Finishing Basement

I am planning to begin finishing my basement and have a couple of questions about the 2 X 4 walls.

- When building a wall next to the current cinder block wall, I should put a plastic vapor barrier up against the cinder block, then the studs. Between the studs I will put fiberglass insulation. Should I use insulation with a vapor barrier or should I use unfaced?

- Someone was telling me that when you build a stud wall that you need a fire stop which I believe is a method of chocking between the studs. Does anybody know abouth this?

Thank-you
Sal

 

Your vapor barrier question is very commonly asked. And the answers are not always the same. I would put a vapor barrier directly on the wall, and then I think I'd used faced insulation with the facing paper on the room side. But other people think differently.

Yes, you need firestops, both horizontally and vertically. I suggest you talk to your building department for specifics, but in general you want a horizontal fire stop every ten feet -- it's just a board or piece of drywall from the stud back to the block wall. Vertical firestops are similar and block off the cavity behind the studs from the area between the joists. You can also usually use fiberglass insulation as a fire stop. The idea is to slow the spread of a fire that develops behind your wall.

[This message has been edited by John Nelson (edited November 08, 2000).]