They are both a great place to find ideas for finishing your basement.  If the project is a ” Do it yourself “ remodeling job or your hiring a contractor you should really check out the following book:

” Basement Ideas That Work“

I recommend it to customers who are still looking for ideas and its a must have for anyone who is planning on finishing a basement on their own.

This book has all types of tips, tricks, plans and more about finishing a basement

Otherwise you need to hire a basement contractor or design expert to guide you through the process.

Whether its google images or the book you will be able to see what some of the latest trends in basement remodeling are along with samples of home theaters, bathrooms, wet bars, playrooms, fitness areas, built ins, basement flooring, basement remodeling plans and much more. You can find other basement remodeling books at the BasementSource.

Both are helpful tools for creating the layout of your space because you can see ideas that have  worked for others. Helping you choose style, colors, textures and much more.

If you need a basement remodeling contractor in Columbus Ohio and surrounding areas contact us.

Thanks.

Make sure that you or your basement contractor take these steps before starting the remodeling work.

Move all personal belongings out of the basement. If there is no room and they have to stay in the basement move them into an area that is not being finished and cover them well with plastic. It’s also good to hang plastic over the crawl space openings and Install a wall of plastic around the mechanicals area (furnace, hot water tank, etc.). Make sure when you do this that you leave enough room for the furnace and other gas appliances to breath. Stay at least 4 ft away from all of the mechanicals.

Make sure the door at the top of the stairs is always kept closed when not in use. Open a basement window and place a fan in the window blowing out. This will create a vacuum in the room and blow a majority of the dust outside. Then when the door on the upstairs is opened the dust in the air will be drawn down and out the fan in the basement window instead of upstairs.

When installing the return air lines in the basement make sure you stuff a towel into the opening or tape them off with duct tape. Otherwise your sending all that dust and debris straight into the furnace and throughout your home. Make sure to remove the towel or tape when the basement remodeling is complete then you can install the return air grills

Change your furnace filter several times throughout the project. It is best to change the filter once after the drywall is done, after the painting and after carpet and your final cleaning. This will help cut down on dust in the upstairs and save your furnace. When all that dust gets into the furnace it gets into the blower motor and burns it up.

And finally when your basement is done hire a professional duct cleaning company. They will come and vacuum out the all the construction dust in the air supply and return lines in your furnace. Otherwise you might be seeing dust in your house for the next several months after the project is completed.

Interlocking rubber and vinyl tiles install loose lay with no tapes or adhesives and are unaffected by moisture.  Most rubber and vinyl gym flooring is pretty substantial- weighing on average 2# to 4# / SF- and stays in place securely even during high impact weight lifting and workouts.  Interlocking tiles do not require that small cracks in the concrete be filled, or that the floor be perfectly level.  Most tiles may be cut with a straight edge and utility knife, and the skill level required for installation is well within the range of most do-it-yourselfers. 

Home Gyms

For most home as well as commercial gyms, rubber provides the widest range of benefits for use as a gym floor. Rubber has a high coefficient of friction in both dry and wet conditions, meaning it stays slip resistant even when users are sweating heavily during their workouts.  Rubber’s natural density provides much better sound absorption than vinyl, tile, and similar hard surfaces, helping to minimize sound in the gym itself, as well as in adjacent rooms.  Rubber’s natural resiliency increases users’ comfort during floor exercises, cushioning knees and ankles from impact and allowing users to work out longer, harder- and safer.  Finally, rubber’s durability provides outstanding protection to damage from free weights and heavy strength equipment to concrete basement floors as well as to expensive hardwood floors.

Recycled Rubber.  If you are seeking to maximize your value, recycled rubber- made from recycled tires- is about half the cost ($3.00 – $5.00/SF) of virgin rubber tiles.  Recycled rubber offers many of the same characteristics as virgin rubber- resiliency underfoot, slip resistance, sound deadening, durability- at a much lower price.  Because it is manufactured from used tires, it has an inherent  “used tire” smell, which some homeowners may find objectionable.  Color selection is limited, as recycled rubber tiles are available in black or black with color flecks, only.  For non- free weight areas that have strength and cardio equipment – 3/8″ thickness is a good choice.  If you will be doing heavy free weights, then 1/2″ to ¾” thick interlocking tiles are recommended.

Virgin Rubber.  If you are seeking a higher aesthetic, virgin rubber tiles ($7.00 – $12.00+/SF) provide none of the odor associated with recycled rubber, and are available in a wide range of colors and interlocking styles.  1/4″ to 3/8” tiles are perfect for non-free weight areas, or use heavier 3/8″ to 9/16”  tiles if you will be routinely dropping heavy free weight on the flooring.  Virgin rubber tiles provide superior shock absorption,  “rebound,” and durability – making it excellent choice for multi- use areas including floor exercises, aerobics, and equipment training. Virgin rubber also provides easier cleanability than recycled rubber due to its closed cell construction, and is easily cleaned with a damp mop.   Recycled rubber- by contrast- has a rougher, more open cell texture, and may require some occasional scrubbing to keep clean.

 Virgin rubber tiles are available in a broad range of colors, patterns, interlock options- including some with hidden tongue-in-groove style interlocks- and are an excellent choice for mid to high-end home gyms, or homeowners who simply find the smell of recycled rubber objectionable.  For creating the ultimate “real gym” in your home, virgin rubber is unmatched in performance, safety, and style.   

Dance and Aerobic Areas

For homeowners seeking to do exercise routines that will include dance style movements- particularly side-to-side foot slide- the lower slip resistance of modular Vinyl Tiles  ($4.00 to $7.00/ sf) is an excellent choice.  While vinyl tiles are typically less resilient than rubber tiles, a rubber underlayment may be used to provide increased sound deadening and additional cushioning.  Interlocking vinyl tiles come in a wide of colors, patterns, and interlocking options and are installed over concrete or wood floors without glue, tapes, or adhesive. 

If you are looking to do a checkerboard or other multi-color design, select a tile that has hidden interlocks to provide clean, straight seams which is preferable to traditional jig saw-style interlocks in these types of applications.   If you put fitness equipment directly on vinyl tiles, your tiles may dent.  To spread the weight load and to reduce indentations and limit scratches, provide smooth, non-staining, rustproof, flat metal or plastic support cups two inches or greater in width beneath legs of heavy furniture or equipment. 

Exercise Areas/  Children’s Play Areas

EVA Foam Tiles ($1.00 to $3.00/ sf) provide another lightweight, low cost alternative to rubber and vinyl flooring and work well in exercise rooms, family rooms and children’s playrooms.   Foam Mats are recommended for exercise routines such as aerobics, sit-ups, and jump roping that require increased impact absorption and protection for your joints.  Interlocking foam tiles install easily with no tapes or adhesives over any hard flooring including concrete and wood.  Foam tiles provide similar insulation value as carpet, and help to create a warmer and softer workout area over cold, hard subfloors at a relatively low price.

Special Note on EVA Foam Tiles: Heavy or pointed items that are wheeled or placed on tiles can cause marks and indentations that cannot be removed. High-heeled shoes and heavy equipment are not recommended for use on foam tiles.  Color shading within EVA foam tiles is an inherent part of the product and is not considered a manufacturing defect.   Installation Tip:  Use a checkerboard pattern to minimize shading differences between tiles. Foam tiles will dent on impact and are not recommended for free weight areas or areas requiring a high level of durability.   But for homeowners to seeking to add color and warmth to a basement floor with a limited budget, foam is a soft and comfortable flooring option.

Rich Meyer

Sales Manager

My Gym Floor

Traditional cabinet styles and finishes are often used to create a pub style bar. Typically a designer would suggest a door style with lots of detail and applied moldings in a darker wood species and stain for this style. One way a homeowner can add their personal touch to this style is by…… Read More

 Before you begin with you interior fix make sure you check that your gutters & downspouts are clear all the way out to the curb. If you downspouts stop at the foundation you’ll need to get an extension to divert the water away from the foundation. Make sure the grade around the foundation slopes away from the house. Check for more tips at National Association of waterproofing http://www.nawsrc.org/tipsTips.php

 When fixing interior walls one cheap and easy solution is a paint product called DRYLOCK made by UGL. You can just use a brush and heavy nap roller to apply the product to the masonry walls. They have many different products available depending on your situation.

 You can see if this product is right for you by taping a 12inx12in piece of aluminum foil to the suspected wall. leave it for a few days. When you come back if there is moisture on the room side you have a condensation problem. If its wet on the inside that was facing the wall you have a seepage problem. Remember both problems can occur at the same time. If you have a condensation problem a dehumidifier should help.

 If your basement is fairly dry and you just have a few damp spots or walls you might get by with the latex Drylock masonry waterproofer. You can buy it by the or the This formula is for waterproofing all interior, exterior, above or below grade masonry walls, cinder and concrete blocks, stucco, brick, retaining walls, basements, concrete swimming pools and foundations. No pre-mixing or pre-wetting necessary. You can even tint it to colors if you’d like.

 If your basement walls are moist or leaky you might want to consider the Drylock Extreme Masonry PaintThis contains synthetic rubber and Portland cement which helps give the walls a much tougher barrier. It is a little more expensive and the fumes are much more intense. You’ll want to wear a respirator when using this stuff.

 Both products can be applied to damp surfaces. First you want to make sure the walls are clean from rust, dirt, grease, or oil. Then make sure there are no Efflorescence, a (white, powdery, crystal-like deposit on the masonry surface). This must be removed with a wire brush and sometimes an acid wash. You will also need to patch any cracks or holes in the wall joints or floor. For this you can use <strong>DRYLOK® FAST PLUG </strong>a fast setting hydraulic cement. Make sure you dampen the area before applying the fast plug for a stronger patch. After thats all done your ready to paint. The coverage of the Drylock is about 50-75 sq ft per gallon. Ex. An eight foot tall wall that is 10 ft long is 80sq ft and would likely use more than one gallon.

For more information on Basement Remodeling visit:  BasementSource.com

by: David Michael

Basements and the hidden danger of Radon   

More and more people are turning towards finished basements especially now with the slow housing market. It’s a very cost effective way to take advantage of the extra space in your home. However there are some precautions you need to take when finishing a basement. Number one is Check for RADON. You cannot see, smell or taste it, but it could be lurking in your home.Most people don’t think at all about the danger of radon in their home. Radon is a radioactive cancer-causing gas. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) and the Surgeon General’s office have estimated that as many as 20,000 lung cancer deaths are caused each year by radon. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer. The Surgeon General has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today. If your home has high radon levels, you’re at risk for developing lung cancer. There are scientific studies of radon exposure that indicate that children may be more sensitive to radon. Do you really want to expose your family or your children to this toxic hazard? You shouldn’t, it’s not worth the risk.    

Testing is the only real way to know if your home has a radon problem. There are many different test kits that can be purchased online. If your homes radon levels are high there are many ways that you can fix it yourself fairly inexpensively. Here are some of the recommended test kits:    

First Alert RD1 Radon Gas Test Kit
 by First Alert 

Professional Radon Gas Dual Canister Test Kit
by Accustar Lab   

You can also purchase a radon gas detector
Safety Siren Pro Series 3 Radon Gas Detector # HS71512
by Pro Series   

RADON CAN GET IN THROUGH:
 Cracks in concrete floors
Crawl spaces cracks in walls
 Sumpump opening  gaps around service pipes
 Cavities inside walls
Even the water supply   

Radon is a national and global problem. The EPA estimates it in millions of home nationwide. Elevated radon level have been discovered in every state in the US. Check your state and see the results.
 

For more information visit the EPA or the following links 

EPA Radon Publications for Homeowners: 

Consumers guide to radon

A citizens guide to radon 

Health Risks  

Is radon where you live  

 Source: http://www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/ 

     Tankless water heaters  are small wall mounted  units that heat water only when needed by using an electric coil or natural gas to heat water passing through a network of copper pipes inside. This eliminates the risk of a tank failure and the energy lost by constantly reheating water. Two of the most popular tankless water heaters are the…..Read More

There are unlimited uses for a basement.  With the proper planning and design you can create a basement that is more fantastic than you ever dreamed.  Of course there are the costs of a basement remodel which can sometimes deter people from finishing their basement.  This is where many people decide on the do it yourself (DIY) method to save some money.  As long as you have a clear set budget of what you can afford then you have a good starting place for hiring a professional contractor.  Most basement contractors will give free estimates and will usually offer advice on what will work for your space.  This is always a good place to start gathering information and details on how the space will be put together and give you good ideas on what you may want to include in your basement. The best place to start is with the book Basement Ideas. It will help you with all aspects of your basement remodeling project.

The first question to ask yourself is who the space is for.  Is it for a kid’s playroom? An entertainment area for the parents? An in-law suite? or add a basement bathroom  Figure out who the space is for and from there you can start to figure out the layout and how the rooms will flow together. Most basements are cut up and have mechanical’s and  things you will have to move or design around.  Your basement contractor can help with this or you can always hire a basement design expert if you really need help.

Below is a list of basement ideas that you check and see which of them you would like to have when you finish your basement.

Home Office, Closets & storage, Sauna, Bedroom, Children’s play area  ,Bathroom, Exercise room, Home Theater  , Hobby area, Workshop, Laundry room, Wine storage, Wet Bar, Pool room, In-Law suite

This is just a fraction of the many ideas for your basement plans.

The easiest way to finish your basement if you don’t have all of the skills is to hire a basement remodeling contractor.  You can find one in the Yellow pages or join a service like Angie’s list. Just make sure whom ever you choose can show you samples of finished basements they have done and references from previous customers. It is always best to get at least two estimates before making your final decision. Ask your contractors to break down the costs items by item so you have a clear view of where the money is being spent.  I always tell my clients to call me after they have all of their quotes in and I will come back and go over the quotes with them.  This helps make sure the quotes are apples to apples and they are getting everything they want.

Before you get started with your basement remodeling project make sure you have a clear vision on what you want the space to be.  A good basement remodeling contractor will be able to help you through the process by giving you ideas and tell you what may or may not work in your space.  Decide what your requirements are for the basement.  Do you want a home theater, bathroom, bedroom, home gym or a gameroom for the kids? Do you have leaks or moisture issues and need waterproofing done?  What type of finish materials do you want for plumbing fixtures, trim, lighting, flooring, etc?  A good place to start is looking at basement remodeling magazines or finding pictures of finished basements on the internet. Google Images has hundreds of pictures from basement contractors across the globe. You can find excellent tips, pictures, plans and ideas in the book Basement Ideas. Its a must have for any homeowner finishing a basment on thier own.

Having the answers to most of these questions will help your contractor give you a more accurate quote for the final basement remodeling costs.  If your in Columbus Ohio contact us for a free estimate on your basement remodeling project. We would love to help you complete the basement of your dreams.

basement remodeling