Installing Shiplap on Walkout Basement Walls

gle2011

8 years ago

Hi,

We have a walkout basement in our new home in Central Masachusetts and had a problem with mold starting to grow on the back of the exterior sheathing during construction. The home was built during the winter and the builder installed unfaced fiberglass bat insulution between the wood studs on the framed portion of the basement and then put plastic poly over the insulation but did not tape the seams. When we moved into the home in April we noticed there was moisture visible under the plastic. The insulaton company returned and ripped out all of the insulation and they foumd a couple of spots were black mold was starting to grow. A mold remediation company was called in to verify what was found.

On the recommendation of the mold remediation company we purchased a full house de-humidifier. Once the moiisture levels in the wood were least than 10, the remediation company came back and sprayed a white colored encapliator on the entire wood framed section of the basement.

The mold remediation people told us not to let the insulation installers put plastic poly over the new fiberglass insutlaton once it's installed.

We would like to finish off the walls so we have a clean storage area and a play area for the grand children to play in when it's bad weather outside.

We are trying to avoid the mess caused by sanding of the mudded seams and screw holes if we install green moisture resistant wallboard .

So my question is; can I use shiplap or tongue and groove right to the wall studs or do I need to hang wallboard first before installing the shiplap or tongue and groove panels?

Thanks

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Comments (3)

Bruce in Northern Virginia
8 years ago
In general, you want to install your moisture barrier closest to the source of moisture. On above-ground walls you usually put it next to the sheetrock because people generate moisture. On basement walls you usually put it right on the cement wall because ground moisture vapor continues to come through the concrete. Your contractor got it backwards and that is why you had trapped moisture.

If you are willing to spend some money, you could have closed cell foam sprayed into the wall, which would provide the sealing you need. After than you wouldn't even need the fiberglass insulation to get the R value you need.. You can also glue sheets of foam into the stud bays and just spray foam the edges to seal it, but that's a tedious job.

Can you verify that they used treated wood for the sill plates on the framing? It would be nice if they used treated studs also if they are in contact with the cement walls. You want to keep the water vapor out of all the wood products.

Like other insulation in an occupied space, foam requires a heat/fire barrier, and 1/2' sheetrock is the most common.

Bruce
gle2011 thanked Bruce in Northern Virginia
gle2011
Original Author
8 years ago
Hi Bruce,

The sill plates are pressure treated wood.

I am not interested in studding out and insulating the poured concrete walls.

I only want to cover the insulated walls that are wood framed on the rear wall of the walkout basement .

Any suggestions on how to cover the fiberglass insulation the builder is going too use.

thanks
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User
8 years ago
Drywall is required.