Hi, I am in the early stages of my basement remodel, and have a question on using 2x3's as furring strips on the exterior walls. The area is small, and I would like to pick up every extra inch of space, so I prefer not to build a freestanding 2x4 wall here. I have powder activated nailer, and am planning on nailing the 2x3's (turned sideways) directly to the exterier walls, shimming where necessary to take up un-eveness. My question is should I apply a 6 mil poly or tar paper barrier to directly to the concrete first, before I nail up the 2x3's? I am also planning on using 1" thick solid foam (or maybe batting) insulation between for insulation. Should I make sure there is a 1/2" breathing space somewhere in this stackup (that the 1" solid foam would yield)? I realize in NE, the 1" insulation may not be much, but the room (playroom for the kids) will be small, and it's near the forced hot air furnace where I'll tap a small outlet for heat. We are in New England, and our house is about 2 years old, and so fah (proper sp in NE!), the basement is bone dry. I suspect (and hope) it will stay this way due the topography of the lot (pleanty of run off space and low area in the back). Thanks! ASB

I read a lot of posts in this forum and many of my questions have been answered, but I thought I would ask them all in one post anyway. Scenario: Daylight basement. One room in the back is unfinished and houses the furnace, water heater etc. There is a regular wood subfloor already built. All I want to do is frame it in which should be easy. However 2/3rds of the walls to be framed are concrete. Should I seal it? The home is 10 years old and is dry as a bone in the basement. Or should I just throw on some tarpaper or some other barrier. I have heard that if you seal and there is no water problem now, it could draw moisture through the concrete. Is that true?