Paints that are good for the final part of a basement remodel.

Painting the walls in the basement after you've finished it should really be considered the last step in any finishing or remodeling project (next to hanging shelves or nick-knacks)

The healthiest choice for painting the walls is a paint that has Zero Lead, and Zero VOCs (volatile organic compounds). Typically, as many of us remember, paint has a smell to it. This odor is caused by the chemicals in the paint and can, in places with no ventilation, be hazardous to your health in large amounts.

Avoiding any VOCs in paint, today, is rather easy. All major home improvement stores carry paint without these VOCs and they come in thousands of custom colors for your walls. You can get what you want at a great price and without any risks to the indoor air quality of your home.

Why are VOCs bad in the Basement?
Like any smell or odor, the basement can trap them in and let them build up. Basements or crawl spaces aren't normally very well ventilated, nor do they have proper air circulation. This allows any air bound chemical to build up (in parts per million) and become stronger and more potent.

If you have mold or odors in the basement anyway, adding to them with a stench of VOCs filled paints isn't going to help you to breath any easier.

What if I'm looking to finish and have odors in the basement already?
Most likely there is something causing these odors in the first place.

Mold and dry rot are the two most common causes for odors in the basement. If ether one of these exist, finishing or remodeling the basement shouldn't be your top priority. Getting control of the smell through air circulation and filtration are a good first step.

Moisture plays a key roll in the formation of mold and dry rot and should be taken seriously. Controlling the moisture or possible leaks and flooding can protect the finished space from damage and from future mold and dry rot. Installing a waterproofing system can help control moisture while helping to correct the conditions of the basement that are causing the odors and smells.


Related Reading and Links
Read about the Top 6 Basement Mistakes that contractors and homeowners make. See what other readers have asked in Safe'n'Dry Basement Blog's Reader Questions Section
Ask Pioneer Basement a question Directly on Pioneer Basement's Help Forums!

Basement Mistakes pt 5 – Finishing a Basement with Organic Construction Materials

With the push to find renewable resources for construction materials there have been a large amount of contractors who become confused about Renewable vs. Organic material.

I’ve spoken on the topic of organic material vs. in-organic material in the basement several times on multiple forums and in this blog. Renewable resource material isn’t always the same as Organic Material. Many Renewable construction materials are made out of recycled plastics and metals – which (lucky for you) are both In-Organic!!!

Green Home Improvement and the Basement Health Industry live in harmony once more!

Organic materials in a basement
One of the largest concerns about many homeowners is mold. Mold requires moisture, a dark space, and food to eat. Mold is able to break down organic materials like wood and paper; this is what it uses as food. Any wood, paper, paper-products, fabric, cardboard or dry wall can potentially become mold food.

Moisture Resistant materials and In-Organic Construction
The basement environment is radically different because of its naturally increased levels of humidity. This makes it that much more important to build with materials that are designed for moist areas and that don’t provide a food source for mold spores.

Paperless insulation, paperless dry wall, metal studs, and other materials are what are needed to properly finish a space in the basement. These materials, depending on their manufacturer, possess qualities that allow them to withstand moisture, provide rigid and custom fabrication, and possess all the same qualities of the construction materials used on the 1st and 2nd floors.

Placement of the studs.
Many homes, especially around New England, have finished basements. Homeowners and contractors for decades have been installing the wood studs directly against the foundation wall. A.) This is lazy and B.) This causes problems.

Lazy:
By putting a stud against the foundation wall you’re hoping that the foundation is plum and it’s one less step to do. Who needs to make sure anything’s level right? (Cough*sarcasm*cough)

Causes Problems:
Moisture travels through the foundation wall and comes into contact with these wood studs. Mold spores LOVE this and thrive, OR dry rot occurs, eventually rendering the wall useless.

Placing studs 2”-4” away from any foundation wall gives enough room to force air circulation and filtration behind the walls which keeps the area moving and clear of mold and excess moisture.

The area behind the studs is vulnerable to excess moisture build up, even more so then the rest of the basement, so if there is insulation in the finished walls, it’s that much more important to provide circulation and dehumidification.

The Take Away:
1.) DON’T USE WOOD STUDS!
2.) DON’T USE “Standard” Dry wall!
3.) DON’T USE PAPER BACKED INSULATION
4.) USE MATERIALS THAT HAVE BEEN TESTED TO BE MOISTURE AND MILDEW RESISTANT –many of these also have excellent fire ratings
5.) IF you don’t know what to do: ASK A PROFESSIONAL!

Hundreds of Thousands of dollars a year are wasted in ill-prepared and poorly planned basement finishing designs using the WRONG material. This is why it falls, yet again, under the Top 6 Most Common Basement Mistakes that homeowners and contractors make.

Basement Finishing and Remodeling Design Tip

http://www.pioneerbasement.com/forum/showthread.php?t=769

I'm planning on adding many more tips and tricks for thinking differently in the basement.

It's important to realize that the moisture levels in the basement are higher and therefore you have to use different materials to build in a basement.

If you think different, build different, you change your basement and still have a healthy and successful area.

Fun Basement Idea Poll on Pioneer Basement Forums

So since it’s raining rather hard here today in Westport, I’ve decided to do some outreach and pose some questions to the customers of Pioneer Basement.

What is in your basement?

What do you WANT in your basement?

Two very simple, but fun questions. Most homeowners don’t like talking about what’s down in the basement now, laundry piles, an odd workbench, or even maybe nothing at all.

But when you pose the question of “what do you WANT?” then a whole other side of many homeowners comes out: The Creative/FUN side.

Pool tables, fancy storage, a real creative place to paint or make furniture, recording studios, movie rooms, bathrooms, game rooms, bed rooms, toy storage, gyms, Jacuzzis, computer rooms, home offices, hobby rooms, you name it people have thought it up.

And the great thing is: Any of it can happen with a little planning and some proper design.