Basement remodel help

8 years ago

We are ready to remodel our basement and I really don't know where to start. I have a picture of the basement from the house posting before we bought it. Can we drywall over the existing walls or do we have to pull the knotty pine off? The windows are closed off behind the knotty pine. What kind of ceiling tile is this? The fireplace is wood burning, should we convert to gas? Paint the brick of the fireplace or frame it and tile to the ceiling? SO much to think about.

Featured Answer

phuninthesun

8 years ago

You have a wonderfully large area to work with!

CEILING: I don't know what kind of ceiling that is, but I would definitely remove and replace it. First, you should find a local contractor that can check for asbestos. If it does have asbestos, then you will probably want to have it removed per the contractor.

WALLS: Remove the knotty pine. You need to make sure that there are no underlying issues. Previous water leaks or mold issues, making sure the windows were closed off properly and possibly adding more insulation. Then cover with new drywall.

I would work on the above two issues first, then make your other decisions. Whether you convert your fireplace is a personal preference. Keep us updated!

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Comments (6)

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Sina Sadeddin Architectural Design
8 years ago
I would either remove the wood paneling or at least paint it white. That will make a huge difference. If the carpet is in good shape keep it for now. You can always replace later if you want.

I would convert the fireplace to gas if you plan on using it fairly regularly just because wood burning can be messy. The ceiling is the big question mark because IDK what material that is or whats under it. Try seeing if you can figure that out because you'll need some better lighting down there.
aibdesigns thanked Sina Sadeddin Architectural Design
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Bri Bosh
8 years ago
What's your budget like? If possible I would remove knotty pine and drywall. Definitely remove ceiling tiles and drywall. Consider painting bricks to lighten area. Are there any windows?
aibdesigns thanked Bri Bosh
aibdesigns
Original Author
8 years ago
Thanks everyone. I agree, we will start with ceiling and walls and then go from there. Budget is open as we will do most of the work. Regarding the ceiling, I was afraid of the asbestos issue, the house is from the 1930's but I think they redid the basement in the 70's. The carpet is now destroyed due to us making a mess down there while remodeling the rest of the home, I do know underneath the carpet are checkered asbestos tiles. There are a couple of windows hidden by knotty pine that are pretty damaged, so I will need new windows and would love some natural light.

I guess first up is addressing the ceiling, it's almost made out of pieces of shredded paper, it's white and gray.
decoenthusiaste
8 years ago
Ceiling is the first issue. If it turns into an asbestos nightmare, then you can save $$ by painting the knotty pine. You may be able to cut through it and reveal the windows, then install new ones. I would fear that the windows have leaked over time and caused a big mold issue between the pine and the exterior walls. I would be very careful not to disturb the asbestos floor tiles. They are not considered a hazard unless they are broken and the fibers escape. Perhaps a flooring pro can offer more help on what might be installed over them. Snap and lock flooring or tile would be my guess.
aibdesigns thanked decoenthusiaste
aibdesigns
Original Author
8 years ago
I will start with the ceiling as recommended and try to figure out what it is, hopefully there is no asbestos. It almost resembles shredded paper held together with cement, my husband seems to think it's some sort of sound barrier. I have been very careful around the exposed tiles as well and am hoping to just carpet over them as the previous owners did.