the concrete breathe. if you want to finish the floor, install a vented subfloor material (can be dimpled mat, or an OSB with foam/rubber/plastic bottom that allows airflow) around the basement perimeter. leave a 1/4 gap at the wall. then build your walls on top of this subfloor system. install a dimpled wall mat like DeltaVentSA on the wall, then put foamboard against that and tape all seams. next frame your wall against the foamboard (still using a pressure treated sill). insulate the stud spaces with whatever you want (rockwool is you have the budget is best) and then if you are in a climate where you heat in the winter, install a vapor retarder before you use a non-paper faced wallboard. this is the best system you can get, short of excavating the entire outside of your foundation and applying true moisture protection and exterior foam.
Thank you for the in-depth reply. This sounds like a great topic for its own video - or series a videos. Any thoughts on the climate or environmental factors that may come into play when determining when this level of moisture control is necessary? FWIW - I've not seen this level of control applied in my area.
@@KevinTaberski the example ive given is not just for basement leaks from rain or bulk water- its to protect the wall assembly from water vapor in the air. for "dry" climates this much protection may not be necessary, though there are not really that many areas that are "totally dry" either. if it gets humid outside in the summer you can assume theres going to be moisture in that basement. another thing to be aware of is any concrete below the outside grade is where vapor will drive into the building, year round, because hydrostatic pressure is greater in soil than it is in air, and high pressure always goes towards low pressure, meaning water vapor in soil always wants to enter the basement. so you never put untreated wood or fiberglass insulation up against below grade concrete, and you should always leave an air gap so it can dry "to the inside" (through the gaps in the dimpled wall mat and out of the subfloor material) but regardless, if you are going to finish the basement of an old house why even take the chance- just build it with the assumption that water WILL get in eventually. and if this issue is not noticed before mold sets in it can cause health problems- your A.C return pulls air filled with mold spores out of the basement and pushes it into the rest of your house, for example. not to mention the cost of remittance and replacement of damage.
Been watching basement videos for about a month since discovering mold behind panel boards in the basement of my home I just purchased resulting in me gutting the basement. The previous owner drilled big holes in cinder blocks attaching wood strips and then nailing panel boards to it and that was it. Along with just gluing carpet straight to the floor. Your comment is exactly what I was trying to find in a video and sounds exactly what I need to do.
Really appreciate you posting this video as I'm getting ready to finish my basement as well. One thing I found with cutting rigid insulation board is to use a 6 inch spackle blade and grind one edge to a sharp knife like edge. If you use a wide edge 4 foot level, it'll help you cut the edge square too. Thanks again for a great video!
Thank you for the kind reply. I believe this is the nicest comment I've ever received! Not only do I appreciate it, but it inspires me to keep posting videos. Thanks again!
Next time I recommend running your foam up in to between your joists. You lose most of your heat that way. If you tooth your sheets in there, and spray foam around the gaps, you have the added benefit of keeping all those bugs out too.
Great work, Kevin. I am looking forward to seeing your next video with running the electrical and batt insulation, and then eventually finishing the room off. Before you close things up, will you be air sealing the sill plate and rim joists as well? I used 2" xps foamular on my basement walls up in climate zone 5 in CT. I had my plumbing drain along almost three full walls, so I couldnt frame right up against the foam and add batts. Where the plumbing drain wasnt in the way, I framed up a wall and added the r15 rockwool. I air sealed the rim joists and added 2" of foamboard, and then multiple layers of r15 rockwool. The ceiling got r23 rockwool to keep sound down and because I got an insane clearance price at home depot. The subfloor I chose was an r5 foam panel that is the only one hard enough to run LVP flooring directly on. All of this really changed the basement into an insanley warm, and comfortable section of the house for my father in law that is now actually saving me energy while adding around 700 usable square feet to the home. But, keep up the great work, I am subscribing to see what is next!
I've actually completed my basement. I recorded many of the steps as I went and am working on posting videos of the steps in the order that I performed them. Unfortunately, I did not record much while installing the wiring. I believe I do have some recordings of the insulation step. I did not do anything special to seal the rim-joists and sill plates - other than caulk the outside on the north wall - which is overhung over the basement wall. I stuffed fiberglass batts against the rim joist - and like yourself - I insulated the ceiling. More for sound then temperature control. As for the floor - I laid VCT (Vinyl Composite Tile)directly over the concrete. All that said, the basement is still quite comfortable - we recently experienced bout of sub-zero weather, plus it still stays cool in the summer. I'm working on a video framing the soffit for the beam and duct-work. Thank you for the informed response and subscription - it helps to keep me motivated to keep posting these videos.
I really love this idea. I've been looking & searching a temporary way of insulating our garage without costing me a lot of money right now. The old owner of the house we purchased converted the garage into a room but there's no insulation. Its really hot during summer time and very cold in the winter. I think this is a good idea to insulate it by not knocking any walls for the time being until i have money to do renovations. Any other suggestions or ideas please. Thank you
I do NOT recommend this. For one thing Foam Board is flammable! Plus, it's not a durable material - it really needs to be under or behind a fire-resistant and more durable material - such as drywall. Also, Foam Board is not not all that cheap. If I were you, I would remove whatever is covering the interior of your garage and insulate behind it. Assuming it's drywall, you will need to replace the drywall, but the cost of the insulation (fiberglass for example), plus the replacement drywall may be similar in cost to the Foam Board and you will have a higher R-value. I hope this helps!
Looks good. Having done a basement myself like this, I still maintain that taping The seams is an absolute complete waste of time despite many people doing it. The tape doesn’t stick work a damn, and beyond that if the foam doesn’t have male-female edges as some do, silicone caulk adheres a great deal better-just run a bead down and press it in.
I had a different experience with the tape. The tape supplied my the manufacturer was VERY sticky - almost too hard to work with. Did you use the tape that was recommended?
@@KevinTaberskiI tried a few different kinds back in 2012. It wasn’t Owen’s tape though. I just did a new basement this month and deliberately left 1/4 gaps between all foam boards. I then ran a bead of great stuff foam up the middle of each gap. This precludes any need for tape, ensures total continuity of insulation, and even gives extra adhesion (great stuff sticks possibly even better than pl 300 in some limited tests I did).
Great that you're framing that in. Need to make sure to mention XPS cannot be left exposed in indoor applications, and must have a fire protection. Onto that floor plate...treated lumber still needs a barrier between the concrete, as both are porus materials. Treated lumber is treated to prevent bugs, not damp.
Carpenter ants is not something that I've had to deal with and have no experience with. That said - my understanding is that they still need a food source and they prefer a moist environment. Food (no pun intended) for thought!
Thank you! I did leave a gap between the foam board and the floor - for 2 reasons: 1. I floated the walls, so there is a chance that the floor itself will move up. 2. In case we get a leak somewhere in the concrete wall, I would like to know. The gap should allow a place for any water to present itself. Perhaps this is not best practice - but is what I elected to do. BTW - when I say 'gap' - I mean I did not fill the gap that forms naturally when standing-up a sheet of foam board. I did not intentionally raise the foam board.
Awesome video! You did a great job walking us through all the steps. You've actually given me the confidence that I can do this myself. Question what made you decide on that type of insulation? I live in MD, so I'm trying to figure out which type would be best.
Maria - I like the idea that you can create a continuous seal along the length of an entire wall. It should reduce drafts and cement dust from the concrete. Plus, I wanted to increase the R-value of the insulation - as I will also place fiberglass bat insulation in the stud-bays of the framed walls. Thank you for posting!
Hey Kevin, again great videos! I’ll be using them as a resource as I finish my basement. How did you “carve” out the foam board to get around the plumbing? Did you just use an exacto knife?
Thank you for the positive comment! I used a serrated knife - sold for cutting foam board, but a serrated steak knife would work just as well - if you have one you can spare.
Outstanding! I'm actually much further along in my project then my video suggest. I have a collection of clips to edit - it's just a matter of taking the time and piecing them together. Your comment is a motivator for me - I really appreciate it! Thank you.
@@KevinTaberski yes as someone with almost zero experience. I need as many good examples as possible. I would rather have a video with limited editing posted tomorrow than a beautifully edited video posted 6 months from now. Maybe that’s just me.
@@KevinTaberski thank you. I saw your stairway at the end of the video. One issue I am looking to solve is related to the addition of a subfloor and how that will affect my basement stairs. I think I will need to add a landing to account for the difference is step height with the subfloor. Did you end up doing this? Assuming you will have a subfloor.
@@KevinTaberski also the problem of having a moisture barrier near those stairs. I see the stairs are built along that exterior wall you are insulating with foam. Did you also extend your foam insulation to that stairway area?
I actually purchased at my local Home Depot. When I was initially researching what to use, they only had a few sheets, but when I was ready to purchase they had the unopened bundles. I suspect you could also pre-order if packaged bundles was important to you. Thank you for the positive feedback and your question.
Great video! Do you know about how much of a temperature change it made? I live in southern climate and the lowest basement temp has been 52 and highest 73. Thinking about doing the same thing you did. Thanks!
Thank you! It is hard to assess the temperature change for a number of reasons. 1. We also added HVAC ducts to warm the space, which by itself made a noticeable improvement.. 2. We still have 2 ingress-egress windows on the north side which chill the space. 3. The floor is still (relatively) un-insulated and is itself a large heat-sink. 4. I have yet to spend any quality time using the basement as it's not quite finished. All of that said, I have to believe that the insulation has made an improvement in the overall comfort of our basement, but only time will tell.
Good attention to detail. Those considering this, who don’t have a capillary break installed between the top of the foundation and sill, and high water/moisture outside the foundation without a waterproofing treatment and drainage board, may want to think about first addressing that. Water that gets absorbed into the concrete can move upwards through capillary action and rot the sill. This rigid foam is closed cell and will not allow vapor to move-no drying potential.
Thank you for posting, for the kind words and the additional information. Mitigating moisture below grade is a challenge that must be considered carefully and mitigated accordingly.
I would NOT recommend that! The foam board itself is not structural. I framed a wall using a conventional (though floating) stud-wall in front of the foam board, then hung drywall. You need to provide some type of structure - typically a framed stud-wall - to support an under-layment (drywall or cement board) to support your tile.
Thank you for sharing the video. I have a concrete basement, it doesn’t leak water anywhere but, i want to eliminate humidity. I live in Wisconsin we get snow all winter and lots of rain before and after winter. What do you recommend? Thank you very much 😊
I live in a relatively dry climate (Colorado), I do not have any experience with you climate. If the outside of your basement wall is sealed, then I would suggest you are good to go. If - on the other hand - the outside is not sealed, then you may run the risk of trapping moisture between the foam board and the inside of you basement wall. I would recommend contacting your local building department to see what is typical for your area. Barring that, see if you can determine what other home owners have experienced near you. Good luck!
I live in Iowa and have similar weather as you do in Wisconsin. I recently finished by concrete basement using 2” foam board like what he’s using and didn’t notice any difference in humidity levels, however, when I turned on my dehumidifier in the basement after the foam was installed, it only took 12 hours and my humidity went from 58% to 50% and it made a huge difference. Running it another 12 hours took it down to 48%. Before the foam board it would take weeks to bring the humidity levels down because it was pulling water from the concrete walls and now it’s only pulling from the room. Also, I noticed that the temperature was about 5 degrees warmer after the foam board installation and nearly the same temp as upstairs. I highly recommend foam board.
I live in Northern Illinois. Definitely paint the concrete or walls with a DryLok or HD product first. It really helps with humidity. After you paint the floors and walls than install the foamboard.
I’m looking to use the same rigid foam. I am also in Colorado and need to meet the R-15 continuous or R-19 between studs. What’s your plan to get to the required R value? Looks like you’re most likely farther down the road in your finishing project. Did you have to get an “insulation inspection” (if so, did it pass?) Here in Douglas County we have to get an insulation inspection prior to closing up the framing with drywall.
Thank you for your question. I've actually finished this project and I'm just now getting caught-up on the videos. I went a bit over-board on my insulation. I actually used R-21 fiberglass bats - in addition to the foam board - simply because I had an extra 1/2" (or so) between the studs and the foam-board and R-13 or R-15 would not completely fill all the air-space - which was my goal. Different counties have varying requirements for basement remodels, so you just have to meet your county's requirements. Good luck!
What if you live on the bottom level of a big resident buidling with 5 stories? In the basement there is a small window and during the year the temps are always the same no matter whats the outside temp...there is black mold forming as well..we have no idea what to do. It is really complicated since this basement is under a big building with 5 levels
This is a tough one! First of all - this is WAY beyond my experience. Foam Board is meant to reduce thermal transfer, it will not help with moisture and will likely make it worse. If you already HAVE black mold, you have a much bigger problem than controlling temperature. At a minimum, you would need to de-water the soil around and underneath the basement AND waterproof the concrete (including the floor) then remove the existing mold (I have no idea how this is done). Once the basement is sealed, free of mold and dry - then insulating the walls would help control the temperature - but don't forget you will still lose heat through the floor - assuming it is concrete. I really hope you can change your living situation. Good luck!
@@KevinTaberski thanks yeah, we noticed this recently, the basement was flooded few times over the years when there were heavy rains..but we fixed that and everything was fine until recently we checked this basement. We suspect that moisture might come from the other side of the wall from the neighbour since that side of the wall has mostly that black mold and the layers of wall finish material are falling off easily. Its impossible to fix the land outside the walls since this basement is under ground level and sourrounded from all sides with tall walls and infrastracture which would make this impossible...its just a bad base building of this basement I think...
So I have a walkout basement in a newer home (10yrs old). The rough plumbing that was preinstalled designates that it is suitable for dwelling and has moisture barrier in the concrete walls and flooring. 1000 ft.² of open space with few large windows and sliding glass door, and the back walls are below grade and concrete, does not smell musty and I don’t believe much moisture comes through the wall if at all, do I still use a foam board insulation?
I can not offer any direct guidance on your specific application - from what you have described, it appears foam board would be suitable. I suggest contacting your local building authority and see what is recommended for your area. Are you able to reach-out to the builder of your home? Do you have neighbors will house of a similar age? Good luck!
@@KevinTaberski Thank you, I’ll do that. May I ask how do you determine that you need foam board? You just always use it on concrete because why take any risk? or are there instances where you skip this step and why? Thank you, Enjoying channel.
@@RC.56 I added foam board mainly to increase the R-Value of my insulation. After I framed, I also added fiberglass batt insulation. I live in an area where the frost depth is around 30” or so and we experience sub-zero (Fahrenheit) temperatures. Unfortunately, the north wall contains the 2 windows. If I lived in a wetter climate (we see approximately 12” of moisture per year) I would be concerned about mold - that is the main concern with using foam board as it creates a vapor barrier. Thank you for the kind words - it helps me a LOT!
I bought this foam board to install on an outter knee wall in the attic area. I noticed the board says it’s combustible and needs a vapor barrier. Do I have to worry about the board lighting up on fire without a vapor barrier?
I have no experience with using foam board in the way you describe. I suggest researching on the manufacturer's web site and following your local building codes.
Where do you live that you need to insulate your basement walls? Cold? I'm in Georgia, and my unfinished basement is fairly comfortable year round. Never gets warm, but it does get chilly down there.
I live in Colorado, just outside of Boulder. Though our winters can seem mild, the ground does freeze and we experience sub-zero temperatures for at least a few days every year.
I didn't think about this too hard at first, but once I got going I stayed consistent. Having the printing helps keep the sheets oriented correctly between cutting and hanging, in the odd case where the orientation matters. Personally - I liked the way it looked. Plus it gets covered by the framed wall in the end. Thanks for posting!
Steven - it seemed to be warmer, perhaps just more even. If I recall, the space was also quieter - the foam should also cut-down on dust from the concrete. I've subsequently finished the space, so I have all the insulation (fiberglass batting), the drywall and ceiling installed so it is noticeably warmer now. The big heat-sink is the windows. Happy New Year and thank you for posting!
What do u do on the windows section ? Foam ? Tape ? Nothing ? I see u cut 2 inch or so below the window line. Pretty much where the concrete finishes ..
Mike - I framed around the sides and top of the window using 2x4" lumber and used a 2x6" for the bottom - which lays over the bottom piece of foam and is pretty close to the concrete - then filled the the gap between this lower piece and the concrete. As the walls themselves are also insulted with fiberglass bats - I pretty much stopped any air movement above and on the sides. Thank your for the question.
My intent was to nominally leave a 1/2" gap, but due to the unevenness of the walls and the fact that they were not perfectly plumb and square, the gap varied from close to zero to over an inch in places. That said, I used thicker insulation in the walls in an attempt to fill this gap.
I'm still in the process of finishing my basement. I have a number of clips recorded from some of the steps and plan on editing and uploading videos as time permits. Stay tuned and thank you for your interest.
@@petunia6843 I have no experience with paneling directly over foam board. One concern - the adhesive may not be strong enough to hold. In my case, the adhesive was used to hold the foam board in-place while I framed - the framing and fiberglass batts likely do more to hold the foam board in-place than the adhesive.
I have not. Though we live in a fairly dry climate. That said, we've had an unusual amount of rain in the past month - our sump-pump is still running.. Still, no sign of any moisture.
According to Owens-Corning’s web site (see: www.owenscorning.com/en-us/insulation/commercial/foamular-xps), FOAMULAR is “Compliant with ASTM E119 Fire Resistance Rated Wall Assemblies, FOAMULAR® XPS is a great fit with the inherently fire-resistant profile of pre-cast concrete”. I’m not versed in fire ratings, but you should be able to dig deeper on this topic. XPS does not provide a durable surface, so that is another factor.
BuyInsulationProducts Owens Corning Foamular JointSealR Tape www.buyinsulationproductstore.com/owens-corning-foamular-jointsealr-tape/ This particular tape is 3-1/2" wide - it appears to be available in different widths. I don't recall the width of the tape I used, but 3-1/2" seems plausible. I hope this helps!
I suppose you can - but that is not the intent of foam board. It has no real structure, is only held up using a very soft adhesive - which is meant to hold it in-place while a more substantial structure is constructed over it and finally, the stuff is flammable and NEEDs to be covered. In my case, I framed walls over the foam board - which I also insulated. See my latest video: "Finishing My Basement - Floating Wall - Base Plates" - ruclips.net/video/KeHB36PuwJQ/видео.html.
No - I just used fiberglass bats. The area you see shows the side of my basement where the upper floor is actually extended approximately 2 feet outside the basement wall. These cavities were stuffed with fiberglass when the house was built. I did remove the existing insulation to better seal the gaps, then replaced with new fiberglass insulation. Other than using the cans of spray-foam to seal a few gaps, I used fiberglass batting everywhere else.
You ask an very interesting question! For a cold room, your goal is basically the opposite of what I've shown here - and what most people wish to accomplish when insulating a basement - which is to reduce the transfer of the the heat in the space to the outside (to the soil via the walls and floor in the case of a basement). I would think that you would NOT insulate the exterior walls or the floor, but you would insulate the interior walls (and door) and the ceiling. The concrete floor and walls would conduct the heat out of the space attempting to bring the temperature of the room to the same temperature as the surrounding soil. Full disclosure - I've never done this, so you may want to research this a bit more. Good luck!
According to Owens Corning - Formular XPS keeps moisture out. See: www.owenscorning.com/en-us/insulation/commercial/foamular-xps In my case I wasn't using it so much as a moisture barrier, but to keep cold-air from moving down the concrete into the basement. Moisture is tricky (as others have pointed-out) - so please research what is applicable for your area and situation.
I suppose that you can - I would think that Latex paint would work, but I have no experience with this as my use-case is based on its intended use as insulation only.
Hmmm - I've not heard of anyone using foam board on the ceiling in a cellar. Foam board will act just like a sheet of plastic as far as moisture is concerned. I would expect if you were to do this, your cellar would get even more damp. I would definitely be concerned about mold.
@@KevinTaberski Thank you so much for responding. I'm confused. Foamboard is used for basement and cellar walls, correct? Currently have cellar ceiling panels up that are like particle board (in an old, 100 yr old home). Apparently they absorbed moisture thru the years, and are a bit bowed because of it. Currently use a dehumidifier, try to keep the place as dry as possible. Do you have any other recommendation? Perhaps leave it open with backed insulation???
@@nancyk5203 Foam board is used for thermal insulation, but it is known to trap moisture. Moisture - if present - needs to be mitigated before installing foam board on basement walls. Mitigating basement moisture is WAY beyond my experience, but ideally you would seal the outside of your basement walls against water/moisture. Baring that, you may be able to seal the inside of your walls. The only advice that I can offer would be to research moisture mitigation for basements in your specific area. What have people around you done for example? Good luck!
Researching and wanting to do this but some videos they show trying to get everything air tight and some allow things to breath. This video appears to allow the walls to breathe ( he did nothing to prevent air coming in from The bottom or the top of the foam) the glue was in dots and didn’t create a seal. Pretty much makes no sense for him to even waste money on tape. I would draw a bead of caulk all the way around the sheet and stick it to the wall. That way air couldn’t get in there and condensate. Seems like 1000 people have done this 1000 different ways. Wish owns Corning would give guidelines in this type of installation
In my case - this was intentional. Though the concrete wall is sealed and our soil is fairly dry, there is always some moisture present. I left the bottom un-sealed in-case we ever get a leak somewhere - I'd like to know about it if we do and where in the wall it might be. Same idea of whether or not to caulk around a toilet.
I’m going to ask why you are using one product for your walls and a different product for the rim you have foam board and fiberglass and no foam board on the floor. I have seen many examples of insulation in basement setting but there’s an enormous amount of variety in methods and I don’t know why you would use foam board instead of spray foam. Closed cell spray foam would have covered your walls and rim joist and sealed the gaps. The floor could have been done with foam board ahead of time with plywood over the top and build the 2x4 walls floating on top. I have to wonder what the water main temperature will be after the walls are built will it be at risk of freezing?
David - it's a compromise. Our house is now 44 years old, so we have a few constraints built-in. If I could have, I would have placed foam board under the concrete floor and installed in-floor hydronic heating. I have a desire to install VCT (Vinyl Composition Tile) directly over the concrete floor. Though the floor itself is not insulted, the soil temperature under the floor is less than it will be at the surface during the colder periods in the winter. During the summer months, the cooler temperature of the floor itself keeps the basement comfortable - it's a trade-off. The insulation (foam-board) behind the water main will be adequate to keep the water main from freezer - plus I will not insulate over the water main in this stud-bay. Regarding foam board and fiberglass versus spray foam - I chose to use the materials that I am familiar with and I find user-friendly as a DIYer. Spray foam is certainly an option. Thank you for posting!
We put the electric heated mats under the flooring with a wall thermostat. Been a year and very a happy to have a constant 70 and warm feet. You don’t do 100% of floor, just where you walk , etc.
I'm curious - what type of flooring did you install and what is below the heated mats? We have heated (tile) floors in our bathrooms - over plywood subflooring. Thank you for posting!
@@KevinTaberski thanks ive been looking at between foam board or rockwool for some reason i get really paranoid about fire potential maybe watching to many fire fighter videos and wondering why building are so flammable
It's subjective I'm afraid. I did not measure the temperature prior and we added heat ducts. That said, it feels warmer - more evenly heated - in the cold months and it feels noticeably cooler during the summer - which is a surprise and I can not explain why as I expected the basement to be warmer year-round.
Yes - our basement is set pretty deep. Though we DO get some light - and it really helped getting the drywall into the basement. Plus, it's a great place to catch young animals!
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have never seen window wells that deep, rather unique bandaid you are wearing
They are 5' deep. Ended-up replacing the rusty one. We have a supplier that is reasonably local, but I was not able to find an exact match.
My thumb is protected by a thimble from a set my wife has. I needed to protect me thumb while recovering from surgery. That's a story!
I love the attention to detail around the water piping and valves!
Thank you! I appreciate the kind words.
for anyone insulating a basement in a house older than 1995: just assume your foundation and floor slab are totally lacking moisture control. if you have concrete block foundation, do not drylock the interior side. your bricks are likely unfilled and will accumulate water inside that will give your basement a musty smell. you need to let the concrete breathe. if you want to finish the floor, install a vented subfloor material (can be dimpled mat, or an OSB with foam/rubber/plastic bottom that allows airflow) around the basement perimeter. leave a 1/4 gap at the wall. then build your walls on top of this subfloor system. install a dimpled wall mat like DeltaVentSA on the wall, then put foamboard against that and tape all seams. next frame your wall against the foamboard (still using a pressure treated sill). insulate the stud spaces with whatever you want (rockwool is you have the budget is best) and then if you are in a climate where you heat in the winter, install a vapor retarder before you use a non-paper faced wallboard. this is the best system you can get, short of excavating the entire outside of your foundation and applying true moisture protection and exterior foam.
Thank you for the in-depth reply. This sounds like a great topic for its own video - or series a videos. Any thoughts on the climate or environmental factors that may come into play when determining when this level of moisture control is necessary? FWIW - I've not seen this level of control applied in my area.
@@KevinTaberski the example ive given is not just for basement leaks from rain or bulk water- its to protect the wall assembly from water vapor in the air. for "dry" climates this much protection may not be necessary, though there are not really that many areas that are "totally dry" either. if it gets humid outside in the summer you can assume theres going to be moisture in that basement. another thing to be aware of is any concrete below the outside grade is where vapor will drive into the building, year round, because hydrostatic pressure is greater in soil than it is in air, and high pressure always goes towards low pressure, meaning water vapor in soil always wants to enter the basement. so you never put untreated wood or fiberglass insulation up against below grade concrete, and you should always leave an air gap so it can dry "to the inside" (through the gaps in the dimpled wall mat and out of the subfloor material) but regardless, if you are going to finish the basement of an old house why even take the chance- just build it with the assumption that water WILL get in eventually. and if this issue is not noticed before mold sets in it can cause health problems- your A.C return pulls air filled with mold spores out of the basement and pushes it into the rest of your house, for example. not to mention the cost of remittance and replacement of damage.
Thank you - This is all good information.
Been watching basement videos for about a month since discovering mold behind panel boards in the basement of my home I just purchased resulting in me gutting the basement. The previous owner drilled big holes in cinder blocks attaching wood strips and then nailing panel boards to it and that was it. Along with just gluing carpet straight to the floor. Your comment is exactly what I was trying to find in a video and sounds exactly what I need to do.
Why are u lecturing people about drylock in a video about insulations comment section?
You seem to be a natural teacher. I just started my Foamboard and your video was very useful.
Thank you - that was a very nice compliment!
I'm happy to hear you found this video useful.
did not know Chris Walken did his own house mods.
That's a first! Thanks - I'll take it as a compliment.
Great video! Thanks for walking us through that process. Definitely going to check out the rest of the project!
Really appreciate you posting this video as I'm getting ready to finish my basement as well. One thing I found with cutting rigid insulation board is to use a 6 inch spackle blade and grind one edge to a sharp knife like edge. If you use a wide edge 4 foot level, it'll help you cut the edge square too. Thanks again for a great video!
Thank you for posting and passing-along this tip!
Thanks for your comprehensive instructions. You make it look doable. That's important to some of us. Thanks again!
Thank you for the kind reply. I believe this is the nicest comment I've ever received! Not only do I appreciate it, but it inspires me to keep posting videos. Thanks again!
Great Job Kevin!!!
Thank you!
Next time I recommend running your foam up in to between your joists. You lose most of your heat that way. If you tooth your sheets in there, and spray foam around the gaps, you have the added benefit of keeping all those bugs out too.
Interesting idea! Thank you for the suggestion.
Great information. Like your attention to all of the products and tools needed to do the job.
Nice job! Back in the day, we called those “little piles” of adhesive, dollops.
Excellent - 'dollops' is a great term! Wish I had known - or thought of it.
Thank you for sharing!
Dollop is the name of my Tiny Yorkie dog
@@kennedyadams7159 Great name choice!
Great work, Kevin.
I am looking forward to seeing your next video with running the electrical and batt insulation, and then eventually finishing the room off. Before you close things up, will you be air sealing the sill plate and rim joists as well?
I used 2" xps foamular on my basement walls up in climate zone 5 in CT. I had my plumbing drain along almost three full walls, so I couldnt frame right up against the foam and add batts. Where the plumbing drain wasnt in the way, I framed up a wall and added the r15 rockwool. I air sealed the rim joists and added 2" of foamboard, and then multiple layers of r15 rockwool. The ceiling got r23 rockwool to keep sound down and because I got an insane clearance price at home depot. The subfloor I chose was an r5 foam panel that is the only one hard enough to run LVP flooring directly on.
All of this really changed the basement into an insanley warm, and comfortable section of the house for my father in law that is now actually saving me energy while adding around 700 usable square feet to the home.
But, keep up the great work, I am subscribing to see what is next!
I've actually completed my basement. I recorded many of the steps as I went and am working on posting videos of the steps in the order that I performed them. Unfortunately, I did not record much while installing the wiring. I believe I do have some recordings of the insulation step.
I did not do anything special to seal the rim-joists and sill plates - other than caulk the outside on the north wall - which is overhung over the basement wall. I stuffed fiberglass batts against the rim joist - and like yourself - I insulated the ceiling. More for sound then temperature control.
As for the floor - I laid VCT (Vinyl Composite Tile)directly over the concrete. All that said, the basement is still quite comfortable - we recently experienced bout of sub-zero weather, plus it still stays cool in the summer.
I'm working on a video framing the soffit for the beam and duct-work.
Thank you for the informed response and subscription - it helps to keep me motivated to keep posting these videos.
Very tidy work!
@@seereds Thank you!
I glued the printed side and it looks a lot better
That would make sense - if for some reason you were not planning on building a wall in front of it as I did.
It looks like it is coming together nicely. That Loctite foam Canale a mess. Easy to clean up.
Thanks Don! I'm actually much further along - I'm just behind on my editing.
Happy New Year!
I really love this idea. I've been looking & searching a temporary way of insulating our garage without costing me a lot of money right now. The old owner of the house we purchased converted the garage into a room but there's no insulation. Its really hot during summer time and very cold in the winter. I think this is a good idea to insulate it by not knocking any walls for the time being until i have money to do renovations. Any other suggestions or ideas please. Thank you
I do NOT recommend this.
For one thing Foam Board is flammable! Plus, it's not a durable material - it really needs to be under or behind a fire-resistant and more durable material - such as drywall.
Also, Foam Board is not not all that cheap. If I were you, I would remove whatever is covering the interior of your garage and insulate behind it. Assuming it's drywall, you will need to replace the drywall, but the cost of the insulation (fiberglass for example), plus the replacement drywall may be similar in cost to the Foam Board and you will have a higher R-value.
I hope this helps!
Looks good.
Having done a basement myself like this, I still maintain that taping The seams is an absolute complete waste of time despite many people doing it. The tape doesn’t stick work a damn, and beyond that if the foam doesn’t have male-female edges as some do, silicone caulk adheres a great deal better-just run a bead down and press it in.
I had a different experience with the tape. The tape supplied my the manufacturer was VERY sticky - almost too hard to work with.
Did you use the tape that was recommended?
@@KevinTaberskiI tried a few different kinds back in 2012. It wasn’t Owen’s tape though.
I just did a new basement this month and deliberately left 1/4 gaps between all foam boards. I then ran a bead of great stuff foam up the middle of each gap. This precludes any need for tape, ensures total continuity of insulation, and even gives extra adhesion (great stuff sticks possibly even better than pl 300 in some limited tests I did).
@@patty109109 THAT - makes perfect sense!
Thank you for following up.
Great that you're framing that in. Need to make sure to mention XPS cannot be left exposed in indoor applications, and must have a fire protection. Onto that floor plate...treated lumber still needs a barrier between the concrete, as both are porus materials. Treated lumber is treated to prevent bugs, not damp.
Great job! Very impressed and motivated. thanks!
Great , thank you for this amazing video .
Thank you for the comment! It helps to keep me motivated to post more.
great job
Thank you!
I love foam board and spray foam but also does carpenter ants it's like a playground - housing fun time for them.
Carpenter ants is not something that I've had to deal with and have no experience with. That said - my understanding is that they still need a food source and they prefer a moist environment. Food (no pun intended) for thought!
Nice job. Did leave a gap between concrete floor and bottom of foam board?
Thank you!
I did leave a gap between the foam board and the floor - for 2 reasons:
1. I floated the walls, so there is a chance that the floor itself will move up.
2. In case we get a leak somewhere in the concrete wall, I would like to know. The gap should allow a place for any water to present itself.
Perhaps this is not best practice - but is what I elected to do.
BTW - when I say 'gap' - I mean I did not fill the gap that forms naturally when standing-up a sheet of foam board. I did not intentionally raise the foam board.
Wow beautiful work there mate 👍🏽
Thank you!
Awesome video! You did a great job walking us through all the steps. You've actually given me the confidence that I can do this myself. Question what made you decide on that type of insulation? I live in MD, so I'm trying to figure out which type would be best.
Maria - I like the idea that you can create a continuous seal along the length of an entire wall. It should reduce drafts and cement dust from the concrete. Plus, I wanted to increase the R-value of the insulation - as I will also place fiberglass bat insulation in the stud-bays of the framed walls.
Thank you for posting!
Hey Kevin, again great videos! I’ll be using them as a resource as I finish my basement. How did you “carve” out the foam board to get around the plumbing? Did you just use an exacto knife?
Thank you for the positive comment!
I used a serrated knife - sold for cutting foam board, but a serrated steak knife would work just as well - if you have one you can spare.
Keep the videos coming. Working on my basement now and at about this stage in the project.
Outstanding! I'm actually much further along in my project then my video suggest. I have a collection of clips to edit - it's just a matter of taking the time and piecing them together. Your comment is a motivator for me - I really appreciate it! Thank you.
@@KevinTaberski yes as someone with almost zero experience. I need as many good examples as possible. I would rather have a video with limited editing posted tomorrow than a beautifully edited video posted 6 months from now. Maybe that’s just me.
@@Jeremy-pf3bb Jeremy - though 'beautifully edited' is not (yet) part of my repertoire - I get your meaning and will do what I can.
Thanks again!
@@KevinTaberski thank you.
I saw your stairway at the end of the video. One issue I am looking to solve is related to the addition of a subfloor and how that will affect my basement stairs. I think I will need to add a landing to account for the difference is step height with the subfloor.
Did you end up doing this? Assuming you will have a subfloor.
@@KevinTaberski also the problem of having a moisture barrier near those stairs. I see the stairs are built along that exterior wall you are insulating with foam. Did you also extend your foam insulation to that stairway area?
Great video tutorial. Thanks for sharing. Where did you find to purchase this in bulk as you did?
I actually purchased at my local Home Depot. When I was initially researching what to use, they only had a few sheets, but when I was ready to purchase they had the unopened bundles. I suspect you could also pre-order if packaged bundles was important to you.
Thank you for the positive feedback and your question.
Great video! Do you know about how much of a temperature change it made? I live in southern climate and the lowest basement temp has been 52 and highest 73. Thinking about doing the same thing you did. Thanks!
Thank you! It is hard to assess the temperature change for a number of reasons.
1. We also added HVAC ducts to warm the space, which by itself made a noticeable improvement..
2. We still have 2 ingress-egress windows on the north side which chill the space.
3. The floor is still (relatively) un-insulated and is itself a large heat-sink.
4. I have yet to spend any quality time using the basement as it's not quite finished.
All of that said, I have to believe that the insulation has made an improvement in the overall comfort of our basement, but only time will tell.
Good attention to detail. Those considering this, who don’t have a capillary break installed between the top of the foundation and sill, and high water/moisture outside the foundation without a waterproofing treatment and drainage board, may want to think about first addressing that. Water that gets absorbed into the concrete can move upwards through capillary action and rot the sill. This rigid foam is closed cell and will not allow vapor to move-no drying potential.
Thank you for posting, for the kind words and the additional information. Mitigating moisture below grade is a challenge that must be considered carefully and mitigated accordingly.
Great video! Can this foam board carrie tiles and how so?
I would NOT recommend that! The foam board itself is not structural. I framed a wall using a conventional (though floating) stud-wall in front of the foam board, then hung drywall. You need to provide some type of structure - typically a framed stud-wall - to support an under-layment (drywall or cement board) to support your tile.
Thank you for sharing the video.
I have a concrete basement, it doesn’t leak water anywhere but, i want to eliminate humidity. I live in Wisconsin we get snow all winter and lots of rain before and after winter. What do you recommend? Thank you very much 😊
I live in a relatively dry climate (Colorado), I do not have any experience with you climate. If the outside of your basement wall is sealed, then I would suggest you are good to go. If - on the other hand - the outside is not sealed, then you may run the risk of trapping moisture between the foam board and the inside of you basement wall.
I would recommend contacting your local building department to see what is typical for your area. Barring that, see if you can determine what other home owners have experienced near you.
Good luck!
I live in Iowa and have similar weather as you do in Wisconsin. I recently finished by concrete basement using 2” foam board like what he’s using and didn’t notice any difference in humidity levels, however, when I turned on my dehumidifier in the basement after the foam was installed, it only took 12 hours and my humidity went from 58% to 50% and it made a huge difference. Running it another 12 hours took it down to 48%. Before the foam board it would take weeks to bring the humidity levels down because it was pulling water from the concrete walls and now it’s only pulling from the room. Also, I noticed that the temperature was about 5 degrees warmer after the foam board installation and nearly the same temp as upstairs. I highly recommend foam board.
@@rlewis9184 Excellent! Thank you for providing your experience.
I live in Northern Illinois. Definitely paint the concrete or walls with a DryLok or HD product first. It really helps with humidity. After you paint the floors and walls than install the foamboard.
I’m looking to use the same rigid foam. I am also in Colorado and need to meet the R-15 continuous or R-19 between studs. What’s your plan to get to the required R value? Looks like you’re most likely farther down the road in your finishing project. Did you have to get an “insulation inspection” (if so, did it pass?) Here in Douglas County we have to get an insulation inspection prior to closing up the framing with drywall.
Thank you for your question.
I've actually finished this project and I'm just now getting caught-up on the videos.
I went a bit over-board on my insulation. I actually used R-21 fiberglass bats - in addition to the foam board - simply because I had an extra 1/2" (or so) between the studs and the foam-board and R-13 or R-15 would not completely fill all the air-space - which was my goal.
Different counties have varying requirements for basement remodels, so you just have to meet your county's requirements.
Good luck!
The 3rd option is R5 continuous plus R15 cavity (between studs).
What if you live on the bottom level of a big resident buidling with 5 stories? In the basement there is a small window and during the year the temps are always the same no matter whats the outside temp...there is black mold forming as well..we have no idea what to do. It is really complicated since this basement is under a big building with 5 levels
This is a tough one! First of all - this is WAY beyond my experience. Foam Board is meant to reduce thermal transfer, it will not help with moisture and will likely make it worse. If you already HAVE black mold, you have a much bigger problem than controlling temperature. At a minimum, you would need to de-water the soil around and underneath the basement AND waterproof the concrete (including the floor) then remove the existing mold (I have no idea how this is done). Once the basement is sealed, free of mold and dry - then insulating the walls would help control the temperature - but don't forget you will still lose heat through the floor - assuming it is concrete.
I really hope you can change your living situation.
Good luck!
@@KevinTaberski thanks yeah, we noticed this recently, the basement was flooded few times over the years when there were heavy rains..but we fixed that and everything was fine until recently we checked this basement. We suspect that moisture might come from the other side of the wall from the neighbour since that side of the wall has mostly that black mold and the layers of wall finish material are falling off easily. Its impossible to fix the land outside the walls since this basement is under ground level and sourrounded from all sides with tall walls and infrastracture which would make this impossible...its just a bad base building of this basement I think...
So I have a walkout basement in a newer home (10yrs old). The rough plumbing that was preinstalled designates that it is suitable for dwelling and has moisture barrier in the concrete walls and flooring. 1000 ft.² of open space with few large windows and sliding glass door, and the back walls are below grade and concrete, does not smell musty and I don’t believe much moisture comes through the wall if at all, do I still use a foam board insulation?
I can not offer any direct guidance on your specific application - from what you have described, it appears foam board would be suitable.
I suggest contacting your local building authority and see what is recommended for your area. Are you able to reach-out to the builder of your home? Do you have neighbors will house of a similar age?
Good luck!
@@KevinTaberski
Thank you, I’ll do that. May I ask how do you determine that you need foam board? You just always use it on concrete because why take any risk? or are there instances where you skip this step and why? Thank you, Enjoying channel.
@@RC.56 I added foam board mainly to increase the R-Value of my insulation. After I framed, I also added fiberglass batt insulation. I live in an area where the frost depth is around 30” or so and we experience sub-zero (Fahrenheit) temperatures. Unfortunately, the north wall contains the 2 windows.
If I lived in a wetter climate (we see approximately 12” of moisture per year) I would be concerned about mold - that is the main concern with using foam board as it creates a vapor barrier.
Thank you for the kind words - it helps me a LOT!
I bought this foam board to install on an outter knee wall in the attic area. I noticed the board says it’s combustible and needs a vapor barrier. Do I have to worry about the board lighting up on fire without a vapor barrier?
I have no experience with using foam board in the way you describe. I suggest researching on the manufacturer's web site and following your local building codes.
Where do you live that you need to insulate your basement walls? Cold? I'm in Georgia, and my unfinished basement is fairly comfortable year round. Never gets warm, but it does get chilly down there.
I live in Colorado, just outside of Boulder. Though our winters can seem mild, the ground does freeze and we experience sub-zero temperatures for at least a few days every year.
Why didn’t you put the plain pink side in….? My OCD gets crazy 🤪
Is there a reason?
I didn't think about this too hard at first, but once I got going I stayed consistent. Having the printing helps keep the sheets oriented correctly between cutting and hanging, in the odd case where the orientation matters. Personally - I liked the way it looked. Plus it gets covered by the framed wall in the end.
Thanks for posting!
I need to do this in my basement. Any thoughts on the environment down there after installing the insulation?
Steven - it seemed to be warmer, perhaps just more even. If I recall, the space was also quieter - the foam should also cut-down on dust from the concrete. I've subsequently finished the space, so I have all the insulation (fiberglass batting), the drywall and ceiling installed so it is noticeably warmer now. The big heat-sink is the windows.
Happy New Year and thank you for posting!
What do u do on the windows section ? Foam ? Tape ? Nothing ? I see u cut 2 inch or so below the window line. Pretty much where the concrete finishes ..
Mike - I framed around the sides and top of the window using 2x4" lumber and used a 2x6" for the bottom - which lays over the bottom piece of foam and is pretty close to the concrete - then filled the the gap between this lower piece and the concrete. As the walls themselves are also insulted with fiberglass bats - I pretty much stopped any air movement above and on the sides. Thank your for the question.
@@KevinTaberski fantastic ! 2 by 6 for the lower piece makes perfect sense
Doesn’t the Formular NGX 150 absorb moisture from the concrete wall?
Did you leave an air gap between the framing and the foam board insulation or is it butted right up against it?
My intent was to nominally leave a 1/2" gap, but due to the unevenness of the walls and the fact that they were not perfectly plumb and square, the gap varied from close to zero to over an inch in places. That said, I used thicker insulation in the walls in an attempt to fill this gap.
That makes sense. I'll have to do the same soon. Thank you for the insight.
@@alexanderkucinich3753 You're welcome!
Great video. Do you have videos for the next steps, vapor barrier, framing, drywall, the whole nine yards to a finished basement? Thanks
I'm still in the process of finishing my basement. I have a number of clips recorded from some of the steps and plan on editing and uploading videos as time permits. Stay tuned and thank you for your interest.
The rigid foam board is the vapor barrier
@@Josh-km9vc Thank you for pointing this out!
@@KevinTaberski Can I just put up paneling after the foam board? Or do I have to frame and then panel? I have been researching PVC based paneling.
@@petunia6843 I have no experience with paneling directly over foam board. One concern - the adhesive may not be strong enough to hold. In my case, the adhesive was used to hold the foam board in-place while I framed - the framing and fiberglass batts likely do more to hold the foam board in-place than the adhesive.
My wall is 9' high but the rigid insulation is only 8' high. Do i need to extend it to cover the whole wall?
I would recommend that you do. The foam board is easy enough to cut.
I'm jealous of your 9' ceilings!
Thank you so much 😊
Your welcome! I hope it works out for you!
Have you noticed any water issues from the concrete block absorbing the water and needing to breathe?
I have not. Though we live in a fairly dry climate. That said, we've had an unusual amount of rain in the past month - our sump-pump is still running.. Still, no sign of any moisture.
Do you know, does this have a fire rating--can it be left exposed?
According to Owens-Corning’s web site (see: www.owenscorning.com/en-us/insulation/commercial/foamular-xps), FOAMULAR is “Compliant with ASTM E119 Fire Resistance Rated Wall Assemblies, FOAMULAR® XPS is a great fit with the inherently fire-resistant profile of pre-cast concrete”. I’m not versed in fire ratings, but you should be able to dig deeper on this topic. XPS does not provide a durable surface, so that is another factor.
Where did you get the foam board tape
BuyInsulationProducts
Owens Corning Foamular JointSealR Tape
www.buyinsulationproductstore.com/owens-corning-foamular-jointsealr-tape/
This particular tape is 3-1/2" wide - it appears to be available in different widths. I don't recall the width of the tape I used, but 3-1/2" seems plausible.
I hope this helps!
Thank you,just ordered a couple of rolls
Can it be paint it?🤗 Or would that damage the insulation?
I've not attempted to paint Foam Board, but I expect that latex paint would work fine.
What about color painting? We can paint. Or can’t??
I suppose you can - but that is not the intent of foam board. It has no real structure, is only held up using a very soft adhesive - which is meant to hold it in-place while a more substantial structure is constructed over it and finally, the stuff is flammable and NEEDs to be covered.
In my case, I framed walls over the foam board - which I also insulated. See my latest video:
"Finishing My Basement - Floating Wall - Base Plates" - ruclips.net/video/KeHB36PuwJQ/видео.html.
is that spray foam insulation in your header spaces?
No - I just used fiberglass bats. The area you see shows the side of my basement where the upper floor is actually extended approximately 2 feet outside the basement wall. These cavities were stuffed with fiberglass when the house was built. I did remove the existing insulation to better seal the gaps, then replaced with new fiberglass insulation. Other than using the cans of spray-foam to seal a few gaps, I used fiberglass batting everywhere else.
Would this be good for a cold room?
You ask an very interesting question!
For a cold room, your goal is basically the opposite of what I've shown here - and what most people wish to accomplish when insulating a basement - which is to reduce the transfer of the the heat in the space to the outside (to the soil via the walls and floor in the case of a basement).
I would think that you would NOT insulate the exterior walls or the floor, but you would insulate the interior walls (and door) and the ceiling.
The concrete floor and walls would conduct the heat out of the space attempting to bring the temperature of the room to the same temperature as the surrounding soil.
Full disclosure - I've never done this, so you may want to research this a bit more.
Good luck!
Does the foam board work as a vapor barrier?
According to Owens Corning - Formular XPS keeps moisture out. See: www.owenscorning.com/en-us/insulation/commercial/foamular-xps
In my case I wasn't using it so much as a moisture barrier, but to keep cold-air from moving down the concrete into the basement. Moisture is tricky (as others have pointed-out) - so please research what is applicable for your area and situation.
Can you paint it, if so what kind of paint?
I suppose that you can - I would think that Latex paint would work, but I have no experience with this as my use-case is based on its intended use as insulation only.
Is it OK to use this as a ceiling in a damp cellar??
Hmmm - I've not heard of anyone using foam board on the ceiling in a cellar. Foam board will act just like a sheet of plastic as far as moisture is concerned. I would expect if you were to do this, your cellar would get even more damp. I would definitely be concerned about mold.
@@KevinTaberski Thank you so much for responding. I'm confused. Foamboard is used for basement and cellar walls, correct? Currently have cellar ceiling panels up that are like particle board (in an old, 100 yr old home). Apparently they absorbed moisture thru the years, and are a bit bowed because of it. Currently use a dehumidifier, try to keep the place as dry as possible. Do you have any other recommendation? Perhaps leave it open with backed insulation???
@@KevinTaberski P.S. I think the cellar walls are made of pressed cinders. Not cinder blocks... This is in the coal region of PA.
@@nancyk5203 Foam board is used for thermal insulation, but it is known to trap moisture. Moisture - if present - needs to be mitigated before installing foam board on basement walls.
Mitigating basement moisture is WAY beyond my experience, but ideally you would seal the outside of your basement walls against water/moisture. Baring that, you may be able to seal the inside of your walls. The only advice that I can offer would be to research moisture mitigation for basements in your specific area. What have people around you done for example?
Good luck!
Researching and wanting to do this but some videos they show trying to get everything air tight and some allow things to breath. This video appears to allow the walls to breathe ( he did nothing to prevent air coming in from
The bottom or the top of the foam) the glue was in dots and didn’t create a seal. Pretty much makes no sense for him to even waste money on tape. I would draw a bead of caulk all the way around the sheet and stick it to the wall. That way air couldn’t get in there and condensate. Seems like 1000 people have done this 1000 different ways. Wish owns Corning would give guidelines in this type of installation
In my case - this was intentional. Though the concrete wall is sealed and our soil is fairly dry, there is always some moisture present.
I left the bottom un-sealed in-case we ever get a leak somewhere - I'd like to know about it if we do and where in the wall it might be. Same idea of whether or not to caulk around a toilet.
Is there a code by the thickness you have to use
I recommend that you check with your local municipality's building department. Codes vary by state, region, county, town and so forth.
Should have gone all the way up to the bottom of the joists.
That would have been a good idea! Thank you for the suggestion.
I’m going to ask why you are using one product for your walls and a different product for the rim you have foam board and fiberglass and no foam board on the floor.
I have seen many examples of insulation in basement setting but there’s an enormous amount of variety in methods and I don’t know why you would use foam board instead of spray foam. Closed cell spray foam would have covered your walls and rim joist and sealed the gaps.
The floor could have been done with foam board ahead of time with plywood over the top and build the 2x4 walls floating on top.
I have to wonder what the water main temperature will be after the walls are built will it be at risk of freezing?
David - it's a compromise.
Our house is now 44 years old, so we have a few constraints built-in. If I could have, I would have placed foam board under the concrete floor and installed in-floor hydronic heating. I have a desire to install VCT (Vinyl Composition Tile) directly over the concrete floor. Though the floor itself is not insulted, the soil temperature under the floor is less than it will be at the surface during the colder periods in the winter. During the summer months, the cooler temperature of the floor itself keeps the basement comfortable - it's a trade-off.
The insulation (foam-board) behind the water main will be adequate to keep the water main from freezer - plus I will not insulate over the water main in this stud-bay.
Regarding foam board and fiberglass versus spray foam - I chose to use the materials that I am familiar with and I find user-friendly as a DIYer. Spray foam is certainly an option.
Thank you for posting!
We put the electric heated mats under the flooring with a wall thermostat. Been a year and very a happy to have a constant 70 and warm feet. You don’t do 100% of floor, just where you walk , etc.
I'm curious - what type of flooring did you install and what is below the heated mats?
We have heated (tile) floors in our bathrooms - over plywood subflooring.
Thank you for posting!
is foam board flammable ?
Yes - I believe it is!
@@KevinTaberski thanks ive been looking at between foam board or rockwool for some reason i get really paranoid about fire potential maybe watching to many fire fighter videos and wondering why building are so flammable
@@jasonsgreen Rockwool for the win!
@@KevinTaberski thanks for the great advice !
so what's the temp different before and after??
It's subjective I'm afraid. I did not measure the temperature prior and we added heat ducts. That said, it feels warmer - more evenly heated - in the cold months and it feels noticeably cooler during the summer - which is a surprise and I can not explain why as I expected the basement to be warmer year-round.
That installation will fail inspection, you need a Fire Stop at the top, and a Vertical Fire Stop, a minimum of every 10 feet.
He had fire block on the top with plywood also you put fire stop on the studs when you frame it out doofus
Good to know - thank you!
Enjoy the mold you’ll create
Thanks! THAT was really helpful.
You have windows to nowhere.
Yes - our basement is set pretty deep. Though we DO get some light - and it really helped getting the drywall into the basement. Plus, it's a great place to catch young animals!
VERY VERY VERY BAD!!! A HUGE fire and fumes hazard!!! Roxul would have been a much better choice!!
Okay - I'll take that under advisement.
Get a job
Enjoy the mold you’ll create
Thanks! This was even more helpful the second time.
Another person who thinks mold uses foam or concrete as a food source 😀