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Finishing Basement - How to Secure 2x4's to Concrete?

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  • Nov 22nd, 2010 9:05 pm
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Sr. Member
Jul 26, 2010
927 posts
89 upvotes
eastern Ontario
Realize now too that it's an old thread but wonder why no one mentioned the old concrete nails that were only about 1/2 to 1 inch longer than the plate thickness and you just drove them down with a small sledge hammer.
Newbie
Jul 28, 2008
41 posts
4 upvotes
Markham
Normally all the foundation settlement occurs upto 4-5 years at the most. If you are thinking of finishing the basemnet before that time, settlement can cause problem, but for houses more than 5 years old, does not have any settlement issues unless there is some serious leaks at footings which are ignored. Heaving does not occur for footings below 4 ft from ground.
Deal Expert
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Dec 11, 2005
20136 posts
2964 upvotes
I would TOTALLY use the ram-set guns. Do not use Tapcons. Takes way way longer. I used Tapcons for 1/2 my basement and regret it, big waste of time.

Once you go ram-set you will never go back, you can rent them from home depot for like $10 / day and do the whole basement that day. At the kind of coin being discussed with a basement reno, this is a no-brainer IMO. I don't know why anyone in their right mind would waste time with concrete nails or tapcons when you can use a ramset.

[IMG]http://www.etoolsrus.com/prodimg/ACRS22.JPG[/IMG]
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Member
Nov 8, 2010
236 posts
42 upvotes
We live in a 100 yr old house (built 1910)

The basement is a pretty thin concrete floor.

This space won't be a "living space" but a usable space: laundry, cat litter, home gym, my workshop. We had polyurethane foam installed. I need to get some of the walls framed, and then electrical (i'll hire a professional for this), get the laundry moved from the 2nd floor to the basement (after one leak you'll move yours too!).

I think my hammer drill and concrete bits can take care of this ... ?

(we plan to wrap our floor 2x4s with plastic we used to kill the weeds @ our last house.)
Member
User avatar
Nov 19, 2009
483 posts
43 upvotes
Anyone ever use this system to finish their basement and care to comment on cost/installation:

http://insulation.owenscorning.com/home ... lpink.aspx

I've read that the closed cell rigid foam acts as a vapour-barrier if you tape the seams. No framing needed but there is some weirdness with running electrical over traditional wood or steel studs.
Deal Fanatic
Dec 31, 2007
5252 posts
1905 upvotes
Richmond Hill
brunes wrote: I would TOTALLY use the ram-set guns. Do not use Tapcons. Takes way way longer. I used Tapcons for 1/2 my basement and regret it, big waste of time.

Once you go ram-set you will never go back, you can rent them from home depot for like $10 / day and do the whole basement that day. At the kind of coin being discussed with a basement reno, this is a no-brainer IMO. I don't know why anyone in their right mind would waste time with concrete nails or tapcons when you can use a ramset.

[IMG]http://www.etoolsrus.com/prodimg/ACRS22.JPG[/IMG]

That looks so badass :lol:
Deal Addict
Aug 29, 2005
1571 posts
191 upvotes
Ontario
Yup, Ramset... the multishot ones are cool too!
Sr. Member
User avatar
Mar 30, 2004
919 posts
11 upvotes
Newmarket
tapcons go in pretty easy, if you use an SDS hammer drill, not some cheap "hammer" drill from crappy tire, and an impact driver to drive the screws. The big advantage with the tapcons is that you can undo any mistakes easily, good luck backing out a nail from one of those Hilti guns.
We have enough youth.. what we need is a fountain of smart
Deal Fanatic
User avatar
Nov 19, 2004
9356 posts
2211 upvotes
Cambridge, ON
Highbrow71 wrote: Anyone ever use this system to finish their basement and care to comment on cost/installation:

http://insulation.owenscorning.com/home ... lpink.aspx

I've read that the closed cell rigid foam acts as a vapour-barrier if you tape the seams. No framing needed but there is some weirdness with running electrical over traditional wood or steel studs.

I have used this method before at a previous home. However, I still built a frame in front of it. The reason I used this method was because the top half of the basement was already well insulated and I didn't want to pull it all out, so I put this insulation on the bottom half and built the wall in front of it. You still need something to attach the drywall to and run your wires.
Sr. Member
Jul 28, 2002
624 posts
37 upvotes
Toronto
great thread, sorry for the threadjack..but I'm redoing my 1910 basement as well and just trying to wrap my head around the process / steps:

Drains, Leveling Concrete Pour
1. Remove current 1” concrete floor remnants
2. Plan final space and then lay drains + dig to tie into main drain
3. Lay x? inches of crushed stone as base for concrete pour
4. Level the floor with concrete pour approximately 6” thick @ 1000 sq ft.
5. While wet, put in expansion joint cuts into concrete?

Building on the new level floor
6. Put sill gaskets / foam spacers down so that wood isn’t touching concrete
7. Stud your new level concrete floor
  • Tapcons or Hilti Ram Set guns to connect the bottom plate to concrete floor
  • Wooden double bottom plate with 1.5 inch gap that floats allowing for expansion
  • Expansive clay soils can force a floating concrete slab upwards, thus requiring a gap so that the upward force isn't transferred to the main floor.
  • Use 5" common or ardox nails to float your wall.



Questions:
- Studs at 16” or 24” on center?
- Any concerns about tapcon/nails hitting pipes under the floor? (hence request for 6” pad)
- Would really appreciate any images people may have seen of how the doors are impacted via the 1.5" gap in the baseplate
99% of the stuff I own comes from RFD!
Member
User avatar
Nov 19, 2009
483 posts
43 upvotes
don242 wrote: I have used this method before at a previous home. However, I still built a frame in front of it. The reason I used this method was because the top half of the basement was already well insulated and I didn't want to pull it all out, so I put this insulation on the bottom half and built the wall in front of it. You still need something to attach the drywall to and run your wires.

The 2x8 sheets have a groove in each side that when butted together vertically will provide a channel for furring strips. The furring strips are screwed into the concrete wall with tapcons. So then you have a fastening surface every 2 feet. I've read that some people use 2x3's instead of furring strips which makes the drywall sit a bit proud of the insulation and allows space to run wires. Or if furring strips are used a channel is cut in the foam for wiring.

Seems easier than framing a wall in front of an existing wall (assuming your concrete wall is plumb).

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