You are required to have insulation covered with an intumescent coating. Or drywall. Drywall is cheaper. Shiplap is going to look especially goofy in an underground space. Not suitable at all.

You're late - I ripped 100' of shiplap out of my basement about 10 years ago. It really has that 1950's feel. Use sheetrock and paint it.

Not helpful, but can't resist. Ask Joanna Gaines.

I have the same configuration. Personally I would not install sheetrock. Would lose the ability to run wiring and other services, and would lose the ability to inspect the house sill and other wooden members for termites/ carp ants, etc.

Hi sofaspud,

What do you have covering the insulation?

I was thinking about using Tyvek..

We ship-lapped the ceiling of this basement remodel in Rhode Island a couple months ago. They decided against painting it, and instead went with a pickled finish.

Plastic sheeting just like you.

Barnes Custom Builders - sorry I do not like that at all. Very cave-like and claustrophobic. Just MHO.

Plastic sheeting or tyvek is flammable. So is insulation. You need to get that covered with drywall immediately. Regardless of what you want to cover that drywall with.

Barnes Custom Builders,

What do you recommend to use to cover the un-faced bat wall insulation?

Are the walls in your picture sheetrock and mudded seams or are the walls plastered?

Do you do work in Massachusetts?

Thanks

I am being told by the town building inspector that the un-faced bat insulation must be covered with plastic.

???Massachusetts Building Code???

45% Humidity is too high - IMO.

You should first have a plan - what do you want to do with the basement? I would expect some electrical outlets and wall switches for lights.

Sheetrock is the most common thing. If it is carefully taped, there is not that much sanding required.

The plastic is only a vapor barrier. To make that habitable space requires covered n’t that with drywall.

The space is only going to used as a storage area, and possibly a small exercise area.

My biggest concern is too make sure I don't have a re-occurrence of the mold issue.

Mold doesn’t occur in a properly constructed dry basement, no matter the wall covering. And it will occur in an improperly waterproofed or drained basement, no matter the wall covering.

Your issue lies lies outside the basement walls, and under it.

If you are creating habitable space here, there are building codes that must be followed. That goes for an exercise room or any other room. Not following those codes leads to an unsellable house down the road. And $$ wasted on the interim hacks.

Maecom Technology,

The studded walls have not been re-insulated yet following it's removal and mold remediation.

The insulation company that is going to be doing the work told us if un-faced fiberglass bat insulation is used (which is the standard insulation done by the builder) then the insulation must be covered with a plastic.

The mold remediation company recommends not using the plastic or paper faced bat insulation.

I was hoping to either sheetrock the walls without a plastic vapor barrier or to shiplap the walls without using a vapor barrier.

Thanks

Dampness issues aside, if you are going to use the space for storage and maybe a small workout area, why are you considering installing shiplap at all? Maybe you just have some on hand and want to use it up?

Shiplap is very trendy right now - translation: in 5 years it's going to look very 2018-ish. Sheetrock, on the other hand, is standard.

Shiplap was a consideration because of the ease of installation vs. the sheetrock seam joint sanding and dust clean-up.