# Basement drywall finished! --pics



## Sir MixAlot (Apr 4, 2008)

Turned out nice. :stuart:

How did you handle that large gap at the bottom of the first photo?


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## mike dub (Feb 17, 2013)

Thanks Sir MixAlot. I self-mixed a powder gypsum with water, that was supposed to be heavier ? or dry faster? than the premixed mud that I'd bought in the 5 gallon buckets. The gypsum was in a 20 lb. sack - from Lowes. I slathered the self mix stuff into the bigger cracks. And I cut out that plastic insultation backing that shows in the crack -- so the mud would at least be sticking to a solid / wood/ as opposed to the thin plastic. It seems to have held ... err at least So Far! My father in law helped me alot with the mud and the sanding phase too and also our DIY install of the suspended ceiling. That was a baffling thing to me; reckoning Center for each room and hanging the main runners. My FIL has an amazing mind for reckoning that kind of stuff. I'd still be working on the ceiling if not for his helping me. Mike


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Well there's your problem. The rooms upside down.


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## 123pugsy (Oct 6, 2012)

right side up :thumbsup:


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Ceiling should have been finished first, drywall installed horizontal whenever possible.
Drywall should have been cut so it was 1/2 up off the floor.
First piece needed to be 100% plumb or it throws off all the others.
A whole lot more work to make it look right once it's been hung wrong.


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## Gymschu (Dec 12, 2010)

I really love the floor!


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## 123pugsy (Oct 6, 2012)

joecaption said:


> , drywall installed horizontal whenever possible.
> .


Something about drywall edges with nothing behind them for 14-1/2" rubs me the wrong way.

What's the reason for this and do you put something behind those edges I speak of?


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## mike dub (Feb 17, 2013)

Thanks all, for your replies. 123pugsy, thanks for making the pic right-side-up! The crack between the edges are about 1/4" at the widest (in the first photo). I slathered quicker-dry mud into that crack after cutting out the plastic insulation backing seen in the crack in that photo). I don't understand the 14-1/2 you mentioned. joecaption, the ceiling here is an Armstrong suspended ceiling, so I did install the wall sheetrock first, and then installed the ceiling wall molding for the ceiling into the wall studs over top of the painted drywall. The rock is 1/2" off the floor. I ripped a 4 foot long by 1/2" thick piece of wood from a 2x4, sat it on the floor where I was going to hang each piece, and then sat the bottom edge of the rock on it. This made each piece pretty flush right out of the box. But the one pictured, I later figured out, wasn't flush because the existing wood paneling wall (on the left side of the photo) was Not flush, up and down. It stuck out (unflush) about a 1/4" at the top of the room. It might have bowed?, or a nail backed out years ago. Everything's holding up ok. Gymschu, thanks on the flooring. The floor place had never installed this color of laminate before (whitewash oak) and they really commented on how good it looks. I'm now in the market for a loveseat recliner for my man-cave/stereo room! (the room pictured here) Thanks. Mike


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## 123pugsy (Oct 6, 2012)

Joe mentioned horizontal drywall. If hung this way, there is 14-1/2" between studs where there is nothing behind the seams at all.

Better leave it at that, as I'm sure this has been debated many times.


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## danpik (Sep 11, 2011)

joecaption said:


> Ceiling should have been finished first,


 Interesting, I have never installed a dropped ceiling first.


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## mike dub (Feb 17, 2013)

*Aww, I get it!*



123pugsy said:


> Joe mentioned horizontal drywall. If hung this way, there is 14-1/2" between studs where there is nothing behind the seams at all.
> 
> Better leave it at that, as I'm sure this has been debated many times.




I get it: hanging horizontal, vs. hanging vertical. I didn't hang horizontal--I went with vertical after some debate -- reading comments from many on this site saying hanging vertical can work well, before actually doing it. Worked out good for this (newbie) project. Now have almost double the conditioned/heated square feet to enjoy and have as added Value. Can't wait to set up my old stereo system (which has been collecting dust in a non-finished storage room of the same basement) in the new basement! Thanks all for your thoughts. Mike


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## hsnopi (Jan 24, 2014)

that flooring is laminate???! wow! it's gorgeous. do you have a link to it?


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

mike dub said:


> I get it: hanging horizontal, vs. hanging vertical. I didn't hang horizontal--I went with vertical after some debate -- reading comments from many on this site saying hanging vertical can work well, before actually doing it. Worked out good for this (newbie) project. Now have almost double the conditioned/heated square feet to enjoy and have as added Value. Can't wait to set up my old stereo system (which has been collecting dust in a non-finished storage room of the same basement) in the new basement! Thanks all for your thoughts. Mike


 
Joec is certainly not the last word in home construction, don't worry about it:laughing:


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## mike dub (Feb 17, 2013)

*Thanks, hsnopi*



hsnopi said:


> that flooring is laminate???! wow! it's gorgeous. do you have a link to it?


It is laminate. The brand name is Quick Step. http://us.quick-step.com
Although their site has different countries /languages available, our laminate was made in the USA. The color we got is called something like Whitewash Oak. My better half picked it out, and I think she done good ;0).

This weekend I'm working on trimming out those basement windows with molding. Mike


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## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

Looks nice, good job.


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## mike dub (Feb 17, 2013)

*Thanks tool seeker*



ToolSeeker said:


> Looks nice, good job.


I got my stereo running down there now. Nice, quiet room to listen to my cd's and records! The other two finished rooms will be our exercise room, and my wife's puzzle room!


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## Jb1234 (Aug 18, 2012)

Quickstep is good stuff. That's the laminate brand I have in a few rooms in my house. As long as installed properly, mines been going 10 years plus. I'm currently switching out to engineered hardwood, but the QS served me well.


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## TotalHomeworx (Jan 18, 2014)

Hanging drywall horizontally allows you to use larger drywall so you have less joints to tape. You can hang 12' sheets so it's fast to board and less joints to tape, less mudd, etc. Homes require it for structural reasons.

But Often you can't get anything over 8' long sheets in the basement, the walls are less than 8' high and the walls are not structural so hanging vertically may be better in that situation. for example: If the walls are all 7' high then you can cut 13" off all your 8' sheets at once and go nuts and board quick plus you don't have but joints to tape.


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