Many people enjoy the convenience of a basement for added storage of household goods and seasonal items. With the help of these steps you can dig out your basement and build a large closet for added storage of regularly used items such as canned food, clothing, blankets, linens and seasonal decorative items. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Level out the ground in the basement. You will need to dig out the dirt and bucket it out of the basement. Don't disturb the dirt 45 degrees from the base of the sidewalls or the basement walls may collapse.
2. Treat the ground for termites if you live in an area prone to termite damage. Contact your local pest control to learn if there is a termite problem in your area. If there is a problem with them then have the pest control business treat your basement before performing any construction.
3. Lay out posts of 4x4 pressure treated wood along the floor of the basement. Space them no more than 6 feet apart and make then even with the end of the studs on the basement wall. These will be the support for the basement floor.
4. Cover the floor supports with polyethylene sheet material that is at least 4mm, but no more than 6mm thick. Raise the polyethylene sheets up to the wooden footings then cut it.
5. Overlay the sheet material at least 3 feet beyond the footings so that each side overlaps. Hold them down with heavy bricks. Remove the extra sheet material from the edges with a box cutter.
6. Hide the polyethylene material with 2x6 floor joists to create the basement floor. Lay them perpendicular to the 4x4 posts. Nail them to the 4x4 posts using galvanized nails then cover them with plywood.
7. Construct the basement walls with 2x4 studs. At this time you can also use additional 2x4s to make a shelf. Cover both with plywood and paint if desired.
Tags: sheet material, added storage, basement floor, basement walls, more than
