Intro - Materials - Prep - Basement Preparation - Foam
Margin of Error: 1/4"
Interior application. Before beginning your installation, be sure to correct any moisture problems you may have on your basement walls. This can be as easy a job as painting a waterproofing on the inside of the wall, to as complex a job as having to install a drainable system on the outside next to the foundation.
After correcting moisture problems, install 2" x 2" furring strips to the wall 16" on center (Figure 20). Attach the furring strips with the appropriate adhesive, or a rented ramset if attaching to masonry walls. The furring will give you a firm, level surface to which you can attach drywall or paneling. The section on paneling will give you more in-depth instruction for attaching furring strips.
To even out the slight irregularities in masonry or old plaster, it is likely you will need some shim material to get the furring surfaces flush with each other. Put a level on the face of the furring strips and shim out as needed. (A shim is a thin wedge of wood which can be purchased inexpensively in packets at your home center or made yourself from scraps of wood.)
Measure and cut the foam to size with a utility knife or saw - to fit snugly between the furring strips. Then press the foam between the strips.
Staple a sheet of 6 ml. plastic as a vapor barrier over and at the top of the insulation. Do not staple it to the furring strips or puncture it unnecessarily. Gravity and the wall covering will hold it in place.
Exterior application. For exterior insulating projects, the tools remain the same, but with the addition of a shovel. You will need to add these to your materials list as well:
- 2" extruded foam panels
- Sheet metal flashing
- Drain pipe
- Exterior adhesive
- Tar paper
- Gravel
On the exterior side of basement walls, you will need to dig a trench - 2' down all around the foundation exterior (deeper in a colder weather area with a deeper frost line). Check with your local building inspector to follow the local code.
Use at least 2" extruded foam panels on the exterior, since they are denser and more efficient than regular foam and will hold up longer. Be sure they are the moisture-proof type. Place the panels right up against the concrete and butted closely against one another. Use an exterior adhesive to glue panels to the foundation wall.
To keep water from getting in between the foam panels and the exterior foundation walls, push sheet metal flashing up under the siding, and hammer it into place over the foam panels with galvanized nails.
If you have a drainage problem, this is a good time to install a drain pipe. Install it at a slope and connect it to drainage outlets.
Back fill the previously excavated dirt to hold the foam panels in place around the foundation walls. Then plant grass seed or plants to prevent erosion. If you are installing a drain pipe, back fill with gravel, cover the gravel, with tar paper, and cover the tar paper with the excavated dirt.
Tip: A time- and work-saving aid is an air compressor with a staple gun attachment. If you do not have access to one, it can be rented.
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