[KevinEF7]

Hey guys, Im trying to talk to a co-worker about doing some basement finishing, and convincing him to do it right so Im doing a little learning of my own. I was following this very informative DIY about insulation of a concrete foundation basement, and this builder recommends using a piece of composite decking board between the concrete and pressure treated bottom sill.

http://www.homeconstructionimprovement.com/how-to-insulate-basement-walls/2/

But if you notice his picture where he points that out, Im curious why the concrete is black? Is there another product being used he doesnt mention? It looks as if the composite decking piece his arrow is pointing to is off the ground so that rules out that he used composite boards on the entire floor to me. Just curious if Im missing something.

Cheers!

 

[joecaption]

Floor may just be painted.
Why would you want to use about $7.00 a ft. material like that?
Just use pressure treat wood for the bottom plate.
Sill seal will also work, it's foam on a roll about 6" wide.

 

[WhatRnsdownhill]

x2..thats what pressure treated is for...

 

[KevinEF7]

and you really think someone would paint there floor black? I figured it was a product of some sort but you can see the 2 lines in the floor there, how would the floor be finished, in say carpet with this procedure

 

[WhatRnsdownhill]

you could always tweet him and ask..

 

[jomama45]

From the reflection, I'd say that the floor has a hi gloss acrylic sealer on it, which will also darken it, giving it a "wet" look.

I've never heard of using deck boards in this situation, seems like a waste of resources and money to me. Sill sealer works wonders and costs a fraction of the $$$.........

 

[Mingledtrash]

From the reflection, I'd say that the floor has a hi gloss acrylic sealer on it, which will also darken it, giving it a "wet" look.

I've never heard of using deck boards in this situation, seems like a waste of resources and money to me. Sill sealer works wonders and costs a fraction of the $$$.........

There is a trend currently with finished concrete like this. I would bet that the reason for the decking or what ever they put under the green plate is that they think it will mitigate discoloring and reaction from the treated wood.

 

[asevereid]

I'm a big fan of steel stud framing for basement jobs myself.
Sill gasket under, spaced adequately off of walls, plumb and straight all the way through.
The big issue is blocking though... Needs to be planned out ahead of time.

 

[KevinEF7]

If you went with steel studs, are you able to eliminate the hoard foam insulation and could simply insulate between the studs 3.5" depth?

Im curious what "blocking" issues could arise.

Learning, thanks guys

 

[asevereid]

I think that would depend on the requirements in your area.
Locally, for anyone attempting to refit their basement for "green" credits, they are required to have a higher R Value... Requiring a more substantial build out.
For those not seeking the credits, an optimal build is to install extruded insulation on the foundation, gap between the insulation and framing, then insulate the framing.

The blocking issues I referred to are those that come up when there are plans to add cabinetry in the near future, or any other fixture that would require solid backing to fasten to.
With steel studs, the backing has to be installed during the framing to avoid the hassle of trying to fit the backing in after drywall installation.